[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 16425-16428]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     NATIONAL FOREST PRODUCTS WEEK

  Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has 
designated this week as National Forest Products Week to recognize the 
important contribution of forest products to our economy and 
environment. This week means a great deal to industries and employees 
in the State of Idaho and citizens nationally.
  In Idaho alone, forestry, logging, wood products, and pulp and paper 
production support more than 10,600 jobs, contribute over $430 million 
to the local economy through wages, and produce a value of shipments of 
over $2.6 billion. The industry continues to grow and is taking on new 
and innovative projects like the development of tall wood buildings. 
Over the past several years, a number of tall wood projects have been 
completed around the world, demonstrating successful applications of 
next generation lumber and mass timber technologies. Today, the concept 
is gaining traction in the U.S.--with more architects opting for a 
sustainable solution for attaining safe, cost-effective, and high-
performing tall buildings in urban dense settings.
  Years of research and real-life experience have proven that wood 
buildings can withstand the effects of major wind and seismic events. 
These structures, when properly designed and constructed, protect lives 
and preserve building function. Wood buildings are durable and can be 
designed to last a lifetime. For example, a mass timber system was used 
in the 1974 rebuild of the nine-story Butler Square Building in 
Minneapolis. Heavy timber post and beam construction provided an 
adaptable solution and has allowed the building to stand strong since 
1900.
  As we celebrate forest products this week, let us all thank and 
congratulate those in the industry for their considerable contributions 
to economies the world over and their development of cutting-edge 
technologies that create better, stronger, and greener buildings.
  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, during National Forest Products Week, I am 
glad to join my colleagues in highlighting the important role that the 
forest products industry plays in Oregon and nationwide.
  Many rural communities throughout Oregon were founded on the success 
of the forest products industry. With fresh innovations and a focus on 
sustainability, the industry continues to bolster these communities 
year after year. In Oregon, the industry supports more than 37,000 
jobs, pumping over $2 billion in wages directly into local economies. 
Overall, the industry produces a combined product value of over $7.8 
billion. By encouraging a sustainable forest products industry in 
Oregon and across the country, we can help strengthen markets for wood 
products, both here and abroad, and continue to ensure the success of 
rural economies.
  When harvested in a sustainable manner, wood can reduce carbon 
emissions, and new state-of-the-art technologies using wood as a 
building material have made timber more fire resistant and stronger 
than ever. Wood has the potential to contribute vastly to a low-carbon 
economy by locking up the carbon that trees draw out of the atmosphere 
when they grow. Wood products like cross laminated timber also bring 
down construction costs for multiple story buildings in large cities.
  The U.S. Department of Agriculture has already recognized a project 
in my hometown of Portland that will demonstrate the unique benefits of 
timber as a building material for a new age. I'm proud that the 
Agriculture Department gave one of two Tall Wood Building Prize 
Competition awards to Portland, OR, and I'm looking forward to seeing 
the 12-story wood building as a new addition to the Portland skyline.
  Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, as we come together to celebrate National 
Forest Products Week, I want to highlight the impacts and contributions 
of the forest products industry to my home State of Oregon. In my 
State, the forest products industry produces over 37,000 jobs; 
contributes over $2 billion in wages to local economies; and produces a 
combined product value of nearly $8 billion.
  Oregon has forest land that covers over 29 million acres. We have 72 
sawmills, millwork, and treating facilities, 49 engineered wood and 
panel products facilities, and 11 other types of wood products 
facilities, combining to make a total of 132 wood products facilities 
in the State of Oregon. Forest products produce $262 million annually 
in tax payments to support the rural and local economics in the State 
of Oregon.

[[Page 16426]]

  Forest products provide a clear value both for our economy and for 
the environment. Currently, America's forests store 2.5 trillion metric 
tons of carbon and capture nearly 13 percent of total U.S. CO2 
emissions annually. One-half of the dry weight of wood is carbon; and 
the lumber, wood products, and the wood used in buildings each provide 
a carbon storage system. With advanced technologies, we are seeing 
taller and stronger buildings made of wood--buildings that will last 
for generations and help move us towards a more sustainable future.
  In closing, I would like to express my support for the forest 
products industry and their ongoing efforts to positively contribute to 
the environment and submit these comments as part of this year's 
National Forest Product's Week.
  Mr. KING. Mr. President, in support of National Forest Products Week, 
I would like to recognize the nearly 18,000 hard-working men and women 
employed by the forest products industry in the great State of Maine.
  Maine is home to about 40 wood products and paper manufacturing 
facilities, which contribute over $900 million to the economy through 
jobs and wages and over $4 billion in industry shipments of products, 
making the forest products industry one of the largest manufacturing 
sectors in the State.
  Our Nation's forests are an essential element of our urban and rural 
landscape. Covering more than 750 million acres across America, they 
create opportunities for recreation and habitats for wildlife, and 
their products play an integral role in our daily lives.
  As the only renewable building material, wood requires less energy to 
transport, construct, and produce in comparison to alternative building 
materials. By increasing the use of wood products in construction, we 
have the opportunity to reduce greenhouse emissions and improve the 
environmental performance of buildings. Design and building 
professionals are increasingly recognizing wood's environmental 
attributes and helping to create strong markets for wood products.
  The industry continues to grow and is taking on new and innovative 
projects like the development of tall wood buildings. Over the past 
several years, a number of tall wood projects have been completed 
around the world, demonstrating successful applications of next 
generation lumber and mass timber technologies. Today, the concept is 
gaining traction in the U.S., with more architects opting for a 
sustainable solution for attaining safe, cost-effective, high-
performing tall buildings.
  Even with the advances of digital communications, paper also 
continues to play a valuable role in our daily lives: from enhancing 
education through written communications to capturing and preserving 
life's most memorable moments. In my State, I continually hear from men 
and women for whom paper is not only a preference, but for some, a 
necessity. Forty-one percent of Americans over 65 years of age do not 
use the internet. Eliminating paper as an option for vital government 
communications--like the IRS tax instruction manual--impedes access to 
critical information every citizen has a right to receive.
  Thank you for the opportunity to recognize the hard-working men and 
women employed by the forest products industry in Maine. I ask my 
colleagues to join me in celebrating National Forest Products Week and 
reflect on the positive economic, social, and environmental impacts 
paper and forest products have on our everyday lives.
  Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the important role of 
the forest products industry as we celebrate National Forest Products 
Week.
  Montana's forests are a treasured part of our State's heritage which 
many of us hold so dear--not only are Montana's forests where we hunt, 
fish, explore, and live, but our forest products industry provides 
thousands of jobs for Montana families and a boost to our State's 
economy.
  Sadly, many forest products jobs in Montana have been lost this year 
in large part due to an insufficient supply of logs from Federal lands. 
I'm fighting for commonsense reforms to restore active management 
across Montana so we can get more Montanans back to work, improve 
forest health, increase access to public lands, and provide much-needed 
sustainable revenues to our forested counties. These reforms must give 
the Forest Service the tools and resources it needs to increase 
responsible timber harvests and protect their work from obstructionist 
tactics that continue to encumber a substantial portion of the timber 
volume from Montana's national forests. Congress should enact these 
reforms swiftly.
  Further, as we seek to improve the performance of our buildings, we 
should encourage the use of wood in the construction of Federal and 
other commercial buildings. Montana is home to approximately 5 
engineered and panel products facilities and 12 sawmills, millwork, and 
treatment facilities that employ several thousand people across the 
State. These facilities are working to advance innovative new 
technologies, for example, cross laminated timber. I am proud to have 
SmartLam, Inc., the very first and only manufacturer of cross laminated 
timber, CLT, products in the U.S. located in the great State of 
Montana.
  CLT products are creating opportunities in the U.S. to build taller 
wood buildings. Advancements in new technology utilizing engineered 
``mass timber'' panels are creating new possibilities for wood. This 
concept is gaining momentum in the U.S. as many successful 
demonstration projects have been built and proven to be a safe and 
cost-effective solution in urban dense settings. With more than 17 tall 
wood buildings of seven stories or more having been built around the 
world serving as demonstration projects, building officials, designers, 
contractors, and consumers are increasingly confident in the safety of 
these buildings.
  I want to thank the individuals in the forest products industry for 
their important contributions to my home State and for their efforts to 
expand tall wood building projects across the Nation.
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I wish to join my colleagues in support 
of the 55th National Forest Products Week and to recognize the more 
than 26,000 hard-working men and women that work in the forest products 
sector in Michigan.
  Forests in Michigan and nationwide help keep our air and water clean, 
provide wildlife habitats, and places for recreation. These forests 
aren't just an environmental treasure; they are an economic powerhouse. 
Michigan is home to nearly 200 businesses that manufacture everything 
from office paper to wood pellets for home heating. Nationwide, our 
forests provide more than 900,000 jobs, creating almost $240 billion in 
economic output every year.
  This economic activity leads to new opportunities in rural 
communities around the country. That's one reason why, as chairwoman of 
the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, I worked 
with a bipartisan group of lawmakers to ensure the 2014 farm bill 
strengthened forestry programs and helped bolster rural economic 
development.
  Forest product companies are also leaders in the effort to increase 
recycling. Today, 96 percent of all communities across the country have 
access to curbside or drop-off paper recycling programs. On top of 
that, the millions of Americans who recycle at home, work, and school 
have helped recover more than 60 percent of the paper consumed in the 
U.S. in each of the last 3 years. Picture this: each day our paper 
companies around the country recycle enough paper to fill a 15-mile-
long boxcar train.
  That type of leadership is great news for our planet and has some 
serious economic savings as well. Already more than 110 mills around 
the country are making paper using only recovered materials. And 
efforts are on track to recover more than 70 percent of all paper used 
by 2020. At the same time, paper can only be recycled a limited number 
of times, so it's important that steps are taken to ensure sustainable 
production of paper and forest products from our renewable forest 
resources.

[[Page 16427]]

  Forest products can also help us become more energy independent. 
Manufacturers across the industry now use carbon neutral biomass that 
comes from forest waste--materials like bark, wood scraps, byproducts, 
and other unusable products--to help power their plants, reduce 
emissions, and save energy.
  For all these reasons, I am proud to serve as co-chair of the Paper 
and Packaging Caucus with my colleague from Arkansas, Senator Boozman.
  Thank you for the opportunity to recognize the hard-working 
professionals of the forest products industry in the great State of 
Michigan. I would urge my colleagues to join me in celebrating National 
Forest Products Week and applaud the thousands of hard-working 
Americans who are working hard every day to keep America as the leader 
in forest products.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I would like to recognize National Forest 
Products Week and the many women and men in Arkansas who rely on 
forestry and the forest products industry.
  As co-chair of the Paper and Packaging Caucus, I am glad to work with 
my fellow co-chairs--Senator Debbie Stabenow and Representatives Reid 
Ribble  and Gwen Graham--to highlight the role that this vital industry 
plays in our country.
  About 25,000 Arkansans are directly employed in the forestry and 
forest products sector. Arkansas is home to over 100 wood products, 
paper, and packaging manufacturing facilities that make nearly $7 
billion in products each year. Large and small employers dot the 
Arkansas landscape. I regularly hear from and meet with Arkansas 
families who earn a living and make great products at places like Green 
Bay Packaging, Domtar, Deltic Timber, and Georgia-Pacific. Every year, 
I meet with family tree farmers and small business operators who rely 
on our forestry sector to build a successful future. And I track and 
support efforts to responsibly manage and utilize our renewable Federal 
forest resources. According to the University of Arkansas, the forest 
and forest products industry produces $2.3 billion in wages that are 
pumped into the Arkansas economy each year. This economic activity 
creates and supports countless other jobs.
  I also serve as the co-chair of the Senate Recycling Caucus. In this 
dual capacity, I have seen the forest products industry's success in 
pairing economic growth with respect for the environment. The industry 
is making great strides in promoting sustainability and energy 
conservation, especially by using carbon neutral biomass, which meets 
about two-thirds of the industry's energy needs. Other successes 
include boosting exports and encouraging recycling. Paper recycling 
programs now reach 96 percent of the American people, and the industry 
is on target to recover and recycle about 70 percent of its products in 
the next few years.
  At the same time, the industry is facing challenges--from problems 
with our transportation policies and infrastructure to a regulatory 
maze that is too difficult and costly to navigate. Here in Congress, we 
need to solve these challenges together, through common sense, 
cooperation, negotiation, an open process, and a clear-eyed analysis of 
the facts.
  We also need to support the industry as it transitions. While more 
information is available digitally, paper and packaging products are 
still indispensable to our modern economy. For example, many Americans, 
particularly those in rural settings or with limited resources or 
computer skills, have difficulty accessing information digitally. 
That's why in general, and particularly at government agencies, the 
format of information should be a consumer choice.
  In conclusion, paper, packaging, and other wood products are at the 
heart of modern life and a modern economy. I am glad to join my 
colleagues in celebrating National Forest Products Week. These 
recyclable and renewable resources make our lives better, and forestry 
is truly an Arkansas success story--and an American success story. 
Thank you.
  Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I would like to join Senator Crapo and 
my colleagues in recognizing National Forest Products Week and in 
recognizing the men and women of the forest products industry for their 
contributions to our Nation and, in particular, my home State of 
Washington.
  The forest products industry employs nearly 30,000 people in 
Washington, contributing $1.9 billion dollars in jobs and wages. 
Employees work both in wood products facilities and in paper 
manufacturing; and these facilities, and the jobs and wages they 
create, have been a dynamic part of our economy.
  I would like to commend the industry for its recent technological 
advances and for continually looking toward the future. Forest products 
have contributed greatly to improvements in energy efficiency in 
buildings and their overall environmental performance. I am 
particularly excited about new ``mass timber'' technologies, such as 
cross laminated timber, CLT, that are now opening an entirely new suite 
of opportunities. New technologies create new markets for wood and 
healthy working forests.
  Throughout our State, there is great interest in CLT. We are already 
seeing this new product bringing innovation to the design and 
construction of buildings. Tall wood buildings are now being built 
around the world. The U.S. market is ripe for applying this new 
technology to new construction. I appreciate the support that the 
administration is providing for builders that want to use CLT. I expect 
to see an increase in the use of CLT and an increase in the number of 
facilities that create it.
  Our forests and forest products play an important role in 
sequestering and storing carbon. The use of wood in buildings provides 
a great opportunity to make our buildings more environmentally and 
energy efficient. This is a great example of the use of forest products 
creating a healthier economy and environment.
  Even though I have talked so much about CLT, I would like to commend 
the men and women who comprise this industry for their many 
contributions in Washington and around the U.S.
  Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I appreciate this opportunity to recognize 
the men and women of the forest products industry as we celebrate 
National Forest Products Week. These folks represent a critical part of 
my State's outdoor heritage and economy.
  The forestry and forest products industries support nearly 5,000 jobs 
in Montana and generate approximately $22 million in State and local 
taxes. Today, Montana is home to 20 facilities that rely on forest 
products, from sawmills to engineered wood and panel production sites. 
In a time of increased global competition, when the U.S. Forest Service 
has to spend over half its budget on wildfire costs instead of managing 
our forests, the men and women who work in this industry deserve our 
support. These are the folks who cut trees, transport them from the 
forest to mills, process lumber, and make a wide variety of products 
that we use every day. I remain committed to pursuing sound forestry 
and trade policies that will ensure this important industry can compete 
fairly, contribute to sustainable forest management, and continue to 
provide good jobs in Montana.
  The forest products industry is also looking forward to find new ways 
to put our wood fiber to good use and create additional value for local 
economies in Montana. In Whitefish, SmartLam, Inc. is the first 
manufacturer of cross laminated timber, CLT, products in the Nation. 
This Montana company is on the cutting edge of engineered-wood 
technology for building construction materials. SmartLam is producing 
more than a million board feet of CLT products a month and hopes to 
open a new facility due to increasing demand. These products can aid in 
the construction of taller, more fire-safe wood buildings and help 
reduce the carbon footprint of the construction process. Innovative 
wood construction systems are flexible and can be easily combined with 
other building materials, offering alternatives for construction in 
urban areas while supporting sustainable development in rural 
communities.

[[Page 16428]]

  In addition to providing good jobs, the forest products industry 
plays a key role in the sustainable management of the more than 25 
million acres of forests in Montana. Most of the forested lands in 
Montana are managed by the U.S. Forest Service. We have seen industry 
come together with a wide array of stakeholders in Montana to develop 
collaborative recommendations for projects aimed at supporting local 
economies, improving forest health, reducing wildfire risks, and 
restoring watersheds. On private lands, industry has partnered with 
conservation organizations to keep forested lands forested as 
development pressures have grown.
  In addition to National Forest Products Week, this week also marks 
the fifth annual Montana Forest Products Week. There is no better time 
to say thanks to the folks who work in Montana's forest products 
industry.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am pleased to speak today about the 
many contributions of the forest products industry, as we recognize 
their important work during National Forest Products Week.
  Wood products play a significant role in our economy. The U.S. wood 
products industry employs more than 548,000 people in manufacturing and 
forestry, and U.S. private forest owners support 2.4 million jobs and 
$87 billion in payroll. In Maine, there are a number of wood products 
manufacturing facilities, including sawmills, millwork, and treatment 
plants, engineered wood and panel product facilities, and paper mills.
  The environmental benefits associated with wood products--from 
renewability to responsible forest practices to a light carbon 
footprint--are helping to strengthen markets for wood products, in turn 
stabilizing the wood industry's ability to create jobs and support 
local economies. Moreover, sustainable forest management practices in 
the United States maintain important forest values such as biodiversity 
and wildlife habitat. Strong markets for wood products provide a 
financial incentive for landowners to invest in their forests and keep 
them healthy for future generations.
  Design and building professionals are increasingly recognizing wood's 
environmental attributes and helping to create strong markets for wood 
products. Over the past several years, a number of tall wood projects 
have been completed around the world, demonstrating successful 
applications of next generation technologies. Today, the concept is 
gaining traction in the United States where more architects are opting 
for a sustainable solution for attaining safe, cost-effective, high-
performing tall buildings, particularly in urban dense settings. As the 
only renewable building material, wood requires less energy to 
transport, construct, and produce than other building materials.
  In closing, I encourage my colleagues to support policies that 
maintain and grow strong markets for wood products. As we celebrate 
National Forest Products Week, I thank the employers and employees of 
the forest products industry for their contributions to Maine and the 
Nation.
  Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, in support of National Forest Products 
Week, I would like to recognize the more than 25,000 hard-working men 
and women employed by the forest products industry in the great State 
of South Carolina. With an annual payroll of almost $1.7 billion and an 
estimated value of products manufactured in the State exceeding $9 
billion, the forest products industry is among the largest 
manufacturing sectors in my State and the largest valued agricultural 
crop.
  This is the 55th consecutive year that we are recognizing the forest 
products industry for its contributions to our economy and to 
sustainable manufacturing. The world has changed a lot since the first 
National Forest Products Week in 1960 and so has the industry.
  Over the last few years, with new advancements in lumber and mass 
timber technologies, the U.S. has begun innovative projects to build 
tall wood buildings. Over 17 tall wood buildings with over seven 
stories or more have been built around the world, which served as 
demonstration projects. Due to the success of these tall wood 
buildings, contractors and consumers are more confident than ever in 
the safety and high performance of these buildings. Additionally, with 
the right safety measures, tall wood buildings can be designed to meet 
and exceed fire safety requirements.
  Wood buildings are durable and can be designed to last a lifetime. 
Years of real-life experiences and research have shown that wood 
buildings can also withstand effects of major wind and seismic events. 
When designed and constructed properly, these structures are high 
performing and provide the necessary strength and ductility to preserve 
building function and provide life safety protection.
  Similarly, paper and packaging products have grown with the demands 
of a 21st century global economy. Made from a recyclable and renewable 
resource, paper and paper-based packaging transport food, medicine, and 
manufactured goods faster, further, safer, and more environmentally 
friendly than ever before.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating National Forest 
Products Week and reflect on the sustainable uses of America's forests 
and the important contributions they make to our economy and our 
national life.
  Mr. RISCH. Mr. President, I wish to honor National Forest Products 
Week. I would simply like to express my support for newly available and 
continuously evolving opportunities to build with wood.
  In the State of Idaho, the forest products industry makes significant 
contributions to our local, State, and national economies. In Idaho 
alone, we have 19 sawmills, millwork, and treating facilities and 4 
facilities making engineered wood and panel products. These products 
are increasingly used in buildings all around the globe.
  As we all know, U.S. and global populations are rapidly growing. Over 
the past several years, a number of tall wood projects have been 
completed around the world, demonstrating successful applications of 
next generation lumber and mass timber technologies.
  Today, the concept is gaining traction in the United States. More 
architects are opting for a sustainable solution to attain safe, cost-
effective, high-performing tall buildings in urban dense settings--many 
of these projects already do or will use engineered wood products.
  With more than 17 tall wood buildings of seven stories or more having 
been built around the world serving as demonstration projects, building 
officials, designers, contractors, and consumers are more confident 
than ever in the safety of these buildings.
  Thank you for this opportunity to recognize the many forest products 
facilities and employers in my home State that are helping make these 
tall wood building projects become a reality.

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