Central Oregonian

Sen. Merkley hosts Prineville town hall

February 18, 2013

U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) met with a crowd of about 60 local residents on Monday morning to discuss a variety of issues that currently face the nation.

He launched the town hall at Crook County High School by referencing the state of the economy and the need to improve federal budgeting practices and create more jobs.

Merkley then devoted the rest of the hour taking questions and comments from citizens, drawing tickets assigned to members of the audience. The questions addressed an array of topics from military spending and the Keystone Pipeline to how he would improve mental health and address gun control.

With regards to firearm legislation, the senator stated that he will apply two tests to any gun control bill. First, he will ask if the law is consistent with the Second Amendment, and secondly, will the legislation make a real difference in gun violence.

One audience member asked him about the status of a bill that addresses Bowman Dam and water allocation in Prineville Reservoir. Merkley said that he and U.S. Representative Greg Walden (R-Ore.) are working together to create legislation that will pass Congress and satisfy the concerns of Crook County as well as conservationists and people who use the reservoir for recreation.

A full story on the town hall will appear in the Friday, Feb. 22 print edition of the Central Oregonian.