[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 7, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E17]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE SIKES ACT IMPROVEMENT AMENDMENTS OF 1997: JANUARY 
                                7, 1997

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. DON YOUNG

                               of alaska

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 7, 1997

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce this 
legislation to reauthorize and improve the effectiveness of the act of 
September 15, 1960, commonly referred to as the Sikes Act.
  Since coming to Congress in 1973, I have led the fight to enhance and 
conserve the vital fish and wildlife resources that exist on our 
military lands. The Department of Defense [DOD] manages nearly 25 
million acres at approximately 900 military bases nationwide. These 
lands contain a wealth of plant and animal life, they provide vital 
habitat for thousands of migratory waterfowl and they are home for 
nearly 100 Federally listed species.
  The Department does a superb job of training our young men and women 
for combat. Regrettably, they often fail to do even an adequate job of 
comprehensive natural resource management planning. At far too many 
installations, management plans have never been written, are outdated, 
or are largely ignored. Furthermore, when these plans do exist, all too 
often they are not coordinated or integrated with other military 
activities.
  While this bill will make a number of improvements in the Sikes Act, 
it does not undermine in any way the fundamental training mission of a 
military base.
  What the bill does is expand the scope of existing conservation plans 
to encompass all natural resource management activities, require 
management plans for all appropriate installations, mandate an annual 
report summarizing the status of these plans, require that trained 
personnel be available, and ensure that DOD shall manage each 
installation to provide for the conservation of fish and wildlife, and 
to allow the multipurpose uses of those resources. In addition, the 
bill extends the act's authorization for the next 3 years at half of 
its previous funding level.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a noncontroversial bill. In fact, during the 
last Congress, it was thoroughly considered by both the House Resources 
and National Security Committees. It was approved by the House of 
Representatives unanimously by voice vote on July 11, 1995.
  Regrettably, the other body took no action on this measure. While I 
am today introducing a bill that is identical to the one that was 
overwhelmingly adopted by the House, I am committed to reauthorizing 
this longstanding conservation measure. With that in mind, I intend to 
meet with representatives of the Departments of Defense and the 
Interior, the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 
and members of the House National Security Committee. I am confident 
that together we can develop a strong and effective reauthorization 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Chairman of the Subcommittee on 
Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans, Jim Saxton, for joining with me in this 
effort and I commend the Sikes Act Improvement Amendments of 1997 to 
the membership of the House of Representatives.

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