OCCUPATION: Businessman, Farmer/Rancher

OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND: Member of Congress, U.S. House of Representatives, 2nd District of Oregon; Oregon State Senator, District 28; CEO, Rose Laboratories, Inc.; Vice-President, Viratek; Director of Drug Regulatory Affairs, ICN Pharmaceuticals; U.S. Army, Special Forces; Veteran, Korean Conflict; Military Specialty of Demolition Specialist (MOS33533 - prefix "3" indicates completion of Special Combat Training).

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: A.A. El Camino College; B.S. University of Southern California

PRIOR GOVERNMENTAL EXPERIENCE: U.S. House of Representatives; Oregon State Senate; U.S. Army: Company L, 63rd Infantry; Basic Airborne, Fort Benning, GA; 25th Special Forces Operation Detachment; 10th Special Forces Group; HQ & HQ Company, Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, NC.

Family: Wes Cooley and his wife, Rosemary, have four children and ten grandchildren. Wes's father, Harold Cooley, is a lifelong resident of Oregon and now resides near Grants Pass.

As a former Congressman of the 2nd District of Oregon, former State Senator of District 28, former President of the Deschutes County Farm Bureau and former Board Member of Water for Life, Wes Cooley has become painfully aware of the needs of the 2nd Congressional District.

Wes Cooley is an active businessman, cattle rancher, farmer and timberland owner. As a defender of the Second Amendment, he is a lifetime member of the NRA. Wes Cooley has experienced the over-regulation and abusive power of big government first hand. Wes Cooley knows and understands the needs of the people of the 2nd District of Oregon.

"I, Wes Cooley, am mindful of just how important my words in this pamphlet really are. Inappropriately, I inserted one little word here last time which had a monumental impact on my family, friends and many of you - inappropriate because I could not substantiate the claim. I am truly sorry for creating such a stir.

When you sent me to Washington in 1994, you asked me to fight waste, fraud and abuse. You asked me to defend ranching, farming, mining, timber and small business and to stand firm for family values and against the forces who desire to alter the meaning of family. I did that!

Face to face I bucked the establishment. I fought for your needs and for the future of your children.

My voting record stands. I represented the people of my district as they wanted me to and got legislation passed that others before me only dreamed about.

You know that I will continue the good work I began in my first term. I am proud of my voting record and promise, when I get back to Washington, to work even harder. Wholeheartedly, I am committed to the all-American, pro-family, pro-business, pro-constitutional causes I have championed for years. That will never change. I hope that you will vote for Wes Cooley again. I have learned a great deal, and I have the experience to do an even better job now.

I leave it to you!"

HIGHLIGHTS OF WES COOLEY'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS A FIRST-TERM CONGRESSMAN

Because natural resources are at the core of Oregon's economy, much of former Representative Cooley's work centered around fighting the Department of Interior to fend off assaults against our most precious assets.

• Wes Cooley introduced legislation to protect ranchers - the Public Rangelands Management Act [H.R. 1713] in an effort to protect ranchers.
• Wes Cooley enacted public law known as the Timber Salvage Act, making more than 6 billion board feet of timber available to Oregon's timber industry [PL104-19].
• Wes Cooley introduced Endangered Species Reform to include people, property rights and verifiable science [H.R. 2275].
• Wes Cooley sought extensions for grazing permits for our cattle ranchers.
• Wes Cooley worked hard to keep the Hells Canyon National Recreation area open to motorized boats [H.R. 2568] while respecting the balance of shared use with non-motorized boats on the Snake River. He also worked to keep the rim road accessible [H.R. 2693].
• Wes Cooley worked to keep Eastern Oregon's landfills active by extending EPA exemptions for small, dry, remote landfills [H.R. 1696] [H.R. 2036].
• Wes Cooley battled for property rights, demanding fair compensation for loss of value caused by government regulations [H.R. 9] [H.R. 925]. Wes Cooley was the only member of the Oregon delegation to the 104th Congress to receive a 100% rating on the Private Property Rights Index compiled by the League of Private Property Voters.
• Wes Cooley worked to protect farmers' water rights [H.R. 2392].
• Wes Cooley, together with Jim Bunn, brought $63 million to Oregon for health care.
• Wes Cooley supported increases in earnings limits for seniors, winning him the "senior friendly" award from the 60 Plus Association.
• Wes Cooley received the "Taxpayers' Friend Award" from the National Taxpayers Union and was named a "Taxpayers' Hero" by Citizens Against Government Waste.