Tongass Amendment Not Offered But Effort To End Wasteful Spending Continues

May 20, 2005

Dear Activists,

Last night, May 19, 2005, Representatives Steve Chabot (R-OH) and Robert
Andrews (D-NJ) offered their Tongass Subsidy Amendment to the Interior
Appropriations bill.  Unfortunately, due to a sneaky procedural maneuver
by our opposition, led by Congressman Richard Pombo (R-CA), the amendment
was stopped before members of Congress had the chance to vote on the
measure.

We believe that it was the broad spectrum of support for this amendment
from budget watchdog groups, sportsman organizations, religious leaders,
conservationists and over 100 small businesses in Southeast Alaska, in
addition to our outpouring of support from activists all over the country,
forced our opposition to resort to this tricky political tactic to avoid a
vote.  While they may have prevented the vote from happening this time, we
will have more opportunities to bring this amendment back for a vote.
Furthermore, our champions in the House and our broad coalition of groups
will continue working to get this amendment passed.

Right now it is very important to let our members of Congress know that
this latest move by our opposition has not stopped us and we will to
continue fighting until something is done to stop wasteful spending in the
Tongass National Forest. To help us get this message out, please contact
your Senators and Representatives today and urge them to keep fighting to
end taxpayer subsidies used to build new logging roads in the Tongass
National Forest.

To Take Action Now:

1. Call Your Members of Congress :
<http://capwiz.com/awc/callalert/index.tt?alertid=7628616&type=CO> Click
here to find a phone number for each of your Members of Congress and
talking points.

2. Email Your Members of Congress :
<http://capwiz.com/awc/issues/alert/?alertid=7628431&type=CO> Click here
to send an email to your Senators and Representatives.

3. Be an Organizer: Ask your family and friends to call and email their
Representatives as well. The more calls and emails we get into their
offices the better are chances are!

Now more than ever we need to tell Congress that we don't want to pay to
pave and log America's Rainforest!

More Information:

At a time when the government is running huge budget deficits, the Forest
Service wasted $48 million taxpayer dollars last year to subsidize the
timber industry's clearcutting of America's Rainforest -and they want to
continue to throw good money after bad. If the Bush administration were to
stick to its proposed logging schedule in the Tongass, over the next
decade America's taxpayers could expect losses totaling over $1.2
billion-a hefty price tag for clearcutting America's Rainforest.

If the President and Congress are serious about cutting government waste,
the subsidy to the logging industry in Alaska is a good place to start. It
should not be the responsibility of American taxpayers to foot the bill to
clearcut America's rainforest. American taxpayers deserve better and so
does America's Rainforest.

Let's keep telling Congress to support the Chabot/Andrews Amendment to
stop using taxpayer subsidies to log our nation's largest National Forest.

If you have any questions or want to know other ways you can help, please
send an email to  <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
[log in to unmask]

Sincerely,

The Alaska Coalition
 <http://www.alaskacoalition.org/> www.alaskacoalition.org





Scott Hed
Director of Sportsmen Outreach
Alaska Coalition
231 S. Phillips Avenue, # 361
Sioux Falls, SD  57104
605-336-6738 office
605-351-1646 mobile
www.alaskacoalition.org



Scott Hed
Director of Sportsmen Outreach
Alaska Coalition
231 S. Phillips Avenue, # 361
Sioux Falls, SD  57104
605-336-6738 office
605-351-1646 mobile
www.alaskacoalition.org