WASHINGTON — Responding to the recent controversy over the Lacey Act and actions taken against Gibson Guitar for alleged violations, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), voiced his continued support for the illegal logging rule. In a statement sent Sept. 20, the senior member of the House Ways & Means and Budget Committees said, “Enforcement of the Lacey Act’s ban on the importation of illegally-harvested wood products is essential for the American forest products industry’s success. Before we amended the Lacey Act with bipartisan support in 2008 to cover illegally harvested timber, that industry was losing more than $1 billion a year in lost opportunities and lower prices.”

Rep. Blumenauer, an author of the 2008 Lacey Act amendment, added that rather than “weakening” the law, Congress should “strengthen” its enforcement. “Enforcing the Lacey Act protects the American timber industry against unfair competition from illegal logging and helps to prevent the off-shoring of more wood and wood products jobs.”

In an open letter to Congress on Sept. 19, Rep. Blumenauer also called on members to stop the “misplaced criticism” and “protect America’s small businesses and manufacturing jobs by helping our small businesses compete on a level playing field.”

Although not singled out in Congressman Blumenauer’s letter, Representatives Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Fred Upton (R-MI), Cliff Stearns (R-FL) and Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) have gone on record questioning the enforcement of the Lacey Act with regards to the raid on Gibson Guitar. A response letter sent by the Department of Justice/Department of the Interior is available here.

In referencing the controversy surrounding the raid on Gibson Guitar for Lacey Act violations, Rep. Blumenauer states, “With regard to Gibson Guitars, the company has been under investigation since 2009 for knowingly importing illegally harvested timber from Madagascar. Gibson’s competitors chose not to pursue wood from the same market because of concerns about the legality of the timber. The new search warrants served by FWS agents on 24 August were an investigation for both customs fraud and Lacey Act violations regarding Indian wood. The court system is now in the position to hear evidence and make a decision on the merits. Congress should follow the same course.”

Rep. Blumenauer's statements follows on the heels of a teleconference call held Sept. 20 in which wood industry representatives voiced their support for the Lacey Act.