WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives today defeated a plan to stop the growing of onions, potatoes and alfalfa on the Klamath Wildlife Refuges. Second District Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR) led the effort to defeat an amendment by Oregon Third District Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) that would have prevented the Department of the Interior from issuing leases that allow the growing of alfalfa and row crops on the Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges. Those crops are already limited to no more than 25 percent of the refuges under federal law.

Walden was joined in his opposition by Oregon Democrats Peter DeFazio, David Wu and Darlene Hooley. California Congressmen Wally Herger (R-CA) and John Doolittle (R-CA), who represent portions of the Klamath Basin, also spoke out against the amendment on the floor during the debate. The full House voted down the Blumenauer amendment by a vote of 228 to 197.

"The amendment would have hurt family farmers in the Klamath Basin who have already suffered enough and would have had little, if any, benefit to the refuges," said Walden. "In fact, some of the crops the amendment would have prohibited consume less water than those it would have required to be grown. What we need is a comprehensive solution to the problems in the Basin, not a rifle-shot approach. We need to move forward on fixing fish passage at Chiloquin Dam, improving habitat throughout the Basin and watersheds, working on further screening and more conservation-friendly forms of irrigation, among other efforts."

Walden continued, "I appreciate the fact that my other Oregon colleagues agreed that the Blumenauer amendment was the wrong approach to take and joined me in voting against it."

Dan Keppen, Executive Director of the Klamath Water Users Association, praised Walden and California Congressmen Doolittle and Herger.

"Greg Walden, John Doolittle and Wally Herger have once again provided the leadership to defeat this harmful amendment for the second straight year," said Keppen. "Narrowly focused legislation like the Blumenauer amendment does nothing but add to the conflict of the Klamath River watershed. Sticking growers with a penalty that is also harsh to the local community – but otherwise, purely symbolic – makes no sense whatsoever."

Blumenauer’s amendment was backed by a number of environmental groups, including the Sierra Club and the World Wildlife Fund, that have taken part in the effort to restrict agriculture across the Klamath Basin. His amendment was opposed by a number of agriculture advocacy organizations, including the Oregon Farm Bureau, the California Farm Bureau, the American Farm Bureau, the Oregon Wheat Growers League, the Oregon Potato Commission, the Oregon Cattleman Association, Oregonians for Food and Shelter, and the Klamath Water Users Association.

Blumenauer’s amendment was defeated by a larger margin than last year, when the Portland lawmaker first attempted to limit Klamath Basin agriculture. In 2002, Walden also led the opposition to the measure, which was defeated by a bipartisan vote of 223 to 201.

Congressman Walden represents the 2^nd District of Oregon, which includes 20 counties in southern, central and eastern Oregon. He is a Deputy Whip and a member of both the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Resources.