[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 16 (Thursday, February 26, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S1129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RHINO AND TIGER PRODUCT LABELING ACT

 Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to express my support 
for Senate Bill 361, the ``Rhino and Tiger Product Labeling Act.'' This 
legislation is desperately needed and I thank my friend and colleague 
Senator Jeffords for introducing it in the Senate.
  The Rhino and Tiger Product Labeling Act amends the Endangered 
Species Act to prohibit the sale of products labeled as containing 
endangered species, even if they actually do not. Rhino and Tiger parts 
are two of the more widely advertised ingredients in a number of 
powders and balms which claim to cure a host of ailments. None of these 
claims is supported by scientific research, nevertheless, demand for 
these ingredients has encouraged the widespread poaching of these 
endangered animals and threatens their existence.
  As I understand it, the world's population of rhinos has declined by 
90 percent since 1970, and tigers populations are even more threatened. 
Today, less than 5,000 remain in the world. The greatest threat to many 
of these animals in the wild is the poacher, and poaching thrives in 
part because the demand for products containing rhino horn, tiger parts 
and others remains high.
  A U.S. ban on all wares containing, and claiming to contain, parts of 
endangered species will greatly reduce the size of the world markets. 
This should lower the value of these animals and, I hope, stimulate 
their recovery. I am pleased to hear that the House is moving forward 
on a similar bill and trust that the Congress will soon send 
legislation addressing this problem to the White House.

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