71st OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2001 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
 LC 2855
 
                     House Joint Memorial 15
 
Sponsored by Representative KNOPP; Representatives BROWN, BUTLER,
  CLOSE, DOYLE, HILL, KROPF, KRUSE, MORGAN, G SMITH, T SMITH,
  STARR, C WALKER, WESTLUND, WILSON, WITT
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
 
  Urges Congress to abolish Northwest Forest Pass portion of
Recreational Fee Demonstration Program.
 
                         JOINT MEMORIAL
To the President of the United States and the Senate and the
  House of Representatives of the United States of America, in
  Congress assembled:
  We, your memorialists, the Seventy-first Legislative Assembly
of the State of Oregon, in legislative session assembled,
respectfully represent as follows:
  Whereas in 1996, Congress passed the Omnibus Appropriations Act
of 1996 that included a rider creating the Recreational Fee
Demonstration Program; and
  Whereas the Recreational Fee Demonstration Program requires
citizens of Oregon to pay a fee for a Northwest Forest Pass to
park in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, the
Deschutes National Forest, the Fremont National Forest, the
Malheur National Forest, the Mt. Hood National Forest, the Ochoco
National Forest, the Rogue River National Forest, the Siskiyou
National Forest, the Siuslaw National Forest, the Umatilla
National Forest, the Umpqua National Forest, the Wallowa-Whitman
National Forest, the Willamette National Forest and the Winema
National Forest; and
  Whereas citizens of Oregon already pay federal income taxes
that should adequately fund the operation and maintenance of
national forests; and
  Whereas the citizens of Oregon should not be required to pay a
fee for a Northwest Forest Pass to augment the budget of the
United States Forest Service in light of congressional cuts of
that same budget; and
  Whereas the fee constitutes a regressive tax that bears no
relation to the actual costs of recreation, including hiking,
wildlife observation or picnicking; and
  Whereas fees associated with the Northwest Forest Pass deny
limited-income citizens access to public lands and inhibit
volunteerism and stewardship of public lands; and
  Whereas fees are even required to gain access to areas that are
unimproved and undeveloped; now, therefore,
 
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon:
  (1) The Congress of the United States is respectfully urged to
abolish the Northwest Forest Pass portion of the Recreational Fee
Demonstration Program and permit the citizens of Oregon to enjoy
the national forests in the state without payment of a fee.
  (2) A copy of this memorial shall be sent to the President of
the United States, the Senate Majority Leader and the Speaker of
the House of Representatives and to each member of the Oregon
Congressional Delegation.
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