Opening Statement of Chairman Rose 



Subcommittee on Specialty Crops and 

 Natural Resources 



June 29, 1994 



Good morning. I thank everyone for attending today's hearing. 

 The purpose of this hearing is to review the proposed regulations by 

 the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to establish 

 prohibitions and restrictions concerning imported nonmanufactured 

 wood articles. 



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This is a very serious problem that warrants some serious 

 attention. Introduced pest and pathogen infestations pose a critical 

 threat to our national resources. I am all too familiar with this 

 problem first-hand as my home district in North Carolina is currently 

 experiencing a problem with the Asian gypsy moth. At present we 

 are waiting to see if eradication treatments were effective. If we 

 have the ability to identify and treat this potential enemy, we must 

 do whatever is within our capacity to make sure that we eliminate 

 this threat before it reaches or shores, rather than spend millions 

 trying to control its spread. 



We are fortunate to have representatives from both APHIS and 

 the Forest Service here today to tell us just how they intend to deal 

 with this growing threat. We also have with us, Congressman Peter 

 DeFazio from Oregon, whose sfafe-=and==fader=al- forest lands are at high 



