url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at
https://walden.house.gov/year-in-review,Year-in-Review: Greg Waldens top seven legislative wins for Oregon in 2017,2017-12-29,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Year-in-Review: Greg Waldens top seven legislative wins for Oregon in 2017 
WASHINGTON, D.C. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released a list of top seven legislative wins for Oregon in 2017. Walden authored important bills that have been signed into law and passed in the House of Representatives this year to support Americas military and veterans, protect Oregons public lands and grow family wage jobs in local communities, modernize the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), improve forest management to prevent catastrophic wildfire, and helped pass major tax reform to bring much-needed relief for middle class families in Oregon.
According to www.congress.gov, Walden leads the Oregon House delegation with 23 bills passed through the House of Representatives this year. Walden also leads the House delegation with five pieces of legislation sent to the President in 2017.
Walden has assisted over 1,200 Oregonians this year with problems they were having with federal agencies, including 500 veterans and military service members, and over 120 Oregonians with their Social Security and Medicare benefits. If you or someone you know is having difficulty with a federal agency such as the Veterans Administration (VA) or Internal Revenue Service (IRS), you can all Waldens office toll free from Oregon at 800-533-3303.
 Walden bill to protect Mt. Hood, boost family wage jobs sent to Presidents desk 
Click here or on the image above to view Waldens floor speech
Bipartisan legislation authored by Oregon Reps. Greg Walden and Earl Blumenauer, and Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkleyto help protect the local water source for the City of Hood River and upper Hood River Valley, while promoting economic growth and family wage jobs for the local communities, is heading to the Presidents desk. The Mt. Hood-Cooper Spur Land Clarification Act passed the House of Representatives in February on a 415-1 vote, and passed the Senate in December. Walden has worked closely over the years with Rep. Earl Blumenauer to protect Oregons public lands around Mt. Hood and grow the local economy.
""Completing the Cooper Spur land exchange is key to protecting Crystal Springs, the water source for the City of Hood River and the upper Hood River Valley, while also encouraging economic and job growth around Mt. Hood,Walden said.These communities have waited nearly nine years for the Forest Service to complete the exchange Congress gave them 16 months to finish. This is long past due and I look forward to President Trump signing this bill into law so the job can finally get done.
 Mt. Hood land exchange heads to Trumps desk 
A long-delayed land swap on Mount Hood that sets out areas for commercial development and protected forest land has cleared Congress. The bill unanimously passed the Senate on Thursday night, Dec. 21, which means its headed to President Donald Trumps desk to be signed into law. The bipartisan legislation written by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Representatives Greg Walden, (R-Ore.) and Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) was aimed at protecting and enhancing Oregons land conservation and recreation priorities on the mountain.
Please click here to read more from the Hood River News.
 Greg Walden bill to ensure military access to lifesaving medical treatments signed into law 
Click here or on the image above to view Waldens floor speech
President Trump signed into law legislation introduced by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) to ensure the military has access to lifesaving medical treatments. Waldens legislation (H.R. 4374) passed the House and Senate unanimously, and will amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to authorize additional emergency uses for medical products to reduce deaths and severity of injuries on the battlefield.
''Our men and women in uniform put their lives on the line for this country, and they deserve to have the earliest possible access to medical products that could save their lives on the battlefield, said Walden in a speech on the House floor when the legislation passed the House in November. In short, H.R. 4374 addresses the critical issue of military access to the newest available products by expanding the circumstances under which emergency use authorizations can be issued, and by establishing an expedited pathway to full approval of products that the Secretary of Defense requests.
 Walden resolution passed 
President Trump signed House Resolution 4374, a piece of legislation introduced by Representative Greg Walden. The resolution amended a law that would allow for the use of unapproved medical products during a military emergency. It is intended to speed up development and review of medical products for military emergency use within 45 days.
Click here for more from KTVL News Channel 10.
 Greg Walden bill to modernize Food and Drug Administration signed into law 
Click here or on the image above to view Waldens floor speech
President Trump signed Rep. Waldens FDA Reauthorization Act (FDARA) of 2017 into law in August. Waldens legislation passed the House and Senate unanimously, and will help deliver new medical devices, treatments, and therapies to patients in Oregon and across the country. This bill reauthorizes and modernizes the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) critical medical productuser fee programs, ensuring the agency has the tools it needs to more efficiently deliver safe and effective drugs, devices, and treatments to patients.
This law will encourage new medical innovations, bring lower cost drugs to market faster, improve the regulatory review process for devices and treatments and, most importantly provide certainty to patients and the health industry, said Walden.
Click here to read more from the Energy and Commerce Committee, where Walden serves as Chairman.
Greg Walden helps pass landmark legislation to bring tax-relief to middle class Oregonians
Click here or on the image above to view Waldens remarks on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
Continuing his efforts to provide tax relief for middle-class families and boost job growth in Oregon, Rep. Walden voted to pass landmark tax reform through Congress in December. Walden applauded the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1), as a win for hard-working Oregon taxpayers and job creators.
The measure Congress will send to the President this week means that a hardworking family of four in eastern Oregon that earns about $50,000 a year -- which is the median household income in my district -- will receive a tax break of about $1,300 compared to the existing law. Instead of a bloated federal government taking and spending your money, I want families to keep more of what they earn. Thats $10,400 in lower federal income taxes over the next eight years for that one family, Walden said.
Walden has heard from constituents across Oregons second district about the importance of this tax reform legislation. To read more about what people in Oregon are saying about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, please click here.
 Oregon Farm Bureau: Tax reform will help agriculture 
The Oregon Farm Bureau said the tax reform package passed by Congress and signed Friday by President Trump includes many provisions that will help Oregon's farm and ranch families. ""This bill lowers taxes for the vast majority of our agricultural families,"" said Oregon Farm Bureau President Barry Bushue. Bushue pointedout that the bill simplifies rate structures and eliminates the death tax for estates under $11 million while maintaining annual indexing for inflation, which covers nearly all family ag operations.
Click here to read more from News Channel 21.
 Greg Walden leads forest management reform through House for fifth year in a row 
Click here or on the image above to view Waldens floor speech
For the fifth time in five years, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) voted in November to pass legislation to improve federal forest management and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires that ravage Oregon and much of the West every year.The Resilient Federal Forests Act (H.R. 2936),which Walden helped craft, addresses the growing economic and environmental threats of catastrophic wildfire that scorched over 710,000 acres of land across Oregon this year.
My intensity on this issue is almost that of the fires we fight, said Walden. We can reduce the size and intensity of fire up to 70 percent, if we do the kinds of projects that thin out the forests and allow us to better manage and be better stewards of our federal forests that are contemplated as a result of this legislation.
 Forest reform bill passes House 
For the fifth time in as many years, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday that would expedite certain forest thinning projects to lower the risk of destructive wildfires across the country. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Oregon) hailed it as a big day for the Northwest during a conference call with reporters, saying the bill not only solves the issue of fire borrowing but gives agencies more leeway to thin overcrowded and diseased forests.
Click here to read more from the East Oregonian.
 Greg Walden bill to improve care for Oregon veterans passes House unanimously 
Click here or on the image above to view Waldens remarks
The U.S. House of Representatives in June unanimously passed a plan co-authored by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) to improve the care Oregons veterans receive at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Walden worked with House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman, Dr. Phil Roe, to introduce the VA Medical Scribes Pilot Act of 2017. Waldens legislation would implement a pilot program for medical scribes at VA facilities, which will help unburden VA doctors and allow them to see more patients.
Good news for Oregon veterans: the House passed legislation I co-authored with Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Dr. Phil Roe, that will allow veterans doctors to do what they do best -- spend more time taking care of veterans, said Walden. This legislation sets up a pilot program to try something that has worked successfully in the private sector -- having scribes work side-by-side with doctors, so that doctors can focus on the patient and scribes can focus on the paperwork.
 Guest Opinion: Bills would improve the VA for Oregon veterans 
Veterans in Oregon and across the country deserve quality care in a timely manner when they go to the VA. Unfortunately, long wait times at many facilities have resulted in delayed access to essential health services, especially in rural and underserved areas in Oregon. We can and must solve this problem, and Ive sponsored legislation to help. Lets start by making sure the VA is adequately staffed with qualified medical providers, and that these providers are able to devote their undivided attention to serving those whove served our country.
Click here to read Rep. Waldens guest column in the Medford Mail Tribune.
 Walden paves the way for self-driving cars 
Click here or on the image above to view Waldens floor speech
Rep. Walden, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, helped pass landmark legislation through the House of Representatives in September to pave the way for self-driving cars. Walden has led a bipartisan effort to advance self-driving vehicle technology to help make Oregons roads safer, create new economic opportunities, and help seniors and those with disabilities live more independently.
""Almost 40,000 lives were lost on our roads last year. This represents yet another yearly increase in traffic-related fatalities. In my home state of Oregon, traffic fatalities were the highest theyve been in 14 years, increasing by an alarming 20 percent from the year before, said Walden. Statistics show that 94 percent of accidents relate to human behavior. During our morning commute into work, just look around. We all see folks on their phones in the cars next to us. While National Highway Traffic Safety Administration cannot write a safety standard to make us all perfect drivers, it can work to advance life-saving technologies -- which is the underlying goal of todays bipartisan legislation.

 Rep. Greg Walden Is Oregon's Champion Of Self-Driving Cars 
The U.S. House on Tuesday passed a bill to spur the widespread use of self-driving cars that was partly crafted by Rep. Greg Walden,R-Oregon. Walden used his chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to work with automakers and tech companies to hammer out a measure that allows testing of more self-driving cars on Americanroads. Today marks a really important milestone in our pursuit to make our roadways safer and support American leadership in self-driving innovation, Walden said on the House floor before the measure passed on a voice vote with noobjection.
Click here to read more from Oregon Public Broadcasting.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-nominates-six-oregon-students-acceptance-us-service,Greg Walden nominates six Oregon students for acceptance to U.S. service academies,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden nominates six Oregon students for acceptance to U.S. service academies 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced today that he has nominated six Oregon students for acceptance to one of the prestigious United States service academies. Waldens Service Academy Nomination Board -- retired military officers who interview potential candidates for the service academies -- recommended each student based on their academic performance, extracurricular involvement, and character. It is an honor and privilege to nominate these remarkable young Oregonians to our nations service academies, Walden said. They have earned these much-deserved nominations through years of hard work, dedication, and commitment to character. These students have shown a desire to grow intellectually, lead by example, and serve their country by pursuing a higher education at one of our countrys select service academies. I am confident that each will be successful in this admirable endeavor, and that Americas future is in good hands. Id like to thank my Service Academy Nomination Board for recommending these future leaders. Their service to our country and experience wearing our nations uniform speaks to the unique qualities of the students they interviewed and referred for nomination. These nominations would not be possible without their guidance and understanding of what it takes to excel and succeed at the U.S. service academies, said Walden. Serving on Waldens Service Academy Nomination Board are: retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Frank Toney, retired U.S. Navy Capt. Harriet Harris, retired U.S. Navy Capt. Bud Hart, retired U.S. Marine Corps. Lt. Col. Richard Halsted, andretired U.S. Marine Corps. Col. Dave Dotterer.Retired U.S. Navy Com. John Howardserved as the Recorder for the Service Academy Nomination Board. The service academies include the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado; the Military Academy at West Point, New York; the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland; and the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. Final selection for admission to the service academies will be determined by officials at each respective academy this spring. Students who are interested in learning more about service academy nominations can visit Waldens website at https://walden.house.gov/academynominations.  The nominees from Oregon are as follows: Baker County
Clay Keller, son of Douglas and Theresa Keller of Baker City, attending Baker High School -- nominated to the Naval Academy.
Jackson County
Garrett Bates, son of Patrick and Lisa Bates of Central Point, attending St. Marys School -- nominated to the U.S. Military Academy.
Klamath County  
	Thomas Morgan, son of Robert and Tanya Morgan of Klamath Falls -- nominated to the Air Force Academy.
Matthew Yuckniuk, son of Scott and Debbie Yuckniuck of Klamath Falls, attending College of the Siskiyous -- nominated to the U.S. Military Academy.
Malheur County
Kirk Eiguren, son of Michael and Robbin Eiguren of Jordan Valley, attending Jordan Valley High School -- nominated to the Air Force Academy.
Wallowa County
James Wells, son of Larry and Ilene Wells of Joseph, attending Enterprise High School  nominated to the Naval Academy.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-nominates-sixteen-oregon-students-acceptance-us-service,Greg Walden nominates sixteen Oregon students for acceptance to U.S. service academies,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden nominates sixteen Oregon students for acceptance to U.S. service academies 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced today that he has nominated sixteen Oregon students for acceptance to one of the prestigious United States service academies. Waldens Service Academy Nomination Board -- retired military officers who interview potential candidates for the service academies -- recommended each student based on their academic performance, extracurricular involvement, and character. It is an honor and privilege to nominate these remarkable young Oregonians to our nations service academies, Walden said. They have earned these much-deserved nominations through years of hard work, dedication, and commitment to character. These students have shown a desire to grow intellectually, lead by example, and serve their country by pursuing a higher education at one of our countrys select service academies. I am confident that each will be successful in this admirable endeavor, and that Americas future is in good hands. Id like to thank my Service Academy Nomination Board for recommending these future leaders. Their service to our country and experience wearing our nations uniform speaks to the unique qualities of the students they interviewed and referred for nomination. These nominations would not be possible without their guidance and understanding of what it takes to excel and succeed at the U.S. service academies, said Walden. Serving on Waldens Service Academy Nomination Board are: retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Frank Toney, retired U.S. Navy Capt. Harriet Harris, retired U.S. Navy Capt. Bud Hart, retired U.S. Marine Corps. Lt. Col. Richard Halsted, andretired U.S. Marine Corps. Col. Dave Dotterer.Retired U.S. Navy Com. John Howardserved as the Recorder for the Service Academy Nomination Board. The service academies include the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado; the Military Academy at West Point, New York; the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland; and the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. Final selection for admission to the service academies will be determined by officials at each respective academy this spring. Students who are interested in learning more about service academy nominations can visit Waldens website at https://walden.house.gov/academynominations.  The nominees from Oregon are as follows:  
	
Baker County
Clay Keller, son of Douglas and Theresa Keller of Baker City, attending Baker High School  nominated to the United States Naval Academy.
Austin Rasmussen, son of Julie Rasmussen of Baker City, attending Baker High school nominated to the United States Military Academy.
Deschutes County
Emily Brockman, daughter of Chuck and Toni Brockman of Bend, attending Bend Sr. High School  nominated to the United States Naval Academy and the United States Air Force Academy.
Jordan Andrews, daughter of Corey Andrews and Lisa Jacobs of Sisters, attending Sisters High School -- nominated to the United States Naval Academy.
Jonathan Gregory, son of Brian Gregory and Tina Ogle of Redmond, attending Redmond High School nominated to the United States Air Force Academy.
Jackson County
Garrett Bates, son of Patrick and Lisa Bates of Central Point, attending St. Marys School  nominated to the United States Military Academy, the United States Airforce Academy, and the United States Naval Academy.
Rosemary Weston, daughter of Cael and Marcella Weston of Ashland, attending St. Marys School nominated to the United States Naval Academy, the United States Military Academy, and the United States Air Force Academy.
Patrick Royal, son of Jole and Debra Royal of Central Point, attending South Medford High School  nominated to the United States Naval Academy.
Caleb Cheshire, son of Walter and Kathryn Cheshire of Central Point, homeschoolnominated to the United States Naval Academy, United States Military Academy, United States Air Force Academy.
Trent Snyder, son of Richard Snyder and Gail Schneider-Ross of Medford, attending South Medford High School nominated to the United States Air Force Academy.
Josephine County
Nathan Burton, son of Guy and Leanne Burton of Grants Pass, attending Grants Pass High School -- nominated to United States Naval Academy.
Klamath County  
	Thomas Morgan, son of Robert and Tanya Morgan of Klamath Falls, homeschool  nominated to the United States Air Force Academy.
Matthew Yuckniuk, son of Scott and Debbie Yuckniuck of Klamath Falls, homeschooled nominated to the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy.
Matthew Edwards, son of Jeffrey and Teresa Edwards of Klamath Falls, attending Henley High School  nominated to the United States Air Force Academy.
Malheur County
Kirk Eiguren, son of Michael and Robbin Eiguren of Jordan Valley, attending Jordan Valley High School  nominated to the United States Air Force Academy.
Wallowa County
James Wells, son of Larry and Ilene Wells of Joseph, attending Enterprise High School  nominated to the United States Naval Academy and the United States Air Force Academy.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/what-people-oregon-are-saying-about-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act,What People in Oregon Are Saying About The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"What People in Oregon Are Saying About 


""Pro-growth tax reform is on its way to hardworking, middle-class Americans. And its about time.The biggest percentage of tax reductions next year will go to those earning between $20,000 and $50,000 a year. Thats according to the Joint Committee on Taxation. An Eastern Oregon family earning the median income of approximately $50,000 a year will pay about $1,300 less next year. Over the next eight years thats a savings of $10,400 for that family."" - Representative Greg Walden
http://www.bendbulletin.com/opinion/5858096-151/guest-column-tax-reform-for-oregons-middle-class
Insitu - Boeing and Insitu applaud Congress for taking critical steps to reform the tax code, which will help us in the Columbia Gorge region become more competitive and invest more in innovative technologies that drive expansion of the use of unmanned systems. We thank Chairman Greg Walden for his leadership in this area.  Ryan Hartman, President and CEO of Insitu, a Boeing wholly-owned subsidiary.
Intel - Intel. William Moss, a spokesman for the company. 
""Although it's too early for us to detail specific business decisions, we believe this tax reform bill can help level the playing field for U.S. manufacturers and make us more competitive in today's global economy,"" Moss wrote in an email. ""The bill should also spur further investment in American manufacturing and (research and development)."" - http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/12/greg_walden_defends_republican.html
Oregon Cattlemens Association  The Oregon Cattlemens Association would like to recognize and thank Congressman Walden for his hard work and dedication towards the tax reform. Several elements, such as lowering individual tax rates and increasing levels of estate tax exemption will be particularly helpful to ranchers in Oregon.
Washington Federal  announced with the signing of tax reform legislation, the Bank will accelerate strategic investments in its employees, client service capabilities and community development funding. Specifically, effective when the bill becomes law all Washington Federal employees in good standing and earning less than $100,000 per year will receive a 5% increase on top of their normal merit increase. In addition, a substantial investment will be made in the training and development of all employees, enabling them to upgrade their skills to more effectively compete in todays rapidly changing business environment. The training will focus on leadership, technology, and client service skills. -- https://www.streetinsider.com/Corporate+News/Washington+Federal+%28WAFD%29+Announces+5%25+Wage+Increase+Following+Tax+Reform/13621451.html
Bend Brewers
Yes, this tax cut that reduces the federal excise/alcohol tax of small producers by 50 percent is helpful and gratefully accepted, - Steve Anderson of Kobold Brewing, in Bend
Its a huge relief for us. Every year there are a ton of projects for us to continue to grow and maintain a facility in Bend. That funding will be reinvested. - Deschutes Brewery CEO Michael LaLonde
http://www.bendbulletin.com/business/5858353-151/bend-brewers-welcome-craft-beverage-tax-cut",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-announcement-portland-harbor-superfund-clean,Greg Walden applauds announcement on Portland Harbor Superfund clean up,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden applauds announcement on Portland Harbor Superfund clean up 
WASHINGTON, D.C. --Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today applauded Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitts announcement that the Portland Harbor Superfund cleanup is moving forward:
I want to thank Administrator Pruitt and his team for making the cleanup of the Portland Harbor a national priority. After 16 years of study this announcement signifies real progress is being made under Administrator Pruitts leadership to finally move this cleanup forward. It is refreshing and welcome news. Cleaning up the Portland Harbor will have positive environmental and economic benefits for all Oregonians. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Administrator Pruitt to achieve the end result were all working towards -- a cleaned up Portland Harbor.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-tax-relief-middle-class-oregonians,Greg Walden applauds tax relief for middle-class Oregonians,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden applauds tax relief for middle-class Oregonians 
 Votes to pass landmark tax reform through House of Representatives 
Click here or on the image above to view Waldens remarks
WASHINGTON, D.C. Continuing his efforts to provide tax relief for middle-class families and boost job growth in Oregon, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today voted to pass landmark tax reform through the House of Representatives. Walden applauded the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1), as a win for hard-working Oregon taxpayers and job creators.
I want to thank the nearly 2,000 Oregonians who called and wrote to me over the last month with suggestions on how we could improve the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to better fit our needs in Oregon, said Walden.The measure Congress will send to the President this week means that a hardworking family of four in eastern Oregon that earns about $50,000 a year -- which is the median household income in my district -- will receive a tax break of about $1,300 compared to the existing law. Instead of a bloated federal government taking and spending your money, I want families to keep more of what they earn. Thats $10,400 in lower federal income taxes over the next eight years for that one family.
Based on feedback from Oregonians, Walden worked alongside leaders in both the House and Senate to incorporate changes into the final agreement. Importantly, the bill passed today includes specific provisions particularly important for Oregonians including:
State and Local Tax Deductions:Oregonians who itemize their taxes will be able to deduct a combined $10,000 in state property and income taxes  
	  Private Activity Bonds:Preserves the tax-exempt private activity bonds used to support economic development and affordable housing projects in Oregon.  
	  Student Loan Interest:Preserves the tax deduction for interest paid on federal student loans  
	  Medical Expense Deduction:Preserves the ability for Oregonians who itemize to deduct qualified medical expenses  
	  Craft Beverage Modernization:Reduces excise taxes on small craft brewers and winemakers in Oregon  
	  Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT):Repeals the corporate alternative minimum tax, which is important for large employers in Oregon like Nike
The long and public process allowed people from across the country, and especially here at home in Oregon, to help shape and improve this historic legislation, concluded Walden. Today, the Washington special interest lobbyists lost, and the hard-working American taxpayers and job creators won.
According to data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and reports from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will positively impact Oregon by:
Benefits for Oregon's Second District
Doubled Standard Deduction:224,588 (68%) taxpayers in the 2nd District take the standard deduction under current law. By doubling the standard deduction, these taxpayers will see an immediate tax break under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Increased Child Tax Credit:50,193 taxpayers in the 2nd District claim the child tax credit. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act doubles the child tax credit from $1,000 per child to $2,000. Tax Relief for Small Businesses:50,650 taxpayers in the 2nd District have small business income (a business that the taxpayer operated). The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reduces taxes for small business owners by providing a 20 percent tax deduction on the first $315,000 of income.
Simpler Taxes:104,189 taxpayers in the 2nd District itemize their taxes. As a result of the near doubling ofthe standard deduction and other simplifications, many taxpayers will have much simpler returns. It is estimated that 9 out of 10 Americans will be able to file their taxes on a postcard.
For more information on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, pleaseclick here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-tax-relief-middle-class-oregonians,Greg Walden statement on tax relief for middle-class Oregonians,2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden statement on tax relief for middle-class Oregonians 
WASHINGTON, D.C. --Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released the following statement on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which will help bring tax relief to middle-class families in Oregon and grow Americas economy:
""This plan will bring much-needed tax relief for hardworking, middle-class families in Oregon and allow them to keep more of what they have earned. That has been my goal and focus from the beginning, said Walden. I have been working closely with my colleagues to improve the bill based on feedback I have heard from Oregonians, and I am encouraged to see the changes incorporated into this final plan.
By expanding the ability for Oregon taxpayers to deduct up to $10,000 in combined state income and property taxes, the final plan helps bring further relief to people who currently itemize their taxes. I also worked hard with my colleagues to preserve tax-exempt private activity bonds, which are incredibly important for economic development, affordable housing, and veterans housing projects across Oregon. We have made progress for our students, Oregonians with high medical expenses, Oregon craft brewers and winemakers, and large employers in our state as well.
These improvements build on the strong foundation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in the House. By nearly doubling the standard deduction, expanding the child tax credit, lowering tax rates across the board, and finally giving American companies a competitive corporate rate, this pro-growth plan makes our tax code work better for middle-class Oregonians and people across the country. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to get our plan across the finish line and to the Presidents desk.
Walden has been working alongside House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady and leaders in both the House and Senate to incorporate changes into the final agreement. Importantly, the bill released today includes specific provisions particularly important for Oregonians including:
State and Local Tax Deductions: Oregonians who itemize their taxes will be able to deduct a combined $10,000 in state property and income taxes  
	  Private Activity Bonds:Preserves the tax-exempt private activity bonds used to support economic development and affordable housing projects in Oregon.  
	  Student Loan Interest: Preserves the tax deduction for interest paid on federal student loans  
	  Medical Expense Deduction: Preserves the ability for Oregonians who itemize to deduct qualified medical expenses  
	  Craft Beverage Modernization: Reduces excise taxes on small craft brewers and winemakers in Oregon  
	  Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT): Repeals the corporate alternative minimum tax, which is important for large employers in Oregon like Nike
According to data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and reports from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will positively impact Oregon by:
Benefits for Oregon's Second District
Doubled Standard Deduction: 224,588 (68%) taxpayers in the 2nd District take the standard deduction under current law. By doubling the standard deduction, these taxpayers will see an immediate tax break under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Increased Child Tax Credit:50,193 taxpayers in the 2nd District claim the child tax credit. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act doubles the child tax credit from $1,000 per child to $2,000. Tax Relief for Small Businesses:50,650 taxpayers in the 2nd District have small business income (a business that the taxpayer operated). The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reduces taxes for small business owners by providing a 20 percent tax deduction on the first $315,000 of income.
Simpler Taxes:104,189 taxpayers in the 2nd District itemize their taxes. As a result of the near doubling ofthe standard deduction and other simplifications, many taxpayers will have much simpler returns. It is estimated that 9 out of 10 Americans will be able to file their taxes on a postcard.
For more information on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-it-s-important-we-work-together-protect-our-public-lands,Greg Walden: Its important we work together to protect our public lands,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden: “It’s important we work together to protect our public lands” 
 Walden stressed that he will not support action to remove millions of acres of America’s public lands 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s statement
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Continuing his support for protecting public lands in Oregon and across the country, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released a video message on the importance of working together to steward these lands, protect private property rights, and improve federal land management to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire. Walden also stressed that he will not support action to remove millions of acres of America’s public lands. A full transcript of Walden’s remarks is included below: 
“I am a strong supporter of America’s public lands, and will not support any effort that wipes 2 million acres of protected public lands off the map in any case,” said Walden. “I want the Trump administration to follow the law when it comes to management of our public lands, especially in southern Oregon. I am a strong supporter of private property rights, and for multiple use on our public lands. 
""These are the lands we enjoy to go hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping, and I want to make sure that they are available to the public. I’ve also supported legislation like the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Act that President Clinton signed into law. I’ve supported management changes on Mount Hood and Soda Mountain as well.
“It is important that we work together to protect our public lands, to better manage our public lands, reduce fire on our public lands, and to replant them and restore them when they are damaged.”
This comes as the House recently passed legislation Walden helped craft -- the Resilient Federal Forests Act -- which would improve federal land management and forest health. Walden has led the call to action on forest management reform following a historic wildfire season in Oregon and across much of the West. The Resilient Federal Forests Act will bring better management to federal lands in Oregon by reducing unnatural fuel loads to improve the resiliency of forests and watersheds to fire, and improve wildlife habitat.  
To read more about Walden’s efforts to protect public lands in Oregon from catastrophic wildfire, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-blackburn-fcc-restoring-internet-freedom-vote,"Walden, Blackburn on the FCC Restoring  Internet Freedom Vote",2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Walden, Blackburn on the FCC Restoring Internet Freedom Vote 
WASHINGTON, DC – House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the Restoring Internet Freedom order.
“The FCC’s vote today will preserve the open and dynamic Internet the American people have known since the early 1990s. The light-touch Title I rules, under which the Internet flourished for decades, will help more Americans than ever before access the web, video streaming, telemedicine, and the innovations of the future made possible by increased investment in broadband. Now, the table is set for Congress to provide clear, permanent rules through a bipartisan legislative solution. We hope that all stakeholders, and our Democratic colleagues, will finally engage in serious negotiations soon,” said Walden and Blackburn.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/president-signs-greg-walden-bill-ensure-military-access-lifesaving,President signs Greg Walden bill to ensure military access to lifesaving medical treatments,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"President signs Greg Walden bill to ensure military access to lifesaving medical treatments 
 Legislation will streamline approval process for lifesaving treatments for troops on front lines 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden's remarks
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Trump signed into law legislation introduced by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) to ensure the military has access to lifesaving medical treatments.  Walden’s legislation (H.R. 4374) passed the House and Senate unanimously, and will amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to authorize additional emergency uses for medical products to reduce deaths and severity of injuries caused by agents of war.
“This is an important day for our brave men and women in uniform, ensuring they get the timely care they need while protecting our country,” said Walden. “Today we are well on our way to delivering the newest treatments and devices to our war fighters without forgoing important safety mechanisms.”
Specifically, Walden’s legislation corrects language within the National Defense Authorization Act – which was also signed into law today – that could have usurped FDA’s critical authority of ensuring the safety and efficacy of cutting edge medicines for our soldiers on the front lines. 
Walden’s bill will streamline the processes at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Defense (DoD) to ensure America’s warfighters have access to new, lifesaving medications in a timely manner. 
''Our men and women in uniform put their lives on the line for this country, and they deserve to have the earliest possible access to medical products that could save their lives on the battlefield,” said Walden in a speech on the House floor when the legislation passed the House in November. “In short, H.R. 4374 addresses the critical issue of military access to the newest available products by expanding the circumstances under which emergency use authorizations can be issued, and by establishing an expedited pathway to full approval of products that the Secretary of Defense requests.”
For Representative Walden’s legislation, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-holds-congressional-oversight-hearing-epa-administrator,Greg Walden holds Congressional oversight hearing with EPA Administrator,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden holds Congressional oversight hearing with EPA Administrator 
Discusses Portland Superfund cleanup, air quality standards following wildfires in Oregon
Click here or on the image above to view Waldens remarks at todays hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today held a Congressional oversight hearing at the Energy and Commerce Committee with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt. The hearing, entitled The Mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was Pruitts first appearance before Waldens Energy and Commerce Committee since being sworn in as EPA Administrator. 
During the hearing, Walden stressed the need for the EPA to return to its mission of protecting the environment without sidestepping Congress.
""I expect that Back to Basics is not an abdication of environmental protection, but rather a rededication to mastering the most fundamental aspects of EPAs mission  whether its cleaning up Superfund sites, ensuring that safe drinking water is being piped into peoples homes, or keeping air clean and safe to breathe, said Walden. The public deserves to be protected and common-sense regulations are important and necessary. However, government solutions should be proportional to the problems they are tasked by Congress to solve. I believe the EPA should focus on innovative problem solving and partnerships with the states and the private sector that leverage their resources and expertise.
Walden also discussed several matters under EPAs jurisdiction that directly impact Oregon, including the Port of Portland Superfund cleanup and air quality standards after this years devastating wildfire season.
I want to thank you and your team for your attention to the Superfund cleanup in the Portland Harbor. While this area is not in my district, it is in my state and what happens at the Port of Portland has an impact on all Oregonians, said Walden. You have brought a fresh and welcome approach to this complicated and costly cleanup. Unlike the prior administration, youve proven that this administration wants to actually clean up environmental messes, and do the work in a commonsense manner in close working partnership with local stakeholders. To paraphrase an old song, if you can do it there, you can do it anywhere.
Click here or on the image above to view Waldens questioning of Administrator Pruitt
Walden also asked Administrator Pruitt how the EPA can better streamline the determination process for the agency's exceptional events rule, which specifically relates to air quality standards after extreme weather events such as wildfires. Walden said that after this years devastating wildfire season in Oregon and across much of the West, it is important to increase the efficiency of the process for states like Oregon seeking the exception.
One of the other issues that has come up is the Clean Air Acts exceptional events process. Weve had all these wildfires -- theyve had horrible wildfires again in California -- in the Northwest, said Walden. It has been subject of some of our hearing here about how that process works today, and the amount of time and money it takes to go through it to get an exception. What can you do to ensure a more-timely and cost-effective EPA process on exceptional event determinations?
According to the EPA, exceptional events are unusual or naturally occurring events that can affect air quality but are not reasonably controllable using techniques that state or local air agencies may implement in order to adhere to national air quality standards.Exceptional events include wildfires, stratospheric ozone intrusions and volcanic and seismic activities.
Pruitt said to Walden that the EPA must do a better job of providing clarity for how the rule is applied and how the determination process is carried out. We need to provide clarity in that area so that we know how these rules will be enforced and applied going forward. That clarity is not there presently, and that is a focus of the agency presently as we go into 2018.
Walden said the Energy and Commerce Committee would work closely with Administrator Pruitt and his team at the EPA to ensure that clarity is provided. This will allow the EPA to better determine if air quality monitoring data for a specific area has been influenced by exceptional events such as wildfires.
Wed like to work with you on that, said Walden. It is important to a number of members on our committee.
For more information on todays hearing, including witness testimony, background memo, and archived webcast, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-helps-advance-bills-boost-hydropower-production-promote,"Greg Walden helps advance bills to boost hydropower production, promote small businesses and manufacturers in Oregon",2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden helps advance bills to boost hydropower production, promote small businesses and manufacturers in Oregon 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), today advanced seven bills to the full House of Representatives for consideration. These bills will help empower consumers, promote clean, renewable hydropower, and promote small businesses and manufacturers in Oregon and across the country.
“These bills expand the nation’s access to domestic energy resources, improve recycling and reuse of materials, and provide small businesses with the regulatory flexibility they need to meet environmental standards while still growing the economy and creating jobs,” said Walden.
Particularly important for Oregon, Walden’s committee advanced legislation to boost hydropower production throughout the United States. Over 43% of Oregon’s electricity is generated from hydropower, and legislation moved forward in the Energy and Commerce Committee today will help promote the use of this renewable resource.
“Many of us on this committee, if not all of us, want to see America do a better job of harnessing its great hydropower potential so we can produce more clean and reliable domestic energy,” said Walden. “Two of today’s bills do exactly this. H.R. 2872 promotes hydropower development at existing non-powered dams and H.R. 2880 opens the door wider for the construction of more pumped storage hydropower projects, which is of particular interest to my constituents in the Pacific Northwest where we have tremendous opportunities to build new pumped-hydro storage facilities.”
H.R. 2872, Promoting Hydropower Development at Existing Nonpowered Dams Act, authored by committee member Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN), passed the committee unanimously today.
 H.R. 2872 would promote hydropower development at existing non-powered dams by providing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission with the discretion to grant exemptions from license requirements for qualifying facilities. 
 H.R. 2880, Promoting Closed-Loop Pumped Storage Hydropower Act, authored by committee member Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), also passed the committee unanimously today.
 H.R. 2880 would promote closed-loop pumped storage hydropower development by limiting FERC’s authority to only impose licensing conditions that are necessary to protect public safety; or are reasonable, economically feasible, and essential to protect fish and wildlife resources. 
 The Energy and Commerce Committee also advanced H.R. 453, Relief from New Source Performance Standards Act of 2017, authored by Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN). This legislation would extend the deadlines for the second phase of new source performance standards for new residential wood heaters. Walden has applauded this bill, which is aimed at providing relief from expensive and burdensome regulations on wood heaters that are popular in rural communities in Oregon.
“In many parts of Oregon, we’re surrounded by forests and wood stoves are the most economical way to heat a home or a ranch shop. But Oregonians in these areas know all too well how expensive burdensome regulations can be,” said Walden at an Energy and Commerce hearing in November. “Areas like Lakeview and Klamath Falls have found themselves facing no good option between risking air quality restrictions that could prohibit economic growth, or forcing residents to purchase expensive new wood stoves that meet new regulations. These communities ended up spending $1.5 million to help consumers afford new stoves.”
All seven pieces of legislation will now head to the full House of Representatives for consideration. For more information on today’s markup, including a background memo, archived webcast, amendments, vote tallies, and text of legislation, click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-recommendations-cascade-siskiyou-national-monument,Greg Walden statement on recommendations for Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument,2017-12-05,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden statement on recommendations for Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released the following statement on U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke's final report outlining recommendations to the President on the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument:
“I appreciate Secretary Zinke's willingness to come to southern Oregon this summer to meet with passionate people on all sides of the issue before making his decision,"" said Walden. ""This recommendation responds to the concerns I heard raised by foresters, private land owners, county commissioners, ranchers, and others.
“Past presidents have ignored federal law that governs much of this forest land and have exceeded the intent of the Antiquities Act by roping in enormous swaths of private land into the monument. The result was a loss of private property rights and reduced revenues for our schools and roads. Meanwhile, the forests become more overstocked, increasing the risk of catastrophic fire. After the devastating fires this summer, it’s time to get back to responsible management of our public lands.  “Any monument designation must adhere to the law, reflect the clear mandates of the O&C Act, and stay within the bounds of the Antiquities Act. Secretary Zinke's recommendation follows these principles by advocating a return to sustainable timber harvests -- as required by the O&C Act -- on the O&C lands, and removing private lands from within the monument boundary.""
In July, Walden welcomed Secretary Zinke to southern Oregon to tour the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument as part of his review of national monument designations made under the Antiquities Act. 
""I appreciate all the time Rep. Walden and local stakeholders spent with me in Oregon as part of the monument review for Cascade-Siskyou,"" said Secretary Zinke. ""I heard from locals that we need to conserve the land, care for the forest, respect private property rights, and allow for sustainable timber harvests in O&C lands. I'm confident that the modifications recommended today will help achieve that balance and restore the local voice to the land management process."" 
For a full copy of Secretary Zinke's final report and recommendations, please click HERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-2017-congressional-app-challenge-winner-tyson,"Greg Walden announces 2017 Congressional App Challenge Winner: Tyson Seable, Grants Pass High School",2017-12-04,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden announces 2017 Congressional App Challenge Winner: Tyson Seable, Grants Pass High School 
Click here or on the image to watch a demonstration of Tyson Seable’s app, Flare:
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today announced that Tyson Seable, a freshman at Grants Pass High School, is the 2017 winner of the Congressional App Challenge.
Tyson’s app -- called “Flare” -- allows users to distribute quizzes to friends and students, and provides live results for each quiz that are available for download and sharing. Seable said that while the app is designed for classrooms, Flare can be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys a challenge. Christopher Rossetta, a computer science teacher at Grants Pass High School, said Tyson recently tested Flare in a classroom setting with great success. “We hope this home-grown product will be a hit in local schools,” he said. Flare is scheduled to be available on the Google Playstore in December.
Congressman Walden called Tyson at school Monday to surprise him with the news and congratulate him on winning this year’s challenge. “I applaud Tyson for participating in this nationwide challenge, and commend him on his coding skills and ability to promote Flare in a way that makes people want to try it out,” Walden said. “The Congressional App Challenge allows ambitious students like Tyson to showcase their unique skill set to the country, and is a tremendous resume-builder in the pursuit of a career in computer, math or science fields. I have full confidence that Tyson’s future will be a bright one.”
Tyson Seable, freshman at Grants Pass High School and winner of 2017 Congressional App Challenge, speaks with Congressman Greg Walden Monday afternoon.
The Congressional App Challenge is designed to engage student creativity and encourage their participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education fields. This nationwide event allows high school students from across the country to compete against their peers by creating and exhibiting their software application, or ""app,"" for mobile, tablet, or computer devices on a platform of their choice. 
Congressman Walden encourages interested students from across Oregon’s Second District to participate in next year’s Congressional App Challenge. For more information on the Congressional App Challenge and how to participate, please visit https://walden.house.gov/appchallenge. 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-walden-and-defazio-applaud-tariffs-protect-us-hardwood-plywood,Reps. Walden and DeFazio applaud tariffs to protect U.S. hardwood plywood market,2017-12-01,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Reps. Walden and DeFazio applaud tariffs to protect U.S. hardwood plywood market  
Duties to be levied on Chinese hardwood lumber market to counteract unfair trade practices
WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Reps. Greg Walden (OR-02) and Peter DeFazio (OR-04) today applauded the U.S. International Trade Commission’s (ITC) final 4-0 vote confirming that the U.S. hardwood plywood industry has been, or is threatened to be, materially injured by unfairly subsidized Chinese imports. 
Today’s ruling will activate final antidumping and countervailing duties on Chinese hardwood plywood imports as determined by the Department of Commerce earlier this year. The application of these duties will provide much-needed relief to Oregon mills. 
“For too long, hardwood plywood mills in Oregon have suffered from the unfair trade practices China has used to corner this vital market and threaten family-wage jobs in our state,” said Reps. Walden and DeFazio. “Today’s announcement by the ITC is welcome news that will protect U.S. timber jobs and sends the clear signal that using illegal trade practices to hurt American companies, cost American jobs, and harm our timber-dependent communities is unacceptable. We applaud the thorough investigation conducted by the Department of Commerce into this matter and the ITC’s subsequent affirmative ruling, and will continue to work together to protect manufacturing jobs in Oregon and throughout the United States.”
“Our company, as members of the Coalition for Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood, is pleased with the results of this ruling,” said Joe Gonyea, III, Co-Chair of the Board for Timber Products. “This strong ruling publicly reinforces what we have known for years about unfair Chinese subsidies and dumping of inferior products into the U.S. Market. We are greatly appreciative of the bipartisan support from our Oregon congressional delegation, led in the House of Representatives by Greg Walden and Peter DeFazio, throughout this effort.”  
Last year the Coalition for Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood, representing the U.S. hardwood plywood industry, filed a petition with the U.S. government seeking full enforcement of U.S. trade laws against China’s abusive trade practices. Last month, the Department of Commerce issued final determinations on antidumping duties of 183.6 percent and countervailing duties of up to 194.9 percent after completing an extensive investigation into China's unfairly traded hardwood plywood imports. Today’s ruling by the ITC will allow these duties to be fully enforced.
In October, Reps. DeFazio and Walden led a bipartisan letter to the ITC in support of an investigation into China’s illegal trade activity. Additionally, on October 26 Reps. DeFazio and Walden both testified before the ITC at their hearing on illegal Chinese hardwood plywood imports. Rep DeFazio’s testimony can viewed here. Rep. Walden’s testimony can be viewed here.
Chinese hardwood plywood imports increased 22 percent from 2014 to 2016 and another 26 percent during only the first half of 2017. 
Oregon is the largest producer of hardwood plywood products in the United States. 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-brownfields-reauthorization-winning-scenario-everybody,Greg Walden on Brownfields reauthorization: This is a winning scenario for everybody involved,2017-11-30,2017,2017-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden on Brownfields reauthorization: “This is a winning scenario for everybody involved” 
 Brownfields Program successfully used in Oregon to clean up old industrial sites for economic use 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s speech on the House floor
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Greg Walden, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, helped shepherd the Brownfields Enhancement, Economic Redevelopment and Reauthorization Act through the House of Representatives with a strong bipartisan vote. During a speech on the House floor, Walden highlighted how the Brownfields Program has spurred economic growth by cleaning up old industrial sites in Oregon and throughout the country, and putting them back into productive service. 
“Since the Brownfields Program’s inception, more than 27,000 contaminated sites have been remediated, allowing communities across the country to return them to productive use,” said Walden. “Cleaning up brownfield sites increases local tax bases; facilitates job growth and wage increases; promotes the development of new infrastructure; and improves and protects the environment. Over 129,000 jobs have been leveraged because of the Brownfields Program and almost 70,000 acres have been made ready for reuse.
“The Brownfields Program has leveraged over $24 billion, a significant return on the federal investment in the program. A 2017 study concluded that cleaning up brownfield properties led to residential property value increases of up to fifteen percent within a mile of brownfield sites. Another study found an estimated twenty-nine to ninety-seven million dollars in additional tax revenue for local governments in a single year after cleanup -- which is two to seven times more than the $12.4 million that EPA contributed to the cleanup of those Brownfields.”
Walden noted that Oregon has been particularly successful using the Brownfields Program to put old industrial sites back in to productive service. Standing beside a before-and-after picture of the Old Mill District in Bend -- one of Oregon’s most successful Brownfields projects -- Walden stressed the importance of strengthening the program to ensure this success continues.
“Bend isn’t alone. Last year in The Dalles, Google broke ground on an expansion to their data center on 26 acres of former mill land that was cleaned up under this program -- a $600 million investment expected to create 50 new jobs,” said Walden. “Also, in my hometown of Hood River, the Port of Hood River just finished a brownfields cleanup of another former mill site, opening over 12 acres of land for future business opportunities in the area. 
And in southern Oregon, the city of Grants Pass is in the early stages of working towards the same goal. They've successfully secured assistance through the Brownfields Program to begin planning the cleanup and redevelopment of the old Spalding Mill industrial site.”
Before-and-after photo of the Old Mill District in Bend, Oregon, one of Oregon’s most successful Brownfields Program projects. Picture courtesy of Old Mill District
Brownfields sites are often abandoned, closed or under-utilized industrial or commercial facilities. Examples of these include abandoned factories, closed lumber mills, a closed commercial building or warehouse, or a former dry-cleaning establishment or gas station. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that there are more than 450,000 brownfields across the United States and each of these sites has the potential to encourage economic development in the local community.
The Brownfields Enhancement, Economic Redevelopment, and Reauthorization Act seeks to reauthorize and make improvements to EPA’s Brownfields Program while encouraging EPA, states, and local governments to work together to redevelop properties, create jobs, and provide for economic development.
“At the end of the day, this bipartisan legislation creates jobs, promotes infrastructure and economic development, and cleans up our communities. This is a winning scenario for everybody involved,” said Walden.
The Brownfields Enhancement, Economic Redevelopment, and Reauthorization Act passed the House on a 409-8 vote today, and now awaits action in the Senate. For complete background on this legislation, please click HERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/secretary-zinke-sends-nearly-20-million-timber-dollars-rural-oregon,"Secretary Zinke Sends Nearly $20 Million in Timber Dollars to Rural Oregon, Doubles Down on Commitment to Future Harvests",2017-11-30,2017,2017-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Secretary Zinke Sends Nearly $20 Million in Timber Dollars to Rural Oregon, Doubles Down on Commitment to Future Harvests   
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced today that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will issue payments totaling $19.5 million to 18 counties in western Oregon, which includes $1.4 million previously sequestered funds. Under the previous administration, the sequestered funds were not scheduled to be disbursed to the counties however after working with the counties and the Office of Management and Budget, the Secretary was able to deliver the full funding. 
""O&C lands were specifically set aside for sustainable timber harvests and they are an important part of the economic foundation of western Oregon,"" said Secretary Zinke. ""Working with the county officials we were able to get these much-needed funds to the local communities, but my next priority is ensuring that these lands continue to provide sustainable timber harvests that support the community and strengthen the health of the forest.""
""We are happy to report the 18 O&C Counties will receive these disbursements, including those withheld payments, very soon,"" said Commissioner Tim Freeman of Douglas County, the Association of O&C Counties' President. ""We give full credit to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke for his willingness to work with us to persuade OMB to release these sequestered funds. We are also grateful to Congressman Walden for his assistance in facilitating communications between the Association and the Department of the Interior. Every County will use these much-needed funds for vital services according to their local priorities, from public safety and juvenile programs to elections departments and infrastructure maintenance, and everything in between.""
“The announcement that our communities will receive the full timber receipts payments they are owed under the law is great news,"" said Chairman Greg Walden. ""These resources will be critical to funding essential county services from law enforcement and emergency operations to schools and infrastructure projects. I want to especially thank Secretary Zinke and his team for working so closely with the O&C counties to ensure these funds are disbursed, and for their continued commitment to improving forest management and supporting our local communities in southern Oregon.”
Located in 18 counties of western Oregon, the Oregon and California Railroad Lands comprise nearly 2.6 million acres of forests that is managed by the BLM. The 18 O&C counties receive yearly payments under the O&C Act equal to 50 percent of receipts from timber harvested on public lands in these counties. These payments follow a formula established in the 1937 Oregon and California Lands Act, which authorizes timber receipt-based payments to western Oregon counties, and which remains in effect following the expiration of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-examines-consumer-protection-online,Greg Walden examines consumer protection online,2017-11-29,2017,2017-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden examines consumer protection online 
 Leads hearing on personal data collection and online content management practices 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks at today’s hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Continuing his efforts to strengthen consumer protection in the digital age, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today led a hearing at the House Energy and Commerce Committee to examine the personal data collection and online content management practices of technology companies. Walden, who chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee, stressed the need for consumer protection online to ensure sensitive personal information is safe, and that consumers maintain control and choice over the content they see online.
""The goal for today’s hearing is to help provide all Americans with a better understanding of how their data flows online, how online platforms and online media sources determine what they see or don’t see, and the extent of and methods by which their information is collected and used by online firms,” said Walden. “Americans should be able to feel confident that their well-being, freedom of expression, and access to the content of their choice are not being wholly sacrificed for profit. Americans should have vibrant, competitive markets both offline and online, where consumers know their rights and options, and have the freedom to choose what is best for their circumstances.”
Specifically, the Energy and Commerce Committee today examined how companies’ algorithms, and decisions about personal data and online content, are impacting consumers. This hearing comes as the Committee is continuing to investigate the massive Equifax data breach, which compromised the personal information of over 145 million Americans, including over 1.7 million Oregonians.
During today’s hearing, Walden said that as the internet economy continues to grow substantially, consumer safety and choice must remain a top priority. 
“Consumers should remain as safe from unfair, deceptive, and malicious practices by online firms and their algorithms on the internet as they do in the real world,” said Walden.
For more information on today’s hearing, including a background memo, witness testimony, and full webcast, please click HERE.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/oregon-lawmakers-applaud-tsa-decision-maintain-security-infrastructure,Oregon lawmakers applaud TSA decision to maintain security infrastructure as Crater Lake-Klamath Regional Airport recruits new carrier,2017-11-27,2017,2017-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Oregon lawmakers applaud TSA decision to maintain security infrastructure as Crater Lake-Klamath Regional Airport recruits new carrier 
Maintaining security equipment will ease logistical burdens, help airport’s recruitment efforts
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden, along with Rep. Peter DeFazio and Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, today applauded the decision by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to maintain security infrastructure at Crater Lake-Klamath Regional Airport in Klamath Falls as the airport recruits another carrier to resume commercial air service.  
“The decision by TSA to temporarily maintain screening equipment as the airport actively recruits a new carrier is great news,” said the lawmakers. “We want to thank Administrator Pekoske for working with the airport and the Klamath Falls community in response to our request to keep this security infrastructure in place until the recruitment process is complete. This will allow the airport and local community to recruit a replacement carrier without the administrative and logistical burdens of removing the equipment. We look forward to continuing our work with airport officials and the Department of Transportation to bring commercial air service back to Klamath Falls.”
The announcement is in response to an October letter the lawmakers sent to TSA Administrator David Pekoske requesting that screening equipment remain in place. In their letter, the lawmakers stated that this would allow the airport to continue its recruitment efforts unhindered by the burden of removing the equipment.  
“The local community understands well the diverse benefits that air service provides. That’s why they are working to find a replacement,” the lawmakers wrote. “As they do that, we respectfully request that you allow TSA screening equipment to temporarily remain at the airport until such time that a robust recruitment of potential replacement carriers has been completed.” 
For a copy of the letter, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-blackburn-fcc-s-net-neutrality-announcement,"Walden, Blackburn on the FCCs Net Neutrality Announcement",2017-11-21,2017,2017-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Walden, Blackburn on the FCC’s Net Neutrality Announcement  
WASHINGTON, DC – Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) put forward their plan on Net Neutrality rules.
“Today’s announcement demonstrates that the FCC, under the leadership of Ajit Pai, understands the importance of making sure the internet continues to flourish under a light-touch regulatory regime. The past two years of heavy-handed regulation will be only a blip on the screen of a decades-long bipartisan equilibrium that successfully supported innovation and growth. We also remain committed to ensuring clear, permanent net neutrality rules through the legislative process, encouraging investment in broadband buildout, and closing the digital divide across America,” said Walden and Blackburn.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-passage-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act,Greg Walden statement on passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,2017-11-16,2017,2017-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden statement on passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released the following statement on the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1):
“This is an important step forward to provide a tax code that works better for Oregonians and their families. Our plan will allow Oregon taxpayers to keep more of their hard-earned money and boost critical job growth in our state. This tax reform package will provide much-needed tax relief for individuals, families and small business owners in our district, and make the burdensome process of filing taxes much simpler. 
“It’s long past time for tax reform that respects and rewards hard work, makes everyone play by the same rules, and lets Oregonians keep more of their pay check. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will help us reach that goal, and I look forward to its continued improvement as it progresses through the legislative process.”
According to data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and reports from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will positively impact Oregon by:
Benefits for Oregon
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will:
 Lead to the creation of an additional 12,358 jobs in Oregon.
	Raise after-tax income for middle class families in Oregon by $2,602.
 Benefits for Oregon's Second District
Increased Child Tax Credit: 50,193 taxpayers in the 2nd District claim the child tax credit. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act increases the child tax credit from $1,000 per child to $1,600.
Tax Relief for Small Businesses: 50,650 taxpayers in the 2nd District have small business income (a business that the taxpayer operated). The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reduces taxes for small business owners. First, the bill implements a new, lower 9% tax rate on the first $75,000 of net business income for active small business owners earning less than $150,000 through their business. Second, the bill lowers taxes on small business investment by creating a new 25% small business tax rate.
Simpler Taxes: 104,189 taxpayers in the 2nd District itemize their taxes. As a result of the near doubling of the standard deduction and other simplifications, many taxpayers will have much simpler returns. It is estimated that 9 out of 10 Americans will be able to file their taxes on a postcard.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/senate-approves-greg-walden-bill-ensure-military-access-lifesaving,Senate approves Greg Walden bill to ensure military access to lifesaving medical treatments,2017-11-16,2017,2017-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Senate approves Greg Walden bill to ensure military access to lifesaving medical treatments 
Action comes following unanimous approval of Walden bill in House of Representatives
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Senate today approved bipartisan legislation introduced in the House by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) to address a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would have undermined the authority of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This action comes following the unanimous approval of Walden’s bill in the House of Representative Wednesday. 
Walden’s legislation, H.R. 4374, will amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to authorize additional emergency uses for medical products to reduce deaths and severity of injuries caused by agents of war, and for other purposes. 
“Our men and women in uniform put their lives on the line for this country, and they deserve to have the earliest possible access to medical products that could save their lives on the battlefield,” said Walden in a speech on the House floor Wednesday.  “H.R. 4374 will establish important new authorities for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) to ensure that our warfighters have the benefit of new treatments and devices.”
Specifically, Walden’s legislation corrects language within the NDAA that could usurp FDA’s vital authority in delivering and reviewing cutting edge medicines, while also ensuring timely access to emergency medications for soldiers on the front lines.
“In short, H.R. 4374 addresses the critical issue of military access to the newest available products by expanding the circumstances under which emergency use authorizations can be issued, and by establishing an expedited pathway to full approval of products that the Secretary of Defense requests,” Walden concluded.
After unanimous approval of Walden’s legislation in both the House and Senate, H.R. 4374 now heads to the President’s desk. President Trump is expected to sign it into law.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/klamath-infrastructure-improvement-act-hr4329,Klamath Infrastructure Improvement Act (H.R.4329),2017-11-10,2017,2017-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Klamath Infrastructure Improvement Act (H.R.4329) 
Continuing his efforts address the unique power needs of the Klamath Basin, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) introduced legislation aimed at providing affordable power rates for irrigators in Klamath County.
The Klamath Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2017 will help bring Klamath Project power costs in-line with rates at Bureau of Reclamation Projects in other areas of the Pacific Northwest.
Background: In 2006, two separate affordable-power agreements between private hydropower producers and the Bureau of Reclamation spanning 90 years expired. Since then, many districts in the Basin and individual operators experienced electric rate increases of up to 2,000%.
Achieving Lower Power Rates: The Klamath Infrastructure Improvement Act directs the Department of Interior (DOI) to conduct a study to identify concrete actions to address this rate increase and achieve lower power rates. This may include small hydropower projects where viable, as well as other options DOI deem appropriate following their study. Importantly, this legislation requires DOI to begin implementation of a plan to achieve lower power rates within 180 days of the completion of their study.
Tulelake Irrigation District (TID):
 This bill would allow TID and the Bureau of Reclamation to enter into agreements similar to other pumping plants within the Klamath Projects, where water pumping costs are shared when there is a federal benefit, such as providing water for wildlife refuges like Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. Currently TID bears the entire cost of water pumping.
 Water Banking Activities:
 The benefits of water banking are two-fold. In times of water shortage, Klamath Project water users have a tool to help get through the water-year, and this leaves more water for fish species in the Klamath River and Upper Klamath Lake.
	Moving or transferring of non-Klamath Project water within the Klamath Project should not create a paperwork burden on the water users or districts that operate the system. Nor should it increase federal workload and costs. This legislation would eliminate an unnecessary permitting process for moving water around the Klamath Project, which will improve efficiency and maintain fiscal responsibility.
 Infrastructure Improvements:
 The C-Flume directly serves water to approximately 23,000 acres in both Oregon and California. The Federal Government has consistently claimed that the C-Flume, which crosses over a highway, is on the verge of catastrophic failure and in need of replacement.
 This legislation uses existing federal authorities to designate this important Klamath Project infrastructure safety improvement as an emergency measure, which will help speed up necessary replacement work.
Press Contact: Justin Discigil |202-226-7338|justin.discigil@mail.house.gov",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-votes-enhance-hydropower-oregon,Greg Walden votes to enhance hydropower in Oregon,2017-11-08,2017,2017-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden votes to enhance hydropower in Oregon 
 Helps pass legislation through House to modernize hydropower production and licensing process 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s speech on the floor of the House
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Continuing his efforts to promote renewable hydropower production in Oregon and throughout the Northwest, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today voted to pass the Hydropower Policy Modernization Act (H.R. 3043) through the House of Representatives on a strong bipartisan vote. The Hydropower Policy Modernization Act originated in the Energy and Commerce Committee -- where Walden serves as Chairman -- and would modernize and streamline the licensing process for hydropower projects. 
“Hydropower plays an enormously important role in electricity generation across the country and especially in my home state of Oregon,” said Walden. “Hydropower generates 43% of electricity in my state. It is dependable; it is baseload; it is carbon free; it is renewable; and it is very important to our region. Nationally, hydropower is the largest source of renewable electricity generation and a recent Department of Energy report found that U.S. hydropower could grow by almost 50 percent by the year 2050. However, as my colleagues from the Pacific Northwest and across the country know, we are not taking full advantage of this valuable resource.”
Walden said the legislation will enhance Oregon’s ability to utilize hydropower. Specifically, the Hydropower Policy Modernization Act would modernize the permitting process for hydropower projects by:
 Clarifying that hydropower is renewable under federal law,
	Improving administrative efficiency, accountability, and transparency,
	Requiring timely decision making, and;
	Reducing duplicative oversight from the multiple federal agencies that review hydro applications by designating the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as the lead agency. 
 The current licensing process of new hydropower facilities and relicensing of existing facilities is often costly and time consuming. Walden said that the Hydropower Policy Modernization Act will improve hydropower licensing, which will ultimately benefit ratepayers and consumers.
“As these entities go to relicense, sometimes it costs tens of millions of dollars just to get a renewal of a government permit to continue doing what you’ve been doing. And it can take seven-to-ten years to work through the process,” said Walden. “By the way, guess who pays for all of those costs? The ratepayers, the people paying their electricity bill end up paying for all of this out of control review and regulation.”
The Hydropower Policy Modernization Act passed the House on a bipartisan vote today, and now awaits action in the Senate. To learn more about Walden’s work at the Energy and Commerce Committee to advance energy infrastructure, click here. 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-s-championing-healthy-kids-act-passes-house,Greg Waldens CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act passes House,2017-11-03,2017,2017-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden’s CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act passes House 
 Walden on extending funding for important health programs: “Patients cannot wait any longer” 
 Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks from the House floor
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden’s (R-Hood River) plan to extend vital funding for important public health priorities passed the House on a bipartisan vote today. Walden’s legislation -- the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act -- provides funding extensions of public health programs such as:
 A five-year extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) 
	A two-year extension of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) or Community Health Centers 
	A two-year extension for additional public health programs, including: The National Health Service Corps, Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education, Family-to-Family Health Information Centers, the Youth Empowerment Program, and the Personal Responsibility Education Program.
 During a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives today, Walden highlighted how the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act will be especially important for Oregonians. Community health centers offer health care options in rural and underserved areas in Oregon, and Walden’s legislation ensures they have the funding to continue providing services to Oregonians.
“While states still have rollover CHIP funds available and the next wave of community health center funds won’t go out until next year, we cannot wait any longer,” said Walden on the floor of the House of Representatives. “Patients cannot wait any longer. Patients need care, and these critical programs need funding.  In my district alone, there are 12 federally-qualified health center organizations, with 63 delivery sites leveraging over $41 million in federal dollars in order to serve over 240,000 patients.  These health centers are prevention and public health in action, often serving as the main provider of care for miles.”  
To read a fact sheet on the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act, please click here. 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-passage-resilient-federal-forests-act,Greg Walden applauds passage of Resilient Federal Forests Act,2017-11-02,2017,2017-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden applauds passage of Resilient Federal Forests Act 
Helps advance forest management reform through House for fifth year in a row
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s speech on the House floor
  WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, for the fifth time in five years, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) voted to pass legislation to improve federal forest management and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires that ravage Oregon and much of the West every year. The Resilient Federal Forests Act (H.R. 2936), which Walden helped craft, addresses the growing economic and environmental threats of catastrophic wildfire that scorched over 678,000 acres of land across Oregon this year. 
  
	“My intensity on this issue is almost that of the fires we fight,” said Walden. “We can reduce the size and intensity of fire up to 70 percent, if we do the kinds of projects that thin out the forests and allow us to better manage and be better stewards of our federal forests that are contemplated as a result of this legislation.” 
  
	Walden has led the call to action on forest management reform following a historic wildfire season in Oregon and across much of the West. The Resilient Federal Forests Act will bring proper management to federal lands in Oregon to improve the health and resiliency of forests, and reduce the unnatural fuel loads that increase the threat of devastating wildfires.
  
	“In Oregon, this bill would take away an arbitrary prohibition on harvesting trees over 21 inches in diameter that’s tied the hands of forest managers,” continued Walden. “We clarify the timber production mandates of the unique O&C lands in southern and western Oregon to deliver the underlying statute and actually have it enforced. And when fires do happen, we would exchange this for a new, healthy forest and grow green trees that sequester carbon and restore a landscape that we in the West so enjoy,” concluded Walden, holding a jar of ash to illustrate the effects of catastrophic fires that Oregonians endure each summer.” 
  
	The Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2017 provides federal land management agencies immediate tools to increase the pace, scale and cost efficiency of forest management projects without sacrificing environmental protections. In crafting this legislation, Walden included several Oregon-specific provisions, including:
  Streamlining project planning in southern and western Oregon
  
	• Removes costly and time-consuming Survey and Manage requirements on Northwest Forest Plan lands. These requirements cost the agency about $21 million annually and can take up to two years to complete, delaying needed fire prevention projects.  
	   O&C Lands
  
	• The O&C Lands in southern and western Oregon are uniquely managed by the BLM for timber production under the requirements of the O&C Act. Timber harvests have lagged below these requirements and this legislation makes clear the O&C Act mandates at least 500 million board feet in annual timber harvest.
  Improving forest restoration in eastern Oregon forests
  
	• Removes the arbitrary prohibition on harvesting trees over 21 inches in diameter that stands in the way of land managers and local collaborative efforts to restore forest landscapes. This prohibition was issued temporarily over 20 years ago, and never removed.
  Promptly address the overcrowded, diseased and insect infested forest lands that pose a risk for catastrophic fire:
  
	• Streamlined planning process for projects up to 10,000 acres to treat forest stands suffering from insects and diseased trees, to reduce hazardous fuels, and to protect watersheds. To incentivize collaboration, this authority expands to 30,000 acres for collaborative or Community Wildfire Protection Plan projects that have had success in Oregon.
  
	• Ensures the Forest Service and BLM can promptly clean-up after wildfires by removing burned, dead trees and replant our forests following an Environmental Assessment. Includes requirements that the agencies replant 75 percent of the affected area. 
  
	• Creates a pilot program, allowing some forest projects to go through arbitration, cutting through litigious gridlock by requiring opponents to come to the table with an alternative proposal rather than just saying “no”.   
	The Resilient Federal Forests Act passed the House today on a bipartisan vote, and now awaits action in the Senate. For more information on this legislation, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-tax-reform,Greg Walden Statement on Tax Reform,2017-11-02,2017,2017-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden Statement on Tax Reform 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released the following statement on the introduction of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:
“For too long, middle class Oregonians and people across the country have been left behind in an economy stagnated by a dated and broken tax code. The plan released today is the first step toward much-needed tax reform to help Oregon’s small business owners, boost job creation, and stimulate economic growth. I look forward to working with my colleagues to provide a simpler, fairer, and more affordable tax system for hardworking Oregonians and their families.” 
 To read the policy highlights in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, please click here. 
	To read the full legislative text of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, please click here.
	To read the section-by-section summary of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, please click here.
	To read examples of how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will help Americans of all walks of life, please click here.
 ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-need-combat-nationwide-opioid-epidemic-everyone-has-stake,Greg Walden on need to combat nationwide opioid epidemic: Everyone has a stake in this fight,2017-10-25,2017,2017-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden on need to combat nationwide opioid epidemic: “Everyone has a stake in this fight” 
 Questions DEA on lack of cooperation, response to committee investigation into opioid pill dumping 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s opening remarks from today’s hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As part of his ongoing efforts to combat the opioid epidemic in Oregon, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today led a hearing on the federal government’s response to the nationwide crisis. Walden, who serves as Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, cited the deadly effects of drug abuse in Oregon as need for an “all-hands-on-deck” approach to address the opioid epidemic.
“In last year alone, opioid overdoses have claimed the lives of more Americans than the entire Vietnam War. In my home state of Oregon, more people died last year from drug overdoses than from car accidents,” said Walden. “We hear these statistics over and over again. At roundtables throughout my district -- most recently in Grants Pass, in southern Oregon, and Bend, in central Oregon -- I’ve heard the stories of Oregonians who put names and faces to these data points.”
Walden also questioned the DEA on their lack of cooperation and response to an Energy and Commerce Committee investigation into alleged opioid pill dumping by major drug companies. Walden, joined by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, has repeatedly requested data and information from the DEA, including a specific inquiry into the shipment of 9 million highly addictive opioid painkillers to a rural town of less than 400 people.
""I’m going to be very blunt: my patience is wearing thin. Our requests for data from the DEA are met with delay, excuses and, frankly, inadequate response,” Walden said in his opening statement. “People are dying. Lives and families are ruined. It is time for DEA to get this committee the information we need, and to do it quickly. No more dodges. No more delays.”
During Walden’s questioning, he followed up on the issues raised during his opening statement, asking Mr. Neil Doherty, DEA’s Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Diversion Control, a number of questions pertaining to the committee’s ongoing investigation.
Click here or on the image above to view an excerpt from Walden’s questioning 
“We still don’t have all of the answers to the bipartisan letter we sent in May. And some of the responses the DEA has provided, frankly, are not adequate,” Walden began. “For example, in the May letter we asked the DEA to produce documents about delayed or blocked enforcement actions.  Do you know how many documents your agency has produced? The answer is zero. 
“Your agency responded, and this is a direct quote, ‘DEA is unaware of documents related to delayed or blocked enforcement actions and suspension orders.’ Well, we have obtained some documents that look pretty responsive to our request,” Walden said, referring to documents obtained from an anonymous source. “And yet from the agency, we’re told you’re ‘unaware of documents related to delayed or blocked enforcement actions and suspension orders.’ This is a problem. Enough is enough. Will you, on behalf of the DEA, commit today to producing the documents and information we’ve requested, and soon? Or do I simply need to issue a subpoena, because we are done waiting.”
Please click here to view Walden’s full questioning. To learn more about the Energy and Commerce Committee’s bipartisan investigation, click here. 
As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden is at the forefront of the federal government’s response to the opioid epidemic, which takes the lives of 91 Americans every day. Walden called for increased urgency to combat the widespread crisis that has plagued Oregon and the country as a whole.
“We all want to end this scourge,” Walden said.  “We have a duty to our constituents and the American people to combat the epidemic from all angles -- everyone has a stake in this fight.”
For more information on today’s hearing, including an archived webcast, background memo, and witness testimony, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/press-release-greg-walden-need-combat-nationwide-opioid-epidemic,PRESS RELEASE: Greg Walden on need to combat nationwide opioid epidemic: “Everyone has a stake in this fight”,2017-10-25,2017,2017-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden on need to combat nationwide opioid epidemic: “Everyone has a stake in this fight” 
 Questions DEA on lack of cooperation, response to committee investigation into opioid pill dumping 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s opening remarks from today’s hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As part of his ongoing efforts to combat the opioid epidemic in Oregon, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today led a hearing on the federal government’s response to the nationwide crisis. Walden, who serves as Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, cited the deadly effects of drug abuse in Oregon as need for an “all-hands-on-deck” approach to address the opioid epidemic.
“In last year alone, opioid overdoses have claimed the lives of more Americans than the entire Vietnam War. In my home state of Oregon, more people died last year from drug overdoses than from car accidents,” said Walden. “We hear these statistics over and over again. At roundtables throughout my district -- most recently in Grants Pass, in southern Oregon, and Bend, in central Oregon -- I’ve heard the stories of Oregonians who put names and faces to these data points.”
Walden also questioned the DEA on their lack of cooperation and response to an Energy and Commerce Committee investigation into alleged opioid pill dumping by major drug companies. Walden, joined by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, has repeatedly requested data and information from the DEA, including a specific inquiry into the shipment of 9 million highly addictive opioid painkillers to a rural town of less than 400 people.
""I’m going to be very blunt: my patience is wearing thin. Our requests for data from the DEA are met with delay, excuses and, frankly, inadequate response,” Walden said in his opening statement. “People are dying. Lives and families are ruined. It is time for DEA to get this committee the information we need, and to do it quickly. No more dodges. No more delays.”
During Walden’s questioning, he followed up on the issues raised during his opening statement, asking Mr. Neil Doherty, DEA’s Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Diversion Control, a number of questions pertaining to the committee’s ongoing investigation.
Click here or on the image above to view an excerpt from Walden’s questioning 
“We still don’t have all of the answers to the bipartisan letter we sent in May. And some of the responses the DEA has provided, frankly, are not adequate,” Walden began. “For example, in the May letter we asked the DEA to produce documents about delayed or blocked enforcement actions.  Do you know how many documents your agency has produced? The answer is zero. 
“Your agency responded, and this is a direct quote, ‘DEA is unaware of documents related to delayed or blocked enforcement actions and suspension orders.’ Well, we have obtained some documents that look pretty responsive to our request,” Walden said, referring to documents obtained from an anonymous source. “And yet from the agency, we’re told you’re ‘unaware of documents related to delayed or blocked enforcement actions and suspension orders.’ This is a problem. Enough is enough. Will you, on behalf of the DEA, commit today to producing the documents and information we’ve requested, and soon? Or do I simply need to issue a subpoena, because we are done waiting.”
Please click here to view Walden’s full questioning. To learn more about the Energy and Commerce Committee’s bipartisan investigation, click here. 
As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden is at the forefront of the federal government’s response to the opioid epidemic, which takes the lives of 91 Americans every day. Walden called for increased urgency to combat the widespread crisis that has plagued Oregon and the country as a whole.
“We all want to end this scourge,” Walden said.  “We have a duty to our constituents and the American people to combat the epidemic from all angles -- everyone has a stake in this fight.”
For more information on today’s hearing, including an archived webcast, background memo, and witness testimony, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-details-energy-and-commerce-committee-hearing,Greg Walden announces details for Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on opioid crisis next week,2017-10-19,2017,2017-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden announces details for Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on opioid crisis next week 
WASHINGTON, D.C. --  House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-Hood River) formally announced a hearing for Wednesday, October 25, 2017, at 10 a.m. EST on the opioid crisis plaguing Oregon and the nation. The hearing is entitled, “Federal Efforts to Combat the Opioid Crisis: A Status Update on CARA and Other Initiatives.”
Chairman Walden announced last month that the committee would hold a rare full committee hearing, the first of this Congress, on the epidemic. The hearing will provide a status update on the implementation of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) and highlight other federal efforts to combat the opioid crisis.
“The opioid crisis has been at the forefront of this committee’s work for several years and multiple Congresses. And while substantial work has been done to stem the tide of this epidemic, namely through CARA and grants available through the 21st Century Cures Act, much more work remains,” said Chairman Walden. “Families in every community are hurting, and this hearing will be a much-needed opportunity to learn more about ongoing efforts and what more can be done to put a stop to this horrific crisis.”
Confirmed witnesses include:
 Scott Gottlieb, MD, Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration (FDA);
	Elinore McCance-Katz, MD, PhD, Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA);
	Anne Schuchat, MD (RADM, USPHS), Principal Deputy Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC);
	Nora Volkow, MD, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH); and,
	Neil Doherty, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement Administration
 Additional details for the hearing will be available here as they are posted.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-oregon-collection-sites-excess-opioids,"Greg Walden announces Oregon collection sites for excess opioids, prescription pills",2017-10-19,2017,2017-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden announces Oregon collection sites for excess opioids, prescription pills 
 Part of DEA’s “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day” initiative to combat opioid epidemic 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Continuing his efforts to combat the opioid epidemic in Oregon, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today announced collection sites in Oregon for the disposal of excess opioid and prescription medications. The announcement is part of the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day” initiative on Saturday, October 28, which gives people across the country the opportunity to help address opioid abuse in their communities. Full details on collection sites in Oregon's Second Congressional District are included below.
 “The Drug Enforcement Agency’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day provides a safe, convenient, and responsible way to dispose of excess prescription drugs, while also providing an opportunity to raise awareness of the opioid crisis and to educate our friends, family members, and neighbors about the potential for abuse of medications,” said Walden.  “Here in Oregon, more people died last year from drug overdoses than from car accidents. I hope you’ll join me on this Take Back Day as we work together to make our communities safer.”
 This initiative comes as Walden’s Energy and Commerce Committee recently announced a hearing for next Wednesday, October 25, on the crisis. As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden is at the forefront of the Congressional response to opioid abuse. For more information on the Committee’s recent efforts to combat the opioid epidemic, please click here.
 DEA “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day” collection site in Oregon – Saturday, October 28, 2017
Southern Oregon
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s announcement for southern Oregon
Jackson County
Where: Canby (Medford?) City Hall, 411 W 8th Street, Medford, 97501
When: 10:00am – 2:00pm PST
Organizing Participant: Medford Police Department
Josephine County
Where: Josephine County Sheriff’s Office, 1901 NE F Street, Grants Pass, 97526
When: 10:00am – 2:00pm PST
Organizing Participant: Josephine County Sheriff’s Office
Klamath County
Where: Klamath Falls Police Department, 2501 Shasta Way, Klamath Falls, 97601
When: 10:00am – 2:00pm PST
Organizing Participant: Klamath Falls Police Department
Deschutes County
Click here or on the image above to view Walden's announcement for Deschutes County
 
Where: Walgreens, 2727 NE Highway 20, Bend, 97701
When: 10:00am – 2:00pm PST
Organizing Participant: Bend Police Department
 
Wasco & Hood River Counties
Click here or on the image above to view Walden's announcement for Wasco and Hood River counties
 
Where: The Dalles City Hall, 313 Court Street, The Dalles, 97058
When: 10:00am – 2:00pm PST
Organizing Participant: The Dalles Police Department
Umatilla County
Click here or on the image above to view Walden's announcement for Umatilla County
Where: Hermiston Police Department, 330 South 1st Street, Hermiston, 97838
When: 10:00am – 2:00pm PST
Organizing Participant: Hermiston Police Department
Baker County
Click here or on the image above to view Walden's announcement for Baker County
Where: Baker City Police Department, 1768 Auburn Avenue, Baker City, 97814
When: 10:00am – 2:00pm PST
Organizing Participant: Baker City Police Department
Malheur County
Click here or on the image above to view Walden's announcement for Malheur County
Where: Ontario Police Department, 444 SW 4th Street, Ontario 97914
When: 10:00am – 2:00pm PST
Organizing Participant: Ontario Police Department
 
For a complete listing of the DEA's collection sites for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 28, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/case-you-missed-it-greg-walden-invites-veterans-affairs-committee,"In Case You Missed It: Greg Walden invites Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman to southern Oregon to meet local veterans, tour SORCC in White City",2017-10-16,2017,2017-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"In Case You Missed It: Greg Walden invites Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman to southern Oregon to meet local veterans, tour SORCC in White City 
 Lawmakers to take input from area veterans, VA officials back to Washington, D.C. 
Rep. Walden and House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Dr. Phil Roe (to Walden’s left) meet with VA officials at the Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics (SORCC) in White City on Saturday.
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) is continuing his efforts to make sure Oregon veterans are receiving the care and benefits they deserve through the VA. Over the weekend, Walden invited House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Dr. Phil Roe (R-TN) to southern Oregon to meet with local veterans and tour the Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics (SORCC) in White City. Walden and Roe held roundtable discussions to hear about the issues affecting area veterans, and receive an update on how VA officials in the region are working to alleviate veteran homelessness in southern Oregon.
Their meetings come as Walden has introduced several proposals in Congress to improve benefits and reduce wait times for Oregon veterans. In July, Walden’s VA Medical Scribes Pilot Act unanimously passed the House of Representatives. Walden’s bill would unburden VA doctors and improve care for veterans by bringing medical scribes into the VA system to handle paperwork and patient record keeping – allowing the doctor to focus their full attention on veterans. Walden also introduced the Doctors for Veterans Act to help Oregon VA facilities recruit medical providers for veterans in rural and underserved areas. Both bills are products of feedback Walden has received from veterans themselves and VA officials in southern Oregon.
Walden has also introduced legislation (H.R. 3561) to reduce the appraisal backlog for veterans using their VA home loan benefit to purchase a home. Walden has heard from local veterans about the lengthy process for receiving an appraisal for their VA-guaranteed home loan, and this legislation would help alleviate the wait times for appraisals that has put veterans at a disadvantage when bidding on a home. The House Veterans' Affairs Committee unanimously approved Walden’s bill last week, setting up a potential vote on passing the bill out of the House for later this year.
Please read on for excerpts from local news coverage of Walden’s recent meetings in southern Oregon with House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Dr. Phil Roe.
 Signs of improvement seen during SORCC tour 
A just-built residential facility at the Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics and newly redesigned outpatient programs were touted to U.S. Rep Greg Walden and the head of the House Veterans Committee.
More than a year after the Department of Veterans Affairs rated the White City facility one star, new construction and restructured programs for homeless veterans were shown to the Republican congressman and Dr. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee.
The tour Saturday showcased a residential facility that for 10 days has been housing 30 homeless veterans. The program has the capacity to aid 50 veterans, according to SORCC Nurse Executive Sue Thurston, who said patients are still being integrated into the new building.
Roe, a Vietnam veteran, was visibly impressed after checking out a bright, clean TV room inside the new building, complete with a wall-mounted 21-inch flat screen.
Click here to read more from the Mail Tribune.
 Rep. Greg Walden, Rep. Phil Roe (R-Ten.) visit White City VA 
On Saturday, Representative Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and Rep. Phil Roe (R-Ten.) – also the House Committee on Veterans Affairs Chairman – visited the White City VA to address the issues of homeless veterans.
Throughout the tour, both Walden and Roe were shown the new in-patient facility as well as the out-patient facility on the campus, including the rooms of the in-patient facility and hearing about the programs at the White City VA for homeless veterans.
Click here to watch coverage from KTVL News 10
 Congressmen visit VA to find new ideas to bring back to Washington 
At the Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics, administrators met with Congressmen Greg Walden and Dr. Phil Roe, chairman of the house veterans affairs committee, to discuss how to better assist veterans.
“We really are focused on how do you put the patient first. The veteran first,” said Congressman Walden. “And get them access to care as close to home as possible, as soon as possible, in the most efficient way.”
Roe and Walden are hoping to take information back to Washington to help shape policy. One issue they’re focusing on -- drug abuse.
Click here to watch coverage from KOBI NBC 5
 Congressman tours southern Oregon VA 
Congressman Greg Walden is continuing his mission to help veterans in southern Oregon. He toured the VA facility in White City Saturday. The Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Congressman Phil Roe, also toured that facility. They were able to speak to a few veterans and some administrators and understand how this VA facility helps homeless veterans in southern Oregon.
Click here to watch coverage from KDRV Newswatch 12
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/case-you-missed-it-walden-leads-call-action-forest-management-reform,In Case You Missed It: Walden leads call to action on forest management reform,2017-10-11,2017,2017-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"In Case You Missed It: Walden leads call to action on forest management reform 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s speech on the House floor
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Continuing his efforts to improve the way our federal forests are managed, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) led several calls to action recently on the need to pass forest management reform. Walden, joined by his colleagues on the Congressional Western Caucus, stressed the need for Congress to fix broken federal forest policy that leads to catastrophic fires in Oregon and much of the West. 
“As we saw painfully this summer, smoke chokes our citizens, it chokes children. In my district, elementary school children had to be sent home because of smoke in their schools because of forest fires,” said Walden in a speech on the House floor. “In Oregon, we’ve seen some of the worst fires in our state’s history. It seemed as if every day came with new reports of more fire and more smoke. While this year’s fire season has been particularly intense and devastating, images like these are nothing new for Oregonians.” Walden continued, standing beside a constituent photo of the Eagle Creek fire burning between Cascade Locks and Hood River.
Walden also led a hearing before the Energy and Commerce Committee -- where he serves as chairman -- to examine the air quality impacts of wildfire, held a press conference with Congressional leaders on the need to pass the Resilient Federal Forests Act, and gave the Western Caucus Weekly Address where he discussed the horrific wildfire season that burned over 678,000 acres in Oregon. 
Continue reading for more on Walden’s recent efforts.
 Greg Walden leads hearing on air quality, health impacts of wildfires in Oregon 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks at Wednesday’s air quality hearing
On Wednesday, Rep. Greg Walden led a hearing to call attention to the air quality, environmental, and health impacts of wildfire smoke. Walden, who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said examining the impact of devastating wildfires on air quality needs to be part of the broader conversation on forest management reform.
Wildfire season may be creeping to a close in northeast Oregon, but the fallout is just beginning to ramp up in Washington, D.C.
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce, chaired by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Oregon), will hold a hearing Wednesday examining the impacts of large fires on air quality, releasing massive amounts of particulate matter and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
“Year after year, catastrophic wildfires rage on federal lands, including parts of my district, and our skies are choked with smoke throughout the West,” Walden said during a Sept. 13 House committee hearing. “Air quality issues in my home state continue to rise to dangerous levels because of these fires, forcing cancellations of community events, school closures and lost tourism dollars.”
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality maintains 35 air particulate monitors statewide, including one in Pendleton. Between July 1 and Sept. 6, the local air quality index was listed as “moderate” for 13 days, “unhealthy for sensitive groups” for five days, “unhealthy” for one day and “very unhealthy” for one day.
Click here to read more from the East Oregonian
 Greg Walden applauds wildfire funding request, call for forest management reform from administration 
Later Wednesday, Rep. Walden applauded additional wildfire funds and a call to action on forest management reform from the administration. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) included $576.5 million in wildfire funding in their supplemental budget request to Congress, as well as recommendations that active forest management and forestry reform be part of the solution to curb wildfire borrowing. Walden led a letter signed by a bipartisan group of 31 lawmakers to OMB Director Mick Mulvaney to ask that wildfires be treated like natural disasters, and that the administration work with Congress to pass forest management reforms. For full text of Walden's letter, please click here.
 
 Walden cheers Trump administration wildfire funding and call to action on forest management reform 
Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore.,  applauded word of additional wildfire funds and a call to action on forest management reform in a supplemental budget request Wednesday from the Trump administration.
The Office of Management and Budget included $576.5 million in wildfire funding in their supplemental budget request to Congress on Wednesday, as well as recommendations that active forest management and forestry reform be part of the solution to curb wildfire borrowing.
""I want to thank the Trump administration for their request for funds to cover the costs of this fire season, as well as their call for Congress to reform our broken federal forest policy that hinders them from implementing much needed forest management,"" Walden said.
""Another fire season winds down and, once again, the Forest Service needed to rob money from important fire prevention work to pay for fighting wildfires,"" he said. ""We must not only supplement those accounts to pay for the cost of this fire season, but it’s past time that we fix how we pay for fires and treat them like the natural disasters they are.”
Click here to read more from News Channel 21
 Walden applauds extra firefighting funding request 
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) is pleased that the Office of Management and Budget added $576.5 million in wildfire funding in the supplemental budget request to Congress. He also praised OMB for recommending that active forest management and forestry reform be a part of the solution to curb wildfire borrowing.
""I want to thank the Trump administration for their request for funds to cover the costs of this fire season, as well as their call for Congress to reform our broken federal forest policy that hinders them from implementing much-needed forest management,” he said. “Another fire season winds down and, once again, the Forest Service needed to rob money from important fire prevention work to pay for fighting wildfires.”
Walden, along with the Democratic members of the Oregon delegation to Congress argue that the cost for fighting big wildfires should come from disaster funds, not the fire prevention budget of the U.S. Forest Service.
Click here to read more from My Columbia Basin
 Walden, western members of Congress hold press conference on wildfire threat 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks at Thursday’s press conference
On Thursday, Walden held a press conference with his colleagues on the Western Caucus to discuss the current wildfire threat in the western United States, a fix to so-called “fire borrowing”, and legislation to improve management of the country’s federal forests. Walden discussed the importance of passing the Resilient Federal Forests Act, introduced by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Arkansas), which would help bring proper management back to federal forests.  
“We need this bill passed so we can go in and have our professional, scientific foresters do their work to get back in balance with nature,” said Walden of the Resilient Federal Forests Act. “We need to pass this so we can protect our watersheds, so we can have healthy air sheds, and so we can replant after these forest fires.”
Click here to read more about the Resilient Federal Forests Act
 Greg Walden delivers Western Caucus Weekly Address 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s Western Caucus Weekly Address
Finally, Walden delivered the weekly address for the Congressional Western Caucus. During the address Walden discussed the horrific wildfire season that burned over 678,000 acres in Oregon, and further addressed the need to reform federal forest policy to prevent catastrophic fires.
“The bottom line is: Enough is enough. Dense fuel loads from a lack of management, caused by red tape and gridlock leave a tinderbox in our forests waiting to ignite,” said Walden in his address. “It is long past time for Congress to reform how federal forests are managed. If we do not act, these fires will continue to destroy our lands, pour carbon and pollutants into our atmosphere, threaten habitat and water supplies, and put people and property in harm’s way. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Western Caucus to get this job done.”
To read more about the Congressional Western Caucus, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-opioid-epidemic-together-we-must-continue-fight-crisis,"Greg Walden on opioid epidemic: Together, we must continue to fight this crisis",2017-10-11,2017,2017-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden on opioid epidemic: “Together, we must continue to fight this crisis” 
 Testifies before Congressional committee about how opioid abuse is impacting Oregon 
  
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks from today’s hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today shared stories from Oregonians who have been impacted by opioid addiction during a Congressional hearing on how to better combat the epidemic. Walden testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee -- where he serves as Chairman -- about how opioid abuse has impacted communities in Oregon, where more people died last year from drug overdoses than from car accidents.
Walden was joined by a bipartisan group of more than 50 lawmakers from across the country, who testified before the Energy and Commerce Committee about the effects the opioid epidemic is having in their respective states. The hearing was held to give lawmakers the opportunity to share what they have seen in their communities, as well as their ideas for how Congress can help end the crisis. 
“I come here today on behalf of my constituents, as I do every day, but especially today with the opportunity for all members to make their case to the Energy and Commerce Committee,” said Walden in his testimony. “In my district, I’ve heard the all too familiar tale of a mother whose eldest son was first prescribed opioids after injuring his ankle while playing basketball. It didn’t take long for him to become addicted. Another parent shared with me the story of his sister, a nurse, who died of an overdose after years of suffering from addiction and bouncing between pharmacies, passing off forged prescriptions. He spoke about how better tracking and treatment could have helped catch his sister's problem earlier and perhaps made counseling more effective. She was only caught because two pharmacies in a small town happened to check with each other. By then it was too late, though. These two stories may come have from Oregon, but they are not exclusive to the Beaver State -- they are why we are here today.”
Walden’s testimony comes as he recently held roundtables in Grants Pass and Bend to discuss opioid abuse in Oregon. Walden met with local medical professionals, law enforcement officials, and families affected by drug addiction to hear about what is being done on the ground to battle the epidemic.
“Meeting with the people on the front lines of this fight in our communities to find out what is working, and what more can be done, is crucial to our efforts to end this scourge,” said Walden.
As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden is at the forefront of the fight against opioid abuse and the bad actors contributing to the spread of the epidemic. The Energy and Commerce Committee has spearheaded recent efforts to crack down on opioid pill dumping and so-called “patient brokers”, who profit from the recruitment of patients seeking treatment for addiction.
Walden recently led a letter signed by a bipartisan group of Energy and Commerce Committee lawmakers that expanded an investigation into alleged opioid pill dumping by a major drug company. This action comes as Walden’s Energy and Commerce Committee prepares for a full committee hearing on October 23 to examine the federal government’s response to the crisis.
For more information on the Energy and Commerce Committee’s work to combat the opioid epidemic, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-wildfire-funding-request-call-forest-management,"Greg Walden applauds wildfire funding request, call for forest management reform from administration",2017-10-04,2017,2017-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden applauds wildfire funding request, call for forest management reform from administration 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today applauded additional wildfire funds and a call to action on forest management reform from the administration. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) today included $576.5 million in wildfire funding in their supplemental budget request to Congress, as well as recommendations that active forest management and forestry reform be part of the solution to curb wildfire borrowing.
“I want to thank the Trump Administration for their request for funds to cover the costs of this fire season, as well as their call for Congress to reform our broken federal forest policy that hinders them from implementing much needed forest management.  Another fire season winds down and, once again, the Forest Service needed to rob money from important fire prevention work to pay for fighting wildfires. We must not only supplement those accounts to pay for the cost of this fire season, but it’s past time that we fix how we pay for fires and treat them like the natural disasters they are,” said Walden. “We also need to streamline our federal forest policy so forest managers can get the much needed fire prevention work done to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire that choke our skies and communities with smoke. I look forward to working with the administration and my colleagues in the House to improve forest management and prevent catastrophic wildfire.”
Walden led a letter signed by a bipartisan group of 31 lawmakers (will link to letter) to OMB Director Mick Mulvaney to ask that wildfires be treated like natural disasters, and that the administration work with Congress to pass forest management reforms.
“Mismanagement has left our forests vulnerable to insects and disease and ripe for catastrophic wildfires. The system is broken. We need forest management reforms, and we need them now,” the lawmakers wrote. “We ask that you work with us to help to fix the way we manage our forests and how we pay for wildfire disasters. Two goals we can all agree on are reducing the costs of these fires and breaking out of this destructive, nationwide wildfire cycle.”
Walden has spoken with the administration in recent weeks to call their attention to the severity of this year’s fire season in Oregon and throughout the West, and the need to improve forest management. The supplemental request issued by OMB this afternoon says that forest management reform must be part of any long-term solution to prevent catastrophic fires. 
“The Administration believes that the problem of wildfire ‘borrowing’ must be addressed in a more structured, long-term manner. However, additional funding alone will not reverse the worsening trend of catastrophic wildfires that threaten our forests, critical habitats, and communities that border public lands,” the request states. “Active forest management and other reforms must be part of the solution to curb the cost and destruction of wildfires.”
The administration’s announcement comes as Walden led a hearing today to examine the air quality impacts of catastrophic wildfires. During the hearing, Walden stressed the need to fix the wildfire funding problem cited in the administration’s request often referred to as “fire borrowing”.
“Every year we repeat this stupid, stupid cycle. Robbing the accounts that would do the forest thinning to pay for the firefighting while the fires are going on, so we don’t do the preventive work because we have to pay for the fire,” said Walden. “It makes no sense. It is four to five times more expensive to fight fires than to do the treatment.”
For more information on today’s hearing at the Energy and Commerce Committee, including a background memo, witness testimony, and full webcast, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-leads-hearing-air-quality-health-impacts-wildfires-oregon,"Greg Walden leads hearing on air quality, health impacts of wildfires in Oregon",2017-10-04,2017,2017-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden leads hearing on air quality, health impacts of wildfires in Oregon 
 Shares constituent photos from Oregon of “smoke clogged skies from catastrophic fires” 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks from today’s hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. --  Continuing his push for forest management reforms to prevent catastrophic fires in Oregon, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) led a hearing today to call attention to the air quality, environmental, and health impacts of wildfire smoke. Walden, who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said examining the impact of devastating wildfires on air quality needs to be part of the broader conversation on forest management reform.
“It’s time that we looked at air quality as part of the overall mix. Oregonians have been living this problem in the rural West for years -- smoke clogged skies from catastrophic fires,” said Walden. “I can’t tell you how many people I’ve talked to who’ve had health issues develop that they have never had before. People had to see physicians or go to the hospital because the air quality was so bad.”
Oregonians have sent Walden their photos of smoke filled air from catastrophic wildfires this summer. Walden shared these photos during today’s hearing to capture the full picture of how fire and smoke has impacted individuals across Oregon.
“Decisions on how, when, and how aggressively we fight fires matter. They matter to our forests, to our habitats, to our watersheds, and to the air quality in our communities,” Walden concluded, holding a jar of ash to illustrate what Oregonians endure every year. “Let’s have less of this ash, less of this ruin, and better air quality.”
Click here or on the image above to view Walden's questions from today's hearing
Walden heard testimony from expert witnesses on the environmental impacts of wildfires that pour carbon into the atmosphere each year. As recent Forest Service studies have shown, young growing forests absorb more carbon, while dead trees, along with fire, are carbon emitters. Active forest management that thins our forests, and cleans up and replants after wildfire are important components to reducing fire risk and air quality impacts.
Among the witnesses this morning was Dr. John Bailey of Oregon State University’s College of Forestry, who told Walden how far some forest landscapes have traveled from their historic state. In some cases, the forest landscapes that would have historically held 20 trees to an acre, are at 1,000 or more trees per acre. That unnatural density of trees is merely built up fuel for future fires, unless steps are taken to improve active management to reduce the fuel load.  
For more information on today’s hearing, including a background memo, witness testimony, and full webcast, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-calls-administration-address-wildfire-funding-forest-management,"Walden calls on administration to address wildfire funding, forest management reform",2017-10-04,2017,2017-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"October 4, 2017
 
The Honorable Mick Mulvaney
Director
The Office of Management & Budget
725 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20503
 
Dear Director Mulvaney:
  
	We write to call your immediate attention to the damage catastrophic wildfires cause to our communities, States, national forests and other public lands throughout the country. The National Interagency Fire Center reports that there have been 49,563 fires that burned 8,422,251 acres so far in 2017.  According to the U.S. Forest Service (FS), another 80 million acres throughout the country are currently considered high risk. The FS has expended more than $2.3 billion to fight fires in fiscal year 2017 alone - a new record.  The House Committee on Natural Resources reports that in 2016, wildfires destroyed 4,312 structures, including 3,192 residences.  
	 
The House Committee on Natural Resources also stated, “Despite data from the FS indicating that active forest management reduces wildfire intensity and improves forest health, only 1 to 2% of high risk areas are treated.” In fact, the Committee has reported that hazardous fuels are accumulating three times as fast as they can be treated and that the FS only harvested 2.5 billion board feet in 2016 compared to over 10 billion board feet in 1990. To make matters worse, litigation and other challenges have caused a significant reduction in active saw mills nationwide, from 1,311 in 1995 to just over 220 today. Catastrophic fires also cause significant damage to the environment. Robust data from NASA has concluded that one catastrophic wildfire can emit more carbon emissions in a few days than total vehicle emissions in an entire state over the course of a year. As a result of recent wildfires, Seeley Lake, Montana set a record for the worst air quality ever recorded there - 18 times greater than EPA’s safe particle limit. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce recently reported, “In 2005 alone, wildfires resulted in more than 126 million tons of carbon dioxide in the United States.” Rep. Westerman and Ken Fisher recently pointed out that Congress authorized approximately $120 billion for Hurricane Katrina and $50 billion for Hurricane Sandy relief. Meanwhile, the entire 2016 budget for the Forest Service was $7.1 billion. More than half of these funds went to put out wildfires. Catastrophic wildfires are horrific disasters and should be responded to as such – much the same way that we as a nation are currently confronting the incredible devastation wrought by Hurricanes Maria, Harvey and Irma. Eight times in the last twelve years, the FS has moved funds from other operating accounts to fight fire, depleting accounts for forest management in the process that would help prevent catastrophic wildfires. This flawed approach causes us to spend billions of dollars on the backend to suppress fire, neglecting fire prevention and putting our communities at increasing risk of catastrophic fire. This is a treatable problem, and one which we understand the causes of very well. Healthy forest advocates support solutions like Rep. Westerman’s bipartisan H.R. 2936, Resilient Federal Forests Act and Reps. Simpson and Schrader’s bipartisan H.R. 2862, the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act. H.R. 2936 is comprehensive legislation that simplifies the cumbersome planning process and reduces the cost of implementing proactive forest management strategies. The bill adopts a forward-thinking, active management strategy that combats dangerous wildfires before they get started and includes reforms that would end the practice of fire borrowing. H.R. 2862 would change how we budget for the costs of suppressing catastrophic wildfires to conform to the method we use to budget for other natural disasters, such as hurricanes and tornados. This reform seeks to ensure resources are available to fight catastrophic wildfires without raiding accounts that prevent these fires in the first place. Mismanagement has left our forests vulnerable to insects and disease and ripe for catastrophic wildfires. The system is broken. We need forest management reforms, and we need them now. We ask that you work with us to help to fix the way we manage our forests and how we pay for wildfire disasters. Two goals we can all agree on are reducing the costs of these fires and breaking out of this destructive, nationwide wildfire cycle. Accordingly, we ask that the Administration send Congress a proposal that includes comprehensive forest management and wildland fire budgeting reforms as part of the next disaster relief request as soon as possible. We look forward to working with you to resolve these long-standing issues for the benefit of the American people and to ensure our natural resource heritage is sustained for future generations.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-presses-former-equifax-ceo-how-does-happen-when-so-much,Greg Walden presses former Equifax CEO: How does this happen when so much is at stake?,2017-10-03,2017,2017-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden presses former Equifax CEO: How does this happen when so much is at stake? 
 Calls for answers to massive data breach that compromised personal data of over 1.7 million Oregonians 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden's remarks from today's hearing
WASHINGTON, DC The Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), today held a hearing to get answers for consumers on the Equifax data breach.Walden pressed former Equifax Chairman and CEO Richard Smith on the unprecedented cybersecurity hack that compromised the personal information of over 145 million Americans, including over 1.7 million Oregonians.
We are here today to do what it appears Equifax failed to do over the last several months: put consumers first. Our job is to get answers for the more than 145 million Americans who have had their personal information compromised and now fear that they could be victims of fraud at any time, stated Chairman Greg Walden. How could a major U.S. company like Equifax, which holds the most sensitive and personal data on Americans, so let them down? It's like the guards at Fort Knox forgot to lock the doorsand failed to notice thieves emptying the vaults. The American people deserve to know what went wrong.
Click here or on the image above to view Walden's questioning of Mr. Smith
In his opening statement, Mr. Smith told Walden, Let me say clearly: As CEO I was ultimately responsible for what happened on my watch. Equifax was entrusted with Americans' private data and we let them down.
For more information on today's hearing, including a background memo, witness testimony, and full webcast, please click HERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/icymi-greg-walden-expands-investigation-alleged-opioid-pill-dumping,ICYMI: Greg Walden Expands Investigation Into Alleged Opioid Pill Dumping,2017-09-28,2017,2017-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"ICYMI: Greg Walden Expands Investigation Into Alleged Opioid Pill Dumping 
 Action comes as Walden renews pledge to combat opioid epidemic in Oregon and across the country 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Continuing his efforts to combat the opioid crisis in Oregon and across the country, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-Hood River) has expanded an investigation into alleged prescription pill dumping by a major drug company. This action comes as Walden recently announced a full committee hearing on the epidemic the week of October 23. More information about the hearing will be posted here, as it becomes available. 
Walden and a bipartisan group of lawmakers sent a letter Monday to Miami-Luken, a drug distributor with ties to West Virginia, expanding on an existing investigation into alleged pill dumping in the state. The committee has been investigating the alleged pill dumping in West Virginia since earlier this year and stems from news reports by the Charleston Gazette-Mail in West Virginia and The Washington Post, detailing an unusually large opioid presence in the state of West Virginia.
The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports, “For years, Miami-Luken did the bulk of its West Virginia business in Mingo County, which has about 27,000 people. Between 2007 and 2012, 63 percent of the distributor’s hydrocodone shipments in West Virginia went to Mingo County, DEA records show. The company sold 14.7 million doses of hydrocodone to Mingo over six years.”
“We continue to be troubled by reports and records that show large amounts of these powerful and highly addictive painkillers coming in to small communities at alarming rates. As we have continued our investigation, it became increasingly clear that we needed to extend our oversight into Miami-Luken, a significant opioid distributor that we know has been active with West Virginia’s pharmacies,” Chairman Walden told the Charleston Gazette-Mail. “West Virginia is among the hardest hit states by this epidemic and it’s critical we get to the bottom of how such large quantities of opioids were readily available in such small towns.”
As Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden is at the forefront of battling the epidemic in Oregon and throughout the United States. Walden’s Committee has renewed its pledge to combat the opioid crisis in communities across the country, and the October 23 hearing is the first full committee hearing of the Energy and Commerce Committee since Walden became Chairman. 
For more information on the Energy and Commerce Committee’s efforts to combat the epidemic, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-s-energy-and-commerce-committee-examine-impact-wildfires,Greg Waldens Energy and Commerce Committee to Examine the Impact Wildfires Have on Air Quality,2017-09-27,2017,2017-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden’s Energy and Commerce Committee to Examine the Impact Wildfires Have on Air Quality 
Hearing announced as Walden continues efforts to prevent catastrophic fires and protect air quality in Oregon 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks from a September 13 hearing
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today announced that his committee will be examining the impact wildfires have on air quality. The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on the Environment will hold a hearing on Wednesday, October 4, 2017, at 10 a.m. The hearing is entitled, “Air Quality Impacts of Wildfires: Perspectives of Key Stakeholders,” and will be streamed live on the Energy and Commerce Committee's website here.
Considering the devastating and widespread wildfires in Oregon and throughout the West this summer, Walden’s Energy and Commerce Committee will examine the impacts these wildfires have on air quality and emissions in the affected areas and across the country. Walden will also look at how better management of our forests is needed to avoid and minimize catastrophic wildfires. For example, prescribed burns and fuel reduction are important forestry management tools in preventing uncontrolled wildfires, and the resulting air emissions.  
“Year after year, catastrophic wildfires rage on federal lands, including parts of my district, and our skies are choked with smoke throughout the West. Air quality issues in my home state continue to rise to dangerous levels because of these fires, forcing cancellations of community events, school closures, and lost tourism dollars,” said Chairman Greg Walden “Enough is enough.  It's time that decisions about when and how to fight these fires takes into account the impact they have on air quality and human health.  I’m looking forward to hearing from our panel of witnesses on what our nation can do to better prepare for, manage, and fight these fires.”
During a September 13 hearing of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden stressed the need for urgent action to prevent catastrophic wildfires and protect air quality in Oregon. Walden recently held a roundtable meeting with community officials and local business leaders in southern Oregon to discuss the economic impact this year’s fire season has had on the region and the state. 
For more information on that meeting, as well as Congressman Walden’s recent efforts to push for changes in the way we manage our forests to prevent catastrophic fires, please click here. You can also find more information on next week’s hearing here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/video-release-greg-walden-forest-management-reform-we-have-do-better-air,"VIDEO RELEASE: Greg Walden on forest management reform: We have to do better for air quality, for water quality, and for the future of our precious public resources",2017-09-14,2017,2017-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden on forest management reform: “We have to do better for air quality, for water quality, and for the future of our precious public resources” 
 Stresses the need for urgent action to prevent catastrophic wildfires, protect air quality in Oregon 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks from today’s hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Continuing his efforts to improve federal policy to help prevent catastrophic wildfires in Oregon, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) called for action Wednesday on forest management reform. During a hearing of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden stressed the urgent need to address the underlying issues leading to devastating fires, which pour pollutants into the atmosphere and pose a serious threat to air quality, water quality, and Oregon’s public lands.
""I want to focus on this air quality issue, especially as it relates to wood stoves and what is happening in the West. Year after year, we have catastrophic wildfires on federal lands, some of which have been set aside and managed in a way that they have no management,” said Walden. “So if you want to do something that is extraordinarily important, join us in reforming the way we manage our precious public lands and federal forests to reduce the fuel loads.”
Walden’s Energy and Commerce Committee examined the impact of burdensome regulations and policies on wood stoves in rural Oregon. Walden said overbearing regulations force rural communities in Oregon to decide between risking air quality restrictions that could prohibit economic growth, or forcing residents to purchase expensive wood stoves that meet new regulations. Communities in Oregon have spent upwards of $1.5 million to help consumers afford new stoves. Walden said these communities are trying to scrape by to heat their homes in the winter, and are inundated with smoke from devastating fires in the summer that make it difficult to breathe.
Walden also highlighted the need to pass the Resilient Federal Forests Act, marking the fifth time in five years the House is moving forward with major federal forest policy reforms. This legislation provides new tools and streamlines forest management to clean up the fuel loads that contribute to large-scale fires.
Earlier Wednesday, Walden joined U.S. Forest Service Chief Tony Tooke and his colleagues in the Congressional and Senate Western Caucus at a news conference on the pressing need for forest management reform. During the press conference, Walden noted his Energy and Commerce Committee would be further examining the air quality impacts of large-scale fires that pour pollutants into the atmosphere and choke Oregon’s skies with smoke each summer.
The full press conference was livestreamed to Facebook, which you can view here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-helps-pass-legislation-aimed-improving-firefighter-health,Greg Walden helps pass legislation aimed at improving firefighter health,2017-09-13,2017,2017-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden helps pass legislation aimed at improving firefighter health  
 Stresses the need to protect the men and women battling devastating fires raging across Oregon 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, helped pass H.R. 931, the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2017, through the House of Representatives. This legislation will help improve firefighter health by collecting data on the impacts of smoke inhalation while fighting fires. During a speech on the House floor, Walden stressed the need to protect the brave men and women who battle dangerous fires like those raging across Oregon.
“These heroic first responders experience occupational health risks every day. In my district, it’s often from forest fires like we’re having all summer long,” said Walden. “This past weekend I saw firsthand what our firefighters face as they battle a number of fires raging in Oregon, putting themselves in harm’s way to save property, infrastructure, lives, watersheds, habitats, and forests.”
The Firefighter Cancer Registry Act is important public health legislation that will require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop and maintain a voluntary registry to collect data regarding the incidence of cancer in firefighters. This registry will allow researchers to have a greater understanding of the impacts smoke inhalation and other occupational hazards have on a firefighter’s health, and lead to better treatment options.
""Nationwide, this is a problem facing our firefighters – they came to us and said we need this registry. Close to 8 million acres have burned in wildfires so far this year – over 525,000 acres in Oregon alone –  burning both public and private lands. Thousands of residents have been evacuated, but Oregon’s firefighters, of course, stayed behind. That is just what they do.”
The Firefighter Cancer Registry Act passed unanimously through the House and now awaits action in the Senate. This comes as Walden is continuing his efforts to reform federal forest management policy to help prevent catastrophic fires in Oregon and throughout the West.
For more information on this bill, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scenic-columbia-gorge-restoration-act,Scenic Columbia Gorge Restoration Act,2017-09-08,2017,2017-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Scenic Columbia Gorge Restoration Act (H.R. 3715) 
Continuing his efforts to improve forest management policy, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) has introduced legislation to ensure the scenic Columbia Gorge is restored after the devastating Eagle Creek Fire.
Walden took immediate action to ensure the Columbia Gorge would be restored for future generations following this catastrophic fire. Walden introduced the Scenic Columbia Gorge Restoration Act (H.R. 3715) on Friday, September 9, 2017. This bill has specific provisions that will help the rebuild Oregon’s treasured area after the Eagle Creek Fire, including:
 
 Prioritizes restoration of the Columbia Gorge’s scenic character by requiring the Forest Service to begin developing a cleanup and reforestation plan within 30 days after containment of a scenic area fire.
		 
	Sets clear timelines for completion of the planning process within 60 days, while ensuring public input.
		 
	Gives the Forest Service fast track authority to clean up and reforest priority areas including municipal watersheds, key viewing areas, and to help hide human development (e.g. transmission lines).
		 
	Requires the Forest Service to replant the burned area within two years.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/enough-smoke-enough-fires-0,Enough Smoke. Enough Fires,2017-09-07,2017,2017-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Enough smoke. Enough fires. 
Enough is enough.  When Cycle Oregon and performances at the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland get canceled because of fires and the toxic smoke, it’s long past time for Congress to address how federal forests are managed and how fires are fought (or not), including policies that affect firefighting in wilderness areas.  
When people in Central Oregon, the Gorge (or just about anywhere on the east side this summer) are told to stay inside, it’s time for a change in federal policy so that decisions to let fires burn include a review of how doing so will add carbon and toxic pollutants into the atmosphere, threaten habitat and water quality and destroy private timberlands and property.
It’s also time for the U.S. Senate to stop blocking our bipartisan legislation that has passed overwhelmingly in the House year-after-year which would help prevent catastrophic forest fires by allowing proper management. Further, the bill would provide resources to clean up after forest fires and restore the forests with new trees for another generation.
The House Resources Committee has once again approved legislation--Resilient Federal Forests Act--that solves the fire borrowing problem, but more importantly, gives foresters and firefighters new tools to help protect our forests, watersheds and airsheds from the kinds of disasters we endured this summer.  I know we’re always going to have fires, but we must find better ways to control and extinguish them.
Soon the House will take up this measure and send it to the Senate.  I’m convinced President Trump will sign it into law if only we can get it to his desk.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-highlights-importance-emergency-communications-fire-response,Walden highlights importance of emergency communications to fire response in Oregon,2017-09-07,2017,2017-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Walden highlights importance of emergency communications to fire response in Oregon 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks form today’s hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee today, Chairman Greg Walden (R-Hood River) cited fires currently raging across Oregon as need for reliable emergency communications systems. Walden highlighted the importance of these emergency communications systems during catastrophic events such as the devastating wildfires that have been ravaging Oregon throughout the summer, as well as hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
""I join those who are keeping in our thoughts and prayers all those affected by hurricanes and flooding from Harvey and Irma. I would also add to that list a couple of names you are not familiar with: Chetco, Eagle Creek, Indian Creek, among others, which are the fires that are ravaging the northwest, including just a few miles from where I live. 
“This week the Eagle Creek took off and has now burned 33,000 acres – I had embers on my deck from 17 miles away. The freeway is closed, the rail lines are closed, and even the mighty Columbia River is not allowing barge traffic at this time. This is in the National Columbia River Scenic Area – it seems like every corner of our country is affected.
""The brave citizens, our first responders, the firefighters, and EMTs are helping out every step of the way. Our broadcasters – both public and commercial – are also helping. Cell phone towers are staying up and operating. Emergency communications are working. Our HAM radio operators – of which I am one – are very active in all of this as well.
“This all speaks to the importance of this hearing today. We must make sure that we have the most vibrant and modern communications platforms in the world and make sure that they continue to provide emergency and day-to-day operations to our citizens.”
Walden is continuing his work in Congress to address how federal forests are managed and how wildfires are controlled. In a recent Facebook post, Walden called for action to improve federal forest policy and address how fires are fought, including policies that affect firefighting in wilderness areas.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-helps-pass-landmark-legislation-pave-way-self-driving-cars,Walden helps pass landmark legislation to pave the way for self-driving cars,2017-09-06,2017,2017-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Walden helps pass landmark legislation to pave the way for self-driving cars 
 Leads bipartisan effort to advance technology that will save lives, create new economic opportunities, and help seniors and Americans with disabilities live more independently 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, today helped pass landmark legislation through the House of Representatives to pave the way for self-driving cars. Walden has led a bipartisan effort to advance self-driving vehicle technology to help make America’s roads safer, create new economic opportunities, and help seniors and those with disabilities live more independently.
“Self-driving cars hold the promise of making America’s roads safer, creating new economic opportunities, and helping seniors and those with disabilities live more independently. The SELF DRIVE Act strikes the critical balance of enhancing consumer safety while promoting the continued development of this cutting-edge technology,” said  Walden. “This bipartisan bill paves the way for advanced collision avoidance systems and self-driving cars nationwide, and ensures that America stays a global leader in innovation.”
The SELF-DRIVE Act (H.R. 3388) advanced through Walden’s Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously in July. This legislation focuses on four key areas: Consumer Protection, Fostering Innovation, Increasing Mobility, and Promoting Research and Development. The SELF-DRIVE Act will help create a clear path for the safe testing, development, and deployment of self-driving cars in the United States.
During a speech on the House floor today, Walden cited Oregon’s high rate of traffic fatalities as need for this technology. Researchers have noted that self-driving cars are projected to reduce traffic deaths by 90%, saving 30,000 lives a year nationally. Walden has lauded self-driving vehicles as an innovative solution to reduce vehicle-related deaths in Oregon and across the country.
“Almost 40,000 lives were lost on our roads last year. This represents yet another yearly increase in traffic-related fatalities.  In my home state of Oregon, traffic fatalities were the highest they’ve been in 14 years, increasing by an alarming 20 percent from the year before,” said Walden. “Statistics show that 94 percent of accidents relate to human behavior. During our morning commute into work, just look around. We all see folks on their phones in the cars next to us. While National Highway Traffic Safety Administration cannot write a safety standard to make us all perfect drivers, it can work to advance life-saving technologies – which is the underlying goal of today’s bipartisan legislation.”
Walden also highlighted the importance of this bipartisan initiative for America’s seniors and those living with disabilities. Walden says self-driving vehicle technology will help improve independence for Americans who live with mobility and accessibility challenges. The SELF DRIVE Act establishes a federal advisory council to ensure manufacturers and regulators understand the needs of Americans traditionally underserved by public transportation as well as senior citizens and those living with disabilities.
""Additionally, self-driving cars hold the promise of better access to transportation for our nation’s 47 million senior citizens, 27 million Americans with severe disabilities, and the many communities across the country underserved by public transportation,” said Walden. “H.R. 3388 ensures their voices are heard by automakers and regulators as this technology develops.” 
Walden’s Energy and Commerce Committee has held over 250 meetings to develop this legislation with a wide range of stakeholders including manufacturers, suppliers, tech companies, insurance providers, state government officials, seniors groups, and disability advocates. During a meeting in January, Alphabet CEO Eric Schmidt told Walden that they believe the development of automated trucking technology could improve the economic output of a community by up to 10%, simply by moving goods through and around towns more efficiently. Walden spoke of the potential for self-driving cars to boost the automobile industry, which is vital to growing American jobs and stimulating the economy.
“This bill is also about ensuring America stays a global leader in the development of self-driving technology. After all, the auto industry is responsible for more than 7 million jobs nationwide and drives more than $900 billion into the economy each year.  We want to see those numbers continue to grow and do what we can to keep these jobs in the U.S.”
The SELF DRIVE Act passed unanimously through the House today, and now awaits action in the U.S. Senate. For complete background on the SELF DRIVE Act, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-regarding-deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca,Greg Walden statement regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program,2017-09-05,2017,2017-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden statement regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released the following statement regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program: 
""I’ve long been a supporter of stronger security on America’s borders -- countries that do not have control of their borders do not have control of their national security. That is what will lead us to much-needed immigration reform, and it is vital to fixing our broken system.
America’s legal immigration system, like other federal bureaucracies, is in need of reform. The current system does not work, and it is past time for Congress to act on this issue. 
Like all Americans, I have compassion for those who entered our country unlawfully as children and are now in limbo in our immigration system. These are kids who know no other country as their home and were brought here through no fault of their own at a young age. It is up to Congress to find a permanent solution.
I appreciate that President Trump recognizes the need for Congress to act to address this problem. As we move forward, I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress and the administration to secure our borders and fix our flawed immigration system.""
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/enough-smoke-enough-fires,Enough Smoke.  Enough Fires.,2017-09-01,2017,2017-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Enough is enough.  When Cycle Oregon and performances at the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland get canceled because of fires and the toxic smoke, it’s long past time for Congress to address how federal forests are managed and how fires are fought (or not), including policies that affect firefighting in wilderness areas.  
When people in Central Oregon, the Gorge (or just about anywhere on the east side this summer) are told to stay inside, it’s time for a change in federal policy so that decisions to let fires burn include a review of how doing so will add carbon and toxic pollutants into the atmosphere, threaten habitat and water quality and destroy private timberlands and property.
It’s also time for the U.S. Senate to stop blocking our bipartisan legislation that has passed overwhelmingly in the House year-after-year which would help prevent catastrophic forest fires by allowing proper management. Further, the bill would provide resources to clean up after forest fires and restore the forests with new trees for another generation.
The House Resources Committee has once again approved legislation--Resilient Federal Forests Act--that solves the fire borrowing problem, but more importantly, gives foresters and firefighters new tools to help protect our forests, watersheds and airsheds from the kinds of disasters we endured this summer.  I know we’re always going to have fires, but we must find better ways to control and extinguish them.
Soon the House will take up this measure and send it to the Senate.  I’m convinced President Trump will sign it into law if only we can get it to his desk.
Throughout the month of August, I traveled across our vast district meeting with veterans, small business owners, local community leaders, and even introduced the Secretary of Energy to eastern Oregon. These meetings are invaluable to my work as your representative in Congress, and help me update my “to-do” list to take back to the nation’s capital. From improving the care our veterans receive at the VA to strengthening hydropower in our state and cleaning up nuclear waste, I heard from Oregonians on the ground who gave me a lot to add to that list!
I hope you’ll continue reading to learn more about my month of August as I met with Oregonians from Grants Pass to Umatilla.
Klamath County
Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base, Klamath Falls
I kicked off the month of August in Klamath County, with a meeting and tour of the Kingsley Air Base. Kingsley is critical to our nation's security and military readiness, and is the only base in the world that trains future F-15 fighter pilots to defend our country, and our allies, in the skies.
I want to especially thank Colonel Jeff Smith and the entire team at Kingsley for your service and for taking the time to meet with me.  We’re working together to make sure Kingsley is part of future defense missions and has the modern equipment and facilities necessary for the world-class effort they lead.
Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls
After my meeting at Kingsley Air Base, I had the opportunity to visit Oregon Institute of Technology’s geothermal plants. Oregon Tech is home to the world’s first combined geothermal heat and power plant on a university campus, and is the only university campus in the United States heated by on-site geothermal energy. Oregon Tech is not only taking advantage of this great renewable resource in the Klamath basin, but also training students to go out and further innovate in the renewable energy space.
It was great to meet Oregon Tech’s new President Nagi Naganathan, and see the cutting-edge work taking place on campus.  As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I’m committed to making sure renewable energy and the latest technological advances are incorporated in federal law.  The Committee is in the midst of reviewing the nation’s electrical grid to assess its adequacy and security needs.  Making sure we can connect next generation power sources to the grid, and making sure the grid can withstand cyberattacks and effectively manage the power load, are all part of our work.
On the Road
Unfortunately, our skies were once again choked with smoke from wildfire -- like this one I saw on my way to Lakeview. We need to change federal law and get more active management in our forests to reduce fire fuels and create jobs. Thank you to all of the firefighters who have been knocking down intense fires across our state this summer.  I’m committed to giving our firefighters new authority to get their job done.
Lake County
MC Chuck Wagon Exhibit, Lakeview
After my meetings in Klamath, I headed over to Lake County for a glimpse into history that is so unique to our part of Oregon.
Early in the year, I was invited to see the MC Chuck Wagon Museum in Lakeview and present an American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in honor of the museum's new flag pole. This exhibit is home to one of the greatest chuck wagon outfits in the West, and preserves an understanding of the way of life upon which ranching communities like Lakeview were built.
I encourage you to visit the museum and check out the rich history preserved there.
Jackson County
VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics (SORCC), White City
Click here or on the image above to learn more about my meeting with veterans and VA officials in Jackson County
In Jackson County, I convened a meeting with veterans and VA officials at the VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics (SORCC) in White City to get an update on their progress to improve care for those who have worn our nation’s uniform.
I’ve heard repeatedly from veterans about the challenges of getting in to see a provider at some of the many VA facilities around the Northwest.  Too often, these facilities have a difficult time recruiting medical providers, as SORCC officials told me earlier this year.  
It turns out, the VA lacks the ability to compete with other private or other public employers when it comes to student loan reimbursements as a recruitment tool for providers. That’s why I’ve recently introduced legislation called the Doctors for Veterans Act. This legislation will help reduce wait times for Oregon veterans, improve their access to quality care in a timely manner, and help the VA recruit medical providers to care for veterans in rural and underserved areas in Oregon and throughout the country. 
By the way, my legislation to set allow medical scribes in the VA sailed through the House unanimously.  This measure would test whether having a scribe do the paperwork will free up valuable medical providers to spend more quality time with more patients.  It’s worked in the private sector, and we think it can work for the VA.
You can read more about the Doctors for Veterans legislation here: https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-takes-action-reduce-wait-times-oregon-veterans
Mercy Flights, Medford
Photo courtesy of theDove T.V.
For more than a year, I’ve worked with local and national ambulance providers to update federal funding policies to make sure that these first responders are adequately paid, especially for services provided in remote and rural areas.  We’re very close to legislation that will accomplish that while also cracking down where there is potential for waste or fraud.  
During the District Work Period in August, I went to the Rogue Valley International Airport to meet with Mercy Flights. Mercy Flights is a non-profit organization that provides critical emergency response to the local community in southern Oregon.  Several months ago, I worked with the Federal Aviation Administration to provide a more-timely processing of the training and certifications their pilots need.
You can learn more about my meeting with Mercy Flights here: https://thedove.us/7738-2/
Photo courtesy of theDove T.V.
Timber Products, Medford
This summer, I organized a meeting with Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and leaders of the hardwood plywood mills in our region to discuss the unfair trade practices China has used to corner 54% of this market and threaten our family-wage jobs in mills like Timber Products in Medford.  The Trump Administration is committed to helping fight back against Chinese companies when they don’t play by the rules.
Hundreds of men and women in southern Oregon work at Timber Products’ hardwood plywood plant in Medford.
In addition to seeing this modern facility and learning about what all goes into making hardwood plywood, which is primarily used for cabinets, we also discussed the need for access to more federal timber.  For the fifth time in five years, the House is moving forward with major forest policy reform legislation, the Resilient Federal Forests Act, which will help protect these workers’ jobs and put people back to work in our woods.
The timber industry is incredibly important to our economy and way of life in Oregon. During my meeting, we discussed the importance of pushing back against unfair trade practices from countries like China. You can learn more about my meeting at Timber Products here: http://ktvl.com/news/local/rep-greg-walden-visits-timber-products-to-discuss-timber-legislation-action
Josephine County
Click here or on the image above to read the Grants Pass Daily Courier’s coverage of my tour of the old Spalding & Son mill site
As Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, I’ve directed an effort this year to update and reauthorize the federal Brownfields Program -- something that hasn’t occurred in more than a decade.  This important environmental stewardship program provides a federal partnership with states, local governments and private entities to clean up old, polluted sites and make these lands available once again as industrial sites.
Just outside of Grants Pass, I joined local officials in a tour of the old Spalding & Son Mill site. The city of Grants Pass just secured assistance to begin the process of cleaning up this old industrial site through what is known as the “Brownfields Program.” The Brownfields Program has had great success boosting local economies in Oregon by redeveloping sites like the old Spalding & Son mill.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously approved the Brownsfields legislation  in June.  We anticipate it coming to the whole House for a vote early this fall.  You can learn more about this work here: https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-brownfields-assistance-secured-grants-pass
Deschutes County
Click here or on the image above to view a recap of my meeting with Forest Service officials
 
In Deschutes County, I’ve heard concerns about potential changes to access for some of the most popular trails in the Central Cascades Wilderness. I convened a meeting between local Forest Service officials and representatives of outdoor recreation and tourism groups to discuss the need for the agency’s proposals.
During a very positive discussion, we heard concerns about limiting access and about making sure the Central Cascades Wilderness is not overcrowded and overused. As good stewards of our precious public lands we have to make sure that they don’t get overrun, especially in the fragile alpine areas.  As a native Oregonian, I want to make sure that we also continue to have responsible access to our public lands to recreate.  I appreciated hearing the various viewpoints as the Forest Service works to strike the right balance so that we promote responsible use of the wilderness while not unnecessarily limiting public access.
Meeting with local Forest Service officials and representatives of outdoor recreation and tourism groups in Bend.
 
Jefferson County
Crooked River Ranch, Terrebonne
Back to the issue of our fire and smoke-filled summer and what we can do to reduce the risk. I organized a meeting at Crooked River Ranch with local officials and residents who are deeply concerned that federal lands immediately adjacent to the residences could catch fire in a way that could cause a major disaster at the Ranch. 
Crooked River Ranch Fire and Rescue Chief Rich Hoffman and Jefferson County Sheriff Jim Adkins took me on a tour of the area to drive home their concern. The community has worked hard to provide defensible space and reduce the risk of fire on the private lands. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the neighboring federal land where dense sagebrush, juniper and other fire fuels within the Wilderness Study Area (WSA) create a tinderbox each summer that puts the community in harm’s way. 
Hiking through the WSA while visiting with community members and local firefighters made clear the threat. I also heard from local BLM staff about how they would thin and manage the area to restore the landscape and mitigate fire if it were not restricted by federal policy under a WSA. It’s time we make the commonsense change to the WSA boundary, and I’m glad that my legislation to get that done -- the Crooked River Ranch Fire Protection Act -- is moving forward in the House. 
All we’re talking about is moving an arbitrary boundary back a few hundred yards to the edge of the cliff, which would allow the kind of thinning treatment that fire officials encourage every homeowner in Central Oregon to do.  
Learn more about this legislation here: https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-plan-protect-crooked-river-ranch-wildfire-moves-forward
On the Road
For more than 20 years, my wife and I owned and operated the radio stations in Hood River and worked closely with the local first responders when emergencies occurred.  These brave men and women--mostly volunteers--drop what they are doing and race to save property and lives.  Moreover, they spend countless hours in educational classes and hands on training so that they are as prepared and safe as possible.  Annually, the Wy’East Volunteer Fire and EMS Association pays tribute to those who lost their lives in service to the community.  
Fire Chief Greg Borton invited to me participate in the Association’s 15th Annual Memorial and BBQ at the Odell Fire Department. I praised and thanked those who serve and the families who support them.  I also presented a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in honor of the firefighters, police officers, and first responders who serve the good people of Hood River County.  God Bless you all.
Umatilla County
McNary Dam, Umatilla
Energy Secretary Rick Perry came to Oregon, at my request, to tour McNary Dam and discuss the importance of the Columbia and Snake River hydropower system to this region with local and regional leaders at an energy roundtable in Umatilla County. The Secretary was impressed with the size and scope of the dam and the tremendous, no-carbon-emitting power resource we have that’s helping grow the economy in the Columbia Basin and the Northwest.  We were also joined by my Washington State colleague, Rep. Dan Newhouse for the tour.  Bonneville Power Administrator Elliot Mainzer joined the Secretary and me in a round table discussion with community leaders and stakeholders after our tour of the dam. The Bonneville Power Administration plays a vital role in the Northwest, and I once again made clear my opposition to the Administration’s idea to sell it off.
Of course, Secretary Perry couldn't leave Umatilla County without a famous Hermiston watermelon!
Hydropower is incredibly important to Oregon’s energy mix. At the Energy and Commerce Committee -- where I serve as chairman -- we’re working to promote hydro and ensure Oregon consumers continue to have access to reliable and affordable electricity generated from hydropower and other sources including renewables, gas and nuclear. From data centers to value-added agricultural processing, economic opportunities continue to present themselves along the Columbia River and throughout the Northwest thanks to this abundant, affordable energy source.  I know Secretary Perry left our region with a new appreciation for the importance of renewable hydropower and the role played by BPA.
Secretary Perry holds the microphones as Rep. Dan Newhouse looks on during our news conference in front of McNary Dam.
Click here or on the image above to view my remarks with Secretary Perry following our tour of McNary Dam
 
Hanford Site – Richland, Washington
The next day, Secretary Perry and I joined Rep. Newhouse and Washington Senator Maria Cantwell to get briefings at the Pacific Northwest National Lab in Richland and to get an update on cleanup efforts at the Hanford Site -- which sits just 40 miles north of our district along the Columbia River. Our first stop was the Hazardous Materials Management and Emergency Response (HAMMER) Federal Training Center. We observed hands-on worker training at HAMMER, that’s helping keep safe the thousands of employees who work at the Hanford Site and deal with hazardous materials on a daily basis. They are truly on the front lines of the cleanup effort and the top-notch training we saw at HAMMER makes sure Hanford employees can safely do their work.
Click here or on the image above to view my remarks at the HAMMER training facility about the importance of cleaning up nuclear waste
 
Before we began our tour of the Hanford Site, we took a few questions from local media and discussed the importance of cleaning up nuclear waste across the country. At the Energy and Commerce Committee, we passed bipartisan legislation that establishes permanent and interim nuclear waste storage that will facilitate in cleaning up sites like Hanford. 
The Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act advanced through the Energy and Commerce Committee with significant bipartisan support -- on a 49-4 basis -- and fulfills the federal government’s obligation to permanently dispose of spent nuclear fuel from our communities. 
Hanford’s nuclear waste is destined for permanent storage at the Yucca Mountain facility in Nevada. This legislation will make that happen.
I was born in The Dalles and live in Hood River, so the Columbia River has always been part of my life.  I am fully committed to cleaning up Hanford as soon as possible. The federal government not only has a legal obligation, but also a moral obligation, to get this job done for people who live along the Columbia and the communities surrounding Hanford.
During our tour, I had the chance to speak before Hanford employees about the importance of their work and my priorities as Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee to finish Yucca Mountain and clean-up sites like Hanford. Hanford employees are truly engaged in historic work, and they should know that the federal government has their back.
To learn more about our work at the Energy and Commerce Committee to clean up spent nuclear waste at the Hanford Site and across the country, check out my recent op-ed in the East Oregonian: http://www.eastoregonian.com/eo/columnists/20170626/walden-want-to-clean-up-hanford-finish-yucca-mountain
Back to Washington
While I only covered the highlights from some of my many meetings in August, as you can see the work I’m doing back in the nation’s capital directly relates to the problems, challenges and opportunities we have here at home. 
If you’d like to know more about what Congress IS getting done, click on www.didyouknow.gop",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-takes-action-reduce-wait-times-oregon-veterans,Greg Walden takes action to reduce wait times for Oregon veterans,2017-08-03,2017,2017-08,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden takes action to reduce wait times for Oregon veterans 
 Walden’s Doctors for Veterans Act will help Oregon VA facilities recruit medical providers for veterans in rural and underserved areas 
WHITE CITY, OREGON – Continuing his efforts to provide Oregon veterans with access to quality, timely care at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) is taking action to reduce wait times at VA facilities. During his meeting with VA officials and veterans at the VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center & Clinics (VA SORCC) in White City today, Walden announced that he has introduced the Doctors for Veterans Act. Walden’s legislation will help VA facilities recruit medical providers for veterans in rural and underserved areas in Oregon and across the country.
“This bipartisan legislation is a product of feedback I’ve heard from veterans themselves and VA officials throughout our district about the difficulties providing veterans in rural Oregon with timely access to quality care,” said Walden. “The Doctors for Veterans Act will allow the VA to better recruit medical providers by offering student loan repayment benefits that compete with what is offered in the private sector. Especially in rural areas, our veterans are underserved and VA facilities in Oregon face difficult recruiting challenges.  This bill will help the VA compete with the private sector for qualified physicians to adequately staff their health centers in underserved areas and bring veterans the care they deserve.”
Walden’s Doctors for Veterans Act increases the maximum student loan benefit that the VA can offer through its Education Debt Reduction Program, which aims to help the VA recruit and retain medical providers. Walden’s legislation will help address the VA’s provider shortage by improving their ability to attract qualified medical providers, and ultimately improve access to quality, timely care for Oregon veterans. The bill provides additional help to rural and underserved VA centers and clinics, where the provider shortages are often more severe due to increased challenges with recruitment and retention.
Today’s announcement comes as a separate piece of legislation Walden introduced -- the VA Medical Scribes Pilot Act -- recently passed the House of Representatives unanimously. This legislation would implement a pilot program for medical scribes at VA facilities, which will help administratively unburden VA doctors and allow them to see more veterans. Both the VA Medical Scribes Pilot Act and the Doctors for Veterans Act seek to address issues Walden has heard about during his recent meetings with veterans and officials at the VA SORCC and throughout his district.
A section-by-section summary of the Doctors for Veterans Act is included below.
--
Background
Section 7682 of Title 38 of the U.S. Code provides a student loan benefit for employees of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) who serve in positions that provide either direct or incident care services for our veterans. The Education Debt Reduction Program aims to help the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recruit and retain providers to get our veterans access to quality care in a timely manner.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) runs a similar program that places providers in underserved areas: the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). The student loan benefits offered through the NHSC are significantly greater than they are for the VA, even though our nation’s veterans are clearly “underserved” -- wait times and backlogs have plagued the Department and hampered veterans’ access to care.
The Doctors for Veterans Act simply increases the maximum student loan benefit available to VA doctors and brings those benefits in line with the NHSC benefits. This will help address the VA’s provider shortage by improving their ability to recruit and retain providers, and ultimately improve access to quality care for our nation’s veterans.
Section 1 – Improvement of VA’s Education Debt Reduction Program
Subsection A -- Allows VA providers to use their student loan benefit for both graduate and undergraduate education. Current law states that participants may only use their student loan benefit for the degree that pertains to their medical provider position within the VA.
Subsection B -- Increases the maximum amount of student loan benefit available to participants in two ways:
- The per-year benefit cap is raised from $24,000 to $60,000.
- The total allowable benefit is raised from $120,000 to $240,000
Subsection B also directs the VA Secretary to establish a process for offering greater benefits to providers who work in the most underserved VA health centers. HHS uses this process to administer student loan benefits through the National Health Service Corps, and the Secretary is directed to implement a similar determination process for the VA’s student loan benefit.
Subsection C -- Increases benefits to account for income taxes levied on the student loan benefit received. Similar to the NHSC provision, this subsection assumes a 39% tax on the benefit and adds that amount to the base student loan benefit.
Subsection D -- States that these policies will apply for all participants who enter the program beginning on or after the date this bill is enacted.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-helps-advance-bipartisan-legislation-modernize-drinking,Greg Walden helps advance bipartisan legislation to modernize drinking water infrastructure in Oregon,2017-07-27,2017,2017-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden helps advance bipartisan legislation to modernize drinking water infrastructure in Oregon 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today helped advance seven pieces of legislation, one of which is H.R. 3387, the Drinking Water System Improvement Act. The Drinking Water System Improvement Act passed unanimously through Walden’s Energy and Commerce Committee today, and seeks to strengthen the tools used to modernize drinking water infrastructure in Oregon and throughout the country.
“Moving a serious reauthorization of any major environmental law, like the Safe Drinking Water Act, takes a lot of cooperation and willingness to talk out the issues and find common ground,” said Walden. “That common ground brought us to where we are today. H.R. 3387 focuses on addressing drinking water systems’ physical needs, aiding states and utilities with compliance and operation of the drinking water program, and encouraging the wisest use of money that is spent.”
Drinking water is delivered across the country via millions of miles of pipes owned by both private and public water systems. While drinking water quality remains high across the country, improvements can be made, and infrastructure modernized. Many of these pipes were laid in the early to mid-20th century with a lifespan of 75 to 100 years -- some communities in Walden’s district still rely on wood stave pipes to deliver drinking water. 
The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) helps local communities provide their residents with safe drinking water, comply with drinking water rules and improve infrastructure.  In Malheur County, the city of Vale is using the DWSRF to complete a new 750,000 gallon water storage tank and $8 million water treatment facility to increase the city’s water supply. Nyssa is using the fund for a similar project. Meanwhile, in Umatilla County, the city of Pendleton has just secured funding through the DWSRF to replace 33 miles of pipe nearing a century in age. 
The Drinking Water System Improvement Act passed the Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously. This bill would; 
Authorize $8 billion over 5 years for the drinking water revolving loan fund program,  
	Open the eligible uses of the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to now cover costs associated with preconstruction activities and replacing or rehabilitating aging treatment, storage, or distribution facilities.   
	Create a strategic plan to have an electronic system that allows water utilities to send their compliance data to states and states send it to EPA.   
	Reauthorize funding for voluntary source water protection programs.   
	Encourage more readable and understandable consumer confidence reports and solidifies their electronic distribution.   
	For more information on the bill, click here.
The Drinking Water System Improvement Act is part of seven pieces of legislation that advanced through Walden’s Energy and Commerce Committee today. For complete background on today’s legislation, please click here. 
 ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-plan-protect-crooked-river-ranch-wildfire-moves-forward,Greg Walden plan to protect Crooked River Ranch from wildfire moves forward,2017-07-26,2017,2017-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden plan to protect Crooked River Ranch from wildfire moves forward  
 House Natural Resources Committee advances Walden’s Crooked River Ranch Fire Protection Act  
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden’s (R-Hood River) plan to protect Crooked River Ranch from wildfire advanced through the House Natural Resources Committee on a bipartisan vote today. The Crooked River Ranch Fire Protection Act (H.R. 2075) adjusts the wilderness study areas adjacent to Crooked River Ranch to protect the local community from wildfire.
“Passage of the Crooked River Ranch Fire Protection Act through the Resources Committee is really important,” said Walden. “We all know what fire is like in our environment in central Oregon. What we’re trying to do is move a government boundary back so that teams can get in and thin out the excess fuels that could result in a catastrophe if fire ever came over the top into Crooked River Ranch.”
Crooked River Ranch is an unincorporated community of about 5,500 residents in Jefferson County. The lands adjacent to the community are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and are classified as a Wilderness Study Area (WSA). These lands are in the highest risk category for exposure to devastating wildfire due to overstocked juniper stand under the federally mandated and locally promulgated Jefferson County Community Wildfire Protection Plan. And the current WSA classification prevents mechanical fire prevention activities within these overstocked juniper stands.
Walden’s bill would adjust the boundaries of the WSAs in order to better facilitate fire prevention activities on public lands and the adjacent private property. 
Local fire officials and first responders have praised Walden’s bill. “This bill has the potential to save lives and property at Crooked River Ranch and I’m glad to see Congressman Walden continuing to move this plan forward. With the current wilderness study area (WSA) boundary, practical firefighting and fire prevention activities are unavailable. The lack of fuel mitigation around Crooked River Ranch, due to wilderness restrictions codified in law, has created a dangerous environment and continues to threaten the people that live here. This bill will move the boundary away from private properties, eliminate wilderness restrictions and allow us to mitigate these fuels to defend properties and lives on Crooked River Ranch. From a firefighting standpoint, Congressman Walden’s bill is appreciated and is simply commonsense.” Harry Ward, Fire Chief of Crooked River Ranch Fire & Rescue
""As the elected Sheriff of Jefferson County, Oregon, this bill is extremely important to the life and property of an area under my protection. This bill will help mitigate wildfire from Crooked River Ranch by providing a defensible fire protection along the border of the Ranch which is presently contiguous with the WSAs. Current WSA restrictions makes it impossible for the fire crew to enter the area and fight the wildfire with modern techniques. The residents of Crooked River Ranch are most appreciative of Greg’s efforts to facilitate the protection of life and property through enactment of the Crooked River Ranch Fire Protection Act.” Jim Adkins, Sheriff of Jefferson County
The Crooked River Ranch Fire Protection Act advanced through the House Natural Resources Committee and now awaits a vote in the full House of Representatives before moving to the Senate. For a copy of Walden’s legislation, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-bill-unburden-va-doctors-and-improve-care-oregon-veterans-passes,Walden bill to unburden VA doctors and improve care for Oregon veterans passes House,2017-07-24,2017,2017-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Walden bill to unburden VA doctors and improve care for Oregon veterans passes House 
 Legislation co-authored by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) would introduce medical scribes into VA system to help process paperwork 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives today passed a plan co-authored by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) to improve the care Oregon’s veterans receive at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Walden worked with House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman, Dr. Phil Roe, to introduce the VA Medical Scribes Pilot Act of 2017. Walden’s legislation would implement a pilot program for medical scribes at VA facilities, which will help unburden VA doctors and allow them to see more patients.
“Good news for Oregon veterans: the House passed legislation I co-authored with Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Dr. Phil Roe, that will allow veterans’ doctors to do what they do best -- spend more time taking care of veterans,” said Walden. “This legislation sets up a pilot program to try something that has worked successfully in the private sector -- having scribes work side-by-side with doctors, so that doctors can focus on the patient and scribes can focus on the paperwork.”
Medical scribes help relieve physicians of administrative burdens such as paperwork and record keeping, which helps doctors focus their attention on caring for patients. Studies have shown that the use of medical scribes in the private sector resulted in a 59% increase in the number of patients physicians see per hour.
Walden has heard from officials at both the White City and Bend VA facilities, and veterans themselves, that implementing a scribes program will help improve the care Oregon veterans receive. Walden’s legislation will also help retain quality VA doctors, and recruit new physicians into the VA process. 
Charles Schmidt, Oregon’s first National Commander of The American Legion, said of Walden’s legislation, “the VA Medical Scribes Pilot Act of 2017 would greatly assist VA doctors in the course of their duties by providing medical scribes to alleviate their administrative burden.  This would enable VA doctors to see more veterans per day and spend more time with each patient.  Providing doctors medical scribes would help the VA improve the work environment, reduce physician burnout, and recruit and retain quality physicians.""
The VA Medical Scribe Pilot Act of 2017 passed the House on a bipartisan vote and now awaits action in the Senate. To read more about Walden’s legislation, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-brownfields-assistance-secured-grants-pass,Greg Walden applauds Brownfields assistance secured by Grants Pass,2017-07-20,2017,2017-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden applauds Brownfields assistance secured by Grants Pass 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today applauded “Brownfields” assistance secured by Grants Pass. Walden said Grants Pass acquiring these funds will allow the city to utilize the Brownfields Program, which has had success in communities across Walden’s district, to clean up and redevelop the old Spalding Mill site. 
“The success of Grants Pass getting this grant to clean up the old Spalding Mill site is terrific,” said Walden. “We have a great record in Oregon using the Brownfields Program to cleanup these sites and put them back into active, productive use. At the Energy and Commerce Committee -- which I chair -- we’ve moved forward legislation to reauthorize this federal program. It is the first time since 2006 that this program has been reviewed and reauthorized. We prove it on the ground in places like Grants Pass and it plays well across the country to clean up these sites and put them back into productive use. I’m pleased with the announcement by the Trump Administration that they’re making these funds available to Grants Pass.”
This announcement comes as Walden has been working on bipartisan legislation at the House Energy and Commerce Committee to reauthorize the Brownfields Program. In June, Walden’s Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously passed the Brownfields Enhancement, Economic Development, and Reauthorization Act. This bipartisan legislation authorizes the Brownfields Program for the first time since 2006 and makes it easier for smaller communities -- like Grants Pass and others in Walden’s district -- to participate in the process of Brownfields cleanup and redevelopment. This legislation now awaits a vote in the full House of Representatives.
Grants Pass secured $200,000 in “Brownfields” grant funds from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help the city develop a plan for the cleanup, restoration, and future development of the area around the old Spalding Mill site in eastern Grants Pass. A Brownfield is a property where the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant may complicate its expansion, redevelopment, or reuse.
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt says his agency is committed to working alongside Grants Pass as they work to redevelop this site. “EPA is committed to working with communities like Grants Pass to redevelop Brownfields sites that have can contribute to local growth in both the economy and quality of life,” said Pruitt. “EPA’s area-wide planning grants leverage considerable infrastructure and other investments, improving local economies and creating an environment where jobs can grow.”
Background on the Spalding Mill site
Grants Pass has long eyed the Spalding Mill area for redevelopment, and the 61-acre site was chosen by the EPA due to environmental concerns, proximity to transportation corridors and sensitive populations, history of disinvestment, reuse potential, and community need for economic development.
The mostly vacant former Spalding & Son sawmill site contains relics of former lumber operations such as drying kilns, lumber sheds, dust collection blowers, foundations, and an abandoned plywood factory. 
While the Spalding Mill site was historically used for industrial purposes, it is surrounded by natural features: Jones Creek, essential habitat for the endangered Coho salmon, flows through the site, and the Rogue River, one of the west's premier recreational assets, lies less than a quarter-mile south. At the far edge of the Grants Pass urban area, directly abuts verdant pastures, treed mountainsides, and a 100- acre park long popular with the community. Finally, the Rogue River Greenway, a 30-mile emerald necklace of parks and public access areas along the Rogue River linked by a ribbon of greenway trail between Grants Pass and Central Point, abruptly terminates at the eastern edge of the project area.
The city’s key partners on this project include:
•         Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development, Inc., a community-based organization; 
•         Business Oregon, through both its Brownfields and economic development divisions; 
•         Oregon Department of Environmental Quality; 
•         Grants Pass Urban Renewal Agency; 
•         Josephine County Solid Waste Agency; and Oregon Health Authority
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-helps-advance-self-driving-legislation,Greg Walden helps advance self-driving legislation,2017-07-19,2017,2017-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden helps advance self-driving legislation 
 
	Says technology is an innovative solution to reduce traffic fatalities in Oregon 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks at today’s hearing
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Continuing his efforts to improve safety on Oregon’s roads, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today helped advance groundbreaking self-driving legislation that will prioritize safety and encourage innovation. Walden says self-driving technology is an innovative solution to reduce traffic fatalities in Oregon, which have increased substantially in recent years.
""The technology behind highly autonomous vehicles is stunning,” said Walden. “Equally stunning are the latest roadway safety numbers.  Almost 40,000 lives were lost on our roads last year. In my home state alone, traffic fatalities were the highest they’ve been in 14 years, increasing an alarming 20 percent from the year before.” 
As Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden has been at the forefront of recent efforts to safely bring self-driving vehicle technology to America’s roads. Walden’s Energy and Commerce Committee has held multiple hearings on the enormous safety potential of self-driving cars. Walden has experienced this technology first-hand, and today stressed the need for the federal government to keep pace with advancements in technology as the speed of innovation increases.
“For Americans to enjoy the benefits that self-driving cars have to offer, we must develop an appropriate regulatory structure that SAFELY allows industry to innovate,” said Walden.  ""We want aggressive oversight of the industry, but with the flexibility needed to test and generate the safest and most affordable technologies possible. There is an important balance we must strike, and I believe this legislation does just that.”
This work comes as Oregon and America, as a whole, face an increase in vehicle-related deaths after years of declining traffic fatalities. Today’s bipartisan legislation was advanced unanimously and now moves to the full Energy and Commerce Committee.
For more information on today’s hearing, including a background memo and archived webcast, click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-leads-hearing-strengthening-electricity-delivery-across,Greg Walden leads hearing on strengthening electricity delivery across America,2017-07-18,2017,2017-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden leads hearing on strengthening electricity delivery across America 
 Cites diverse power mix in Oregon as need to maintain security, reliability, and affordability of electricity 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks at today’s hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Continuing his efforts to modernize and improve America’s energy infrastructure, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today led a hearing on strengthening electricity delivery across the country. During the hearing, Walden highlighted Oregon’s diverse power mix and stressed the need to maintain the security, reliability, and affordability of electricity delivery.
“In my district in Oregon, we receive electricity from just about every source, including coal, natural gas, hydro, solar, and wind. We also receive electricity from cooperatives, public utility districts and municipalities, and investor-owned utilities,” said Walden. “We have just about everything in Oregon. And in all of these situations, we expect to have power when we flip the switch.”
Today’s hearing is the first of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s recently announced “Powering America” series. The Powering America series provides members of the Energy and Commerce Committee the opportunity to explore electricity markets, learn more about electricity generation, distribution, and consumption, and the resiliency of the electric grid.  
The nation’s electricity industry is undergoing a period of transformation due to technological innovation and market competition. At today’s hearing, Walden heard from a variety of industry stakeholders regarding current issues and developments across the electricity sector including efforts to maintain grid reliability, transmission planning, and efforts to ensure electricity markets promote efficient outcomes.
As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden has called for a consumer-focused approach to improve and modernize energy infrastructure in Oregon and throughout the country. “As I’ve said previously, at the end of the day, our goal is to serve the best interests of consumers,” said Walden.
For complete background on today’s hearing, please click here. 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-progress-cultus-lake-reopening,Greg Walden applauds progress on Cultus Lake reopening,2017-07-13,2017,2017-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden applauds progress on Cultus Lake reopening  
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released the following statement after Forest Service officials announced the boat launch and day use area at Cultus Lake Campground will be reopening: 
“After expressing my deep frustration with the initial closure of Cultus Lake, I was pleased to see the Forest Service went into high gear to find a better way forward. While no one disputed the need to protect campers from harm, shutting down the campground for the whole season didn’t make sense from a practical view. That is why as soon as I learned of the closure I put together a meeting and a tour of the campground with Forest Service and Cultus Lake officials to get a better sense of the situation on the ground. There’s more work to be done, but today’s announcement is an encouraging sign. I will continue to work alongside the Forest Service to help make sure this progress continues so the campground can open as soon as possible.” 
Following the announcement of the closure of Cultus Lake in June, Walden called for answers in a letter to Deschutes National Forest Supervisor John Allen. Walden also met with Forest Service officials and the owner of the Cultus Lake Resort to find a solution to open the campground for part of the summer. You can learn more about his visit here: http://www.ktvz.com/news/fs-hopes-to-open-cultus-lake-campground-by-late-july/562547148",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-calls-urgency-fight-against-opioid-abuse-orego,Greg Walden calls for urgency in fight against opioid abuse in Orego,2017-07-13,2017,2017-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden calls for urgency in fight against opioid abuse in Oregon 
Leads hearing on effective strategies for combatting the crisis in local communities
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks from today’s hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Continuing his efforts in the battle against opioid addiction in Oregon, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), today called for urgency in the fight against the epidemic across the country. As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden led a hearing to examine effective strategies for combatting the crisis in local communities. The hearing entitled, “Combatting the Opioid Crisis: Battles in the States,"" focused on current challenges in putting an end to opioid abuse, ways the federal government can assist, and efforts on the ground that have begun to make a difference. A full transcript of Walden’s remarks is included below: 
“Addiction is an equal opportunity destroyer. It is a crisis that does not pick people based on their age, race, or socioeconomic status.  And it most certainly does not pick based on political parties.  
“From my roundtables throughout the Second District of Oregon, it didn’t matter if I was in a rural community or a more populated city; the tragic stories were similar.  We all know someone who has been impacted by this epidemic.  In Oregon, more people now die from drug-related overdoses than from automobile accidents -- and sadly, that is not unique to my home state.
""According to a preliminary data analysis, drug overdose deaths in 2016 most likely exceeded 59,000 -- the largest annual jump ever recorded in the United States. What’s worse?  Some of the preliminary numbers from the states indicate that their numbers within the first six months of this year are already surpassing last year’s total numbers.  And over the past seven years, opioid addiction diagnoses are up nearly 500 percent, according to a recent report.
“Despite a report released by the Centers for Disease Control last week, which indicates that the number of opioid prescriptions has decreased over the past five years, the rates are still three times as high as they were in 1999, and the amount of opioids prescribed in 2015 was enough for every American to be medicated around the clock for three weeks.  
“That report also found that counties in Oregon have some of the highest levels of opioid prescriptions in the country.  Of the top 10 counties in Oregon for opioid prescriptions, five of them are in my rural district.  Moreover, Oregonians aged 65 and older are being hospitalized for opioid abuse, overdoses, and other complications at a far higher rate than any other state in our union.  
“Sadly, overdose deaths continue to escalate. This epidemic is getting more severe.  Challenges clearly remain. 
""First, we need to improve data collection, and a few states are already requiring more specific information related to overdose deaths.  Quite simply, we can’t solve what we don’t know.  
""We need to be able to have more timely and reliable data so we can better understand and address the full scope of the problem.  There also needs to be an increase in overdose prevention efforts, improvement with respect to the utilization and interoperability of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs, and we need to increase access to evidence-based treatment, including Medication-Assisted Treatment.  
“Combatting this epidemic requires an all-hands-on-deck effort from federal, state, and local officials -- spanning from health care experts to our law enforcement community.  That is precisely why we are having this hearing today. 
“Last year Congress took action to combat this crisis by passing legislation, including the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act and the 21st Century Cures Act, and states have pursued programs to strengthen our fight against this epidemic, but much more needs to be done.  We need to work together to ensure that the tools and funding Congress has created are reaching our state and localities, and that they are being used effectively.  We hope to hear from the state officials before us today to see how they are utilizing these funds and what programs have proven to be successful.
“We greatly appreciate the witnesses who have agreed to appear before us today.  We hope to have a constructive dialogue about what the states are doing; how we can improve data collection; what initiatives are working, what isn’t working; and how the federal government can be a partner in this collective fight.  I look forward to your testimony, and working with all of you to help our communities and solve this horrific crisis.”
Walden is continuing to shed light on the opioid crisis in Oregon. Recently, he spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives and led a panel discussion with The Washington Post on “Addiction in America”. At roundtables throughout his district, Walden has heard firsthand accounts of the impact of the opioid epidemic on Oregonians.
The Second Congressional District of Oregon, which Walden’s represents, has experienced particularly high levels of opioid prescriptions, per person, compared to the rest of the country. According to a recent study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), counties in Oregon have some of the highest levels of opioid prescriptions in the nation -- and five of the top ten counties for opioid prescriptions in the state reside in Walden’s district. This comes as Oregon leads the country in seniors aged 65 and older who are hospitalized for opioid abuse, addiction, and other complications, according to a recent report.
As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden is at the forefront of the battle against the opioid epidemic in Oregon and across the country. For the full “Combatting the Opioid Crisis: Battles in the States”, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-calls-urgency-fight-against-opioid-abuse-oregon,Greg Walden calls for urgency in fight against opioid abuse in Oregon,2017-07-13,2017,2017-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden calls for urgency in fight against opioid abuse in Oregon 
Leads hearing on effective strategies for combatting the crisis in local communities
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks from today’s hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Continuing his efforts in the battle against opioid addiction in Oregon, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), today called for urgency in the fight against the epidemic across the country. As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden led a hearing to examine effective strategies for combatting the crisis in local communities. The hearing entitled, “Combatting the Opioid Crisis: Battles in the States,"" focused on current challenges in putting an end to opioid abuse, ways the federal government can assist, and efforts on the ground that have begun to make a difference. A full transcript of Walden’s remarks is included below: 
“Addiction is an equal opportunity destroyer. It is a crisis that does not pick people based on their age, race, or socioeconomic status.  And it most certainly does not pick based on political parties.  
“From my roundtables throughout the Second District of Oregon, it didn’t matter if I was in a rural community or a more populated city; the tragic stories were similar.  We all know someone who has been impacted by this epidemic.  In Oregon, more people now die from drug-related overdoses than from automobile accidents -- and sadly, that is not unique to my home state.
""According to a preliminary data analysis, drug overdose deaths in 2016 most likely exceeded 59,000 -- the largest annual jump ever recorded in the United States. What’s worse?  Some of the preliminary numbers from the states indicate that their numbers within the first six months of this year are already surpassing last year’s total numbers.  And over the past seven years, opioid addiction diagnoses are up nearly 500 percent, according to a recent report.
“Despite a report released by the Centers for Disease Control last week, which indicates that the number of opioid prescriptions has decreased over the past five years, the rates are still three times as high as they were in 1999, and the amount of opioids prescribed in 2015 was enough for every American to be medicated around the clock for three weeks.  
“That report also found that counties in Oregon have some of the highest levels of opioid prescriptions in the country.  Of the top 10 counties in Oregon for opioid prescriptions, five of them are in my rural district.  Moreover, Oregonians aged 65 and older are being hospitalized for opioid abuse, overdoses, and other complications at a far higher rate than any other state in our union.  
“Sadly, overdose deaths continue to escalate. This epidemic is getting more severe.  Challenges clearly remain. 
""First, we need to improve data collection, and a few states are already requiring more specific information related to overdose deaths.  Quite simply, we can’t solve what we don’t know.  
""We need to be able to have more timely and reliable data so we can better understand and address the full scope of the problem.  There also needs to be an increase in overdose prevention efforts, improvement with respect to the utilization and interoperability of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs, and we need to increase access to evidence-based treatment, including Medication-Assisted Treatment.  
“Combatting this epidemic requires an all-hands-on-deck effort from federal, state, and local officials -- spanning from health care experts to our law enforcement community.  That is precisely why we are having this hearing today. 
“Last year Congress took action to combat this crisis by passing legislation, including the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act and the 21st Century Cures Act, and states have pursued programs to strengthen our fight against this epidemic, but much more needs to be done.  We need to work together to ensure that the tools and funding Congress has created are reaching our state and localities, and that they are being used effectively.  We hope to hear from the state officials before us today to see how they are utilizing these funds and what programs have proven to be successful.
“We greatly appreciate the witnesses who have agreed to appear before us today.  We hope to have a constructive dialogue about what the states are doing; how we can improve data collection; what initiatives are working, what isn’t working; and how the federal government can be a partner in this collective fight.  I look forward to your testimony, and working with all of you to help our communities and solve this horrific crisis.”
Walden is continuing to shed light on the opioid crisis in Oregon. Recently, he spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives and led a panel discussion with The Washington Post on “Addiction in America”. At roundtables throughout his district, Walden has heard firsthand accounts of the impact of the opioid epidemic on Oregonians.
The Second Congressional District of Oregon, which Walden’s represents, has experienced particularly high levels of opioid prescriptions, per person, compared to the rest of the country. According to a recent study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), counties in Oregon have some of the highest levels of opioid prescriptions in the nation -- and five of the top ten counties for opioid prescriptions in the state reside in Walden’s district. This comes as Oregon leads the country in seniors aged 65 and older who are hospitalized for opioid abuse, addiction, and other complications, according to a recent report.
As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden is at the forefront of the battle against the opioid epidemic in Oregon and across the country. For the full “Combatting the Opioid Crisis: Battles in the States”, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/icymi-greg-walden-opioid-abuse-crisis-doesn-t-pick-parties,ICYMI: Greg Walden on opioid abuse: This is a crisis that doesnt pick parties,2017-07-06,2017,2017-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"ICYMI: Greg Walden on opioid abuse: “This is a crisis that doesn’t pick parties”  Shares personal stories from Oregon to highlight widespread impact of the epidemic 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, is continuing his efforts in Congress to shed light on the impact of the nationwide opioid epidemic in Oregon. Most recently, Walden joined The Washington Post  for a panel discussion on “Addiction in America” and spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives about how this crisis is hurting Oregon families. Walden shared personal stories he has heard from Oregonians at roundtables  throughout southern, central, and eastern Oregon to highlight the widespread reach of opioid abuse in Oregon communities.
    Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks at the “Addiction in America” panel discussion 
“These issues don’t pick parties when they show up on your doorstep,” said Walden at The Washington Post’s event. “This is having unbelievable consequences across our country.”  
Walden joined his colleagues on the floor of the House of Representatives to call for a bipartisan effort to tackle opioid abuse head on. Walden emphasized that the crisis has touched every corner of the country and is an equal opportunity destroyer. 
“The opioid epidemic has hit close to home in Oregon -- where more people now die from drug overdoses than automobile accidents,” said Walden. “I’ve met with community leaders, first responders, doctors, patients, and those on the front lines of this fight.  At roundtables throughout my district, I’ve heard firsthand accounts of the impact of the opioid epidemic on Oregon. And it didn’t matter if I was in a rural eastern Oregon community or a more populated city in southern Oregon – the tragic stories were all too similar and all too familiar.” 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s speech on the floor of the House of Representatives 
As Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden is at the forefront of battling the epidemic in Oregon and across the country. Walden noted that the Energy and Commerce Committee will be working to examine effective strategies to combat the crisis in local communities. 
“At the Energy and Commerce Committee, we stand shoulder to shoulder -- all of us together -- to seize the opportunity before us,” he said. 
Walden’s committee has announced a hearing for Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at 10 a.m. EST to address this issue. The hearing is entitled, “Combatting the Opioid Crisis: Battles in the States”, and will focus on current challenges in combatting the epidemic, ways the federal government can assist, and efforts on the ground that have begun to make a difference. 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-new-law-increase-accountability-expand,"Greg Walden applauds new law to increase accountability, expand whistleblower protections at the VA",2017-07-05,2017,2017-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden applauds new law to increase accountability, expand whistleblower protections at the VA 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Continuing his support for legislation to improve the care Oregon veterans receive at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) applauded a new law that would increase accountability at the VA. The Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 will streamline the process for removing poor performing VA employees and expand whistleblower protections for those who reveal wrongdoing in the agency. Walden said this legislation is a big step forward in reforming the VA and getting veterans the care they deserve.
“One of the commitments we made to the American people, especially our veterans, is to improve the situation at the VA,” said Walden. “We all remember the stories about wait times, where veterans actually died waiting to get access to care, and where the VA actually lied to Congress and the American people about their wait time lists. We’re changing all of that with legislation the President has now signed into law, called the Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act. This sets up a streamlined process to deal with the management issues faced by the VA when it comes to VA employees who aren’t doing their jobs or are misleading. They can be replaced and we can get good people in positions quickly. This will be really important for those who every day go to work at the VA to do their job, and do it well and help veterans and they see things that aren’t going right. We give them additional protections as whistleblowers so we can get the VA in the place it should be to provide world-class care for the people who protect our freedom.”
Walden has heard from veterans across Oregon about the need to improve accountability at the VA. This legislation creates an efficient process to remove, demote, or suspend any VA employee for poor performance, negligence, or misconduct. Importantly, the law will also expand protections for whistleblowers and would prohibit the VA from removing employees that have an open whistleblower case with the agency. For complete background on this legislation, please click here.
If you or a loved one is having trouble with the VA, you can call Walden’s office for assistance toll-free from Oregon at 800-533-3303. Walden has assisted more than 6,000 Oregon veterans in personal matters dealing with the VA.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-helps-advance-eight-bills-modernize-energy-infrastructure,"Greg Walden helps advance eight bills to modernize energy infrastructure, improve environmental laws, and promote job growth in Oregon",2017-06-28,2017,2017-06,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden helps advance eight bills to modernize energy infrastructure, improve environmental laws, and promote job growth in Oregon 
 Highlights positive impact of legislation for Oregonians 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks from today’s hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today helped advance eight pieces of legislation to modernize energy infrastructure, improve environmental laws, and promote job growth in Oregon. During today’s legislative session, Walden highlighted the positive impact these bills would have for Oregonians. A full transcript of Walden’s remarks is included below:
“While a great deal of the news this year has been focused on health care, both the Subcommittee on Energy and Subcommittee on Environment have been quietly working on legislation that truly makes a difference for folks across the country. We’ve examined barriers to modernizing the nation’s energy infrastructure and looked at opportunities to modernize our environmental laws with an eye on doing what’s best for consumers, the environment, and businesses across the country. To date, the committee has held over 10 energy infrastructure hearings and roundtables and has heard from scores of witnesses. All of this work has brought us here today and I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance these eight bills to the full House for consideration on the floor.
“While these bills may not grab the headlines or the attention they deserve, let’s be real folks, we’re doing some big things here today that will have a tremendous impact on consumers, the environment, and the economy in the years ahead.
“We’ve worked in a bipartisan manner on legislation to authorize the Brownfields Program for the first time since 2006. We’re moving forward on a bipartisan solution to finally have the federal government fulfill its obligations to manage spent nuclear fuel. We’re modernizing our siting and permitting processes for natural gas pipelines and hydropower facilities. We’re taking important steps to ensure the reliability of our electric grid while strengthening states’ capabilities to secure the nation’s energy infrastructure against physical and cybersecurity threats. And we’re also providing states the flexibility needed to implement important air quality standards on an efficient and realistic timeline.
“In my home state of Oregon, these bills will help us unlock hydropower’s potential, take steps towards cleaning up the Hanford Site, and strengthen the Brownfields Program to redevelop contaminated sites. All that we do here, we do for our constituents back home that sent us to Washington and entrusted us with the confidence to get things done.
“I’m proud of this committee’s record when it comes to working with one another in a bipartisan manner. While we may not agree on all the bills before us today, I know each one of us wants to do what’s best for consumers back home. If we put consumer’s interest first, we will develop solid, sustainable public policy, because that means we’ve created consumer driven markets that work, expanded consumer choices and supported a more vibrant, job-producing economy. 
“I believe the eight bills before us today fit that consumer-first, market-driven mentality. I stand ready to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to enact these reforms that build on our nation’s energy abundance, modernize our nation’s energy infrastructure and environmental laws, and promote domestic manufacturing and job growth.”
Of the bills advanced in the Energy and Commerce Committee today, three are of particular importance to Oregon. Walden has emphasized the potential of these bills to grow hydropower in Oregon, improve the management of nuclear waste in the Pacific Northwest, and promote the Brownfields Program that has had great success in Walden’s district.
The Hydropower Modernization Act would help expand hydropower in Oregon by streamlining the permitting process for hydro projects. Hydropower accounts for more than 40% of Oregon’s energy production, and Walden is working to ensure its continued growth as part of the Pacific Northwest’s energy mix.
Walden’s committee also advanced the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act. In a recent opinion piece, Walden touted the importance of this legislation to help cleanup nuclear waste across the country, including at the Hanford Site, which sits just 40 miles north of Walden’s district. You can read his full op-ed here.
Another important piece of legislation passed through the Energy and Commerce Committee today is the Brownfields Enhancement, Economic Development, and Reauthorization Act.  This bill authorizes the Brownfields Program for the first time since 2006 and makes it easier for smaller communities like those in Walden’s district to participate in the process of brownfields cleanup and redevelopment.
All three of these bills now head to the full House of Representatives for a vote. For a complete background on all eight pieces of legislation advanced in Walden’s committee today, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-calls-action-improve-broadband-connectivity-rural-oregon,Greg Walden calls for action to improve broadband connectivity in rural Oregon,2017-06-21,2017,2017-06,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden calls for action to improve broadband connectivity in rural Oregon 
 Stresses the need to prioritize unserved areas in America when expanding broadband infrastructure 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks at today’s hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today called for action to expand broadband internet access in rural Oregon. During a hearing of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden stressed the importance of prioritizing unserved areas in Oregon and throughout the country when expanding broadband internet infrastructure.
Walden’s committee today examined the definition of broadband service in America and improving the “mapping” of broadband coverage across the country. During the hearing, Walden emphasized the importance of ensuring the definition of broadband service meets the needs of consumers and provides a productive level of internet service. Walden also stressed the need to increase the accuracy of mapping broadband coverage to identify unserved areas of the country that do not have internet access. A full transcript of Walden’s remarks is included below:
“If you ask someone in rural America -- like my giant district in eastern Oregon -- whether they have broadband access that meets the speeds ‘as defined by the Federal Communications Commission,’ they likely don’t know.
“If you ask them whether they get internet access to match their needs, they can probably give you a quick yes or no answer.  That should be our primary objective as policy makers looking to allocate federal resources -- accounting for consumer demand, putting the consumer first, and getting the most people the best access to a productive level of internet service. People in the most remote parts of our country, including in Oregon and other unserved parts of our country, would tell you they’d be happy to just have a connection. Some of them do not have that today. That is the importance of the work we are doing moving forward -- to figure out how we connect the unconnected. They should not be left behind in America. Whether if you’re in Montana, Wyoming, or Oregon, or North Dakota, or in urban settings where there are issues as well. This is really important that we have this discussion about mapping.
“We learned this lesson the hard way from our experience with the Rural Utilities Service and the 2009 Recovery Act.  As outlined by an investigator with the non-partisan Government Accountability Office, “we are left with a program that spent $3 billion and we really don’t know what became of it.”  That was because, at the time that went through, the money went out before the maps were drawn.
“I hope this time when we look at infrastructure expansion in America to connect places that we get the mapping first. That we focus on the areas that are unserved first. That we connect this country to one of the most important economic and social tools in our history.”
To read a background memo on today’s hearing of the Energy and Commerce Committee, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-lead-panel-combatting-national-opioid-epidemic,Greg Walden to lead panel on combatting national opioid epidemic,2017-06-19,2017,2017-06,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden to lead panel on combatting national opioid epidemic 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today announced that he will lead a panel discussion Wednesday morning on efforts to combat opioid addiction in Oregon and nationwide. The panel discussion, “Addiction in America”, is hosted by The Washington Post and will feature policy makers, researchers, and health care experts to discuss solutions for combatting addiction in America. Walden's panel, “Addiction Crisis: A Nation Responds”, will focus on how the U.S. government and Congress are responding to the opioid epidemic.
“This is a vital conversation to have across the country and especially in Oregon, where more people die from drug overdoses every year than car accidents,” said Walden. “Combatting the opioid epidemic is going to require a team effort from our elected officials, health care experts, and those on the front lines of this fight in our local communities. I look forward to participating in this event and taking our discussion back to Oregon as I continue to work towards putting an end to this crisis in our state.”
As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden is at the forefront of Congress’ response to the national opioid epidemic. Details on the event are included below, and the event will be streamed live to Facebook and online at www.wapo.st/postlive.
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
WHAT: The Washington Post Panel Discussion: “Addiction in America”
WHEN: 9:00AM EST (6:00AM PST)
WHERE: Available to stream live online at www.wapo.st/postlive
For more information on this event, please click here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/post-live-2017-addiction-in-america/?utm_term=.47252c7b3960",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-helps-advance-pivotal-legislation-improve-environmental-laws,"Greg Walden helps advance pivotal legislation to improve environmental laws, modernize energy infrastructure for Oregon",2017-06-15,2017,2017-06,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden helps advance pivotal legislation to improve environmental laws, modernize energy infrastructure for Oregon 
 Energy and Commerce Committee passes two bills to authorize Brownfields Program and better manage nuclear waste 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s full remarks at today’s legislative session
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today helped advance pivotal legislation to improve environmental laws and modernize energy infrastructure for Oregon. Walden’s committee passed two bills to authorize the Brownfields Program and better manage nuclear waste, both of which Walden says are especially important in Oregon. During Committee discussion, Walden touted Oregon as being at the forefront of brownfields cleanup and redevelopment, and cited the Department of Energy’s Hanford site as showing the clear need for improvements to nuclear waste disposal programs. A full transcript of Walden’s remarks is included below:
“Today’s markup is another important step in this committee’s efforts to modernize our energy infrastructure and update our environmental laws for the 21st century. We’ve examined each of these issues at great length in previous subcommittee hearings and the bills before us today were informed through much of the feedback we received from our witnesses during that time. I would also note that we fully intend to continue to work on these bills as we move towards a full committee markup. 
“H.R. 806, reintroduced from last Congress, is enjoying its second run through the committee process -- and its importance for reducing the barriers to a more productive American economy remains undiminished.  We all support clean air and being good stewards of our environment, but this legislation addresses some necessary issues with respect to the EPA’s ozone standards. For its 2008 ozone standards, EPA did not publish implementing regulations until March 2015, which states are now in the process of implementing. Then in October 2015 the EPA issued new, revised ozone standards. This has created a situation where states currently face the prospect of implementing two different ozone standards simultaneously. 
“The “Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2017” ensures appropriate timelines to enable states and local authorities to do this while maintaining continued improvements in the nation’s air quality and without unnecessarily restraining new source permitting and economic development -- especially the permitting we need to accelerate our nation’s infrastructure and manufacturing capabilities.
“The subcommittee will also consider today the “Brownfields Enhancement Economic Redevelopment and Reauthorization Act of 2017.”  Cleaning up contaminated sites through the Brownfields Program can have a tremendous economic impact on a community as well by creating jobs, providing additional funds for redevelopment of the affected area, and increasing property values.
“In fact, my home state of Oregon has a very active Brownfields Program and Oregon is on the leading edge of brownfields cleanup. That’s why I am pleased that this bill authorizes the Brownfields Program for the first time since 2006. The bill makes it easier for smaller communities like those in my district to participate in the process of brownfields cleanup and redevelopment– the bill allows states to provide additional grants of up to $20,000 to help small, rural, and disadvantaged communities assess and remediate brownfields.
“Finally, the subcommittee will also consider the “Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2017.” Reliable, affordable, and clean nuclear power is the cornerstone of our electric system. However, challenges associated with managing the byproduct of nuclear generation remain unresolved. It is time that the federal government finally fulfills its requirement to manage spent nuclear fuel.
“Breaking this current stalemate is important, not just for our commercial nuclear power industry and ratepayers, but also for the communities throughout the country that currently store this material despite the government’s legal obligation to dispose of it. This includes the Department of Energy’s Hanford site, just a short distance up the Columbia River from my district. Congress has an obligation to honor its commitment to those communities who have contributed to our nation’s security starting with the Manhattan Project, through the Cold War, and still today.
“Enactment of the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2017 will advance a solution. The bill provides the tools for DOE and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to complete the pending Yucca Mountain repository license, allows the State of Nevada to enter into an agreement with the federal government to benefit as the host state, requires DOE to initiate an interim storage program, authorizes DOE to contract with a private entity to temporarily store spent nuclear fuel, reforms the broken structure that funds the program, and strengthens the organization and management of DOE’s program.
“These bills advance thoughtful solutions that will make a difference for consumers and communities across the country. I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues and hopeful we can get these across the finish line as soon as possible.”
The Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act and the Ozone Standards Implementation Act now head to the full House of Representatives for a vote. For additional background on this legislation, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-calls-answers-cultus-lake-closure,Greg Walden calls for answers on Cultus Lake closure,2017-06-13,2017,2017-06,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden calls for answers on Cultus Lake closure 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today voiced his concern about the recent closure of the Cultus Lake Campground on the Deschutes National Forest. In a letter sent to Deschutes National Forest Supervisor, John Allen, Walden called for answers on the process for the identification of the hazard trees that led to the closure, and the timeline moving forward for the environmental analysis required to remove these trees and open the lake to the public.
The text of the letter follows:
Dear Supervisor Allen,I am writing to voice my strong concern about the recent closure of the Cultus Lake Campground and Day-use area located on the Deschutes National Forest (Forest).  It is my understanding that the Cultus Campground, Day-use Area, and potentially the area surrounding the Cultus Lake Boat Ramp will be closed for the summer pending the removal of dead and diseased trees.  This last minute closure through September of one of central Oregon’s most popular summer recreation spots is disappointing and has a significant impact on the local community and economy.I want to be very clear that safety on the Forest must be a top priority.  That said, I found recent comments from District Ranger Kevin Larkin extremely concerning that this issue could have been resolved long before it reached this point.  Specifically, Mr. Larkin said in a news article dated June 12, 2017, “It’s definitely the case we could have caught something earlier.”  That statement is alarming considering the well-known value of Cultus Lake to summertime recreation in central Oregon.  That the Forest Service missed an opportunity to remove hazard trees to ensure the safety of Forest users and allowed this situation to reach the point of closure is unacceptable.
It is my understanding that to now remove these dead and diseased hazard trees, the Forest Service must conduct extensive environmental analysis due to the potential presence of the Northern Spotted Owl habitat. Any removal of any hazard trees must take place outside of the owl’s breeding season, which concludes at the end of September. Even though, as Mr. Larkin pointed out in the same news article, the owls “aren’t likely to be nesting in the campground.”I would like to meet with you on-site to see what needs to be done, and better understand the process going forward and what steps are being taken to resolve the situation. In the meantime, I would appreciate you providing details as to when these hazard trees were first identified and what the timeline is for completing the environmental analysis. Further, what is being done to ensure this situation isn’t repeated in the future?Finally, I found it extremely concerning that the Forest Service was unsure whether reservation fees would be refunded to people who pre-booked campsites at the 55 site campground.  It is my understanding that camping fees would be refunded, but it was unclear as to the associated reservation fees.  This is extremely disappointing to hear and I look forward to hearing your rationale behind this process. I appreciate your prompt attention to this important issue and look forward to working with you to schedule a site visit. 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-department-interior-review-sage-grouse-plans,Greg Walden applauds Department of Interior review of sage grouse plans,2017-06-08,2017,2017-06,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden applauds Department of Interior review of sage grouse plans 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement applauding Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's secretarial order establishing a review of federal sage grouse plans:
“I am pleased to see Secretary Zinke order this review and direct the agencies to work more closely with communities in Oregon and across the West to determine a better path forward for the sage grouse plans. Over the last few years, I’ve heard concerns from ranchers and community leaders about the impacts of onerous grazing provisions and mineral withdrawals on local economies. Unfortunately, these concerns were largely ignored in the final sage grouse plans. Ranchers and private landowners in eastern Oregon are doing great cooperative work to help sage grouse and have valuable firsthand knowledge that can improve federal land management. I am encouraged that Secretary Zinke wants to involve and listen to local input in this review to determine how to move forward in a way that doesn't put our rural communities out of business.""  
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-helps-advance-eleven-energy-infrastructure-and-efficiency,Greg Walden helps advance eleven energy infrastructure and efficiency bills,2017-06-07,2017,2017-06,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden helps advance eleven energy infrastructure and efficiency bills 
 Continues work to streamline regulatory process and expand hydropower in Oregon 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks from today’s legislative session
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), today moved forward eleven bills to advance the nation’s energy infrastructure and improve energy efficiency. This comes as Walden continues his efforts to streamline the regulatory process and expand hydropower in Oregon.
""When Congress can take steps that allow for more domestic energy output, lower costs for ratepayers, reduced emissions, and more jobs, it should not hesitate to do so. This is especially true if it can be done at little or no cost to taxpayers. That is what we hope to accomplish with today’s slate of bipartisan energy bills,” said Walden. “From measures to facilitate increased generation of clean and affordable hydropower, to wider use of Energy Savings Performance Contracts that cut down on energy use in federal buildings, to programs for reducing energy costs in public schools, these bills all lead us towards the common goal of smarter energy use. These and other projects are also job creators, which is why we also have provisions to update and improve federal job training programs for the energy and manufacturing sectors.”
Legislation advanced in the Energy and Commerce Committee today provides permit timeline flexibility for hydroelectric projects under construction, improve federal building energy and water efficiency and allows for the continuation of various hydroelectric projects. The committee passed the following bills, which will now move to the full House of Representatives for consideration: 
H.R. 338, to promote a 21st century energy and manufacturing workforce;
 Authored by Energy Subcommittee Ranking Member Bobby Rush (D-IL) and committee member Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), would improve education and training for energy and manufacturing-related jobs, with an emphasis on increasing opportunities for women, veterans, and minorities. 
 H.R. 446, to extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project and H.R. 447, to extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydro electric project;
 Authored by committee member Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), H.R. 446 and 447 would extend the licenses for the Gathright and Flannagan Dams, creating jobs and providing affordable, reliable electricity to their respective communities. 
 H.R. 627, Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act of 2017;
 Would make it easier for schools to take advantage of federal programs to help them cut down on energy use.
 H.R. 723, Energy Savings Through Public-Private Partnerships Act of 2017;
 Authored by committee members Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), H.R. 723 would facilitate the use of energy savings contracts to encourage private sector investment to upgrade the energy and water efficiency of federal facilities. 
 H.R. 951, to extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project;
 Would extend the license for the W. Kerr Scott Dam, creating jobs and providing affordable, reliable electricity to the respective community.
 H.R. 1109, to amend section 203 of the Federal Power Act;
 Authored by committee member Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) would amend the Federal Power Act to expressly include a minimum monetary threshold of $10,000,000 for mergers and acquisitions of facilities subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). 
 H.R. 2122, to reinstate and extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project involving the Jennings Randolph Dam;
 Authored by Subcommittee on the Environment Vice Chairman David McKinley (R-WV), H.R. 2122 would authorize FERC to extend the time period during which the licensee is required to commence the construction of the Jennings Randolph hydroelectric project. Construction of the project would create jobs and provide affordable, reliable electricity to the respective community. 
 H.R. 2274, HYdropower Permit Extension (HYPE) Act;
 Authored by committee member Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA), H.R. 2274 would allow FERC to extend permits for construction of hydroelectric projects.
 H.R. 2292, to extend a project of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission involving the Cannonsville Dam;
 Would extend the license of the Cannonsville hydroelectric project, creating jobs and providing affordable, reliable electricity to the respective community. 
 H.R. 2457, J. Bennett Johnston Waterway Hydropower Extension Act of 2017;
 Would authorize FERC to extend the licenses for the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway projects, creating jobs and providing affordable, reliable electricity to the respective community.
 As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden is hard at work examining ways to tap into Oregon’s plentiful supply of affordable, reliable, and clean hydropower. Walden has led hearings on modernizing hydropower infrastructure in Oregon and across the country, and has heard from local stakeholders in his district about the regulatory challenges facing the industry.
In Oregon, hydropower is the largest source of electricity generation and provides over half of Oregon’s electricity needs. A recent report from the Department of Energy (DOE) also found that hydropower production could grow by almost 50% by year 2050. 
Walden sees this potential increase in hydropower production as an opportunity to boost job growth and increase economic investment in Oregon. Congress unanimously passed Walden’s Crooked River Collaborative Water Security and Jobs Act in 2014, which helped pave the way for future hydropower and jobs in central Oregon. 
Walden’s committee is also developing additional legislation to simplify and streamline the regulatory process for hydropower development.  This legislation will aim to spur the development of new hydroelectric and renewable energy projects, and deliver a diverse energy mix to consumers in Oregon and throughout the country. 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-takes-highway-self-driving-car,Greg Walden takes to highway in self-driving car,2017-06-06,2017,2017-06,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden takes to highway in self-driving car Says technology is a 21st century solution to reduce traffic fatalities in Oregon 

Walden stands beside Audi’s A7 Concept Vehicle equipped with self-driving technology 
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Continuing to push for innovative solutions to reduce traffic fatalities in Oregon, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today took to a busy highway in a self-driving car. The vehicle -- Audi’s A7 concept car -- is equipped with self-driving technology, which Walden calls a 21st century solution to improve the safety of America’s roads. 
 “Experiencing this advanced technology first-hand is exciting, especially when you consider the positive impact self-driving cars can have for Oregonians and people across the country,” said Walden. “On Oregon’s roads, 2016 was the deadliest year in more than a decade with traffic fatalities up 20 percent from the year before. Over 40,000 people lost their lives in vehicle-related accidents across the country last year alone -- a six percent increase from 2015. These numbers are sobering. We should be using all of the tools at our disposal to reduce the dangers facing the driving public. Self-driving cars offer a 21st century solution to a 21st century problem. As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I look forward to seeing the continued advancements in this technology as we work toward improving the safety of America’s roads.” 
Walden discusses the advanced technology which allows this vehicle to operate autonomously 
Rep. Walden takes to a busy highway in a self-driving vehicle 
As Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden is at the forefront of the effort to safely bring self-driving vehicle technology to America’s roads. Today, many cars on the market are equipped with active safety features or semi-autonomous driving systems.  These systems have the potential to keep a vehicle within its designated lane; accelerate to pass another vehicle; change lanes; brake; and park -- all without the input of a human driver.  These advanced driver-assistance systems or crash-avoidance technologies represent the building blocks to a fully self-driving car.  
Walden’s committee continues to examine how the implementation of autonomous vehicles can reduce traffic fatalities, and is producing legislation to develop this innovative technology to make it available throughout the country. This work comes as Oregon and America, as a whole, face an increase in vehicle-related deaths after years of declining traffic fatalities. 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-action-upgrade-va-health-records-system,Greg Walden applauds action to upgrade VA health records system,2017-06-05,2017,2017-06,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden applauds action to upgrade VA health records system 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released the following statement on Secretary Shulkin's announcement that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is taking action to upgrade its electronic health records system:
""I was pleased to hear Secretary Shulkin announce that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is taking decisive action to upgrade the VA’s electronic health records system. Outdated technology at the VA has contributed to longer wait times and reduced quality of care for veterans in Oregon and across the country.  I commend the Secretary for bringing forward this important reform, which is an example of how government should work, and frankly is long overdue. I look forward to working with President Trump, Secretary Shulkin, and my colleagues on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee to continue bringing the VA into the 21st Century and ensuring that our veterans have the care and services they were promised.""
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/pacific-northwest-us-representatives-urge-administration-not-privatize,Pacific Northwest U.S. Representatives Urge Administration to Not Privatize Bonneville Power Administration,2017-06-05,2017,2017-06,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Pacific Northwest U.S. Representatives Urge Administration to Not Privatize Bonneville Power Administration   
 Members of Congress from Washington, Oregon express concern over the President’s proposal to divest BPA’s assets; point to BPA’s strengths in the region 
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Pacific Northwest Members of Congress voiced their opposition to a proposal in the President’s budget to sell off the Bonneville Power Administration’s (BPA) assets. 
In their letter to Secretary of Energy Rick Perry and Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, fifteen Members of Congress -- U.S. Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Denny Heck (D-WA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Dave Reichert (R-WA), Kurt Schrader (D-OR), Adam Smith (D-WA), and Greg Walden (R-OR) -- express their concern over the proposal to privatize BPA and highlight BPA’s unique role in providing affordable, clean energy to the Pacific Northwest communities.
The text of the letter follows, and a PDF of the original letter is available here:
Dear Secretary Perry and Director Mulvaney:
We write to you to express our concern with a provision in the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Budget Request that proposes to sell off transmission assets for federal Power Marketing Agencies, including for the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). We believe divesting BPA’s transmission assets will harm individuals and businesses, divert capital needed for further infrastructure investment in the Northwest, and undermine regional utility coordination. For these reasons, we are united in opposing implementation of these elements of the FY18 Budget.
BPA has a fundamental role in our region that dates back decades. Established by Congress in 1937 as a nonprofit federal power marketing administration, BPA was tasked with helping to manage and sell power generated by the newly constructed Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River.  Eighty years later, BPA has helped to develop and administer the complex electrical system that powers the Northwest, now providing affordable and reliable power to over 12 million people and the businesses that help the region thrive. 
Importantly, BPA is self-funding, and is of no cost to the taxpayer. The entire BPA transmission system -- both the capital investment and operation and maintenance -- is fully paid by the users of the system.  In fact, it has benefitted U.S. taxpayers by providing more than $32.5 billion in payments to the U.S Treasury. Divesting these assets to the highest bidder could transfer the benefit and equity of these investments from the Northwest consumers, who have financed the system, to distant investors.  Furthermore, this proposal will lead to a certain rate increase for consumers, imposing increased costs on families and economic development, potentially jeopardizing the ability of the BPA to repay the costs of the Federal Columbia River Power System. 
We are also concerned that the divestiture would put rural communities in the Pacific Northwest at increased risk. Currently, BPA coordinates in transmission and power marketing functions to maximize efficiency.  Severing that relationship will undermine this goal.  Moreover, privatization could lead to the division of the regional grid, with high-value assets sold off for a premium and lines that serve rural areas and grid reliability abandoned.  Private companies are unlikely to give these communities the proper maintenance and attention they need to maintain complex transmission assets.
Contrary to the FY18 Budget’s rationale, BPA owns 75% of the transmission in the Pacific Northwest.  All Northwest utilities and the customers they serve depend on BPA’s grid to access affordable and reliable power. Selling off BPA’s transmission assets is bad public policy that undermines the President’s economic objectives and betrays a lack of understanding of the Northwest.  
We oppose this proposal, and instead urge you to work with us to support the continued health of BPA, which has been central to the economic vitality of the Northwest.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/oregon-delegation-honors-heroes-portland-terrorist-attack,Oregon Delegation Honors Heroes of Portland Terrorist Attack,2017-06-02,2017,2017-06,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Oregon Delegation Honors Heroes of Portland Terrorist Attack 
CONTACT:  
	Nicole L’Esperance (Blumenauer), 202-225-4811  
	Hank Stern (Wyden), 503-326-7539  
	Martina McLennan/Ray Zaccaro (Merkley), 202-224-3753  
	Maggie Rousseau (Bonamici), 202-754-1649  
	Beth Schoenbach (DeFazio), 202-225-6416  
	Carlee Griffeth (Schrader), 202-225-5711  
	Justin Discigil (Walden), 202-226-7338 
Portland, Ore. – Representative Earl Blumenauer, Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Peter DeFazio, Kurt Schrader, and Greg Walden today announced that they will introduce a joint resolution to honor the heroism of Rick Best, Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, and Micah David-Cole Fletcher.
On Friday, May 26, these brave individuals were brutally stabbed on local transit in Portland, OR as they protected two young women who were the targets of threatening anti-Muslim hate speech. The resolution calls on Congress to honor these American heroes and to support efforts to overcome hatred, bigotry, and violence.
The text of the resolution can be found here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-supports-plans-increase-access-quality-timely-care-oregon,"Greg Walden supports plans to increase access to quality, timely care for Oregon veterans",2017-05-31,2017,2017-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden supports plans to increase access to quality, timely care for Oregon veterans 
 Applauds passage of seven bills in the House aimed at reducing the VA appeals backlog, improving mental health care, and combating opioid addiction for veterans 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Continuing his efforts to improve the care Oregon’s veterans receive at the Veterans Administration (VA), Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) recently voted for legislation passed in the House of Representatives to help give veterans increased access to quality care in a timely manner. Walden applauded seven bills passed in the House of Representatives to reduce the appeals backlog at the VA, tackle opioid addiction, and expand mental health care treatment options for veterans.
“Improving the care Oregon veterans receive at the VA is certainly a priority of mine and I know that it is for all Oregonians,” said Walden. “The House recently passed seven pieces of legislation to take on some of the biggest issues facing our veterans and improve their access to timely care. Legislation the House passed will help the VA move through the backlog of appeals -- this is a big issue for our veterans. This legislation would give veterans more options and increased flexibility in the appeals process, which they deserve. This will answer many of the concerns I’ve heard from veterans and veterans organizations in the district -- some of whom have waited two years just to get through the first step in the appeals process.
“We also passed bills to reduce duplicative medical examinations that are unnecessary and make sure all VA facilities comply with scheduling guidelines -- that makes sure our veterans get access to timely care. We also took concrete steps to improve the mental health care our veterans receive and to tackle the opioid epidemic -- which has affected veterans and non-veterans alike across our country. The bills we passed will create a pilot program to explore new, innovative treatment options for veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, or chronic pain, and allow for better monitoring of VA prescription drug use.
“There is still much work to be done to get veterans access to the care they have earned and deserve in a timely manner. We won’t give up until that is done. These bills are an important first step in making progress on that front,"" said Walden.
Details on each of the seven pieces of legislation Walden recently supported are included below:
VA Scheduling Accountability Act (H.R. 467) -- Holds directors of VA medical centers accountable to scheduling standards to ensure veterans receive access to care in a timely manner. Specifically, this bill requires each director of a VA medical center to annually certify compliance with the Veteran Health Administration’s Outpatient Scheduling Processes and Procedures directive. H.R. 467 would prohibit VA medical center leaders from receiving awards or bonuses if their facility fails to certify compliance with the directive. This legislation also requires the VA to ensure that directives and policies apply to all VA offices and facilities in a uniform manner.
Veterans Appeal Improvement and Modernization Act (H.R. 2288) -- Provides veterans with more options and flexibility in the appeals process. H.R. 2288 would give veterans three options for their appeal: (1) waive a hearing and the ability to submit additional evidence to expedite their appeal, (2) submit additional evidence and have a hearing, or (3) transfer jurisdiction of their appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. Veterans who have an appeal pending at the VA prior to the bill’s effective date would also be allowed to opt-in to this new system. This legislation also requires the VA to provide a comprehensive plan for implementing this reform proposal, and requires the VA Secretary to verify that the VA has sufficient resources to address both new and so-called “legacy” appeals in  timely manner.
Quicker Veterans Benefits Delivery Act (H.R. 1725) -- Requires the VA to report on their initiatives to reduce duplicative and unnecessary medical examinations. During a hearing of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, the American Legion testified that it had documented many instances of VA scheduling unnecessary and duplicative medical examinations with a VA physician. H.R. 1725 seeks to reduce the number of unnecessary disability examinations by requiring the VA to report on their use of private medical evidence in support of claims for disability compensation.
No Hero Left Untreated Act (H.R. 1162) -- Requires the VA to implement a pilot program to treat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), chronic pain, or those who have experienced military sexual trauma by using Magnetic Resonant Therapy (MRT). MRT uses technology to identify dysfunctional areas of the brain in patients suffering from a mental health condition and then repeatedly applying magnetic stimulation to help restore proper brain function in those areas. This technology has been approved to treat depression and has been successfully used to treat conditions like PTSD and TBI.
VA Prescription Data Accountability Act (H.R. 1545) -- Requires the VA to disclose information about any individual (veteran or non-veteran) who is prescribed medication by a VA employee or authorized non-VA provider. The information would be disclosed to a state-controlled substances monitoring program to prevent misuse and diversion of prescription medications. This legislation aims to improve the VA’s current internal monitoring and information-sharing practices of prescription drugs to help prevent over-prescribing of narcotics.
Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act (H.R. 1329) -- Increases disability compensation for veterans, dependents, and survivors by the same cost-of-living adjustment that Social Security recipients receive in 2018. Last Congress, the Veterans’ Compensation COLA Act of 2016 passed the House of Representatives unanimously and was signed into law.
H.R. 1005 -- To amend title 38, U.S. Code, to improve the provision of adult day care services for veterans -- Directs the VA to enter into an agreement or a contract with state veterans homes to pay for adult day health care for a veteran eligible for, but not receiving, nursing home care. This bill stipulates that payment under each agreement or contract between the VA and a state veterans home must equal 65% of the payment that the VA would otherwise pay to the state home if the veteran were receiving nursing care. This bill aims to increase access to adult day health care for veterans eligible for nursing home care.
All seven pieces of legislation now await consideration in the Senate.
Walden has assisted over 5,000 Oregon veterans and their families with issues involving their benefits and care. If you or a loved one needs help with the VA or any other federal agency, you can call his office toll free at 800-533-3303. Walden has a team of veterans on staff ready to assist you.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-action-bring-cell-service-wheeler-county-during,Greg Walden applauds action to bring cell service to Wheeler County during August solar eclipse,2017-05-30,2017,2017-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden applauds action to bring cell service to Wheeler County during August solar eclipse 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today applauded the announcement that AT&T will bring temporary cellular service into and around Mitchell, Oregon, in Wheeler County. This action comes as the region prepares for the solar eclipse in August, when large crowds are expected to create new safety challenges for law enforcement and first responders. Walden has heard from local safety officials about the importance of having access to cellular service in emergencies. 
""Bringing wireless service into and around Mitchell is long overdue and especially important given the crowds that are expected for the solar eclipse in August.  At a town hall meeting I held in Mitchell on February 9, community members again emphasized the life and death situations that are a reality when modern communications are lacking.  As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I raised this issue in a Washington, D.C. meeting with the FCC and with wireless carriers,” said Walden. “This very rural area is highly travelled by tens of thousands of tourists seeking to experience the Painted Hills and the John Day Fossil Beds in the heart of Oregon. The even larger crowds expected in August for the total solar eclipse viewing has only heightened these concerns. When accidents occur in these remote areas, there is literally no way to call for help. I’ve heard from first responders about how the lack of cell coverage impacts their ability to save lives. Getting cellular service to this rural area is just one step toward a long-term solution to create jobs and improve safety. I am hopeful that this will pave the way for future plans to better connect the local community in this part of rural Oregon with cell phone service.”
Kiefer Davis, who previously served as Mitchell’s mayor, reached out to Walden to detail how access to cellular service would assist in his emergency response ability. Davis currently operates an ambulance in the Mitchell area, which is positioned on Highway 26 -- the second most traveled highway in the state according to the American Automobile Association and Oregon Department of Transportation. Davis is concerned that an increase in tourism traffic for the solar eclipse will only add to the safety challenges of responding to emergency situations without cellular capabilities. 
""Do I wish we had cell communications on Highway 26 to be able to save lives? Yes,” Davis said in a letter to Walden. “I’m a member of Mitchell Ambulance and I’ve seen what not being able to dial 911 on Highway 26 has done to people over the past 14 years. From Prineville to John Day (115 miles), there is zero cell service. Not even that little ‘Emergency Calls Only’ screen you get in the middle of nowhere,” Davis continued.
Walden chairs the House Energy & Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over telecommunication, and is continuing his efforts to provide rural communities in Oregon with access to cellular service. Walden has worked with national telecommunications providers such as AT&T to stress the importance of providing cellular service to rural eastern Oregon.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-cbo-score-american-health-care-act,Greg Walden Statement on CBO Score of American Health Care Act,2017-05-24,2017,2017-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden Statement on CBO Score of American Health Care Act 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today issued the following statement regarding the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) score of the American Health Care Act. 
“The American Health Care Act is the first step in our efforts to repeal Obamacare and rebuild our broken health care system. CBO continues to find that through our patient-focused bill, premiums will go down and that our reforms will help stabilize the market,” said Walden. “Our plan puts states and patients in the driver's seat, creating an innovative fund to help lower premiums and other out-of-pocket costs. As the Senate continues its work on this vital bill, we encourage them to further these critical principles.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wyden-walden-bipartisan-group-lawmakers-call-gao-review-infrastructure,"Wyden, Walden, Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Call on GAO to Review Infrastructure Safety, Unfinished Work at Hanford Nuclear Reservation",2017-05-24,2017,2017-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Wyden, Walden, Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Call on GAO to Review Infrastructure Safety, Unfinished Work at Hanford Nuclear Reservation   
Following recent tunnel collapse at Hanford, lawmakers push for answers on nuclear waste cleanup
Washington, D.C. – Following this month’s tunnel collapse at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington State, a bipartisan group of Pacific Northwest lawmakers today called for a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) review of the nuclear waste cleanup and environmental remediation work at Hanford.
In their letter today, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., along with Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Reps. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., and Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., asked the GAO to investigate the work Department of Energy still needs to complete to ensure the safety of workers at Hanford and the public.
“We were alarmed by the recent tunnel collapse at the Hanford site, and are concerned that future events could put the safety of workers, the public, and environment at risk,” the members wrote in their request to GAO.
“This event was another harsh reminder of the radioactive and toxic hazards that remain at the Hanford site, as well as the importance of ensuring the site has the resources necessary to expeditiously achieve its cleanup mission.”
The underground tunnel, located adjacent to the now-closed PUREX processing plant, was used to store railroad cars loaded with radioactively contaminated equipment removed from the plant during its operation to produce plutonium for the U.S. nuclear weapons program. The collapse was first reported by workers at the site on May 9, 2017.
The letter requests that GAO review the following:
The methods DOE used to monitor the tunnel that collapsed on May 9, as well as how DOE monitors the safety of other infrastructure and equipment.   
	The actions DOE will take to improve monitoring of Hanford’s facilities to ensure structural stability and evaluate safety risks to workers, the public and environment.   
	How DOE will hold its contractors accountable to ensure workers are not exposed to radioactive or toxic materials.   
	How much radioactive waste still needs to be treated and the timeline for completing the treatment of the waste, as well as equipment, facilities, radioactive groundwater and soil surrounding the infrastructure.   
	How DOE identifies and determines the risks Hanford’s aging infrastructure and radioactive waste pose to workers, the public, and environment, and how DOE prioritizes waste treatment work.    
	What DOE’s plans are to remove the waste from and remediate Tunnel 1 and Tunnel 2 at the PUREX plant. 
A copy of the letter is available here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-administrations-budget-request,Greg Walden Statement on Administration's Budget Request,2017-05-23,2017,2017-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden Statement on Administration's Budget Request 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today issued the following statement after the administration released their fiscal year 2018 budget request. 
“This budget proposal demonstrates President Trump’s commitment to balancing the budget and responsibly prioritizing taxpayer dollars. The initiatives modernizing our energy infrastructure and promoting our nation’s energy abundance would undoubtedly make positive impacts on our constituents’ lives. The president’s proposals show the difficult choices facing the country as we work to reduce the deficit, protect our security, and grow jobs.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wyden-merkley-walden-push-fema-transparency-federal-disaster,"Wyden, Merkley, Walden Push FEMA for Transparency in Federal Disaster Declarations",2017-05-19,2017,2017-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Wyden, Merkley, Walden Push FEMA for Transparency in Federal Disaster Declarations 
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both D-Ore., and Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., today pushed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to be more transparent when it comes to the agency’s process for granting federal disaster declarations. The lawmakers’ push follows FEMA's denial of Oregon’s request for a federal disaster declaration that would bring much-needed relief to communities hit by severe winter weather in January. 
A federal disaster declaration would allow local governments and residents to seek federal aid to recover from dangerous winter weather that led to more than $17 million in damages. Wyden, Merkley and Walden also pushed FEMA to improve communication with regional offices about new policies that may affect states’ disaster declaration requests. 
“We write you with great concern over the recent denial of Oregon’s request for a major disaster declaration as a result of the succession of severe winter snow and weather events occurring from January 7 through 20,” they wrote in today’s letter to Acting FEMA Administrator Robert Fenton. “These storms had devastating effects on Oregon’s economy, and hit small rural communities especially hard.”
On March 9, Oregon Governor Kate Brown requested a federal disaster declaration for 10 Oregon counties, including Baker, Columbia, Curry, Deschutes Hood River, Josephine, Malheur, Multnomah, Union and Washington.  The lawmakers wrote in support of the state’s request on March 16. Brown announced the state would appeal the disaster declaration denial.
“Oregon has a long history of successfully working with FEMA after weather disasters,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter to FEMA Acting Administrator Robert Fenton. “It is in this spirit that we encourage you to increase transparency and improve your communication and support to rural communities that have already struggled greatly to recover from this severe weather event.”
Read the full text of the letter here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-appointment-special-counsel-fbi-investigation,Greg Walden statement on appointment of special counsel to FBI investigation,2017-05-18,2017,2017-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden statement on appointment of special counsel to FBI investigation 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement on the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller to oversee the FBI's Russia investigation:
“I respect the independence of the Department of Justice, and their decision to appoint a special counsel to oversee the FBI’s investigation. Robert Mueller is the right man for the job. He has an impeccable record of integrity and ability. His work will augment ongoing bipartisan investigations, which are already underway in both the House and Senate. The FBI and the Congressional Committees must follow all leads and get to the facts. As I have said before, foreign countries have no business messing with our elections.""
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-stresses-importance-modernizing-emergency-alert-systems,Greg Walden stresses the importance of modernizing emergency alert systems,2017-05-17,2017,2017-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden stresses the importance of modernizing emergency alert systems 
Calls for action to ensure first responders have access to advanced emergency alert technology
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks from today’s hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today led a hearing on modernizing America’s emergency alert system. Walden acknowledged the great strides that have been made in emergency alert technology, and called for action to ensure first responders have access to the latest advancements.
“As we move forward, we want to make sure that our first responder community,  and the citizens they serve and protect, have access to the latest technologies. And we want to make sure that is an evolving force, not something that is simply locked in place,” said Walden. “We’ve come a long way since the 1950s with the emergency broadcast system, and now we’re going into a new age. We need to make sure that federal policy doesn’t inhibit technological advancement. We need to make sure that we are providing the help that our first responders, our broadcasters, and cable providers need when it comes to making sure that people are notified in an emergency.”
As a former radio broadcaster in Oregon, Walden has seen first-hand the evolution of emergency alert broadcasting technology. Walden authored legislation that created FirstNet, an independent agency tasked with developing an advanced, nationwide public safety network. FirstNet will provide America’s first responders with a single, interoperable communications platform to utilize in emergencies. 
This platform is especially important for rural Oregon, and will provide fire fighters and first responders with access to highly reliable connectivity in remote locations. The FirstNet network will also better enable first responders in these areas to connect to emergency room physicians, when the nearest hospital may be hours away.  
Recently, FirstNet awarded a 25-year competitive contract to build and maintain the public safety network. FirstNet has the potential to supply advanced emergency communication technology to 4 million public safety users nationwide, and the building and maintenance of the FirstNet network is slated to create over 10,000 jobs. To read more about FirstNet, please visit their website at firstnet.gov.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-american-health-care-act-delivers-our-commitment-rebuild-our,Greg Walden: The American Health Care Act delivers on our commitment to rebuild our health insurance market and provide relief  to the American People.,2017-05-04,2017,2017-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden: “The American Health Care Act delivers on our commitment to rebuild our health insurance market and provide relief  to the American People.” 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks in support of the American Health Care Act
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks in support of the American Health Care Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement on the passage of the American Health Care Act:
“For seven years, our constituents, patients, friends, and family, have suffered under a one-size-fits-all law that is collapsing under its own weight,”  said Walden. “The American Health Care Act will put patients, families, and their doctors first.  It will protect those with pre-existing conditions and provides states with the flexibility they need to help meet the unique needs of their citizens.  Simply put, the American people deserve better than what they received under Obamacare and the American Health Care Act delivers on our commitment to rebuild our health insurance markets and provide relief to the American people. We want to thank President Trump, Vice President Pence, and our colleagues in the House who have worked so hard to get this bill over the finish line today. There’s more work to be done, and we know we are up to the task.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-walden-and-epa-administrator-pruitt-discuss-environmental,Congressman Walden and EPA Administrator Pruitt Discuss Environmental and Economic Issues Important to Oregon,2017-05-03,2017,2017-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Walden and EPA Administrator Pruitt Discuss Environmental and Economic Issues Important to Oregon 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden's remarks following today's meeting
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), met with EPA Administrator Pruitt today in Congressman Walden's Washington, D.C. office. The two discussed environmental and economic issues important to both the nation and the people of the State of Oregon.  
	   
	“I appreciated the opportunity to meet with Congressman Walden today and discuss the issues important to our nation and to the people of Oregon,” said Administrator Pruitt. “The people of Oregon and their elected representatives deserve an EPA that is focused on the basics of protecting the environment, engaging with state and local partners, and ensuring sensible regulations for economic growth.”“Administrator Pruitt and I had a productive conversation today about the wide-ranging issues facing Oregonians,” said Congressman Walden. “We discussed the need to ensure water quality standards don’t bankrupt rural communities, a concern I heard about at town hall meetings in Ontario, Oregon, and the latest with the Portland Harbor Superfund plan.“We can protect the clean air and water we enjoy in Oregon, without further burdening jobs and economic growth in our rural communities. I look forward to working with Administrator Pruitt and his team at the EPA to achieve these goals for Oregonians,” Congressman Walden added.  
	 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-mismanagement-medicaid-personal-care-services-program,Greg Walden on mismanagement in Medicaid Personal Care Services program: This is outrageous and this is unacceptable.,2017-05-02,2017,2017-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden on mismanagement in Medicaid Personal Care Services program: “This is outrageous and this is unacceptable.” 
 Calls for action to root out neglect, fraud, and abuse in critical Medicaid service 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks at today’s hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Continuing his efforts to strengthen Medicaid, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today led a hearing to identify solutions to root out neglect, fraud, and abuse in the Medicaid personal care services (PCS) program. During the hearing, Walden noted the progress Oregon has made to improve the integrity of the critical Medicaid service, and called for the need for continued action. Below is a transcript of Walden’s remarks:
“We are here today to talk about a program that serves our nation’s most vulnerable individuals. Through Medicaid, personal care services provide essential care to millions of elderly people, disabled children and adults, and those who need long-term care to cope with a crippling disease,” said Walden. “It used to be that these folks had to be institutionalized or cared for in a nursing home. Instead, personal care services provide an attendant to help people do things like shop for groceries, do the laundry, drive to the doctor and take medication on the right schedule.
“Without personal care services -- and home health care at large -- these folks would not be able to live at home, in their communities. Personal care services are quite literally a life-saver for many.  I truly believe in programs like personal care services and home health care. Oregon experimented in these types of programs long ago. The vast majority of personal care workers are good people. They take care of people and they care for the most vulnerable populations and make the lives of others healthier, brighter and a little easier. 
“That’s why I was so disturbed when the Office of Inspector General reported instances of fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in this important program. Stories of attendants stealing pain medication, abandoning mentally ill beneficiaries in public places, leaving elderly folks alone for weeks at a time – this is outrageous and this is unacceptable.   What’s worse, is that OIG has made clear that these are not just individual bad actors. The OIG investigations have uncovered more than 200 cases of fraud and abuse in the program just since 2012.  And as we learned from witnesses earlier this year, the Government Accountability Office has designated Medicaid as a 'high risk' program since 2003.  We have an obligation to get to the bottom of this, for the taxpayers and for the patients, alike. 
“Late last year, GAO released a report on the need to harmonize requirements for Personal Care Services across the various states.  GAO reviewed the policies and procedures of my home state of Oregon and three other states while performing this work.  While I was heartened to learn of the safeguards Oregon has in place to prevent this fraud, the audit made clear that there is more work to be done.
“More recently, GAO released a second report on the need for better data on PCS.  The most recent data at the time of the audit -- released in 2017 -- was from 2012.  Five years ago.  And the data GAO did receive was incomplete.  Without complete and up-to-date data those who are tasked with rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in this program are hamstrung.
""So, both the OIG and GAO have sounded the alarm for years.  This fraud and abuse is happening because the states and the federal government failed to put in safeguards to protect these beneficiaries.  It is sickening to see hard-earned taxpayer dollars going to people who take advantage of and mistreat elderly and disabled people in their own homes. 
“And these beneficiaries are particularly susceptible to harm because they often lack the physical or mental ability to speak up.  Many times, a personal care worker is the only person a beneficiary will see for weeks, so they go along with fraud or abuse because they are dependent on their attendant for help.
“We can do better. Our citizens deserve to know that the attendant they allow into their home, the attendant paid by state and federal taxpayers, will take good care of them and have their best interests at heart. And while most do, it’s clear we have a serious problem in this program.
“Today, we are here to talk about the steps we are going to take to correct the problems identified for us by the Office of Inspector General and Government Accountability Office.”
Over the last four years, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) has opened over 200 investigations involving PCS fraud and harm caused to enrolled patients throughout the country. Oregon was one of four states examined by the Government Accountability Office to review implemented safeguards to protect beneficiaries receiving in-home personal care services from harm. To view the GAO report released in 2016, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/oregon-representatives-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-protect,"Oregon Representatives Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Communities, Establish Emergency Response Fund for Rail Accidents",2017-04-28,2017,2017-04,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Oregon Representatives Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Communities, Establish Emergency Response Fund for Rail Accidents 
Washington, D.C. – Today, members of Oregon’s Congressional Delegation introduced the bipartisan Community Protection and Preparedness Act (H.R.2223), legislation that creates a new trust fund to help communities prepare for accidents involving rail cars transporting flammable liquids, including crude oil and ethanol. The legislation was sponsored by Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), and co-sponsored by Representatives Greg Walden (R-OR), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR).
The Community Protection and Preparedness Act would create a trust fund to be used for emergency response and clean up after rail accidents involving flammable liquids. The fund would also be used to issue grants to help prepare and protect communities along rail lines.  In addition, the legislation would also require the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to issue a final rule on oil spill response plans and information sharing for high-hazard flammable trains. It also authorizes funding for the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration to hire additional track safety specialists and instructs the Secretary of Transportation to study the effectiveness of track inspections.
“Every day, thousands of rail tank cars carrying toxic, hazardous materials crisscross the country. The communities along these train routes shouldn’t be on the hook for clean up or damages after an accident and spill occurs. This legislation would help protect and prepare communities by providing funding to help States and Native American tribes develop and carry out emergency response plans, and provide critical training for emergency responders. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, which will better protect the public and the environment, and help prepare communities both big and small,” said DeFazio.
“Safety is a top priority for Oregon communities near highly-trafficked railways. The people who live in areas like the Columbia Gorge deserve peace of mind that, if an accident occurs, the proper emergency response and protection plans are in place and ready to be implemented. Our bipartisan plan takes important steps to improve rail safety, including assessing where inspections need improvement, imposing a fee for older standard tank cars and equipping first-responders with the tools they need to protect lives and property. Rail safety is critical as we work to protect the natural treasures in our state and the people who live here. I’m proud to join my colleagues once again in support of this bill,” said Walden.
""Seeing our beautiful Columbia Gorge on fire last summer was an eye-opener for everyone on the dangers of how we transport oil and other hazardous materials. We must do more to minimize the risk of future incidents like the Mosier oil train derailment and make sure communities are better prepared to respond,” said Blumenauer. 
“Since the fiery derailment in Mosier last year, Oregon residents, businesses, and communities near rail lines worry that the next oil train accident could happen in their backyard,” said Bonamici. “Oregonians deserve to be safe and feel safe from this threat. We also have a responsibility to protect Oregon’s forests, wetlands, streams, and rivers from oil spills and fires. I support this legislation because it will help remove unsafe tank cars from the tracks and make sure that our firefighters and first responders are ready and equipped to respond.”
Creating New Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to Help Communities
The Community Protection and Preparedness Act of 2017, creates a Rail Account in the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, and authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to collect an annual fee of $1,500 for each outdated DOT-111 and CPC-1232 rail tank car that fails to meet the new Department of Transportation (DOT) standards that drastically improve rail tank car safety. The fees are imposed on each person who ships Class 3 flammable liquid, including crude oil and ethanol, in outdated tank cars. The fee would be applied annually, starting on October 1, 2017 for the use of tank cars the prior year.
Funds collected will be provided for the payment of removal and remediation costs and other costs, expenses, claims, and damages related to an accident or incident involving the transportation of Class 3 flammable liquids by rail. Funds can also be used by the Secretary to make grants to States and Native American tribes to develop and carry out emergency plans, develop and train regional response teams, and train emergency responders. The legislation allows the Secretary to collaborate with States and Native American tribes in preparing for an accident or incident.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-president-trump-s-executive-order-regarding,Greg Walden statement on President Trumps executive order regarding national monument designations,2017-04-26,2017,2017-04,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden statement on President Trump’s executive order regarding national monument designations 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order directing a review of national monument designations declared under the Antiquities Act since 1996:
""Today’s action sends a clear signal to communities throughout the West – including in Oregon – that this administration is serious about taking a new approach to the management of our federal lands. In Oregon we’ve watched the problems left behind in the wake of national monument designations that lock up land without meaningful public input. A review of the Antiquities Act is long overdue. I’m pleased that President Trump has finally ordered one. Farmers, ranchers, and local residents in Oregon have been ignored for too long by presidents who lock up the land without local consultations. This executive order is a refreshing sign that their concerns are being taken seriously. 
""Now, Congress needs to take action to reform the Antiquities Act. That’s why I’ve also introduced the Public Input for National Monument Act, to require these designations to go through the public National Environmental Policy Act process like all other land management decisions.  I will continue to work with the Trump Administration to rebuild public trust in federal land management policies. Today’s action will assist in that effort.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-calls-action-speed-home-loan-process-oregon-veterans,Greg Walden calls for action to speed up home-loan process for Oregon veterans,2017-04-25,2017,2017-04,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden calls for action to speed up home-loan process for Oregon veterans 
Cites excessive wait times and appraisal backlog as need for improvements
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s full remarks
WASHINGTON, D.C. --  At a recent hearing of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) called for action to improve the sometimes grueling home-loan process for Oregon’s veterans. Walden has heard from veterans throughout Oregon about significant delays in the appraisal process for home loans guaranteed to them by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Due to a shortage in VA appraisers, months-long delays in receiving an appraisal have created great uncertainty for Oregon veterans and their families in the housing market, even resulting in the loss of prospective homes. 
“Throughout my district, I've heard from veterans who are waiting a long time - too long, frankly - to get an appraisal on their VA-backed home loan,” said Walden. “I've had a dozen or more veterans contact me for assistance while facing significant delays in receiving their VA-guaranteed home loans due to this appraisal backlog. I've also heard from realtors and loan officers who find that in their efforts to secure homes for veterans and their families, receiving a VA-approved appraisal is the most challenging and time-consuming requirement.
“Some of these veterans and their advocates have waited up to nine weeks to even have an appraiser assigned to their case, making them far less competitive as prospective buyers in the housing market. One veteran even lost his prospective home when his interest rate lock expired as he waited for an appraisal, and I think we would all agree that is simply unacceptable. At the end of last year I wrote to the VA regional loan center to ask how we can address this problem head-on. I know that higher appraisal fees have been approved for some counties in my district, and I've heard that one of the issues was that you weren't getting paid as much if you were doing a VA appraisal as if you were doing another kind.
“The VA has managed to cut down on some of the appraisal backlog in rural Oregon, and I appreciate the attention to that. In my conversations with realtors, veterans groups, and VA employees I've heard that the appraisal shortage is a market-wide issue that may soon spill over into other federal programs and eventually into the private sector. Increased federal regulations and barriers to entry for would-be appraisers seems to be moving us in the wrong direction. An increase in VA appraisal fees may help in the short-run but we need other policy changes as well. We have to look at the longer-term issue but in the meantime, we must take care of our veterans, we must make sure they are not handcuffed by a process when they are just trying to get a roof over their heads.”
In December 2016, Walden sent a letter to the VA regional office in Denver, Colorado, to bring attention to this issue. Walden wrote, “These lengthy delays present a hardship both financially and logistically by creating uncertainty of housing for veterans.” The regional office in Denver is responsible for handling home appraisals for veterans in Walden’s district. Walden called on the regional office to report on what strategies, if any, the VA is currently utilizing to address the overall shortage in the VA appraiser market, and reduce the wait times for veterans seeking an appraisal for a VA-backed home loan. 
Walden continues to work toward a long-term solution to address the current issues in the VA home-loan process and make it easier for Oregon’s veterans to buy a home – not harder. If you or a loved one are experiencing problems with the VA, you can call Walden’s office toll free from the 541 area code at 800-533-3303.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-grant-funding-combat-opioid-addiction-oregon,Greg Walden applauds grant funding to combat opioid addiction in Oregon,2017-04-20,2017,2017-04,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden applauds grant funding to combat opioid addiction in Oregon  
State will receive $6.5 million from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to tackle the epidemic​
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today applauded the announcement of grant funding to tackle opioid addiction in Oregon. As part of the 21st Century Cures Act, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the first round of grants to help states and territories combat the opioid epidemic. Oregon will receive $6.5 million, administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which will be used toward the prevention of opioid abuse and treatment to those affected.  
“The opioid crisis has hit every community and knows no bounds – we know that well in Oregon. Combating the epidemic requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, and these critical dollars will play an important role in that effort,” said Walden. “At roundtables throughout our state, I’ve heard from doctors, patients, and those on the front lines in the fight against opioid abuse. Their stories are a constant reminder of why these resources are vitally important to winning this battle. Oregon families have been devastated by this epidemic, and I’m encouraged by the Trump administration’s renewed focus to tackle this crisis head-on.” 
As chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden has led the charge in responding to the epidemic. In addition to the state grants within the 21st Century Cures Act, committee investigations also led to legislative solutions that ultimately were included in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA). 
Walden’s committee continues to look at all aspects of the opioid epidemic, most recently holding a hearing examining the federal government's response to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. In 2014 and 2015, a reported 49 people died from fentanyl in Oregon. 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-takes-action-unburden-va-doctors-improve-care-oregon,"Greg Walden takes action to unburden VA doctors, improve care for Oregon veterans",2017-04-19,2017,2017-04,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks on the Veterans Affairs Medical Scribe Pilot Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Continuing his efforts to improve the care Oregon’s veterans receive at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) introduced legislation to unburden VA doctors, and allow them to see more patients. Walden’s legislation would implement a pilot program for medical scribes at VA facilities, which will help ease administrative burdens that are preventing physicians from devoting their full attention to veterans.
“The legislation we’ve introduced is really going to be important for our veterans all across Oregon and America because it frees up doctors to do what they do best: take care of patients,” said Walden. “Our plan will set up a pilot program to bring scribes in to do paperwork and record-keeping in the VA process. One thing we’ve learned is that there aren’t enough providers in the VA process to take timely care of our veterans. This legislation should free up the providers we have to actually see the patients and take care of them with their medical needs, and allow others to do the paperwork. I think it makes a lot of sense for our veterans and for the VA, and I look forward to seeing this legislation moving through the Veterans Affairs Committee.”
Charles Schmidt, Oregon’s first National Commander of The American Legion, said of Walden’s legislation, “the VA Medical Scribes Pilot Act of 2017 would greatly assist VA doctors in the course of their duties by providing medical scribes to alleviate their administrative burden.  This would enable VA doctors to see more veterans per day and spend more time with each patient.  Providing doctors medical scribes would help the VA improve the work environment, reduce physician burnout, and recruit and retain quality physicians. The American Legion wholeheartedly supports this proposed legislation as currently written.""
Additionally, Walden has heard from leadership at the VA in White City and Bend that implementing a scribes program within the VA system is paramount to improving the care Oregon’s veterans receive. Studies have shown that the use of medical scribes in the private sector resulted in a 59% increase in the number of patients physicians see per hour. The bill is also intended to better recruit and retain talented physicians to serve at VA health centers.
Walden was joined by House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN) in introducing this legislation.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-town-halls-around-oregon,Greg Walden announces town halls around Oregon,2017-04-04,2017,2017-04,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden announces town halls around Oregon  
  Click here or on the image above to view Walden's video announcement
 
MEDFORD -- Continuing a series of town hall meetings around Oregon’s Second District, U.S. Rep. Greg Walden announced today that he will hold six town halls in April, with meetings in Medford, Grants Pass, Bend, Prineville, Hood River, and The Dalles.
“I’ve been proud to hold regular town hall meetings in all 20 counties in our vast district. They are another great way for me to update my ‘to-do’ list to take back to the nation’s capital,” Walden said. “While Congress and the country face major issues like growing the economy and fixing the health care system, I’m also working on finding solutions for local problems in our communities. Growing jobs in Oregon, finding common-sense health care solutions, better managing our public lands, and taking care of our veterans remain some of my top priorities.”
Each year, Walden holds at least one town hall meeting in all 20 counties in the vast Second Congressional District. By April 14, Walden will have held 13 town hall meetings in 2017. He held 27 in 2016 alone and 137 since 2012. At the end of February, a national press analysis found that Walden held more in-person town halls in February than all but two other members of the U.S. House and Senate.
Oregonians who cannot attend Walden’s town hall meetings but would still like to ask questions or provide input are encouraged to visit his website at www.walden.house.gov. There, Oregonians can find Walden’s views on local and regional issues, send him an email to provide input, and sign up for his free, regular newsletter. 
Second District residents can also sign up for telephone town hall meetings through Walden’s website. “I’ve gotten very favorable feedback from people in our district from the telephone town halls. These are especially important for those who have difficulty with transportation. They give people whose voice might not otherwise be heard a chance to weigh in on public policy,” Walden said.
Constituents can also follow Walden on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to learn more about his work around southern, central, and eastern Oregon.
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
What: Wasco County Town Hall Meeting  When: 11:00a.m. - 12:00p.m. PDT  Where: Fort Dalles Readiness Center Assembly Hall, 402 E Scenic Drive, The Dalles 97058
What: Hood River County Town Hall Meeting  When: 3:00p.m. - 4:00p.m. PDT  Where: Hood River Middle School Auditorium, 1602 May Street, Hood River 97031
Thursday, April 13, 2017
What: Crook County Town Hall Meeting  When: 8:30a.m. - 9:30a.m. PDT      Where: Crook County High School Auditorium, 1100 SE Lynn Blvd, Prineville 97754
What: Deschutes County Town Hall Meeting  When: 5:00p.m. - 6:00p.m. PDT    
	Where: Mountain View High School Main Gym, 2755 NE 27th Street, Bend 97701
Friday, April 14, 2017
What: Jackson County Town Hall Meeting  When: 7:30a.m. - 8:30a.m. PDT      Where: North Medford High School Performing Arts Auditorium, 1900 N Keene Way Drive, Medford 97504
What: Josephine County Town Hall Meeting  When: 10:30a.m. - 11:30a.m. PDT  Where: Grants Pass High School Performing Arts Center, 830 NE 9th Street, Grants Pass 97526
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-senate-committee-action-bill-force-forest-service,Greg Walden applauds Senate committee action on bill to force Forest Service to complete Mt. Hood land exchange,2017-03-30,2017,2017-03,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden applauds Senate committee action on bill to force Forest Service to complete Mt. Hood land exchange 
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) applauded the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for unanimously approving his bill to force the U.S. Forest Service to complete a land exchange on Mt. Hood. The Mt. Hood Cooper Spur Land Exchange Clarification Act (H.R. 699) directs the Forest Service to move forward with a land exchange first approved by Congress in 2009. 
“Nearly eight years ago, Congress told the Forest Service to complete this land exchange on Mt. Hood, which would help protect the local water source and grow family wage jobs in the community. They still haven’t gotten it done, so we need to pass new legislation to force them to do so,” Walden said. “Last month, the House overwhelmingly passed our bill, and I’m glad the Senate moved forward with it today. I hope the full Senate will quickly pass it so we can get it to the President’s desk and get this done—finally.” 
The 2009 law authorizes a land exchange to allow development of 120 acres of federal land in Government Camp in exchange for 770 acres of non-federal land at Cooper Spur. That law clearly stated that the Forest Service should complete the land exchange within 16 months. However, the exchange has yet to be completed, creating frustration and uncertainty in the local communities around Mt. Hood.
H.R. 699, introduced by Walden and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Portland), expresses Congress’ intent that the Forest Service move quickly to complete the exchange, addresses disagreements over a conservation easement, and allows for a more transparent appraisal process. Walden and Blumenauer introduced identical legislation in the previous session of Congress, which passed the House on a near-unanimous vote of 401-2, but failed to pass the Senate.
Walden plans to discuss this bill -- and other local issues -- at upcoming town hall meetings in Hood River and The Dalles in April. Stay tuned for further details.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-calls-all-hands-deck-combat-opioid-abuse-oregon,Greg Walden calls for all-hands-on-deck to combat opioid abuse in Oregon,2017-03-21,2017,2017-03,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden calls for “all-hands-on-deck” to combat opioid abuse in Oregon 
Leads hearing on how to address deadly drug that is accelerating the addiction crisis 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s full remarks at today’s hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Continuing his efforts in the fight against opioid addiction in Oregon, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-Hood River) led a hearing today on how to address the crisis that is plaguing the state. During the hearing, Walden discussed how to best combat fentanyl, a deadly drug that is accelerating opioid abuse in Oregon and across the country.  
 “Fentanyl makes the deadly threat of opioid abuse even deadlier. In 2014 and 2015 in my home state of Oregon, a reported 49 people died from fentanyl. The number of deaths from fentanyl appears to be rising, and that’s just what we know,” said Walden. “As we work to combat this quickly evolving public health threat, there’s an important question to be asked. How can we fight this threat when we don’t even know how quickly it is spreading?  
 “Combating this growing, multi-faceted fentanyl threat will require more than the drug-control strategies aimed at opioid overprescribing and heroin. Fentanyl is a global problem that requires an urgent response. I commend the efforts of our government, Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the State Department, particularly, for their success in gaining cooperation with China and the United Nations. We need to continue and support this international engagement to be successful. Like our work on the opioid epidemic last Congress, combating fentanyl truly requires an all-hands-on-deck effort.” 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-calls-streamlining-regulatory-process-expand-hydropower,Greg Walden calls for streamlining regulatory process to expand hydropower in Oregon,2017-03-15,2017,2017-03,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden calls for streamlining regulatory process to expand hydropower in Oregon

Hears testimony from Bonneville Power Administration official; cites stalled power projects in Oregon as need for improvements

Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and a strong proponent of hydropower, led a hearing today on modernizing America’s hydropower infrastructure. During the hearing, Walden discussed the opportunities to expand hydropower in Oregon and across the country, and heard testimony on the regulatory challenges facing the industry. A transcript of Walden’s remarks is included below:

""One of the many advantages of living in Oregon is the plentiful supply of affordable, reliable, and clean hydropower. Hydro is great for homeowners as well as job-creating businesses. However, in the Pacific Northwest and across the country, we are not taking full advantage of this valuable resource,"" said Walden. ""This hearing is a crucial step in the Energy subcommittee’s efforts to modernize our nation’s energy infrastructure, and today we will focus on the challenges and opportunities in expanding hydropower generation.

""For over a century, hydropower has provided electricity to millions of Americans across our nation. The United States and Canada led the way in hydropower engineering for the first half of the 20th century. In 1936, the Hoover Dam became the world’s largest hydroelectric plant generating 1,345 megawatts. Six years later in 1942, the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington State surpassed the Hoover Dam in electricity generation capacity. In my home state of Oregon, hydropower is the largest source of electricity generation and provides over half of Oregon’s electricity generation needs. In fact, one of our witnesses here today, Mr. Connolly, is representing the Bonneville Power Administration, the nonprofit federal organization responsible for marketing the Northwest’s wholesale electrical hydropower. I look forward to hearing how Bonneville Power balances multiple objectives while carrying out its mission of producing and delivering reliable power to customers across the Pacific Northwest.

""The electricity generated from hydropower allows for a diverse energy mix, which in turn increases our nation’s energy security and reliability. A recent DOE report found that U.S. hydropower production could grow by almost 50% by year 2050. This potential increase in hydropower production would boost job growth, increase economic investment, facilitate the use of wind and other intermittent renewables, and avoid harmful emissions from the electric power sector.

""Despite the numerous benefits of hydropower, the greatest impediment facing its growth is the regulatory process. Take the Bowman Dam in Crook County, Oregon. For many years I and others in the delegation worked to pass legislation to help pave the way for future hydropower and jobs in central Oregon. Even after the bill was passed unanimously and signed into law in 2014, it took more than a year for that new law to be implemented.

""It's not just the delays, the licensing of new hydropower facilities and the relicensing of existing facilities is costly and time consuming. The process often requires seven to ten years to complete and costs tens of millions of dollars. We need to find a way to streamline that and also recognize the importance of stakeholders having an opportunity to make their case.

""As I’ve stated before, my objectives at the committee are to put consumers first in all that we do. A diverse energy mix empowers consumers by giving them choices in different energy sources. The electricity generated by hydropower is as clean and renewable as its gets. Not every day do we in Congress have the opportunity to reach across the aisle on such a common sense issue such as hydropower. As this subcommittee continues its efforts to modernize our nation’s energy infrastructure through technology-neutral improvement and expansion, we must bring greater transparency and accountability to the regulatory processes affecting hydropower.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-replacing-obamacare-were-proud-put-forth-plan-presents,"Greg Walden on replacing Obamacare: We're proud to put forth a plan that presents a better way for patients, and for families",2017-03-09,2017,2017-03,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden on replacing Obamacare: “We're proud to put forth a plan that presents a better way for patients, and for families”

Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s full remarks at the Energy and Commerce Committee session

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today led a session on repealing and replacing Obamacare in his committee. During the session, Walden outlined the plan put forth by House Republicans to give patients greater choice, more control, and lower costs when it comes to their health care. Members were given the opportunity to debate the bill and offer amendments. A full transcript of Walden’s remarks is included below:

“More than eight months ago House Republicans unveiled a Better Way, which included our vision for repealing Obamacare and replacing it with a patient-centered, 21st century health care system. Today we begin the process of implementing that vision,” said Walden. “After years of Obamacare's broken promises we're proud to put forth a plan that presents a better way for patients, and for families.”

“Let me be clear, under our plan we are not going backward – we are going forward. We are protecting those patients living with pre-existing conditions. We're not returning to the days of lifetime caps or annual limits. We will continue to allow young adults to remain on their parents’ policies until age 26. We will keep our promise to not pull the rug out from anyone as we transition away from this failing law. Under our plan, we're moving forward.

“We're moving away from a government-run system that is in collapse, and where bureaucrats stand in the way between patients and their doctors. Instead we move forward toward a health care system where one-size-fits-all mandates are a thing of the past. Where states are empowered to innovate and care for their citizens and, most importantly, where patients are actually in charge. We create a new and innovative Patient and State Stability Fund to help low-income Americans afford health care and repair the damage done to state insurance markets by Obamacare. Those state insurance markets are in collapse. This fund gives states broad flexibility to design programs that best serve their unique populations.

""We responsibly unwind the Obamacare Medicaid expansion while treating those covered under the expansion today fairly. We refocus Medicaid's limited resources to patients most in-need. We propose a per capita allotment to determine a fair level of funding for states. This type of allotment has been supported not just by Republicans, but also by key Democrats like former President Bill Clinton who recommended it.

""Simply put, we have a better way to deliver solutions that put patients, not bureaucrats first. We provide the American people with what they've asked for all along: greater choice, lower cost, flexibility to choose the plan that best suits their needs.”

Earlier this week, Walden released legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare. For details on this plan, including the full text of the bill, please visit www.readthebill.gop.

###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-shares-obamacare-stories-oregon-during-nightlong-session,Greg Walden shares Obamacare stories from Oregon during nightlong session of House Energy and Commerce Committee,2017-03-09,2017,2017-03,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden shares Obamacare stories from Oregon during nightlong session of House Energy and Commerce Committee

Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s full remarks

Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks

WASHIGNTON, D.C. -- During an overnight session of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on repealing and replacing Obamacare, Chairman Greg Walden (R-Hood River) shared stories from Oregonians who have reached out to him describing the negative effects Obamacare has had on their lives. Walden’s full remarks are included above.

###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-releases-legislation-repeal-and-replace-obamacare,Greg Walden releases legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare,2017-03-06,2017,2017-03,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden releases legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare

The House Energy and Commerce will hold a markup of this legislation on Wednesday, March 8th

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today released legislation as part of House Republicans’ effort to repeal and replace Obamacare through a budget process known as reconciliation. The legislation, part of House Republicans’ American Health Care Act, creates a new and innovative Patient and State Stability Fund to help low-income Americans afford health care and to repair the damage done to state insurance markets by Obamacare. Additionally, the legislation lays out a plan to responsibly unwind Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion while prioritizing the program’s funds to the most vulnerable through a per capita allotment.

“At town halls and meetings I’ve held throughout my district, Oregonians have asked for the same things when it comes to their care: greater choice, lower cost, and flexibility to choose the plan that best suits their needs. Our plan provides Oregonians with just that. It maintains important protections for consumers -- including for those with pre-existing conditions and for young adults on their parents’ plans -- and it doesn’t pull the rug out from anyone currently on Medicaid,” said Walden. “I’m proud that the plan we’ve put forth today reflects eight years’ worth of conversations with families, patients, and doctors. Simply put, we have a Better Way to deliver solutions that put patients -- not bureaucrats -- first, and we are moving forward united in our efforts to rescue the American people from the mess Obamacare has created. Today is the first step in helping families across this country obtain truly affordable health care, and we’re eager to get this rescue mission started.”

The Energy and Commerce Committee has scheduled a markup of this legislation on Wednesday, March 8, at 10:30 a.m. EST.

CLICK HERE to read the entire bill, which includes legislative recommendations from the Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means Committees.

CLICK HERE to read a section-by-section of the Energy and Commerce legislation.

BACKGROUND:

More than eight months ago, House Republicans unveiled A Better Way, our vision for repealing Obamacare and replacing it with a patient-centers, 21st century health care system.

On January 13, the House passed a budget resolution to begin turning that vision into legislation through reconciliation -- a process that allows legislation to be passed with a simple majority in the Senate and quickly signed into law.

The budget resolution outlined specific instructions for the Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means Committees -- the primary Committees with jurisdiction over health care -- to draft legislative recommendations that the Budget Committee could compile into one reconciliation package.

When combined with the legislation released by Ways and Means, the legislation Energy and Commerce released today meets those instructions.

Specifically, the Energy and Commerce legislation:

Creates a Patient and State Stability Fund -- this new and innovative fund give states broad flexibility to design programs that best serve their unique populations. They can also use funds to increase access to preventative services.



Responsibly unwinds Obamacare's Medicaid expansion -- By freezing new enrollment after 2 years and grandfathering in current enrollees, we protect patients and offer a stable transition.



Strengthens Medicaid -- Using a per capita allotment, our legislation ensures a fair funding formula for states while creating a viable financial future for the program.

###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-reacts-president-trumps-address-congress,Greg Walden reacts to President Trump's address to Congress,2017-03-01,2017,2017-03,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"VIDEO RELEASE: Greg Walden reacts to President Trump's address to Congress

Click here or on the image above to view Walden's full reaction

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) issued a video statement following President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress today. Click here to watch his message.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-confirmation-ryan-zinke-interior-secretary,Greg Walden statement on confirmation of Ryan Zinke as Interior Secretary,2017-03-01,2017,2017-03,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden statement on confirmation of Ryan Zinke as Interior Secretary

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement on Ryan Zinke's confirmation as Secretary of the Interior:

""This is a great day for Oregon and the West. My good friend Ryan Zinke will make a tremendous Secretary of the Interior. Together, we have a lot of work to do to improve the health of our forests, increases access to our public lands, clean up our national parks, and boost American energy production. I look forward to working with Secretary Zinke and my colleagues in Congress to accomplish these important goals while creating quality jobs in Oregon and throughout the West.""

The U.S. Senate confirmed Ryan Zinke as Secretary of the Interior today by a vote of 68-31.

###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-welcomes-olympians-michael-phelps-adam-nelson-capitol,"Greg Walden welcomes Olympians Michael Phelps, Adam Nelson to Capitol for hearing on strengthening global anti-doping laws",2017-02-28,2017,2017-02,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden welcomes Olympians Michael Phelps, Adam Nelson to Capitol for hearing on strengthening global anti-doping laws

Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s full remarks at today’s hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today welcomed 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps and gold medalist Adam Nelson to the Capitol to testify at a hearing on strengthening the global anti-doping system. During the hearing, Walden spoke of the importance of protecting the integrity of fair competition for clean athletes around the world. Below is a full transcript from Walden’s remarks:

“For centuries athletes, cultures, and nations have been brought together by the spirit of competition. From the slopes of Olympus to the stands of Autzen Stadium - home of the Oregon Ducks - people from all walks of life have gathered to pursue and celebrate athletic achievement,” said Walden. “We relish with anticipation the possibility of witnessing the impossible. We celebrate the thrill of victory, and agonize in defeat. Whether in our own pursuits or the pursuits of others, everyone in this room knows the emotion, collective experience, and beauty of sport.

“Nothing embodies the spirit and potential of sport more than the Olympic games. It is the hallmark of international competition uniting people from around the world, regardless of social, political, or religious differences in celebration of our greatest athletes. It envelopes national pride to the highest degree. It invokes a noble vision of sport rooted in participation over individual achievement. There is a lot of truth to that message, but we also cannot be blind to reality. Athletes and nations compete to win. They do not invest countless hours of training to lose. They sacrifice for success and their victories are rewarded.

“This is why, for centuries, athletes have sought performance enhancing substances to gain an advantage on competition. In fact, Greek Olympians and Roman gladiators used herbs and wine to get an edge on their opponents. In the early 1900s mixtures of heroin, cocaine, and other substances became prevalent among athletes. Over time - especially following the introduction of anti-doping testing at the Olympics in the 1970s - the drugs have become more sophisticated and the cheaters more creative. Despite improvements in global anti-doping efforts at the turn of the century and the establishment of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the fight for clean sport remains an uphill battle.

“The temptation to cheat will always be present to those looking for a shortcut. Recent events, however, revealed a far more startling and difficult challenge. Thanks to the courage and tenacity of whistleblowers, of journalists and others, we were exposed to a level of deception and cheating that felt more like a movie script than reality of international sport. It was not the case of individual athletes looking for an edge, it was a tale of nation state-sponsored doping. Hundreds of athletes knowingly or unknowingly became part of a widespread campaign to enhance performance, alter test results, and evade detection by international ant-doping authorities.

""Despite these shocking allegations, later bolstered by a series of independent commissions and reports, the response from the respective governing bodies for international sport has become a hodgepodge of indecisive and inconsistent actions. So what went wrong? It is one thing for an individual to beat the system, but how could such a massive program go undetected for so long? And what has the response been? It's been a quagmire. Clearly these events point to larger challenges in international anti-doping efforts. That's why we're here today - to learn from the past in pursuit of a better future for clean sport.

“There will always be those who seek to gain an advantage - personal and financial motivations are undeniable. The opportunities afforded by scientific innovation are too tempting. The challenge is daunting and may never be totally solved. But that is not an excuse for inaction. We can and must do better, even if that requires difficult and frankly uncomfortable reforms.

“Success in sport is not achieved sitting on the sideline waiting for others to act. It requires leadership, team work, and most of all it requires dedication - as our athletes here have clearly shown. For the millions of clean athletes around the world who push the limits of physical and mental exhaustion, who sacrifice so much - don't they deserve a similar commitment from those responsible for protecting the integrity of their sport? I believe they do.”

###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-blumenauer-bill-force-forest-service-complete-mt-hood-land-0,"Walden, Blumenauer bill to force Forest Service to complete Mt. Hood land exchange passes House",2017-02-28,2017,2017-02,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Walden, Blumenauer bill to force Forest Service to complete Mt. Hood land exchange passes House

Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s full floor speech in support of his bill

Click here or on the image above to view Rep. Blumenauer’s remarks in support of the bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A bill authored by U.S. Reps. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) and Earl Blumenauer (D-Portland) to force the U.S. Forest Service to complete a land exchange on Mt. Hood today passed the House of Representatives in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, 415-1. The Mount Hood Cooper Spur Land Exchange Clarification Act (H.R. 699) directs the Forest Service to move forward with the underlying land exchange -- first approved by Congress in 2009 -- which would help protect the local water source and grow family wage jobs in the community.

“The Forest Service was directed to do this transfer and do it in 16 months. That is what the law said. We are nearly eight years later, and this is still languishing. Unfortunately, we're back trying again -- because we're never going to quit until we're done -- and we're getting much closer.” said Walden. “In fact, Section 1206 (F) of the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-11) deals with the ‘Deadline for Completion of Land Exchange” and reads as follows: ‘It is the intent of the Congress that the land exchange under this subsection shall be completed not later than 16 months after the date of enactment of this Act.’

“It's important to protect this water shed. It is important that, where development occurs, it occurs in the right places -- we've always felt that way in Oregon. Indeed, facilitating this exchange resolves a decades long controversy and puts development where it belongs, protects a special area in the Upper Hood River Valley that needs protection, and finally brings certainty and resolution to the local communities.”

“Once again, the House has passed this bipartisan legislation, while the Forest Service continues to drag its feet,” said Blumenauer. “It has been eight years since Congress authorized this land exchange, which stands as a remarkable example of local cooperation between the recreational community, environmentalists, and local and tribal governments. It’s past time that this exchange be completed. The U.S. Forest Service must build on the Mt Hood community’s hard work and follow through on its obligations on this important action.”

The 2009 law authorizes a land exchange to allow development of 120 acres of federal land in Government Camp in exchange for 770 acres of non-federal land at Cooper Spur. That law clearly stated that the Forest Service should complete the land exchange within 16 months. However, the exchange has yet to be completed, creating frustration and uncertainty in the local communities around Mt. Hood.

H.R. 699, expresses Congress’ intent that the Forest Service move quickly to complete the exchange, addresses disagreements over a conservation easement, and allows for a more transparent appraisal process. Walden and Blumenauer introduced identical legislation in the previous session of Congress, which passed the House on a near-unanimous vote of 401-2, but failed to pass the Senate.

###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-discusses-oregon-s-infrastructure-transportation-secretary,Greg Walden discusses Oregons infrastructure with Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao,2017-02-21,2017,2017-02,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden discusses Oregon’s infrastructure with Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao

Greg Walden discusses Oregon's infrastructure priorities with Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement on his conversation with Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao today:

“I had a great discussion with Secretary Chao today on our nation's infrastructure needs and on Oregon’s transportation priorities. I've known Elaine for years and am confident she will work closely with me on our district's needs.

“Additionally, she confirmed to me that -- contrary to some reports -- there is no list of her department’s priorities that excludes Oregon. Period. I look forward to working alongside Secretary Chao as we seek to achieve Oregon’s long-term transportation goals and upgrade America’s vast infrastructure.”

Secretary Chao assumed office as the 18thUnited States Secretary of Transportation on January 31. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate earlier that day by a vote of 93-6.

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https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-introduces-bill-protect-patients-pre-existing-conditions,Walden Introduces Bill to Protect Patients with Pre-Existing Conditions,2017-02-16,2017,2017-02,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Walden Introduces Bill to Protect Patients with Pre-Existing Conditions

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), the Chairman of the House Energy& Commerce Committee, today introduced H.R. __, the Pre-Existing Conditions Protection Act of 2017.

“At town hall meetings around Oregon, I’ve heard a clear message: we need to guarantee our health care system works better for all Oregonians. I am committed to protecting patients living with pre-existing conditions, period,” said Walden. “I am committed to patient-centered reforms that increase access to quality, affordable care and guarantee that all Oregonians are protected from unfair, higher premium costs simply due to how healthy or sick they may be.”

The Pre-Existing Conditions Protection Act aims to reaffirm guaranteed health care access, ensure that enrollees cannot have benefits excluded from a plan due to a pre-existing condition, and that patients will not pay more based on their health care status.

""This is another step toward keeping our commitment to fix the problems with our health care system and protect vulnerable patients from being treated unfairly. As we continue to repeal and replace Obamacare, we will always put what's best for patients first,” Walden added.

This bill is a continuation of the step-by-step process to rebuild our health care system. The Energy and Commerce Committee will continue to advance solutions to protect patients, stabilize health care markets, and promote continuous coverage incentives to help Americans get – and keep – coverage.

Click HERE to read a copy of the bill.

###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z