[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 8145-8146]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               STOP HOLDING THE VOTE ON H.R. 3058 HOSTAGE

  (Mr. WALDEN of Oregon asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

[[Page 8146]]


  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, by refusing to renew the county 
payments program, Congress has broken its pledge to rural areas all 
across this country like Lake County, Oregon, where Federal land covers 
61 percent of the county.
  Lake County has had to cut its road department from 42 people to 14, 
the equipment is aging and overworked, it needs maintenance on the 
roads that's being deferred. In this winter's record snowfall, or near-
record, Lake County had to call in the Oregon Air National Guard to 
come in and help plow the streets so the safety vehicles could get 
through this county that's larger than the States of Connecticut and 
Delaware combined. Now they will be forced to let paved roads revert to 
gravel.
  H.R. 3058 would solve this problem and would help keep the roads open 
in Lake County and schools open throughout the west. Yet H.R. 3058 is 
still held hostage on the Union Calendar. It's been approved by the 
committees of this House. It has been held hostage since January 15. 
This is day 114.
  All we're asking is that the majority schedule it for a vote on this 
House floor. Let us vote on secure rural schools and roads just to 
vote. That's all. Let's keep the commitment of the Federal Government 
for 100 years to these rural communities where Federal land makes up 
the bulk of their counties.
  I call on the Democrat leadership, day 114 held hostage, H.R. 3058, 
bring it up for a vote.

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