Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. letter to A. B., May 23, 1995

ROBERT L. EHRLICH. JR. Congress of tfje Uniteb States JO о lis t of JXepresentatibce 32lasf)ington, ©C 20515-2002 May 23, 1995 Dear Thank you for sharing your views with me about H. R. 852, the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act. I benefit by hearing your views. One of the key issues behind this bill is the issue of taxpayer-subsidized logging on federal lands. Currently 25 percent of the nation’s lumber supply is harvested on federal land. The federal government is currently selling this timber for less than it costs to harvest it. That means that the taxpayer has to make up the difference- something which is both unfair and unnecessary. Because the federal government owns much of the land in the western United States, it is probably unrealistic to believe that we will ever be able to end all logging on public lands. However, I do think that we should begin phasing out logging activities directly subsidized by the taxpayer. Due to the fiscal excesses of the past, we have reached a situation in which deficit reduction has become our nation’s top priority. In order to achieve this noble and necessary goal, we must reevaluate the practice of using public funds to subsidize the activities of private businessmen. With regard to species protection, I believe that the federal government needs to continue to play a role in protecting our nation’s wildlife. At the same time, we must also continue to protect the legitimate rights of private property owners. H. R. 852 is currently in the House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Lands. Be assured that I will keep your views in mind as this bill moves through the legislative process. Thanks again for writing. Please contact me again if I can be of assistance in the future. Sincerely, Robert L. E^rfich, Jr. Member of Congress RLE: ijc