Political Quotes

“I thank my colleague from Washington State for bringing this rule to the floor and addressing this issue. It is literally one of great importance in my district and in the West. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the underlying bill, the Manage our Wolves Act, because we need to clarify the management of wolves in Oregon and put us on a path to follow the locally State- written Oregon wolf plan. For years, Mr. Speaker, ranchers across my district have watched as wolf packs have grown. They harass cattle herds and they kill livestock and they are brutal. When you lose a heifer, you don't just lose one cow. You have lost 10 years' worth of calves that will never be born and that will never be able to be sold. Those that aren't killed are harassed, often losing weight and value. They are chased all over by the wolf packs. The cattle and sheep these ranchers raise are their livelihoods. Every day--sun, rain, or snow--they raise and care for these animals. When a first-time mom is struggling to feed a new calf, the rancher nurtures them, sometimes even literally bringing them into their own home next to the wood stove to warm them up and keep the calf alive in the winter. That care makes it all the harder to come upon a calf that has been torn apart by wolves. If you are of young age, or whatever, I would just give you a fair warning that this is a graphic picture of what happens when a wolf gets ahold of a calf.…”