[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 12 (Monday, January 22, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H818]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     THE SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY SELF-DETERMINATION ACT

  (Mr. WALDEN of Oregon asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, the failure of Congress to 
reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination 
Act results in a broken promise to over 600 forested counties across 
this country.
  Surely you remember the frantic search last month for James Kim and 
his family in the Federal forests of southern Oregon. Josephine County 
relied on critical emergency resources in this heart-breaking effort. 
Ninety percent of the county's search and rescue budget has been funded 
by this Federal program, which this Congress has not reauthorized. 
Likewise, the county utilizes an emergency phone notification system to 
alert homeowners to disasters and emergencies. They used it during the 
search for the Kim family.
  Sixty-five percent of Josephine County's land base is Federal. When 
disaster strikes, quick information response is literally a matter of 
life and death. Failure to reauthorize this program means these county 
services may not be funded and may not be available.
  As Josephine County Commissioner Dave Toler said, the loss of this 
program ``is about more than numbers. Its loss will change our lives 
for many more years to come.''
  My colleagues, it is high time for Congress to reauthorize this 
legislation.

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