Statements On Introduced Bills And Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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By Mr. BARRASSO (for himself, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Risch, and Mr. Bennett:

S. 1122. A bill to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements with State foresters authorizing State foresters to provide certain forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration and protection services; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I am proud to introduce the Good Neighbor Forestry Act today along with my Senators Johnson, Udall of Colorado, Bennet of Colorado, Risch, and Bennett of Utah. This legislation authorizes cooperative action between western states and the U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management to complete forest and rangeland health projects on private, State and Federal lands.

Almost half of the land in Wyoming is managed by Federal agencies. Our State has a long history of forestry, grazing and multiple use of public lands. Recreation and tourism on our public lands is a pillar of our economy. The people of Wyoming are proud stewards of our public lands and our state depends on the public lands for our future.

It is my goal to enact common-sense policies to address the management needs of our Federal lands. Wyoming forests, like those of all states across the West, are facing management challenges. We have an opportunity to meet those challenges with policies that encourage forest and rangeland health. Preventing forest fires, removing invasive species, addressing watershed health and conserving wildlife habitat require ``big picture'' thinking. We have to address these threats at the landscape level.

Resource challenges do not stop at fencelines, and neither should our policy.

The Good Neighbor Forestry Act would set in place a cooperative management policy. This act would allow the State of Wyoming to go forward with forest and rangeland health projects as agreed to by the U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management. With this authority, the agencies can cooperatively pursue projects that address landscape-level needs. This authority would provide on-the-ground management that our private, State, and Federal lands desperately need.

I am pleased to introduce this legislation today. It is of great importance to the people of Wyoming, and public land communities across the West. I hope the U.S. Senate will proceed quickly with its passage to enhance western states' response to growing management challenges.

The people of Wyoming demand on-the-ground results. This legislation can deliver those results. I hope we can pass it expediently.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous cnsent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the RECORD

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