Bruce F. Vento: “I came over here to oppose this bill initially, and I am now met with the fact that the chairman and ranking member have…”

“I came over here to oppose this bill initially, and I am now met with the fact that the chairman and ranking member have come to an agreement that has been difficult to achieve concerning this issue. I commend them, and I intend to support that agreement because of the confidence I have in both of my colleagues and the staff who are engaged in this issue with me. I must say I am somewhat uneasy with it. I am uneasy, Mr. Chairman, because it is implied that somehow the National Forest Service or some of our other land management planning agencies, the Park Service, BLM and the Fish and Wildlife Service, really did not have the information they need or did not have the know-how; and the fact is that these land management agencies are revered around the world for their knowledge with regards to the cutting edge understanding land management and the ability to manage the national forests, our temperate rain forests, our arboreal forests, the NFS is at the cutting edge of this particular study and application on the ground. We ought to look at what has happened to the ability of the Forest Service and other land management agencies to develop the type of rapport that we need with local communities. I believe what has happened, as we examine the record, is that there have been significant reductions in professional staff throughout the 1980's and into the 1990's.”