Saxby Chambliss: “The forestry industry is important to the State of Georgia. Let's take a look at the facts: Georgia's total land area…”

“The forestry industry is important to the State of Georgia. Let's take a look at the facts: Georgia's total land area covers 36.8 million acres of which 66 percent of that is forested; my home State has the sixth largest percentage of forested lands in the country which is twice the national average; and, commercial forest land in Georgia covers approximately 23.8 million acres, more than any other state. Georgia's forest industry generates 177,000 jobs where employees directly or indirectly work in industries supporting forest products manufacturing. This is why I sponsored a resolution in the House of Representatives in 2001 that highlighted the problems associated with the importation of unfairly subsidized Canadian lumber and urged the administration to vigorously enforce U.S. trade laws with regard to the importation of Canadian lumber. One of my highest priorities has been to see this trade issue resolved and limit the injuries caused to the U.S. timber and lumber industries by the importation of unfairly traded lumber. Today, Georgia's forestry industry is in serious jeopardy.”