622 



I will thank all three of you. The next group might move down 

 here, Mr. Bill Alsup, Shelly Beltran, Larry Wright, Napoleon 

 Milla, Yetvart Haciyan, and Terry Kobylus. If we might have the 

 final group over towards the front row, Mr. Stretch Chatham, Rus- 

 sell Zeman, Nancy Eliason, Patricia Bickar, Chuck McGraw, Leo 

 Billings, and Ted Burns. 



Mr. Alsup. 



STATEMENT OF WILLIAM ALSUP 



Mr. Alsup. Thank you for the opportunity to voice my opinions 

 in front of this subcommittee. I am strongly in favor of the Mur- 

 kowski bill which changes Tongass management practices less 

 drastically than the bill our friend from Colorado is supporting. 



Currently I am employed at Alaska Lumber and Pulp Company 

 and would hate to lose my job due to a breach of contract by Con- 

 gress. A breach of contract would cause more hassles and embar- 

 rassment for Congress than fulfilling the pulp contracts which they 

 laid on the table to be sold. Lawsuits by employees being put out of 

 work could total to more than one billion dollars and could hurt 

 the economic standings of southeast Alaska, pushing people south 

 or north in search of employment, 



I have lived in Alaska my entire life and am a sixth generation 

 timberman. I have seen the regrowth of forests. The timber in 

 those areas is just as healthy and abundant as the timber around 

 it. 



My father works in the same department as I do. I also have two 

 brothers working in the pulp mills. What will become of their jobs? 

 Will you guarantee jobs in Alaska for them? 



I am recently married and have a son that is nine months old. I 

 have house payments and support my wife through college. What 

 will become of her career which she is pursuing? Will you guaran- 

 tee her an education? Will you guarantee my education so that I 

 can relocate and support my family? 



I would like to let you know that I will be in line with thousands 

 of men to sue the U.S. Congress if the timber is taken from us. 

 Thank you very much Senator Murkowski and members of the sub- 

 committee. 



Senator Wirth. Thank you, Bill. 



Ms. Beltran. 



STATEMENT OF MICHELLE BELTRAN 



Ms. Beltran. My name is Michelle Beltran. I was born in Peters- 

 burg and have lived in Sitka for four years. My husband works in 

 the power house at Alaska Pulp Corporation. 



My husband, my son, Anthony, and I depend on the check my 

 husband brings home from the mill. We do not know what we 

 would do without it. 



I support Senator Murkowski's bill. Senate Bill 237. 



I enjoy Sitka and do not want to see the mills close. 



Senator Wirth. Thank you very much, Michelle. 



Mr. Wright. 



