🚀 go-pugleaf

TO: ALL ACTIVISTS
FROM: Jim Jontz
February 10, 1996
 
IS NEXT WEEK "DECISION TIME" AT THE WHITE HOUSE?
 
Information from several sources suggests that the White House is
on the brink of making a decision about what position they are
going to take on the repeal of the "logging without laws" timber
rider.  Here are some key facts:
 
1)  The President some time ago made a promise to legislatively
"fix" the rider, although he has never said he was for repealing it.
 
2)  Where Ron Wyden and Patty Murray stand on the rider is very
important.
 
3)  The White House wants to do something to resolve this issue in
the Interior Appropriations bill (or continuing resolution) which must
be passed by March 15 (only five weeks from yesterday).   
 
4)  We are making progress in moving the White House toward a
"REPEAL, NO DEAL" position, but we're not there yet.
 
We now have 101 cosponsors on the Furse bill (Rep. Nancy
Johnson, R-CT, just signed on).  We have a commitment from Sen.
Bill Bradley (D-NJ) to file the Bradley/Boxer bill as a companion on
the Senate side, although we need to work hard to get Bradley as
many cosponsors as possible over the next two weeks.
 
We have 150 activists coming to Washington Feb. 20 for the Forest
Congress, and I know they won't forget the REAL Congress (and
the Administration) on their itinerary for the week.  But so much
must happen in these next few days!
 
 
THE SITUATION IS CRITICAL.  Here are some ways to help:
 
1) Call your Senators, now, asking them to cosponsor the
Bradley/Boxer bill to repeal the rider.  IF YOU ARE IN OREGON,
WASHINGTON, OR CALIFORNIA it is particularly important that
you call and fax Wyden/Murray/Boxer/Feinstein.
The Capitol switchboard number is (202-224-3121); same for
Representatives.  
 
2)  Please pull out the stops to generate calls to the White House
comment line (202-456-1111) or email president@whitehouse.gov and
Chief of Staff Leon Panetta (202-456-6797).  In addition to those two
calls, fax your messages/papers/newsclips etc. to Katie McGinty at
the CEQ at (202-456-2710) as often as you can.  If you are coming
to Washington for the Forest Congress or any other reason, making
an appointment with CEQ (through Katie McGinty's office) is one of
the most important things you can do!  
 
3)  IF YOU ARE ON THE EAST SIDE OF OREGON OR
WASHINGTON, or in MONTANA, IDAHO, COLORADO, or
anywhere else that there are proposed "logging without laws"
timber sales (which is a lot of places), it is especially important that
you reach the White House to communicate that "fixing" a few sales
won't solve the problem -- the rider must be REPEALED.
 
Thanks, thanks, thanks.  We have come a long way in making
Washington D.C. aware of the crisis in our forests!  Now is the
time to turn up the heat!