[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 139 (Wednesday, October 8, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H8636-H8637]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             REAUTHORIZATION OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

  (Mr. SAXTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I come before the House today, to be 
followed by my good friend, the gentleman Michigan [Mr. Dingell] to 
discuss the need to reauthorize the Endangered Species Act. I believe 
the time is now to reauthorize this granddaddy of all environmental 
laws.
  It is vital that any piece of legislation that is developed is done 
so in a bipartisan way. I want to congratulate also the Senate in their 
effort to craft such a bill. This process must recognize the needs of 
people who are impacted by ESA as well as the issue of declining 
species.

[[Page H8637]]

  I want to commend my colleague, the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. 
Young], chairman of the Committee on Resources, and the ranking member, 
the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller] for their recent efforts to 
craft a bipartisan bill.
  This process has been supported by the involvement of my friend [Mr. 
Dingell] as well as the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Tauzin] and the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Pombo].
  We must set aside partisan politics. We must set aside personal 
interest and do what is right for the people of this country and for 
the species which this legislation protects.

                          ____________________