[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 7, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H1276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CONGRESSIONAL INACTION JEOPARDIZES WALLOWA COUNTY ROADS, RESCUE 
                           SERVICES AND PILT

  (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 Communities Self-Determination 
Act amounts to another breach of faith to more than 600 forested 
counties and 4,400 school districts across our great country.
  For Wallowa County, Oregon, this means the road department and the 
sheriff search and rescue budgets will be slashed in half. There are 
more than 700 miles of roads in Wallowa County maintained by a current 
staff of 14. Soon only seven will try and keep up with this 
responsibility; that is one person for every 100 miles of road in 
Wallowa County. That is the same distance as between Washington, DC, 
and Richmond, Virginia. County Commissioner Mike Hayward says, ``Impact 
to our roads and rescue services will put our citizens and visitors at 
risk.''
  Loss of the county payments program will also have a significant 
negative impact on more than 18 county governments across America whose 
Payment in Lieu of Taxes funds could be reduced by as much as 20 
percent.
  This Congress must keep the Federal Government's word to the people 
who live in timbered communities and pass H.R. 17. Time is running out 
for them.

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