Oregon's US Senator Ron Wyden (D) conducted his 1,083rd Town Hall, fulling his commitment to hold on-site public engagements in all 36 counties, annually.
Last Tuesday’s Town Hall at the Gold Beach High Gymnasium was part of the senator’s southwest swing from Josephine, Curry, Coos and Douglas counties.
The audience of about 40 was offered numbered tickets and when called upon, spoke with Wyden on a cross section of various issues important to Curry County constituents.
Off-Shore Wind Development dominated the dialogue between constituents and Sen. Wyden. Other subjects addressed included complaints with the Post Office, the Federal minimum wage, Medicare confusion, The challenging condition of Highway 101, assistance with the vexing condition of funding Social Security and the need for billionaires to pay more taxes.
• Wyden was reluctant to articulate a position of off-shore wind power. “ This isn’t an either-or question. I won’t pit fishing families against the environment. I urge each of you to weigh in before any substantial development decisions are made by voicing your views to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on proposed leases by deadlines rapidly approaching. Wyden admonished federal officials “ to do better” when it comes to acting on Oregonians’ concerns on considering alternate sites for wind energy options.
CEO / General Manager of Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative Brent Bischoff shared his energy concerns when he addressed the Senator, “ Blackouts are inevitable if government does not relax onerous carbon footprint regulations.” The Senator asked Bischoff for his common sense recommendations. Bischoff responded, “ America has extensive Natural Gas reserves and Nuclear Power small generators are common sense alternatives.” The Coos-Curry Electric CEO encouraged Sen. Wyden to explore natural gas and nuclear options, expediently. Wyden tipped his hat and commended Coos-Curry Electric for its excellent operations.
• When asked about the not-so-secure Border, Wyden said he’s voted twice this year to support the Senate’s consideration of immigration and border policy reform, but blamed Republicans for blocking that important debate twice, after what Wyden said was an agreed upon bipartisan border deal. Wyden touted his support of more than $166 billion to invest in more officers, better technology and equipment and physical barriers.
• Wyden announced along with Washington Representative Kim Schrier (D-Washington) reintroducing the bi-partisan National Prescribed Fire Act of 2024. 2022 legislation was critical in supporting pre-fire season prescribed burns as an essential science-based strategy to save lives and property. The Act for 2024 would invest in hazardous fuels management to reduce the risk of blistering infernos by increasing the pace and scale of prescribed burns, during cooler, wetter months.
Senator Alex Padilla (D-California) and Representative David Valadao (R-California) joined Wyden in introducing the legislation, May 23.
A subject not broached upon was the growing movement by 13 disgruntled counties in the Beaver state and seeking to join the Gem state, neighboring Idaho, as part of a Greater Idaho movement. Those counties hold more than 50 percent of the landmass but just nine per cent of the State’s population. Wyden was circumspect in expressing his opposition to losing a huge swath of Oregon. “I want to hear from all parts of Oregon and unite us as a state; that’s why I visit every country in Oregon. Wyden wrote the Secure Rural Schools legislation that has brought upwards of $4 billion to largely rural Oregon, multiple bills to fight wildfires and advocate successfully for record amounts of investment in rural broadband.”
Wyden underscores his promise to continue to engage with the public in each and every Oregon county.
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