This vote is on passage of a bill creating an American Conservation Corps to provide conservation jobs and job training to unemployed youths on public and Indian lands. Many of our National Parks and Forests are suffering major resource damage and deterioration from heavy use and lack of maintenance. There is a $1.25 billion backlog of projects on U.S. Forest Service lands alone. The same is true of state and local recreation areas, wildlife refuges, fishery facilities and historic and cultural sites. At the time of this vote, teenage unemployment stood at 19 percent, with 40 percent of minority youths unemployed. Under this program, young people could plant trees, thin out tree stands, maintain trails, build fences on range land, and enjoy the outdoors. Similar but limited programs have been highly successful in 27 states and localities.

Bill accepted 193-191; July 11, 1985. YES is the pro-environmental vote. (Passage of H.R. 99, American Conservation Corps Act.) The Senate passed a similar bill during the waning hours of the 99th Congress -- but too late to allow final passage of the act.