[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 1251]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO MAKE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WHOLE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, the armed occupation by out-of-State 
invaders in eastern Oregon is now in its second month. There has 
already been violence, loss of life, damage to Federal property, and 
the total disruption of this small, quiet community in far eastern 
Oregon.
  From this unfortunate and unnecessary spectacle, there are some 
lessons and conclusions to be drawn:
  First and foremost, it must be made clear that the armed takeover of 
government or of private facilities for grievances real or imagined is 
absolutely unacceptable and won't be tolerated;
  Second, while it is easy to be an armchair quarterback and second-
guess the authorities, I think it is clear that a firmer response to 
the earlier Bundy law breaking in Nevada--owing the Federal Government 
over $1 million and resisting Federal authorities at gunpoint--might 
have prevented or at least not encouraged this latest outrage, which 
includes some of his family members coming to Oregon from Nevada;
  This is a call to action for Americans who treasure our public 
spaces--our parks, our forests, our rangelands, our marine sanctuaries. 
These are treasures that belong to all Americans, and it is important 
for us to understand what we have and to understand what is at stake 
for forces that would threaten our heritage;
  If America somehow decides to give up these treasures, as some 
demand, special consideration would not be given to the rich--putting 
it up for the highest bidder--or for people who just happen to be in 
the proximity. Special consideration should be given to the Native 
Americans, who ought to be first in line, who have been systematically 
shortchanged by the Federal Government, which has denied them their 
treaty rights, systematically taking away land that was promised to 
them by treaties that were negotiated--presumably in good faith--
ratified by Congress, and signed by past Presidents;
  And it is not just enough to enforce the law. We should recover 
damages from lawbreakers who tear up the landscape, degrade wildlife 
habitat, and destroy property.
  I have introduced legislation that would allow the Federal 
Government--in fact, not allow, but require the Federal Government--to 
make payments to State and local governments that have had to incur 
significant costs because of threats to Federal property. H.R. 4431 
would reimburse State and local officials for these extraordinary costs 
incurred due to threats to Federal property.
  When we talk in trillions here in Washington, D.C., maybe talk of 
$100,000 here or $1 million there doesn't sound like very much.

                              {time}  1015

  To the State of Oregon it matters. And, for this tiny community, a 
few hundred thousand dollars has a significant impact on the local 
taxpayer and their services. They shouldn't be made to pay the bill.
  I'm also working with Congressman Thompson, to close a loophole that 
would not allow us to recover for damages to Federal facilities by 
these lawbreakers, this legislation would allow the Federal Government 
to go back to recover its costs from people who willfully inflict this 
damage.
  Let's act now, put this matter to rest, make the people in eastern 
Oregon whole, and discourage such reckless and dangerous behavior in 
the future.

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