The vote is on whether to pass 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. The same is true of state and local recreation areas, wildlife refuges, and fishery facilities. With massive budget cuts at both federal and state levels, the backlog of needed conservation work keeps growing. Under this program, young people could plant trees, thin out tree stands, maintain trails, build fences on range land, band birds, and enjoy the outdoors. Similar but limited programs have been highly successful in 14 states.

The bill authorized spending $225 million over three years. It was scaled down from a more ambitious program passed in 1983, perhaps in the hope of avoiding a veto. It would have provided summer jobs for 50,000 youths and year round work and training for 35,000 more. This is many more jobs per dollar than most federal programs provide.

Seiberling motion to authorize the American Conservation Corps agreed to 296-75; October 9, 1984. YES is the pro-environmental vote. (Seiberling motion to concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 999.) The Reagan Administration opposed the Seiberling motion. Although the bill easily passed both House and Senate, it was vetoed by President Reagan after Congress adjourned. Thus Congress had no opportunity to override the veto.