National Forest Products Week

Floor Speech

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Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of National Forest
Products Week and in recognition of the 30,000 hardworking individuals
employed by this industry in Washington State; including the over 1,000
pulp and paper employees in my district alone. In Washington, the
industry provides nearly 2 billion dollars in annual compensation and
is among the state's largest manufacturing sectors.

Forest products play a valuable role in our daily lives and are
manufactured using recyclable and renewable resources. They are used in
our businesses, schools, and homes--whether they are books, paper,
shipping boxes, or LCD monitors--these products continue to meet the
evolving needs of people around the world. The industry is an integral
part of America's manufacturing competitiveness and allows us to
communicate, teach, and learn.

I am excited to celebrate National Forest Products Week and my
constituents who contribute to this industry. I urge my colleagues to
exercise common sense and sound science when it comes to rules and
regulations that unnecessarily burden this vital U.S. industry. By
doing so, we can guarantee these products remain globally competitive
and ensure that 900,000 Americans and 30,000 Washingtonians can
continue working for this important industry.

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