January 16, 2008
By KATHY GRAY
The Dalles Chronicle

About 60 people turned out for a town hall featuring U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-District 2, Saturday afternoon at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center in The Dalles.

Walden, who is seeking re-election in 2008, spoke about progress in Congress, including the recently passed energy bill, and heard about a variety of issues on the minds of local residents, including care for veterans, county payments and nuclear energy.

Walden spoke about local projects that have received federal funding with his support, including a National Guard center, the Brewery Grade intersection and the 9-1-1 center, as well as efforts to help local residents, including an attempt to get a railroad quiet zone at Rowena.

The energy bill took top billing in Walden’s local address.

“For the first time since 1975, Congress weighed in and told auto makers they have to increase the fuel efficiency of their vehicles,” Walden said.

He said the requirement doesn’t disadvantage U.S. auto makers toward imports.

The provision requires cars and trucks to get 35 miles per gallon by the year 2020, about eight miles more a gallon, Walden said. Predictions suggest that reduction in oil consumption will equate to about 2.2 million barrels of oil a day.

“That’s half — half — of what we import from the gulf,” Walden said. “It’s the equivalent of removing 28 million cars from the road.”

The bill also contains provisions for wave and geothermal energy research and development. Rep. Darlene Hooley, D-Ore., included the wave energy provision, while Walden added the geothermal provision.

Also included are provisions to increase production of renewable fuel, and to develop methods to produce that fuel from non-food-source materials.

“We know what biofuel is doing to corn prices, to feed costs and to food costs,” he said.

Walden also answered a question about nuclear energy, noting that people are once again talking about nuclear energy for the first time since Three Mile Island.

“You almost have to talk about it to reduce the carbon footprint.

‘‘I think nuclear power is down the road, along with new technology.”

He also talked about the renewable energy standards and the limitations on wind power’s ability to meet those standards as written in Oregon and Washington.

“There’s a limit to how much it can contribute, given the makeup of the grid.”

Walden touched briefly on the economy, noting that an economic stimulus package to counter the sub-prime lending crisis is expected within the week.

“Whatever it is, it shouldn’t be something that’s just a flash and gone,” Walden said. “It needs to be something that moves our economy forward.”

He also mentioned health care, only to note that it is time Americans evaluated the delivery of health care.

“We’ve got to reform health insurance in America so that people can have it, it can be affordable and portable,” he said.

On the subject of war in Iraq, Walden said he looked forward to the day the troops come home, but said steps had to be taken in a measured way.

“I think Gen. Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker have begun to turn things that will allow us to bring the troops home sooner,” he said.

Walden said he feels the present course is working, including the surge. Reports indicate that al-Qaida in Iraq has been rousted and that steps are being taken for reconciliation between the Sunnis and Shiites within the country. However, he said problems still exist in Iraq.

“But at some point that’s for the Iraqis to figure out,” he said. “We’ve given them the open space. Now it’s time for them to lead.”

Walden also mentioned the budget increase to help returning veterans — the largest single increase in veterans spending in the 77-year history of the Veterans Administration.

Audience members asked about other Mid-East hot spots, including Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran.

Walden spoke about the challenge of being allied with “the enemy of our enemy,” President Musharraf in Pakistan.

“I think he made a tactical mistake breaking away from the northern areas in trying to stop al-Qaida,” Walden said, adding that he has no inside knowledge about the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

Regarding Iran, he said, “The last thing we need is another armed conflict. We’ve used the resources of the military to the breaking point. Diplomacy is what has to happen. That ought to be our next surge.”

Asked about county payments in lieu of timber receipts, Walden offered only grim reports:

“The short-term prognosis is not good and the long-term prognosis is worse,” he said. “I have tried everything I know how in the legislative process to get it reauthorized.”

He said the issue doesn’t have enough support outside the western states.

He also spoke about the need to examine logging from a forest health point of view, and how a healthy forest should look. He said forest fire prevention coupled with the lack of harvest is creating an unhealthy forest situation.

Walden also spoke about the Mt. Hood wilderness bill. The House bill, engineered by Walden and U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer over three and a half years, passed the House by a unanimous voice vote. A more expansive wilderness bill in the Senate has passed out of the Senate committee, but has not come to the floor for a vote.