Oregon senators dismayed by short-term govt. funding fix

Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., expressed concerns Wednesday after the U.S. Senate passed a bill to avert a looming government shutdown by funding the government at current levels throughDec. 11.

Merkley noted the legislation also includes $700 million in emergency funding to help with the costs that were incurred by this year’s record wildfire season. It must still be passed by the House and signed into law by the president before Thursday:

“It’s good news that we are on track to avert a devastating shutdown,” Merkley said. “However, the fact is that we are only funding the government for 10 weeks — this is avoiding a self-inflicted catastrophe, not success.

“Congress must stop legislating from crisis to crisis. It’s time for our Republican colleagues to come to the table and negotiate a smart, long-term plan that invests in growing America’s economy and the middle class,” he said..

“It’s critical for Oregon that this legislation contains emergency funding to help manage the huge costs of fighting the devastating wildfires that hit the Northwest this year,” Merkley added.

“Without emergency funding, the Forest Service and other agencies would be forced to sustain massive cuts to operations that Oregonians rely on, from campground maintenance, to timber harvests, to the very thinning and fuel reduction programs that help prevent these out-of-control wildfires.

“While it’s a relief that we are moving closer to securing emergency funding for this year, a long-term fix is more important than ever. We must stop the vicious cycle of robbing fire prevention to pay for wildfires that are already burning, and start treating huge wildfires like the natural disasters they are,” Merkley said.

Wyden, meanwhile, praised his Senate colleagues for including $700 million in much-needed wildfire funding in the short-term bill to fund the government that the Senate is expected to pass this week, but stressed that Congress must do more:

“I am glad the Senate has appropriated emergency funding to refill the Forest Service prevention, recreation and forest management coffers that were drained to pay the escalating costs of putting out wildfires raging in Oregon and across the West,” Wyden said. “his short-term fix is an unfortunate necessity as once again, Congress has decided to govern by crisis.”

“Congress can and must do better,” Wyden said. “I intend to keep pushing for a bipartisan, long-term fix to provide funding for prevention funds, as well as wildfire suppression.

“Shortchanging the Forest Service’s funds is not just a problem for Western states – forest work in other states gets shortchanged when money is diverted to fighting wildfires in the West. It’s time to treat major wildfires like the natural disasters they are.”

Merkley and Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) took to the floor of the Senate Wednesday to invite colleagues to begin a conversation on how to restore the Senate’s capacity to effectively do the people’s business.

In their address, the senators highlighted how the current Senate procedures inhibit the Senate’s ability to pass legislation and have harmed the institution’s reputation as the “world’s greatest deliberative body.”

“In 2015, it’s become clear that the frustration with the broken Senate is a bipartisan, equal opportunity frustration,” said Merkley. “Democrats and Republicanstoday have something deeply in common – a common interest in fixing the broken Senate. We need to work together to restore the Senate, and I invite all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me and Sen. Udall in this dialogue.”

“I support any senator’s right to oppose bad legislation, but abusing the Senate rules has only served to hurt the American people,” Udall said. “We still need common-sense reforms, like a talking filibuster: if you want to filibuster, you should have to go to the floor and make your case.”

“Americans want a government that is fair, that is reasonable and that works. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made, but we still have a lot of work to do to ensure the Senate works for the American people again.I’ll keep pushing for these changes, no matter who is in the majority.”

The pair noted that senators of both parties have experienced near-universal frustration with the Senate’s operation over recent years, including frustrations for members of both the majority and the minority and under leadership of both parties.

They pointed out that with control of the presidency and the next Congress up in the air, the next year presents an open opportunity for senators to figure out a path to improving the institution without disadvantaging either political party.

The senators reiterated proposed solutions to make the Senate work better – such as making it easier to get onto bills, improving the amendment process, and requiring a talking filibuster – and also invited their colleagues to put forward new ideas and begin a bipartisan dialogue about how to make the Senate work better, regardless of politics.