18 



know some who started the program but had to quit when their 

 unemployment benefits ran out. 



I have heard a lot of stories like the one about a guy named 

 Larry Lynch from Southern Oregon. He was retraining to be a 

 nurse, but when his benefits ran out, he ended up working on a 

 road crew. He and his family had to abandon the place they called 

 home and move to Alaska to find work, but the government says 

 that Larry was successfully trained. In our facility, some of the 

 downsized workers have started the retraining programs but they 

 do not know if they will be able to get jobs when they finish the 

 program. 



Some of our members are finding out that no matter how they 

 are being retrained, they cannot find anyone who will hire them 

 because they are in their 40's and 50's. These are people who are 

 hard working and could be productive. They cannot afford to retire, 

 but they cannot find work, either. 



The bottom line is. Option 9 is not working and union workers 

 are hurting. We need a balanced solution that protects our jobs and 

 communities as well as our environment. We know that we are 

 going to lose a few jobs along the way, so we need a retraining and 

 economic support package that includes the participation of work- 

 ers in the design and implementation of the programs. And we 

 need retraining and support programs that are specifically tailored 

 and available to timber workers prior to being offered to other 

 workers in need of assistance. We do not want handouts. We do not 

 want more empty promises. We simply want to be able to pursue 

 the American dream. Thank you. 



Mr. Hansen. Thank you, Mr. Olson. 



I will now turn to members of the committee and I would appre- 

 ciate it if the members would stay within their allotted time in 

 questioning the panel. Mr. Cooley? I will take you in order of your 

 appearance and back and forth. Mr. Wes Cooley, do you have a 

 question for the panel? 



Mr. Cooley. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



I am glad to see that Dr. Lee is here. I have read your book and 

 it is very good and I appreciate your coming to this meeting. 



I would like to ask you a question that I think is kind of interest- 

 ing. I know your history and background in studying the economic 

 conditions that are created by the downsizing process. Could you 

 give me maybe one or two or three important unintentional con- 

 sequences of the President's forest plan? 



Mr. Lee. When I say they are unintended, they would be unin- 

 tended by the planners. 



Mr. Cooley. I am sorry. What? 



Mr. Lee. The unintended consequences really are unintended by 

 the planners, perhaps. There may have been people who are not 

 engaged in Option 9 who saw these things coming but were not in- 

 cluded in the process, and hence, that information was not avail- 

 able to those who formed the plan. 



But I would say one of the major ones is on stewardship of lands; 

 stewardship of lands in this country and other countries. There has 

 been a major decline in the treatment of forest lands abroad as we 

 have displaced supply to other regions: Southern Chile, the Rus- 



