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Table of ContentsIce Age Floods Institute Newsletters Top News Stories Archived News Stories Oregon Legislature Requests Congress to Establish Ice Age Floods National Geologic TrailThe 74th Oregon Legislature passed House Joint Memorial 6 (HJM6), sponsored by Representative Scott Bruun R-37, requesting that the Congress of the United States support the establishment of the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail. The resolution will be sent to the President of the United States, to the Senate Majority Leader, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each member of the Oregon Congressional Delegation. In 2005, Washington State passed a similar bill, Senate Joint Memorial 8000 during the 109th Congress in support of the establishment of the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail. Different versions of the U.S. House and Senate bills passed in 2006, however a compromise bill did not materialize and the legislation expired in January 2007. "Now that we have the State of Oregon on record as supporting the establishment of the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, we have a good shot at seeing the Ice Age Floods legislation pass during the current Congress", said Mark Buser of IAFI. All five of Oregon’s Representatives are co-sponsors of reintroduced House bill H.R.450 and both Senators are signed onto Senate bill S.268. The Senate Committee for Energy and Natural Resources recently sent S.268 to the floor of the Senate where it is awaiting a vote. The House bill is awaiting a hearing in the Committee for Natural Resources. TRAIL BILLS IN CONGRESS HAVE THE DECLARED SUPPORT OF NEARLY ALL OF THE REGION’S SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES[Information updated 4/16/08]In January 2007 Congressman Doc Hastings and Senator Maria Cantwell introduced
identical bills in their respective houses calling for designation of an Ice
Age Floods National Geologic Trail. The bills are HR 450 and S 268 (now a part of S 2180) and
full information about the bills can be accessed at http://thomas.loc.gov/. The text of
the bills is also available for download in PDF from our website: Text of House and
Senate Trail Bills, January 31, 2007.
During the previous 109th Congress, the houses passed different versions of Trail designation
legislation, but were unable to reconcile the differences before the term of
that Congress ended in December 2006. In the current 110th Congress,
there is even stronger interest and support, and we are closer to the goal than ever before.
Together, the Congressional delegations of
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana total 25 Senators and
Representatives, and so far all but four are on record as sponsoring the Trail
bills. Montanans should urge Senator Baucus to sign on, and
Representatives Sali (ID), Smith (WA) and Larsen (WA)
should hear from their constituents.
Senator Max Baucus (MT): http://baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm?subj=issue Representative Bill Sali (ID): http://sali.house.gov/zipauth.aspx
Representative Adam Smith (WA): http://www.house.gov/adamsmith/IMA/email.shtml Representative Rick Larsen (WA): http://www.house.gov/larsen/IMA/issue_subscribe.htm The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved the
bill on 1/31/07, but it has not yet been scheduled for consideration on the
floor. For the next step in action on the House bill, please fax the House
committee and urge it to hold a subcommittee hearing and approve its bill. Chairman Rick J. Rahall II
Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] - 1/12/2007
Sen Craig, Larry E. [ID] - 1/11/2007 |
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