[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 45 (Wednesday, April 22, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H2126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ON EARTH DAY, A REMINDER OF TWO ENVIRONMENTAL BILLS LOCKED UP IN THE 
                                 HOUSE

  (Mr. HINCHEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, as has been noted a couple of times here 
this morning, today is Earth Day. It is the day in which we remind 
ourselves of the symbiotic relationship that exists between our species 
and every other species on the planet and how dependent everything else 
is on Earth upon our actions.
  It is also important for us to observe today that there are a number 
of environmental bills that are pending in this House, or I should say 
really locked up in this House, that are not making progress. I will 
mention just two, the Federal Superfund, which needs to be 
reauthorized, and the Endangered Species Act.
  With regard to the Endangered Species Act, a recent poll of more than 
400 American biologists indicates that they are deeply concerned about 
the loss of biological diversity which we are currently experiencing. 
They estimate that up to one-fifth of all the species on the Earth will 
be wiped out within the next 30 years, unless we do something to 
protect the habitat of these species.
  We are directly linked to everything else on Earth. We have a 
responsibility to protect them. We have a responsibility to pass the 
Endangered Species Act and get other important environmental bills out 
on this floor.

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