By ELON GLUCKLICH 

H&N Staff Reporter

July 28, 2010

   The U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday approved a $60 billion war-funding bill, which includes a $10 million earmark to support land idling in the Klamath Basin. The House   voted 308-114 in favor of the bill. The Senate voted in favor of the bill in May.

   “This is certainly good news,” said Andrew Whelan, press secretary for Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore. The bill had been stalled for two months, as several Democratic legislators said they   would not vote to fund a war they say cannot be won.

   But Tuesday’s passage means the funding could soon be on its way. The bill comes on top of millions already allocated to address drought conditions in the Klamath Basin this year.     

   Whelan said he expected the president to sign the bill into law “very soon.”

   Much of that money is slated to finance land idling, in which farmers are paid to leave portions of their land dry.

   Whelan said the drought funding was the product of discussion between Walden and Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both D-Ore.

   Wyden and Merkley introduced the spending ear- mark in the Senate, though Wyden voted against the overall bill because it goes toward funding the war.  

   Walden offered support by reaching out to Senate Republicans to convince them the money was needed.

   Bipartisan effort

   “He explained how important this money is to Oregon,” Whelan said of Walden’s outreach to senators, an unorthodox tactic for a member of the House of Representatives.

   “The inclusion of this important money for the farmers and ranchers in the Klamath Basin was a bipartisan effort,” Whelan said. “It’s some good news in one of the most challenging water years (for the region).”