Political Quotes

“today I am introducing the Small Business Environmental Stewardship Assistance Act of 2010, a companion bill to the legislation introduced in the House by another member of the Oregon delegation, Congressman Schrader. I am pleased to launch this legislation in the Senate and am joined today by Senator Merkley from my home State, as well as Senators Stabenow, Specter, and Harkin. Trees provide numerous benefits to our communities--from cleaner air to energy efficiency to more beautiful city streets. But trees and green spaces are also good for business and good for green job creation. Beyond the most obvious benefits of trees, studies have shown that businesses thrive in green, attractive, pedestrian-oriented retail environments. And this legislation will help America's small businesses and communities plant trees and enhance those kinds of environments. As a Senator from Oregon--a State that grows many of the trees that beautify cities around our Nation, including some of the very trees that grace the Capitol grounds--I also know how critical jobs in our nursery and landscaping sector can be. In my State, the industry provides 21,000 jobs and helps provide over $2 billion worth of economic activity. This bill would reauthorize the National Small Business Tree Planting Program, which existed for several years in the 1990s.”