[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 36 (Thursday, March 26, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H1559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         AN AGENCY IN SHAMBLES

  (Mr. DUNCAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, anyone who still believes big government 
works or that the Federal Government can do anything in an economical 
way should just read the daily newspaper almost any day.
  Today it is the Forest Service. According to the Government 
Accounting Office, the Forest Service has lost $215 million. It has 
simply vanished. They cannot account for it. Can you imagine that? It 
would really take some doing to lose $215 million, but somehow the 
Forest Service has managed to do it.
  A report being released today compiled from GAO reports describes the 
Forest Service as ``an agency in complete shambles.'' Yet at a hearing 
which begins in just a few minutes, the Forest Service will be 
requesting a $43 million increase in its budget. This agency in 
shambles has gotten huge increases in funding over the last decade and 
now it wants even more. Maybe the Forest Service can lose more than 
$215 million next year.
  Mr. Speaker, we need to help every family in America by decreasing 
the government's budget and increasing the family's budget.

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