🚀 go-pugleaf

To: All activists
From: Jim Jontz and Steve Holmer, WAFC
Date: June 20, 1996
 
FURSE/PORTER DEFEATED 209-211
 
We came up a couple votes short today, but we're not done yet!  It
is disappointing, to be sure, that we were so close to winning the
vote on the amendment to the Interior Appropriations bill today
offered by Reps. Elizabeth Furse (D-OR), John Porter (R-IL), Sid
Yates (D-IL), and Connie Morella (R-MD).
But it is a "giant step forward" toward rider repeal that we added
59 votes to the level of support we had in the House a year ago on
the Yates amendment.
 
We will look for another opportunity to bring the issue of rider
repeal before the House -- and we will win the next vote!   We had
50 Republicans with us (Campbell, Horn, and Bilbray from CA but
none from WA, OR or elsewhere in the West), a good start.  There
are more who can be convinced.
 
Regrettably, even though all of the Northwest Democrats were with
us and only three "D"s in the entire west (Condit, Dooley, and
Orton) voted "no," there were 33 other Democrats who voted
against Furse -- including two cosponsors of HR 2745 we surely can
win back!  Clearly, there are votes in the House to win a victory on
rider repeal even though we didn't quite make it today.  
 
An enormous round of thanks goes to Rep. Elizabeth Furse and
Elise Jones on her staff who have moved mountains to get rider
repeal this far.  Congresswoman Furse did a superb job on the
House floor and behind the scenes.  She had strong assistance from
many, including the cosponsors of her amendment and some other
Western Democrats too (Reps. Williams, McDermott, Miller, and
Fazio among them).  It is important to thank them.
 
Unfortunately, one party that does not deserve any thanks is the
White House.  The Administration did not make any visible effort
to win votes for the Furse amendment.  Surely a signal from the
White House would have convinced some of the 36 wayward
Democrats.  The President has said he supports rider repeal, but
(again) he has done nothing toward that end.  Last week we
delivered a letter through both Katie McGinty and Ag Secretary Dan
Glickman asking for sale cancellation and the President's help with
rider repeal.  It would not be inappropriate to raise this issue in
calls or letters to the White House.
 
We may have another bite at the apple in the near future, when
the Interior bill is taken up in the Senate.  Most of all, we want to
relay our thanks to all who made calls, visits, etc. to win the 209
votes for rider repeal.  Your efforts are inspiring.  We will not quit
now.  Victory on rider repeal gets closer every day.  
 
 
KENNEDY DEFEATED ON 211-211 TIE
 
A great effort by the Green Scissors coalition and forest activists
notwithstanding, we lost a heartbreaking 211-211 vote on the
Kennedy amendment to cut $50 million from the Interior bill for
road construction in National Forest roadless areas. (We won the
initial vote Wednesday evening, but a second vote was held late
Thursday). We are hopeful that another try on cutting purchaser
credit road money can be made when the bill is in the Senate.