Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise to introduce a bill with my colleague, Senator Smith that will help the hardworking loggers across this Nation whose operations have suffered serious losses directly due to the pandemic. In Maine alone, logging has a roughly $650 million annual economic impact, and is the backbone of the forest products economy. The industry is made up of countless multi-generational family businesses, whose survival is being seriously threatened.

In Maine and in many places across the Country, the logging industry first felt the effects of COVID-19 in January as exports to foreign markets were significantly limited if not eliminated entirely. Declines in demand for paper products and other wood fiber based products caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have prompted shutdowns, slowdowns, and closures across the globe. As a result, Maine has seen declining demand for wood from mills across the board, and low prices and quotas driven by that lack of demand. And while timber prices have remained relatively stable, mills have drastically reduced their processing capacity--resulting in a ripple effect that has hit loggers and timber hauling companies hard.

The Professional Logging Contractors of Maine projects at least a 20 percent reduction in the annual harvest, which would threaten more than 600 jobs and represent the potential loss of $86 million in economic activity in my State. The explosion of a pulp digester earlier this year at a mill in Jay, coupled with the recent shutdown of a paper machine at another mill in Westbrook, have compounded the harm imposed by the pandemic.

Although the industry is certainly not alone in its struggles during this time, it faces unique challenges, including high capital costs relative to payroll and the fact that payroll costs do not reflect the amounts paid to independent contractors. And unlike some of our farmers who have been able to access direct payments from USDA and our fishermen who were allocated relief funding in the CARES Act, our forestry professionals have not been provided targeted assistance.

The legislation we are introducing today would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide financial assistance to loggers and timber hauling businesses that have experienced at least a 10 percent loss in revenues from January 2020 through July 2020 as compared to the same timeframe last year. The amount would be equal to 10 percent of 2019 gross revenues and could only be used for operating expenses, including payroll. I am grateful for the American Logging Council's support of our legislation, and urge my colleagues to join in this effort to support one of our country's core economic drivers.

Loggers and forestry industry professionals were rightfully deemed essential workers during this public health crisis, and we must ensure that they receive the support necessary to emerge from this downturn. ______

By Mr. REED (for himself, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Jones, and Mr. Tillis):

S. 4237. A bill to extend zero interest rate benefits and payment suspension to all Federal student loan borrowers, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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