[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 6675-6676]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             COUNTY TIMBER PAYMENTS: JACKSON COUNTY, OREGON

  (Mr. WALDEN of Oregon asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, more than a year ago I warned this 
Congress in a series of speeches how its failure to reauthorize and 
fund county timber payments would hurt the counties of Oregon's Second 
Congressional District, and that even a 1-year extension in last year's 
emergency supplemental, while helpful, was not enough to stave off 
dramatic impacts.
  Jackson County closed all of its libraries. Some of these libraries 
now have reopened, but with decreased operating hours at limited 
locations.
  During an already difficult economic time, the County has eliminated 
117 jobs in roads, parks, human services, public safety and planning. 
Real services have been cut.
  Meanwhile, the Natural Resources and Agriculture Committees have 
discharged H.R. 3058, which is a 4-year reauthorization of county 
timber payments. But the Democratic leadership

[[Page 6676]]

in this House has yet to schedule it for a vote. Why?
  Since January 15, this bill has been eligible for a vote on the House 
floor. The leadership has found time to name Post Offices and roads and 
many other things, but not to schedule this important legislation for a 
vote and keep the Federal Government's commitment to timbered counties.
  Today I, once again, call on the leadership to schedule a vote on 
H.R. 3058.

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