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that State are in agreement. In those very limited cases where 

 the Committee has chosen to do otherwise, failure to pass a bill 

 from the Senate has been the norm. 



The Senators in this case are not advocating additional 

 wilderness designations. There have been no hearings on these 

 issues and most importantly, Alaskans have not had an opportunity 

 to voice their opinions in a public forum. I keep hearing 

 "operate the Tongass like all of the other National Forests." 

 Well, I can advocate that position, but only if we do so in all 

 respects. There's an irony here, Mr. Chairman: every year, 

 conservationists howl about "interfering with Forest Service 

 managers" when Congress recommends a nationwide timber sale 

 program, and now they call for Congress to interfere with the 

 forest planning process over wilderness recommendations and fish 

 habitat enhancement. You just can't have it both ways. If 

 Congress is going to consider additional wilderness designations, 

 we must follow the same procedures and demand the same public 

 input that we have in every other state where wilderness has been 

 considered. 



The economic viability of Southeast Alaska is dependent in large 

 part upon sound multiple use management of this great National 

 Forest. Consistent maneuvering to return to the table and the 

 continued attempt to diminish the multiple use land base only 

 erodes the economic progress made by the residents of this 

 section of the country. 





