Washington, D.C. – Today, the Senate Budget Committee passed the Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley’s amendment to improve forest health and pave the way for forest jobs to be included in upcoming jobs bills. The amendment was co-sponsored by Senator Ron Wyden.
“Rural jobs absolutely have to be part of any job creation strategy,” Merkley said. “Our forests face real peril from invasive species and wildfire and we should put people to work as soon as possible protecting our natural areas and rural communities from these threats.”
Inclusion of this deficit neutral reserve fund in the budget resolution will help clear the way for Congress to enact future legislation that puts Americans to work protecting local communities from the risk of wildfire and combating diseases and invasive species in our forests.
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