[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 26 (Monday, February 12, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H1449]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRESSIONAL INACTION JEOPARDIZES ILLEGAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT IN WHEELER 
                                 COUNTY

  (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, Congress still has not passed the 
Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act 
reauthorization. So what does that mean? For Wheeler County, Oregon, it 
means the sheriff's department will lay off a quarter of their 
workforce. Now, the force is only four deputies, four deputies 
including the sheriff, but they are responsible for patrolling 1,833 
square miles. That is an area 30 times the size of the District of 
Columbia.
  Last year, a deputy found 6,000 marijuana plants worth over $19 
million spread over a quarter of a mile of Federal land. This operation 
was financed by Mexican drug cartels and cultivated by illegal aliens.
  When my office inquired further, we found out that the deputy of 
Wheeler County who was out patrolling was doing so on horseback on your 
Federal lands. That is where he is protecting America from drug cartels 
and those that push this on our kids.
  The sheriff says, ``Cutting these funds will increase criminal 
activity on our Federal lands.''
  The county judge says, ``County payments has been our savior.'' And 
this Congress, this Congress and the last one, have failed to 
reauthorize county payments.
  It is time you pass H.R. 17.

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