[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 164 (Wednesday, November 4, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H7628]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Costello of Pennsylvania). The Chair 
recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize 
the efforts in Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania's Fifth Congressional 
District to reintroduce the American chestnut tree.
  Before the 1900s, the American chestnut was the dominant tree in the 
eastern United States. In fact, in my home State of Pennsylvania, it 
comprised roughly 25 percent of all hardwoods. Blight struck these 
trees beginning in 1904, and by 1950, the American chestnut was nearly 
wiped out of our forests.
  Mr. Speaker, efforts over the past several years have focused on 
reintroducing this hardwood, the American chestnut, by making it more 
resilient to blight. I am proud to say that reintroduction efforts are 
taking place at several sites in Pennsylvania's Fifth Congressional 
District in Centre County, Clinton County, and Elk County.
  This past week, the Pennsylvania State University's chapter of the 
American Chestnut Foundation held its annual meeting, highlighting the 
work of researchers, along with the contributions of volunteers, to the 
reintroduction of the American chestnut.
  As chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation and 
Forestry, I commend those advocates for their dedication, their 
research, their efforts to the reintroduction of this species; and I 
look forward to lending my support for bringing the American chestnut 
back.

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