Carolyn B. Maloney: “I rise in support of the amendment offered by my colleague, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Bryant]. It is a tragic irony…”

“I rise in support of the amendment offered by my colleague, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Bryant]. It is a tragic irony that all American taxpayers are asked by our Government to pay for the destruction of national forests that are our common heritage. The logging that takes place in these forests not only costs Americans money, but significantly and irrevocably damages these pristine lands that enhance everyone's life--from Manhattan, NY to Manhattan, MT. The benefit of this taxpayer subsidized logging goes only to a few multinational corporations who fire their local workers as soon as every possible tree has been harvested. It is just plain wrong, Mr. Chairman. These untouched forests are the last refuge of much of the wildlife in the continental United States: grizzly bear, bald eagles, wolves, all depend upon the forests that will soon be opened to the timber industry. The only economic incentive that there is to log these beautiful forests is provided by the American taxpayer, who will spend millions of dollars to build the roads and manage the land for the benefit of these few corporations.”