Recognizing National Forest Products Week

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize this week as National Forest Products Week.

In Pennsylvania, forest products have long been an essential industry by producing logs, lumber, furniture, paper, and more. These are products and materials that Americans nationwide use each and every day.

The forest products industry employs roughly 64,000 Pennsylvanians and generates $36 billion in total economic impact statewide.

I am proud to represent Pennsylvania's only national forest, the Allegheny National Forest. This incredible forest, established in 1923, spans more than half a million acres in the northern portion of my district, across Forest, Elk, McKean, and Warren Counties.

Whether it is forestry, energy production, timber harvesting, or an abundance of outdoor activities, Allegheny National Forest has it all.

For generations, the ANF has brought economic prosperity to our region, and it is essential that we are able to contribute to the longevity and sustainability of the Allegheny National Forest.

In my role as Republican leader on the House Agriculture Committee, I am dedicated to putting forth policies that promote natural solutions to keep our forests healthy for generations to come.

These policies include working closely with the Forest Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to manage our forests, foster healthier lands, and allow this economic engine to thrive.

By supporting the Forest Service and encouraging active stewardship, we can support healthy forests and rural communities for generations to come.

Currently, we have two bills focused on improving our forest management: the RESTORE Act from Doug LaMalfa from California and the FIRE Act from Dusty Johnson from South Dakota. These bills aim to improve and expedite forest management and restoration projects for healthier and more resilient forests.

Of course, we cannot talk about forest products without discussing the environmental benefits of a well-managed forest and forest productivity. We know the best solutions are natural solutions, not burdensome regulations or carbon taxes, but active innovation.

Landowners and foresters are among the strongest environmental advocates in our country. I recognize their efforts and continue to promote forest health by empowering the original stewards of our land.

According to the Forest Service, forests are sequestering 14 percent of all U.S. carbon emissions. That number could nearly double with policies that increase forest management, forest health, and forest production.

Active management, including timbering, holds the greatest potential for sequestering carbon and storing it indefinitely in forest products.

To help encourage new markets for forest products and forest health, I was proud to help lead the Timber Innovation Act. This bipartisan legislation, which was included in the 2018 farm bill, directly supports the development of cross-laminated timber and tall wood building construction.

Mr. Speaker, Forest Products Week is more than forestry or timber harvesting. It is a time to focus on the great resources our forests provide. From a natural habitat for wildlife, to an abundance of outdoor recreational activities, to carbon sequestration, to a strong rural economy, our forests, big and small, must continue to be utilized for our needs today and for our future generations.

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