Washington news briefs for July 18, 2000

Tuesday, July 18, 2000 | 10:34 a.m.

Bryan measure defeated in Senate

The Senate today defeated an amendment introduced by Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., that would have cut U.S. Forest Service subsidies to loggers by $30 million. The bill failed 45-54.

Bryan said the Forest Service's timber cutting program is environmentally damaging and ultimately is a money loser for the agency, which provides such infrastructure as roads in forests for loggers. Bryan wanted to re-direct $15 million to the Forest Service wildland fire management program and $15 million to the federal treasury for debt reduction.

Bryan blamed timber industry lobbying for the amendment's defeat.

Students honored in D.C. ceremony

Two Southern Nevada pupils were among students from around the nation Monday who presented Education Secretary Richard Riley with essays they wrote about youth violence.

Paul Scott, who was a seventh grader last year at Greenspun Middle School, and Takara Green, an eighth grader last year at Sandy Valley Junior High School, were among about 30 students who presented Riley with a book of essays from the national Do the Write Thing contest.

Scott was one of two students who read their essays at the event at the Library of Congress.

Do the Write Thing is a national campaign aimed at encouraging students to discuss and write about the effect of youth violence on their lives and to make commitments to do something about it.