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The U.S. Senate began debate this morning on an amendment that would add the five-year extension of the timber safety net to an emergency spending bill.
The bill was formally introduced Tuesday by Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden. It would provide $5 billion in funding to continue the county payments program, which expired at the end of September, for another five years.
“Without this amendment, there is a real possibility that small counties in the West will fall off a cliff into the Pacific Ocean,” Wyden, D-Portland, told his colleagues from the floor of the Senate Tuesday.
Oregon counties, including Douglas County, which received about $53 million from the safety net this fiscal year, would receive the same level of funding in the first year.
A 10 percent cut would be instituted in the second through fourth years for counties in Oregon, California and Washington, the three states that receive the most money from the program. The difference would be divided among the other 36 states that participate in the safety net.
Early on this morning, the debate centered upon Wyden’s amendment and a competing amendment offered by Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C. A vote on both amendments was expected later today.
The Burr amendment would mandate that a portion of the safety net money provided to counties be used for education. If approved, Burr’s amendment would funnel $425 million to education.
Wyden argued against Burr’s amendment, calling it a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Wyden said counties should be given the flexibility to spend the money from the safety net extension as their local officials see fit.
Without continuation of the safety net, Josephine County faces the possibility of calling in the Oregon National Guard to help with law enforcement shortages that will be caused by having to lay off sheriff’s deputies, Wyden said. Curry County is facing possible bankruptcy, while Coos County has already released some offenders from its jail in anticipation of losing safety net funding.
A larger emphasis on education — which Burr said could help lower the 32 percent high school dropout rate in North Carolina — would provide a great benefit to the country, Burr said. It would lower the number of people who get in trouble with the law and lessen the work for law enforcement officers, he said.
“If you solve the problems with education, you lessen the need for law enforcement,” Burr said.
Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, who with Wyden co-authored the 2000 safety net legislation, argued against the Burr amendment, saying it would remove discretion from local officials on how to spend the money.
“The senator’s point is that I’m taking away control from the local community. That’s absolutely right. I plead guilty,” Burr said.
North Carolina law already designates that the state’s share of safety net money, $1 million this year, goes to education.
“The (Wyden) amendment wouldn’t change that,” Wyden said.
Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., also sided with Wyden.
“I think it’s better to stick with the amendment that Sen. Wyden has crafted that gives discretion to local communities,” Bingaman said.
Burr told his colleagues he didn’t expect his amendment to pass. However, a rejection would be a blow for education, he said.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@newsreview.info.
The bill was formally introduced Tuesday by Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden. It would provide $5 billion in funding to continue the county payments program, which expired at the end of September, for another five years.
“Without this amendment, there is a real possibility that small counties in the West will fall off a cliff into the Pacific Ocean,” Wyden, D-Portland, told his colleagues from the floor of the Senate Tuesday.
Oregon counties, including Douglas County, which received about $53 million from the safety net this fiscal year, would receive the same level of funding in the first year.
A 10 percent cut would be instituted in the second through fourth years for counties in Oregon, California and Washington, the three states that receive the most money from the program. The difference would be divided among the other 36 states that participate in the safety net.
Early on this morning, the debate centered upon Wyden’s amendment and a competing amendment offered by Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C. A vote on both amendments was expected later today.
The Burr amendment would mandate that a portion of the safety net money provided to counties be used for education. If approved, Burr’s amendment would funnel $425 million to education.
Wyden argued against Burr’s amendment, calling it a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Wyden said counties should be given the flexibility to spend the money from the safety net extension as their local officials see fit.
Without continuation of the safety net, Josephine County faces the possibility of calling in the Oregon National Guard to help with law enforcement shortages that will be caused by having to lay off sheriff’s deputies, Wyden said. Curry County is facing possible bankruptcy, while Coos County has already released some offenders from its jail in anticipation of losing safety net funding.
A larger emphasis on education — which Burr said could help lower the 32 percent high school dropout rate in North Carolina — would provide a great benefit to the country, Burr said. It would lower the number of people who get in trouble with the law and lessen the work for law enforcement officers, he said.
“If you solve the problems with education, you lessen the need for law enforcement,” Burr said.
Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, who with Wyden co-authored the 2000 safety net legislation, argued against the Burr amendment, saying it would remove discretion from local officials on how to spend the money.
“The senator’s point is that I’m taking away control from the local community. That’s absolutely right. I plead guilty,” Burr said.
North Carolina law already designates that the state’s share of safety net money, $1 million this year, goes to education.
“The (Wyden) amendment wouldn’t change that,” Wyden said.
Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., also sided with Wyden.
“I think it’s better to stick with the amendment that Sen. Wyden has crafted that gives discretion to local communities,” Bingaman said.
Burr told his colleagues he didn’t expect his amendment to pass. However, a rejection would be a blow for education, he said.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@newsreview.info.
