Political Quotes

“the Pacific Northwest must have a search and rescue capability. The vast expanses of Federal land in our part of the country mean our citizens constantly face the risk of disasters and accidents, far from help. Local communities, many of them with tiny populations, do not have the resources to provide search and rescue services to the extraordinarily large surrounding wilderness areas. The amendment I offer this afternoon on behalf of myself and Senator Smith is a compromise. It would not have been our first choice. In an effort to work with our colleagues and appeal to our colleagues on a bipartisan basis, we offer this compromise to preserve a search and rescue capability in our region. Without this capability, the Pacific Northwest faces the certain loss of lives for disasters, fires, and accidents that are unique to our region. This amendment authorizes a total of $4.8 million to the Oregon National Guard to upgrade three Blackhawk helicopters of the National Oregon Guard to the capabilities of the UH-60Q search and rescue helicopters similar to upgrades in the past. It would increase the authorization for military personnel by $1.8 million to ensure the Oregon Guard can respond to emergencies that require rapid medical attention.”