[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 127 (Thursday, October 12, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S10398]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           ALASKAN SLED DOGS

  Mr. STEVEN. Mr. President, I wish to speak about some Good 
Samaritans.
  Recent fish disasters in Alaska have made it extremely difficult for 
Alaskans along the Yukon River and the surrounding areas of that river.
  Dog mushers rely upon protein-rich chum salmon to feed their 
families, as well as their sled dogs. It takes about 100 chum salmon a 
year to feed one sled dog.
  As a result of the fish disaster, an alarming dilemma has confronted 
the dog mushers. They watch their sled dogs starve or they shoot them. 
Now that is a terrible dilemma. Healthy Alaskan sled dogs ought not to 
lose their lives because of a shortage, but that is the situation that 
we faced. The alternative to end their misery is not one that a dog 
musher wants to face. It is totally unacceptable as far as I am 
concerned. Working with my staff, I have tried to find a solution to 
this problem.
  Villages along the Yukon rely upon sled dogs for the transportation 
of goods. Use of sled dogs in rural Alaska is equivalent to the use of 
a vehicle in most of our Nation. Today I am able to announce, thanks to 
the generosity of Jim von der Heydt, executive vice president of 
Ralston Purina, 22\1/2\ tons of dog food will be donated by that 
company to Alaska's Native people from Purina's Iowa plant. It is the 
plant in Clinton, IA.
  That food is now going to be shipped to Alaska by Lynden Transport 
with the assistance from the Totem Ocean Trailer Express, which we call 
TOTE, and the Alaska Railroad. I am extremely grateful to Jim Jansen of 
Lynden, Robert McGee of TOTE, and our former Governor, Bill Sheffield, 
who is now the head of the Alaska Railroad, for agreeing to deliver 
this relief to the dog mushers.
  The dog food will be distributed to the dog teams by the Alaska 
Federation of Natives. Julie Kitka, the head of the Alaska Federation 
of Natives, has agreed to take on this task. I am grateful for her 
support and cooperation.
  Lastly, let me commend James Lee Witt, the head of FEMA, for his 
personal assistance in this effort.
  I think this is good news. I am happy to be here to talk about good 
Samaritans for a change.
  I yield the floor.

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