Democratic lawmaker circulates letter to protect Lacey Act

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) began circulating a letter to his colleagues Monday asking them to protect the Lacey Act, a trade law that Gibson Guitar is under investigation for violating.

After Fish and Wildlife agents raided Gibson factories last month, the legendary guitar maker has become a symbol for conservatives of government regulation run amok.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) invited Gibson's CEO to sit with him during President Obama's recent address to Congress, and he mentioned the guitar company in his own jobs speech as an example of how excessive regulation can destroy jobs.

But the attention that Gibson has received has sparked a backlash from environmental groups and wood companies that worry lawmakers might try to change the Lacey Act.

The Lacey Act makes it a crime to import plants or wildlife into the U.S. if those goods were obtained in a way that breaks the laws of another country. 

Rep. Blumenauer sponsored the amendment to include plants under the Lacey Act in 2008. 

"Criticism of the Lacey Act amendments barring illegally harvested timber is misplaced. This law does not force companies to outsource labor — in fact it protects thousands of U.S. workers and companies," Blumenauer wrote in his letter to other lawmakers.

He said illegal logging costs the U.S. forest industry $1 billion every year in lost opportunities and lower prices.

"If anything, we should be talking about strengthening the Lacey Act and its ability to protect the American timber industry from unfair competition from illegal logging overseas," Blumenauer wrote.

In a conference call Tuesday, a coalition of environmental groups and wood companies emphasized its support of the Lacey Act. 

The groups said the measure helps to combat illegal logging, which destroys endangered forests.

Charlie Redden, supply chain manager for Taylor Guitars, said on the conference call that it can be complicated to verify his company is buying legal wood, but it is "something that's manageable." 

Redden said that Taylor is a "proponent of the Lacey Act."

According to an affidavit by a U.S Fish and Wildlife agent, officials intercepted a shipment of illegal Indian wood headed to Gibson. The shipment was mislabeled to conceal the fact that it was illegal, according to the agent. 

Based on that evidence, Fish and Wildlife agents raided Gibson factories, seizing wood, guitars and electronic files. No charges have been formally filed. 

Gibson says it has done nothing wrong.

In an interview with The Hill, Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz said he supports the goals of the Lacey Act but that it should be changed to specify what steps companies need to take to comply with its requirements.

"With regard to Gibson Guitars, the company has been under investigation since 2009," Blumenauer wrote. "The court system is now in a position to hear the evidence and make a decision on the merits. Congress should follow the same course." 

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