Press Releases
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Electricity generated by water is clean, renewable, highly reliable, and once built, extremely cost-effective. In the United States, there are 181 federal hydroelectric projects, and 2,221 non-federal hydroelectric projects. These non-federal hydro-projects generate about 55 gigawatts of reliable power (enough electricity for 40-50 million people). Non-federal hydro-projects are subject to the Federal Power Act and must be issued a license by the federal government to operate. These licenses must be renewed every 30-50 years.
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Congress, last July, included, in the “Working Families Tax Cut Act” (WFTC), fifty billion dollars for “Rural Health Care Transformation”. This fifty billion dollar sum will be distributed over a five year period, to the states, beginning this year. The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is responsible for determining the means of distribution. Oregon’s 2026 share, $197 million dollars, has just been allocated by the OHA for ultimate use by rural healthcare providers.
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congressman Cliff Bentz (OR-02) introduced legislation to grant Crook County, Oregon, a permanent right of way for the construction of a new public access road in Juniper Canyon and convey four Bureau of Land Management parcels to the County for the establishment and maintenance of “fire safe zones”.
WASHINGTON, D.C. --Today, Congressman Cliff Bentz (OR-02) voted YES for the Fiscal Year 2027 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, legislation that includes $80 million for the construction of an Academic Training Center at Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base in Klamath Falls. The bill now passes over to the Senate.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Cliff Bentz (OR-O2) announced that Yi-jia, Lu (Lyra Lu), a junior attending Burns High School, has been selected as the winner of OR-02’s 2026 Congressional Art Competition out of a record number of amazing submissions.
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Last Thursday, the House passed the Farm Bill, H.R. 7567, the “Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026”. This bill helps secure America’s food supply, provides a safety net for farming operations in the form of crop insurance and commodity programs, and funds nutrition initiatives like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). The bill helps farmers stay in business when weather, markets, supply chains, and other hazards threaten to drive them out of business.
WASHINGTON, D.C -- Today, the House Natural Resources Committee heard H.R. 8259, the Federal Water Projects Consultation Improvement Act of 2026, sponsored by Congressman Cliff Bentz (OR-02). This bill would require an agency, during a consultation process under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), when requested to do so, to discuss and engage with water users who have water supply contracts under federal water projects.
CROOK COUNTY, OR – Today, U.S. Congressman Cliff Bentz’s Oregon office staff facilitated the visit of U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to Oregon’s Second Congressional District as part of her 50 State “Returning Education to the States” tour, with stops at Crook County High School and Crooked River Elementary School in Prineville.
WASHINGTON, D.C.–Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-OR) is pleased to announce that after working directly with Kingsley Field leadership, U.S. Air Force command, and the White House, the President’s 2027 budget includes an $80 million dollar line item for the construction of a new F-35 Formal Training Unit (FTU) for the Academic Training Center to be established at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Oregon.