U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, speaks on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023, during a town hall at Huber Auditorium on the Eastern Oregon University campus in La Grande. 

LA GRANDE — The likelihood of a government shutdown appears to be strong, according to U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz.

“I’m hoping there will not be a shutdown but I fear that this will not be the case,” Bentz said during a town hall at Eastern Oregon University’s Huber Auditorium in La Grande on Friday, Sept. 8.

A shutdown will be difficult to avoid because Republicans control the House of Representatives by only a 222-212 margin, and they need to pass 11 budget appropriations bills to avoid a government shutdown starting Oct. 1.

“It takes only five people to kill a bill. If five people say no, a bill can’t pass,” Bentz said.

The Republican from Ontario said that if only five Republicans vote against an appropriations bill, it will likely not get the 218 votes needed for passage since he believes none of the House Democrats will vote for any such bills.

The congressman said that getting appropriation bills passed will be difficult with such a small majority because many amendments are being sought for them by congressmen seeking to get more funding for projects. He said that at least one appropriations bill has at least 300 proposed amendments.

Bentz sounded a long-term alarm about the status of Social Security during the town hall.

The congressman said that more continues to be paid out by the government than is taken in by Social Security taxes.

Presently, the government is paying out about 20% more than it takes in, the difference being made up with money from a Social Security reserve fund that likely will be exhausted in 10 years.

“If something is not done, Social Security will be cut by 20% 10 years from now,” Bentz said.

The congressman stressed that he is not proposing Social Security cuts, but the issue needs to be discussed. However, he said, many in Congress are afraid to even bring the issue up because by merely mentioning it some will automatically assume they are proposing cuts.

Endangered Species Act

The Endangered Species Act was also discussed by Bentz at the town hall. The landmark legislation is marking its 50th anniversary this year and some are proposing that portions of it be strengthened.

While Bentz did not specify his opinion on whether or not it should be bolstered, he did say Northeastern Oregon has been hurt by it, a reference to the many lumber mills that have closed in the region to protect threatened or endangered species like the spotted owl.

Bentz noted the Endangered Species Act was revised in the late 1970s, a move he said was critical because of the negative impact it was having economically. He said that if not for those revisions “the economy would have ground to a halt.”

COVID-19 mandates

Bentz was also asked about COVID-19 and how he felt about the possible need for mandates in the future to head off any outbreaks.

“I am against mandates,” he said. “I can’t count how many times I have said this. I oppose mandates.”