Date: 1987-06-25
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I rise in opposition to the amendment offered by my colleague. Mr. UPTON. This amendment would make substantial reductions in the funding of certain Forest Service programs below the levels recommended in the Appropriations Committees billH.R. 2712. The reductions specifically affecting Forest Service activities fall under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Agriculture. I believe that these cuts are unwarranted and would be detrimental to important Forest Service research and management programs. I strongly recommend that the amendment be defeated. This amendment would eliminate $6.2 million from the Committee bill for Forest Service research. hampering agency efforts to make needed investments in forest protection. management. and recreation research. Under this administration. the Forest Service research program has struggled to hold its own. However. since 1980. the agency has been forced to close nine research locations. reduce the number of research work units by 20 percent. and reduce the number of fulltime employees by about 30 percent. Mr. Chairman. a sound research program can not. be maintained without adequate and sustained funding. The Interior Appropriations Subcommittee has recognized this need and responded appropriately in drafting H.R. 2712. No further reductions in the research program can be accepted. This amendment would also reduce support for forest fire protection for both nonFederal wildlands in cooperation with the States and for fighting forest fires on national forests. Mr. Chairman. the committees bill had only provided enough funds to support fire suppression efforts at last years funding level. We must ensure adequate protection for our Nations forests from fire. Mr. Chairman. the amendment proposed by the gentleman would reduce funding for Forest Service road construction by an additional $30 million over the committee bill. which already provides for a cut in road funds of approximately $30 million from the previous year. Such a drastic cut in road construction could significantly affect access to timber and compromise future timber sales and management activities. The full ramifications of such a cut are not clear. both from the standpoint of the agencys ability to meet increasing demands for timber and the effects on the counties who share in timber sales receipts for supporting local roads and schools. The Appropriations Committees bill would already reduce Forest Service land acquisition funding by $16 million from the fiscal year 1987 level. limiting acquisitions to high priority projects. Chairman YATES and his subcommittee have kept a close watch over the Forest Services land acquisition program. I believe that they have acted prudently in this matter and support the recommendations contained in the committee bill. No further reductions in land aqulsition funding are needed. Mr. Chairman. I commend Mr. YATES and Mr. REGULA for their efforts in fashioning the Interior Appropriations bill. As the chairman of the authorizing committee for Forest Service programs. we have worked closely in the past. I place great faith in their judgement and believe that this body should do the same by defeating the gentlemans amendment.