February 26, 2007

The Oregon House of Representatives is moving very rapidly on important legislation this session. We will begin daily floor sessions next week, and we have already done some very good things for Oregonians.

I thought I'd take this opportunity to fill you in on what is happening in the House this week.

You can find a great deal of information about these bills online, and be sure to check out gavel-to-gavel coverage of floor sessions and committee hearings on the Oregon Channel.

I hope that Democrats and Republicans will come together and pass the Rainy Day Fund on the floor Tuesday. We need 40 votes to pass this one, which means it will need broad bipartisan support.

There are some differences between the two parties on the issue, but this bill will serve Oregon well in setting aside funds to stabilize our state finances. We think we've come to a good compromise that will allow House members from both parties to give this legislation a big thumbs up.

It will protect core programs during economic downturns. It will enhance our bond rating - which thrills Wall Street and Oregon businesses. It will keep us from paying high interest rates on our state bonds so we can get more bang for the taxpayers' bucks.

We are proud to have the Oregon business community with us on this plan. Likewise, I'm looking forward to future discussions with House Republicans and Democrats a plan to write the Rainy Day Fund into the Oregon Constitution so it will continue to protect our economy for generations to come.

This Thursday the House is scheduled to take up legislation that will jumpstart Oregon's biofuels industry.

We're calling this bill the Renew Oregon Plan and it will bridge the gap between urban and rural Oregon through job creation and economic development. The biofuels industry is in its infancy. By staking our claim in this new technological frontier, we will boost our reputation nationally and our economy locally.

Oregon is well positioned to become a national leader by capitalizing on both the economic and environmental benefits of alternative fuel sources. And we will play a leading role in strengthening U.S. national security by reducing dependence on foreign oil.

Renew Oregon will also guarantee Oregon a competitive advantage in the biofuels market. Without it, we will continue to be eclipsed by California, Washington and other states who have already taken leadership roles on this issue.

Oregon will be a leader in the biofuels industry, and on Thursday we will take the first step toward reaching that goal.

One final note: Senate President Peter Courtney and I spoke to the Portland City Club last week on a range of issues that will come before the legislature this session.

You can listen to the speech online, and you can watch it on television in the Portland Metro Area.

Jeff Merkley
Speaker of the House
Oregon House of Representatives