This bill is the latest in a series of bills that increase logging on our national forests.

I don't want to miss the opportunity when they agree about how to go in there and do something about the horrendous state of the forests.

S. 2895 claims that the increased logging mandated by this bill will somehow mitigate the effects of climate change.

Bringing both sides together to craft this legislation, in my view, significantly increases its chances to succeed, and on my watch, what we seek to do is end the timber wars in my home State of Oregon.

I want to again thank Senator Wyden for his leadership and strong commitment to Oregon's national forests...

Let us use these RACs, resource advisory committees, to try to get people working together.

Senator Wyden, we appreciate the work that you and your staff have done with our group in bringing this bill to the Senate.

I can tell the people of the Pacific Northwest how much sweat equity went into this effort on the part of Dr. Johnson and his spouse, I would note, who was also very much involved in it, and Professor Franklin.

Senator Ron Wyden's introduction of this path-breaking legislation is an important milestone in those efforts.

I think that there is certainly no disagreement, not for me or any of the panelists, on how bad the condition of the forest is.

How would you propose streamlining the appeals effort?

Having a strong, viable, sustainable timber industry is key to providing jobs, to sustaining our rural communities, and to getting this restoration work done.

S. 2895 represents a concerted effort on the part of the timber industry and its political allies.

Senator Wyden, that you deserve tremendous credit for bringing opposing sides together to compromise and come to agreement on this legislation.

I think at this point, we have been at it a little over 2 hours. I have had a tradition over the years that when Oregonians make this very long trek to come back here, I think it is very fitting that our guests ought to have the last word.

I expect to lead the fight for funding that is needed to manage all our national forests.

Collaboration is essential in getting the work done.

What I consistently hear is about the endless appeals, the appeal, an appeal, an appeal.

I think it is clear these are areas that we can work together on. I am interesting in working with you.

I wrote that a decade ago. A Democratic president didn't really want to sign it, and I got it reauthorized in the last Congress when a Republican president didn't want to sign it.

Very well said. I think ensuring that we build on something of a genuine breakthrough, as you have described, is exactly our charge, and very well stated, Dr. Johnson.

We do not have time to wait. If we wait, we lose the mills. We lose loggers. We lose all of the infrastructure in order to deal with the problem that all of you have correctly identified.

I am certainly encouraged, however, by the opportunity that we have got in front of us today.

I just want to take a moment, as chairman of this subcommittee, to applaud the residents of Grant County for the extraordinary rejection of hatred that they demonstrated last month.

Without that kind of collaboration, what folks in eastern Oregon showed as we tried to get this bill together, that you really get a lose-lose situation.