I did not come to Washington to raise the electricity rates by as much as $40 per month as this plan would do.

It is no secret that those of us in the Northwest believe the Administration's proposal to drive up the cost of electricity in our region is not only misguided, but also will not achieve the intended goal of raising money for the treasury.

I did not come to Washington to raise the electricity rates by as much as $40 per month as this plan would do.

With the increasing demand for oil around the world and the rising costs in Oregon and throughout the nation, we must focus on the development of alternate energy sources, especially those that are clean, efficient and renewable.

As federal lawmakers, we have a responsibility to set a precedent for energy efficient practices.

Removing substantial fuel loads from our forests helps prevent catastrophic fire and better protects species, watersheds and neighboring communities that call them home.

Many individual growers now are growing organic fruit, and many are taking it upon themselves to market their own products to the public, as opposed to necessarily going through big processors, although, obviously, the bulk of the fruit still is dealt with that way.