The Nation - News from Nov. 18, 1986

President Reagan, pressed by Oregon GOP senators to overrule a Justice Department veto recommendation, signed a bill designating the Columbia River Gorge, which borders Washington state and Oregon, a national scenic area. Reagan voiced “grave doubts as to the constitutionality” of a key provision that he said could lead to undue federal intervention in land-use decisions. The provision permits a panel to veto condemnation actions taken by the federal government in connection with the administration of the gorge.