Logging roads open up wild forests to development. The roads themselves result in erosion, stream siltation, and harm to fish and wildlife, yet the federal government continues to subsidize logging road construction for the benefit of timber companies.

During consideration of H.R. 3662, the Fiscal Year 1997 Interior Appropriations Bill, Reps. Joseph Kennedy (D-MA), John Edward Porter (R-IL), Dan Miller (R-FL), David Minge (D-MN), Edward Royce (R-CA), Scott King (R-WI), and John Hostettler (R-IN) offered an amendment to eliminate $42 million in funding for the construction of new logging roads in national forests. The amendment continued maintenance funding for existing logging roads, but it required timber companies to shoulder more of the costs associated with new road building by reducing the Forest Services road construction budget.

Although the Kennedy amendment initially passed by a margin of one vote, the House reversed itself on a second vote requested by Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-AZ) on June 20, 1996, and the Kennedy amendment ultimately failed on a tie vote, 211 - 211. YES is the pro-environment vote.