Congressional Budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2005-Continued

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET FOR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005-CONTINUED

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I thank Senator Conrad of North Dakota, and also thank Senator Nickles, whose staff has been working with me.

Many Senators know last year we put a tremendous amount of effort in trying to get a bipartisan bill passed to get our forests healthy again. We have seen much of our country just devastated by staggering forest fires.

A key part of that legislation was to authorize $760 million in hazardous fuels reduction programs. The amendment I have filed-and I will be asking the Senate to vote on it tomorrow-has generated interest among many colleagues of both political parties. It would add $343 million to last year's $417 million for hazardous fuels reductions to reach the $760 million authorization in title I Healthy Forests legislation.

It seems to me what we have seen over the years is essentially a shell game, where various Forest Service programs are robbed in order to fund the hazardous fuels reduction programs and we end up without adequate resources across the board in the forestry area. I am hopeful we will be able to agree with our Republican colleagues on this effort.

Suffice it to say, it was a Herculean task to get Healthy Forest legislation passed last session. I think many thought it was impossible. It seems to me the Senate owes it to the people who are waiting to see improvements in their communities to fully fund this important legislation.

I am going to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle on this particular piece of legislation. This amendment will ensure we really get some health back into this idea of healthy forests. We are not going to be able to do it if we consistently underfund these programs.

In the past, it seems to me, we played sort of a "rob one fund in order to fund another fund" kind of program. That is not going to do the job responsibly for the long term. We are talking about millions and millions of acres that we are going to have to thin in the days ahead.

After the Senate passes historic legislation, legislation that is going to be good for the environment, good for the economy, promote old growth, involve local communities, protect the rights of citizens-for example, being involved in forestry policy-what we have to do is fund this properly.

There will be interest among colleagues on both sides of the aisle on the legislation. I thank Chairman Nickles for being willing to work with me on it, and Senator Conrad as well. On the other side of the aisle, Senators DOMENICI and BURNS are intensely interested in this matter. On our side of the aisle, Senators DASCHLE, FEINSTEIN, BINGAMAN-all of us have cooperated with the ranking member, Senator Conrad, and the chairman, Senator Nickles.

My amendment has been filed, and I am hopeful we will be able to pass it without controversy tomorrow.

I yield the floor.