US Senate Suspends Oregon Wilderness Hearing

By Rob Manning | March 24, 2010 6:47 p.m. | Updated: June 16, 2010 11:56 p.m. | Portland, OR

Advocates for a proposed new wilderness area in central Oregon are shaking their heads over the abrupt cancellation of a hearing on Capitol Hill.  One Oregonian flew all the way out to DC, only to fly back, without testifying on the wilderness bill. Republican senators shut down the public lands sub-committee meetings, among others, to force votes on health care issues. Brent Fenty with the Oregon Natural Desert Association said the two proposed wilderness areas are not related to the health care debate. Fenty said he feels particularly bad for the leader of a young Christian organization who returned from D.C. Wednesday.“You have someone who takes time out of their busy week, that was invited back by the Senate to provide testimony on a bill, and only to have the hearing canceled at the last minute, and turn right back around and get on a plane and come back to Oregon. Of course those folks are paying their own way," he said.Fenty said the bill has bipartisan support, but that it appears to be a victim of the political debate over health care.

© 2010 OPB

Share this article

Discuss

blog comments powered by Disqus

Become a sponsor