My view is, we've got a lot to work with, because of the supportive coalition that has come together for this legislation.

It's clear when you look at forestry policy, it would be wonderful to be able to just step back and write one bill that would recreate the system so that it worked in every nook and cranny of the land.

I think you used the word, it plasticizes.

it's one of the reasons why we so wanted you here, because going over to Lakeview and seeing what you've done. I mean, it is a really heroic effort, and I'm very appreciative of your involvement here.

forests don't recognize ownership or political boundaries, and the problems of forest health, insect and disease and catastrophic wild fires do not recognize those boundaries.

I applaud the effort of Senator Wyden and the various interests in breaking through the stalemate.

I obviously am very, very sympathetic to the kind of economic hurt that folks are going through in Grant County.

I appreciate your candor, and the reason I'm asking the questions, again, is we've got a number of the timber organizations...

It's not going to help the forests.

We're putting a lot of eggs in a lot of baskets.

You would add a significant co-generation program.

My understanding is your field staff participated and signed off on the project.

I want to thank Ron for bringing the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests to the heart of the area affected by this legislation.

This was a bipartisan ripoff, in effect, where you would short the prevention accounts and have to constantly shovel more money out the door, in terms of fighting fires.

I have grave concerns about possible unintended consequences for the National Forest System.

If we can't pass legislation like this, there will be no mills to do the work. Zero. They are not going to be here.

Even though Senator Wyden says he will do everything possible to secure funding, neither he nor Presidents Obama control the appropriation process and the probability of funding is unlikely.

I share your view, as we've talked about, that funding is absolutely key to all this.

I think the key has been to bring the communities together to have the conversations.

I would like to ask the leader if he would be willing to modify his request this evening to include the bipartisan amendment No. 4183 that would once and for all eliminate secret holds here in the Senate. Senator Grassley and I, as part of…

this is the fourth time in under 2 weeks that Senator Grassley and I, with a large bipartisan coalition of Senators in the Senate--a coalition that spans the philosophical spectrum of membership in the Senate--has sought to pass this…

Could we include in your legislation the idea that whenever somebody wants to pass a bill by unanimous consent, they have to come to the floor and say: I, Senator Jim DeMint, want to pass this bill, a bill I have not read, which has not…

My understanding from the sponsors--Senators Coburn and McCaskill is they are not yet ready. In other words, we have been talking with them. I have already indicated to Senator Coburn that I would be a cosponsor of his proposal. We now…

I have already indicated to Senators Coburn and McCaskill that I am interested in being a cosponsor of this legislation. I think it is a constructive idea. In effect, we are asking each other the same questions. I think the measure the…

It seems to me that what's going on here is pretty clear.