[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 4275]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       MONTANA'S TIMBER INDUSTRY

  (Mr. DAINES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DAINES. Montana is well known for its millions of acres of 
forestland. As a result, acreage that would normally be privately owned 
and generating tax revenue to help fund local services is instead 
locked away by the Federal Government.
  In 1908, President Teddy Roosevelt signed legislation ensuring that 
impacted communities will receive 25 percent of the receipts for timber 
harvests occurring on Forest Service lands. Because Montana has some of 
the most abundant forests, this commitment to robust timber harvesting 
also helped to provide jobs for thousands of families in my home State.
  Sadly, timber harvests have plummeted by 90 percent in many areas due 
to out-of-balance Federal policies. Montana was previously home to 30 
mills. It is now home to just seven. This means far fewer jobs for 
Montanans.
  The Secure Rural Schools program has provided short-term relief, but 
revitalizing our timber industry is the only permanent solution to the 
problem President Roosevelt recognized 100 years ago. This is my number 
one priority as a member of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on 
Public Lands. I look forward to championing this issue.

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