MISMANAGED THE FORESTS TO THE POINT THAT TODAY MOST OF THE
           FOREST IS A CLOGGED, NARLD, WHAT THEY CALLED DOG-HAIRED
           THICKET. MEANING THAT A DOG CAN'T RUN THROUGH IT WITHOUT
           LEAVING HALF OF HIS HAIR BEHIND ON THE UNDERBRUSH THAT'S BEEN
           GROWN UP. AND WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT, FIRST OF ALL, ALL OF THIS
           UNDERBRUSH COMPETES FOR THE NUTRIENTS AND THE WATER IN THE SOIL
           SO THAT NONE OF THE TREES GROW TO BE THE BIG, BEAUTIFUL TREES
           THAT ALL OF US LOVE. NONE OF THE GRASS CAN GROW SO THE

           BROWSEERS, THE DEER, THE ELK AND ANIMALS LIKE THAT DON'T COME
           INTO THE AREA. BECAUSE EVERY BIT OF NATURE DEPENDS ON SOMETHING
           ELSE, MOSTEST SPECIES VANISH. NOTHING CAN SURVIVE THERE. AND
           YOU CREATE TWO OTHER
           
           CONDITIONS: DISEASE-PRONE BECAUSE THEY'RE WEEK. AND SECONDLY,
           FIRE-PRONE. A SPARK OF FIRE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT IS LIKE SETTING
           OFF TINDER WITH A LARGER BOX AROUND IT TO BURN BECAUSE OF THE
           AMOUNT OF UNDERGROWTH AND FUEL ON THE GROUND, AS SOON AS THE
           FIRE STARTS, IT QUICKLY SPREADS TO THE LOWER BRANCHES AND THEN
           THE UPPER BRANCHES OF THE TREES. AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THIS

           ALMOST EXPLOSION OF FIRE AS IT CROWNS OUT, AS IT GOES RIGHT UP
           THROUGH THE TOP OF THESE HUGE MAGNIFICENT TREES AND JUST
           EXPLODES THE TREES IN THE PROCESS. WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THE
           SOIL IS BAKED TO A TEMPERATURE THAT IS UNHEALTHY FOR
           REGENERATION. AN ORDINARY NATURE-CAUSED FIRE WILL BURN ALONG
           THE GROUND AND BURN THE LITTLE BIT OF UNDERBRUSH THAT'S THERE
           BUT NEVER CROWN OUT. AS A RESULT, IT'S NOT THE HOT TEMPERATURE
           FIRE YOU GET HERE. THIS LITERALLY STERILIZES THE SOIL. FOR

           YEARS NOTHING CAN REGENERATE. PERHAPS MOST DEVASTATINGLY,
           EROSION RESULTS VERY QUICKLY FROM. FOR STREAMS AND RIVERS AND
           LAKES, IT TAKES THE TOPSOIL THAT'S TAKEN MILLIONS OF YEARS TO
           BE CREATED TO WHERE THINGS CAN GROW, IT WIPES THAT OUT. IT
           DRAINS IT ALL RIGHT DOWN INTO THE RIVERS AND STREAMS AND CLOGS
           THEM UP. WHAT'S THE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE FLORA AND FAUNA?
           THERE IS NONE. WE TALK ABOUT ENDANGERED SPECIES. WELL, GOODBYE
           P.C.'S. WE HAD A FIRE IN -- GOODBYE SPECIES. WE HAD A FIRE IN

           FOUR PEAKS. I LEARNED THIS IS THE HEAVIEST HAS BEEN BYATION OF
           BLACK BEAR HABITAT AROUND THE COUNTRY. WHAT HAPPENED TO MANY OF
           THESE BLACK BEARS DID NOT SURVIVE. MANY OF THE OTHER ANIMALS
           DID NOT SURVIVE. THE TREES ARE GONE SO THE BIRDS -- WE HAVE A
           VERY LARGE BIRD POPULATION IN ARIZONA, AMAZINGLY ENOUGH. MANY
           OF THOSE BIRDS HAD NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. THE POINT IS WHEN YOU
           HAVE THIS TYPE OF KA TASS FREE, YOU'RE DESTROYING NATURE. ALL
           THE ENVIRONMENT IS DESTROYED IN THE PROCESS, NOT TO MENTION THE
           WASTE AND THE COST. WE'VE NOW SPENT ABOUT $1 BILLION THIS YEAR

           TO FIGHT THESE FIRES. THAT MONEY COULD HAVE GONE A LONG WAY
           TOWARD MANAGING THE FORESTS TO PREVENT THE FIRES IN THE FIRST
           PLACE. YOU'RE NOT SIMPLY SAVING TIMBER, YOU'RE NOT SIMPLY
           PRESERVING A NICE VIEW FOR PEOPLE. YOU'RE SAVING THE
           ENVIRONMENT FOR THE FLORA AND THE FAUNA, PREVENTING THE
           EROSION, PREVENT L STERILIZATION OF THE SOIL AND THE REST.
           THERE'S BEEN WORK DONE AROUND THE COUNTRY BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY
           AT NORTH ARIZONA UNIVERSITY PIONEERED BY DEAN GARRETT AND BY
           DR. WALLY COVINGTON AT NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY. SECRETARY

           BRUCE BABBITT IS A FRIEND OF WALLY COVINGTON AND FULLY SUPPORTS
           THE WORK THAT HE HAS BEEN DONE AT NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
           AND SMALL PROJECTS IN NORTHERN ARIZONA WE HAVE ABLE TO ACQUIRE
           FUNDING TO DO THIS FOREST RESTORATION AND DEMONSTRATE THE
           EFFICACY OF THE TREATMENT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE
           ADMINISTRATION HAS NOT CARRIED THAT ON TO A LARGER AREA
           TREATMENT. I DON'T KNOW WHY, BECAUSE SCIENCE PROVES IT OUT.
           SECRETARY BABBITT UNDERSTANDS IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. BUT I

           THINK, FRANKLY, IT'S A FEAR THAT THE RADICAL ENVIRONMENTALISTS,
           WHICH THIS ADMINISTRATION RELIES UPON FOR A GREAT DEAL OF ITS
           SUPPORT, REJECT. AFTER PUTTING TOGETHER A WONDERFUL PROGRAM
           WITH THE SUPPORT OF SECRETARY BABBITT, DR. COVINGTON, THE GRAND
           CANYON TRIBE, OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, ALL OF WHOM ARE
           WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE THE AREA AROUND FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA,
           SAFER, TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT THERE, TO RESTORE THE FORESTS
           TO A HEALTHY CONDITION, RADICAL ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS STOPPED

           THE PROJECT. DELAYED IT FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR TO NO FECT BECAUSE
           THE FIRE WILL -- THE PROJECT WILL GO ON. THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING
           OFFICE SAYS WE'VE GOT 39 MILLION ACRES TO TREAT. WITH SIX
           MILLION ACRES HAVING BEEN BURNED THIS YEAR WE'RE DOWN TO 33
           MILLION ACRES. WE'VE GOT TO DO IT IN A 20-YEAR PERIOD IF WE'RE
           GOING TO SAVE THE FOREST. IF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION CAN'T
           DO THE JOB, MAYBE THE NEXT ONE CAN. FINAL POINT, I'M HOLDING
           HERE A DOCUMENT PUT OUT BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
           AGRICULTURE, THE FOREST SERVICE, SOUTHWESTERN REGION CALLED

           ARIZONA'S WILD LAND URBAN INTERFACE. AND TO SUMMARIZE WHAT'S IN
           THIS DOCUMENT, YOU SEE AREAS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN TREATED THAT ARE
           SEVERELY BURNED. THEN YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY TREAT THE
           AREAS AND YOU FIND, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE CORONODO NATIONAL
           FOREST HERE, A BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURE, WHERE YOU SEE THIS
           CLOGGED-UP CONDITION OF UNDERGROWTH. IT'S NOT PRETTY, IT'S NOT
           ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND. THEY REDUCE THE NUMBER OF TREES PER ACRE
           TO ABOUT 300, WHEREAS THEY HAD ABOUT 1,500 BEFORE. THEY'RE
           TRYING TO GET IT DOWN TO 150 PER ACRE. WHEN THEY DO YOU HAVE A

           BEAUTIFUL PARK-LIKE CONDITION. IT'S HEALTHY. I CAN TELL YOU
           HAVING VISITED FEDT TREATMENT AREAS AROUND FLAGSTAFF THAT REFER
           TO THIS EXPERIMENT, AFTER FIVE YEARS WHAT YOU SEE -- IN FACT
           AFTER THREE YEARS WHAT YOU SEE IS THE PITCH CONTENT OF THE
           TREES IS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED. THAT PREVENTS THE BARK BEETLES
           FROM ATTACKING THE TREE. THE PROTEIN CONTENT OF THE GRASS IS
           LIKE AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE HIGHER. ALL THE ANIMALS ARE COMING
           IN TO BROWSE. EVERYTHING ABOUT THE FOREST IS HEALTHIER, WHEN
           YOU CAN GO IN AND THIN OUT THIS UNDERBRUSH AND THEN HOPEFULLY
           FOLLOW IT WITH A PRESCRIBED BURN WHICH SIMPLY BURNS ALONG THE

           GROUND AND BURNS ANY OF THE RESIDUE BUT DOESN'T CROWN OUT.
           AFTER THAT, THEN YOU CAN LET NATURE TAKE ILTS COURSE. THEN YOU
           HAVE A HEALTHY FOREST WITH TREES SPED OUT. IF LIGHT NING
           STRIKES THOSE TREES, IT STARTS THE GRASS ON FIRE AROUND IT. IT
           MAY BURN THE GRASS FOR SEVERAL ACRES. BUT THAT'S ALREADY -- ALL
           RIGHT. IT DOESN'T CROWN OUT AND DESTROY THE REST OF THE FOREST.
           THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT TO COMMIT TO DO ON ALL OF OUR NATION'S

           FORESTS. MR. PRESIDENT, I COMMEND THE STEP SENATOR DOMENICI HAS
           TAKEN WITH THE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION. I COMMEND THE
           ADMINISTRATION TO CREATING A BUDGET WHICH WILL SPEND THE MONEY
           TO TREAT THE FORESTS IN OUR COUNTRY ALL OVER THE WESTERN UNITED
           STATES WHICH SO DESPERATELY NEED THIS NEW FOREST MANAGEMENT TO
           SAVE OUR NATION'S FORESTS. I APPRECIATE THE TIME SENATOR CRAIG
           OFFERED ME TO SPEAK TODAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO SPEAK

           ABOUT THIS ISSUE. LIKE SO MANY OTHER THINGS, IT TAKES A
           CATASTROPHE TO FINALLY BRING OUT WHAT HAS TO BE DONE. WHILE WE
           ALL LAMENT THE CATASTROPHE, AT LEAST PERHAPS IT WILL JOLT US
           INTO DOING WHAT'S RIGHT TO SAVE OUR WONDERFUL FORESTS HERE IN
           THE UNITED STATES.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM IDAHO.
           

           MR. CRAIG: SENATOR KYL -- I THANK SENATOR KYL FOR WHAT I THINK
           IS A VERY CLEAR EXPLANATION OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE THIS
           MASSIVE FUEL LOADING THAT HAS OCCURRED ON THE FLOORS OF OUR
           PUBLIC LAND FORESTS IN THE NATION. WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT ACTIVE
           MANAGEMENT, HE'S NOT TALKING WILDERNESS AREAS. HE'S NOT TALKING
           WILDLIFE PRESERVES. HE IS TALKING ABOUT THE MILLIONS AND
           MILLIONS OF ACRES OF LAND THAT WE CALL MULTIPLE-USE LANDS OR
           TODAY LANDS THAT ARE CLASSIFIED WITHIN THIS ROADLESS AREA

           REVIEW THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION IS CURRENTLY COMING AND IS
           CONSIDERING KEEPING ROADLESS AND -- AND UNDISTURBED.
           
           THE QUESTION IS: CAN YOU DO THIS KIND OF ACTIVE MANAGEMENT,
           RIGHTING THE WROKZ OF -- WRONGS OF PAST ACTIONS WE HAVE TAKEN
           ON OUR PUBLIC LANDS IN A WAY TO RESTORE PUBLIC HEALTH AND TO
           ALLOW FIRE THEN TO BE A PARTICIPANT IN THE ECOSYSTEM IN A WAY
           THAT IS NOT CATASTROPHIC OR STAND ALTERING OR WILDLIFE
           DESTROYING?

           THOSE ARE VERY REAL CHALLENGES THAT ALL OF US HAVE TO GRAPPLE
           WITH, AND WE OUGHT TO START. AND I WILL START WITH HEARINGS
           HERE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS THAT WOULD DEAL WITH THAT. SOME OF
           OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDS ARE RECOGNIZING AROUND ONE HAPPENS TO
           BE THE SENATOR FROM # F NEW MEXICO'S STATE, THE FOREST GUARDIAN
           GROUP IS QUOTED AS SAYING WILDFIRES ARE GETTING BIGGER, BURNING
           THE HOTTER AND THE EFFECTS ARE MORE DEVASTATING. IT IS CLEAR
           THAT WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE MECHANICAL STEPS FOR THINNING BEFORE
           WE CAN USE FIRE TO RESTORE THESE FORESTS TO THEIR NATIONAL

           REGIMES. WE HOPE --
           

           A SENATOR: WOULD THE SENATOR YIELD FOR A QUESTION?
           
           

           MR. CRAIG: I WOULD BE HAPPY TO YIELD TO THE SENATOR FROM NEW
           YORK.
           

           MR. MOYNIHAN: I WOULD HOPE HE WOULD MAKE AVAILABLE MORE OF THE
           RESEARCH THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED BY HIMSELF AND SENATOR ARIZONA
           SO CAREFULLY. THIS IS NEW TO AN EASTERNER. TWO-THIRDS OF THE
           STATE 6 NEW YORK IS COVERED BY HARDWOOD FORESTS, AND PINE. BUT
           THESE ARE IMPORTANT COMPOSITIONS, SHOULD BE LISTENED TO
           ATTENTIVELY. I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS THAT ARE
           INDICATED.
           

           MR. CRAIG: I THANK THE SENATOR FROM NEW YORK FOR SAYING SO.
           YES, IT IS TRUE THAT SOME OF THESE IDEAS ARE NEW. SOME OF THEM
           HAVE BEEN BUILDING OVER THE LAST DECADES AS WE'VE RECOGNIZED
           THE CURRENT STATE OF THE HEALTH OF OUR FORESTS.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR'S HOUR HAS EXPIRED.
           

           MR. CRAIG: MY TIME SUP. LET ME THANK --
           

           MR. MOYNIHAN: I'M SURE THE CHAIRMAN WISHES TO YIELD SUCH TIME
           AS THE SENATOR FROM IDAHO NEEDS TO CONCLUDE.
           

           MR. CRAIG: WELL, LET ME CONCLUDE, MR. PRESIDENT, BECAUSE THE
           CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE HAS JUST BROUGHT A VERY
           CRITICAL ISSUE TO THE FLOOR, AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY
           TO KIND OF SAND WHICH OURSELVES IN BETWEEN THE OPENING REMARKS
           OF THE CHAIRMAN AND THE OPENING REMARKS OF THE RANKING MEMBER
           OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AS IT RELATES TO CHINA PNTR, WHICH IS
           THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE BEFORE THIS SENATE. BUT IT IS
           IMPORTANT THAT SENATORS BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE
           CONCERNS THAT ARE NOW OUT THERE ON OUR PUBLIC LANDS AND SOME
           REMEDIAL ACTION THAT WE CAN TAKE IN THE SHORT TERM AS WE LOOK

           AT LONG-TERM POLICY WORKING WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION AND FUTURE
           ADMINISTRATIONS TO RESOLVE THIS KIND OF CRITICAL ISSUE. SOY
           THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE TIME THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE USED
           IN JOINING WITH ME, I THINK, TO BRING OUT SOME OF THE NECESSARY
           AND IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT THE EVENTS THAT ARE OCCURRING NOW OUT
           THERE AS WE GO THROUGH THIS MOST DEVASTATING FIRE SEASON. LET
           ME CONCLUDE ONCE AGAIN WITH THIS THOUGHT. 6.5 MILLION ACRES OF
           PUBLIC LAND HAVE NOW BURNED. FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT BE LISTENING

           AND NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT AN ACRE OF LAND REPRESENTS, A SQUARE
           MILE OF LAND, THEN LET ME SUGGEST THAT IT IS THE ENTIRE STATE
           OF MARYLAND CHARRED TO THE GROUND, A PILE OF ASHES, WITH SNAGS
           OF TIMBER STANDING DEAD TREES, NOTHING LEFT. WITH THE RISK OF
           SILTATION AND SOOT AND ASH MOVING INTO THE WATERSHEDS AND INTO
           THE STREAMS AND INTO THE VALUABLE AQUATIC HABITAT. NO WILDLIFE
           CAN LIVE THERE. MUCH OF THE WILDLIFE HAVING BEEN DESTROYED. NO

           TREES THAT COULD PROVIDE THE PRODUCTIVENESS TO BUILD A HOME AND
           TO PROVIDE FIBER FOR OUR COUNTRY NOW EXIST EXCEPT IN CHARRED
           SNAGS. AN AREA THE SIZE OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND HAS NOW
           BURNED, AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF ACRES CONTINUE TO BURN.
           I BELIEVE, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT IS A NATIONAL CRISIS, AND IT IS
           A CRISIS WORTH ALL OF US FOCUSING ON AND ALL OF US DEALING
           WITH. IF IT HAD BEEN A HURRICANE THAT HAD JUST WIPED OUT THE

           STATE OF MARYLAND, WE WOULD ALL BE RUSHING -- RUSHING -- TO
           SAVE ALL OF THAT STATE. FIRE, TRUE, IS A PART OF MOTHER
           NATURE'S DISASTER OR CATASTROPHIC SCHEME. I WOULD HOPE THAT OUR
           COLLEAGUES WOULD WORK WITH US AND THAT THE NATION WOULD BEGIN
           TO UNDERSTAND THE ACTIVE MANAGEMENT ON THESE TIMBERED PUBLIC
           LANDS IN THE APPROPRIATE AND DESIGNATED AREAS IS NOT ONLY
           CRITICAL. IT IS NECESSARY TO SAVE OUR FORESTS. I YIELD THE
           FLOOR.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: UNDER THE PREVIOUS AGREEMENT, THE
           SENATOR FROM NEW YORK IS RECOGNIZED FOR SUCH TIME AS HE MIGHT
           CONSUME.
           

           MR. MOYNIHAN: I THANK THE PRESIDENT. AND I THANK MY REVERED
           CHAIRMAN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. AND I THANK THE SENATOR FROM
           IDAHO FOR COMMENTING IN THE AFTERMATH OF A POWERFUL ADDRESS.
           THE MATTER WE NOW TURN TO --
           
           WHICH WE TURNED TO AT 2:15 IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE WE WILL
           DEAL WITH IN THIS SESSION OF THE CONGRESS, THIS PORTION OF THIS

           SESSION. I WOULD NOTE THE -- SLURE. THE CHAIRMAN WISHES TO MAKE

           A UNANIMOUS CONSENT. MR. ROTH: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM DELAWARE.
           

           MR. ROTH: I HAVE ONE UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST FOR A COMMITTEE
           TO MEET DURING TODAY'S SESSION OF THE SENATE. THIS REQUEST HAS
           THE APPROVAL OF THE MAJORITY AND MINORITY LEADERS. I ASK
           UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE REQUEST BE AGREED TO AND THAT THIS
           REQUEST BE PRINTED IN THE RECORD.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED. THE
           SENATOR FROM NEW YORK.
           

           MR. MOYNIHAN: AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE'S FINAL HEARING ON CHINA
           THIS SPRING ON APRIL 6, OUR LAST WITNESS, IRA SHAH PEER ROW --
           IRA SHAPIR. CLOSED HIS TESTIMONY WITH THESE WORDS. HE SAID,
           "THIS VOTE" -- BY WHICH HE MEANS THE VOTE WE WILL TAKE IN THE

           NEXT WEEK OR SO -- "THIS VOTE IS ONE OF AN HISTORIC HANDFUL OF
{END: 2000/09/05 TIME: 16-15 , Tue.  106TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}