Patrick Leahy: “I rise to seek the Senate's approval of S. 1163, the Northern Forest Stewardship Act, the result of a joint effort on…”

“I rise to seek the Senate's approval of S. 1163, the Northern Forest Stewardship Act, the result of a joint effort on the part of my colleagues from New England and New York-- Senators Jeffords, Gregg, Smith, Snowe, Cohen, Moynihan, Kennedy, Kerry, and thousands of constituents who live in our region, one characterized by some 26 million acres of forest spanning four States. The Northern Forest Stewardship Act of 1995, S. 1163, is an example of what Congress can achieve when it heeds the public's voice. The bipartisan legislation that I introduced with several other northern forest Senators on August 10, 1995, is founded on extensive research, open discussion, consensus decisions, and visionary problem solving by the people who have a stake in the future of the forest. Legislation rarely embodies such a thorough effort by so diverse a constituency. Our goal was to accurately reflect the recommendations of the northern forest communities, envisioned in the final report of the Northern Forest Lands Council. The council process was initiated to avoid the conflicts that have divided communities in some regions of our country. These conflicts have very often been fueled by misinformation, politics and short-term economic gain. Over the past 4 years, northern forest communities have made a dedicated effort to develop a shared vision for their future. They have worked hard to arrive at a consensus and our job is to insure that their efforts are rewarded.”