[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 129 (Friday, September 21, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S6630]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 576--CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING 
  OF PUBLIC LAW 87-788, AN ACT COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE McINTIRE-STENNIS 
                        COOPERATIVE FORESTRY ACT

  Mr. COCHRAN (for himself, Mr. Wicker, Ms. Collins, and Ms. Snowe) 
submitted the following resolution; which was:

                              S. Res. 576

       Whereas October 10, 2012, marks the 50th anniversary of the 
     signing of Public Law 87-788 (commonly known as the 
     ``McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act'') (16 U.S.C. 
     582a et seq.), which authorized the Secretary of Agriculture 
     to encourage and assist States in conducting a program of 
     forestry research;
       Whereas the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act was 
     named for the 2 primary, bipartisan sponsors of the Act, 
     Representative Clifford G. McIntire of Maine and Senator John 
     C. Stennis of Mississippi, who recognized that research in 
     forestry is the ``driving force behind progress in developing 
     and utilizing the Nation's forests'';
       Whereas the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act 
     recognized that forestry research would be more effective 
     nationwide if efforts among State-supported institutions of 
     higher education were partnered and more closely coordinated 
     with forestry research activities in the Federal Government;
       Whereas Congressman McIntire and Senator Stennis stated a 
     clear intent to address the important need of the United 
     States for increased numbers of highly trained forestry 
     scientists and other research professionals;
       Whereas the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act has 
     provided 5 decades of base funding to establish and 
     strengthen research and training capacity in forestry at 
     State-supported institutions of higher education;
       Whereas funds provided by the Act to State-supported 
     institutions of higher education are highly leveraged with 
     non-Federal funds;
       Whereas university-based forestry research has provided an 
     accumulated wealth of science-based knowledge, skills, and 
     technologies that have been critical for sustaining United 
     States forests for economic, ecological, and social benefits;
       Whereas funds provided by the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative 
     Forestry Act for forestry research at State-supported 
     institutions of higher education have provided significant 
     graduate student support over the last 50 years, resulting in 
     8,500 master's degrees and 2,600 doctoral degrees;
       Whereas the State-supported institutions of higher 
     education that receive funds under the McIntire-Stennis 
     Cooperative Forestry Act conduct forestry research in all 50 
     States and 4 territories of the United States, and 
     disseminate the results of those efforts locally, regionally, 
     nationally, and globally for the betterment of the 
     communities of the institutions, the United States, and the 
     world; and
       Whereas many State-supported institutions of higher 
     education are celebrating and commemorating the 50th 
     anniversary of the signing of the McIntire-Stennis 
     Cooperative Forestry Act: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) celebrates the 50th anniversary of the signing of 
     Public Law 87-788 (commonly known as the ``McIntire-Stennis 
     Cooperative Forestry Act'') (16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.) by 
     President John F. Kennedy;
       (2) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the 
     McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act with appropriate 
     ceremonies and activities;
       (3) affirms the continuing importance and vitality of the 
     State-supported institutions of higher education conducting 
     forestry research and training supported by the McIntire-
     Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act; and
       (4) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate 
     transmit to the National Association of University Forest 
     Resources Programs an enrolled copy of this resolution for 
     appropriate display.

                          ____________________