Nick Rahall: “This legislation includes legislation earlier passed by this House, H.R. 247, endorsed by all the members of the Oregon…”

“This legislation includes legislation earlier passed by this House, H.R. 247, endorsed by all the members of the Oregon delegation, to recognize the Jim Weaver Trail. In 1964, the original Wilderness Act put a lot of high elevation Oregon into wilderness, but it left out our precious forests and our old growth. Ten years later, Oregon's most persistent champion of wilderness, Jim Weaver, was elected to the United States Congress. Despite the fact that he represented the largest public timber-producing district in the country, Jim engaged in a battle over the next 10 years to set aside some of Oregon's most beautiful forests for future generations. He engaged in the first fights to preserve old growth, fights which are continuing to this day. The Forest Service originally recommended 370,000 acres for wilderness designation in Oregon. Jim upped the ante a little bit to 1.2 million. He had very, very tough and difficult negotiations with the Senate, and in the end he and Senator Hatfield were able to settle on 861,500 acres, not everything Jim wanted, but a tremendous legacy for our future. At the very last minute, Jim got Grassy Knob added and Monument Rock protected. And then one of the toughest things that he had to do, he was asked by Senator Hatfield did he want Hardesty Mountain or did he want Waldo. Jim chose Waldo.”