On the recordMay 17, 2018
I commend the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Herrera Beutler) for her leadership on this issue. Mr. Chairman, the amendment that is at the desk directs a portion of revenue from stewardship contracting toward individual counties for further investment in roads, schools, and the like. This amendment has no effect on in-kind contributions or exchanges of timber for goods or services provided. This amendment only affects the rare instance where stewardship contracts are exchanged for cash. Per the 1908 Forest Service revenue-sharing law, counties are entitled to 25 percent of all timber receipts sold from Federal lands within their borders. This amendment simply ensures that if it looks like a timber sale, where timber is exchanged for cash, counties receive the same share they would if the Forest Service had sold the timber outright. The argument that this amendment siphons off money from the Forest Service is false. This amendment does not affect or reduce the reinvestment from in-kind contributions. Furthermore, little investment can be made in our Nation's forest at all if there are no local communities to cultivate the investment. This amendment ensures that counties can continue to invest in their forests and their children's future, both by protecting the good work of stewardship contracting and by ensuring that our rural counties get their fair share. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support a fair share for rural communities.
