[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 23, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H6-H7]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        ASIAN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2001

  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in 
the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 700) to reauthorize the Asian 
Elephant Conservation Act of 1997.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Senate amendment:
       Page 4, strike out all after line 12 down to and including 
     line 19 and insert:
       (b) Technical Corrections.--
       (1) The matter under the heading ``multinational species 
     conservation fund'' in title I of the Department of the 
     Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 (16 
     U.S.C. 4246; 112 Stat. 2681-237), is amended--
       (A) by striking ``section 5304 of'' and all that follows 
     through ``section 6 of the Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 
     1997'' and inserting ``section 5 of the Rhinoceros and Tiger 
     Conservation Act of 1994 (16 U.S.C. 5304), part I of the 
     African Elephant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 4211 et seq.), 
     and section 5 of the Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1997 
     (16 U.S.C. 4264)'';
       (B) by striking ``16 U.S.C. 4224'' and inserting ``section 
     2204 of the African Elephant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 
     4224)'';
       (C) by striking ``16 U.S.C. 4225'' and inserting ``section 
     2205 of the African Elephant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 
     4225)''; and
       (D) by striking ``16 U.S.C. 4211'' and inserting ``section 
     2101 of the African Elephant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 
     4211)''.
       (2) Effective on the day after the date of enactment of the 
     African Elephant Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2001 
     (107th Congress)--
       (A) section 2104(a) of the African Elephant Conservation 
     Act is amended by striking ``this Act'' and inserting ``this 
     title''; and
       (B) section 2306(b) of the African Elephant Conservation 
     Act (16 U.S.C. 4245(b)) is amended by striking ``this Act'' 
     each place it appears and inserting ``this title''.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR NATIONAL FISH AND 
                   WILDLIFE FOUNDATION.

       Section 10(a)(1) of the National Fish and Wildlife 
     Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3709(a)(1)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``2003'' and inserting ``2005''; and
       (2) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``$20,000,000'' and 
     inserting ``$25,000,000''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands 
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest).
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  This legislation was introduced by our distinguished colleague the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) and it was overwhelmingly 
approved by the House on June 12. This measure will extend the Asian 
Elephant Conservation Act at its existing authorization level.
  Since its enactment in 1997, Congress has appropriated $2.9 million 
to fund 46 conservation projects in 12 range countries. These funds, 
which are the only continuous source of money for the Asian elephants, 
have had a dramatic, positive impact on the ongoing international 
struggle to save this flagship species from extinction.
  While many Americans were thrilled by the recent birth of an Asian 
elephant at the National Zoo, it is essential that natural habitat be 
preserved and protected for these animals. This is a fundamental goal 
of H.R. 700 because the battle to save the irreplaceable species is far 
from won.
  During consideration in the other body, a number of technical 
corrections were made to the Multinational Species Conservation Fund. 
We have reviewed those modifications and support them.
  Furthermore, the other body extended the authorization for the 
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for 2 years and corrected a 
mistake made last year in their authorization levels. The National Fish 
and Wildlife Foundation was created by Congress in 1984 to conserve 
fish, wildlife and plants and the habitats on which they depend.
  In nearly 20 years, the Foundation has funded over 5,000 projects 
which have restored nearly 20 million acres of habitat, and over 11,000 
miles of streams and waterways have been enhanced. In addition, the 
Foundation has been extremely successful in leveraging limited public 
dollars with corporate, private and other nonprofit funds. By any 
objective standard, the foundation has done an effective job of 
promoting healthy populations of fish, wildlife and plants.
  I support these improvements and I urge an aye vote on H.R. 700 so 
that we can send this important legislation to the President for his 
signature, and I urge an aye vote on this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.


                Report of Committee to Notify President

  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, your committee on the part of the House to 
join a like committee on the part of the Senate to notify the President 
of the United States that a quorum of each House has been assembled and 
is ready to receive any communication that he may be pleased to make 
has performed that duty.
  The President asked us to report that he will be pleased to deliver 
his message at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, January 29, 2002, to a joint session 
of the two Houses.
  Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, I second the thoughts of the majority 
leader, and both Democrats and Republicans will welcome the President 
here on Tuesday night for the State of the Union.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair thanks the committee.
  (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
her remarks.)
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might 
consume.
  I rise in support, Mr. Speaker, of H.R. 700, a bill to reauthorize 
the Asian Elephant Conservation Act.
  I would also like to recognize and applaud the bill's sponsor, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton), for his continued leadership in 
protecting these magnificent, yet imperiled animals.
  Unlike African elephants, the steep decline in the population of 
Asian elephants was not widely known until 1997. Sadly, we have learned 
that this population, at one time flourishing, is now fragmented into 
ever-shrinking remnant populations scattered across 13 countries 
throughout Southern and Southeast Asia.
  Fortunately, the Asian Elephant Conservation Act has helped range 
states the address the multiple threats which have contributed to the 
decline of this keystone species in the wild.
  Grants initiated under the Asian Elephant Conservation Program have 
provided valuable financial assistance to impoverished areas.
  These funds have supported a wide assortment of projects within range 
states, including conservation, planning, scientific research, 
education and community outreach, as well as anti-poaching and law 
enforcement activities.
  Progress on the ground is being made. That is why this legislation is 
fully supported by the administration and by many international 
conservation organizations, including the World Wildlife Fund and the 
Wildlife Conservation Society.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 700 is virtually the same legislation that the 
House passed earlier this year by the lopsided vote of 401 to 15. The 
other technical amendments made by the other body to H.R. 700 are 
noncontroversial, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation 
to reauthorize this important wildlife program.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton), the author of the 
legislation.
  (Mr. SAXTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. 
Gilchrest) for yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, during the years that I have been involved in this 
issue, from

[[Page H7]]

time to time folks come to me and say why are you concerned about the 
situation involving the Asian elephants. I just wanted to take a few 
minutes this morning to explain why that is and how we got to where we 
are with this program that has been quite successful.
  Mr. Speaker, in 1997 I introduced this bill because I became startled 
to learn that there were less than 40,000 Asian elephants living in the 
wild. Furthermore, nearly 50 percent of those elephants were living in 
various national parks in India, while the remaining animals were 
scattered in fragmented populations in 12 other countries in South and 
Southeast Asia.
  Mr. Speaker, it occurred to me that with the rapid decline in the 
population of this species, it is not without reason that one could 
conclude that they would actually some day, in the not too distant 
future, become extinct unless something was done by the variety of 
people who care about issues involving wildlife.
  The primary reason for this serious decline in population is the loss 
of essential habitat. That should be no surprise to anyone. It is no 
secret that elephants and man are in direct competition for the same 
resources. In most cases, it was the elephants who lost.
  In addition, Asian elephants are poached for their bones, hide, meat 
and teeth and are still captured for domestication, and conflicts 
between elephants and people are escalating at an alarming rate.
  Furthermore, it was clear that millions of Americans were not aware 
of the plight of Asian elephants and, in addition, range countries 
lacked the financial resources to help conserve this flagship species.
  Without an international effort, the future of the Asian elephant was 
in serious jeopardy, and in response to this problem, along with a 
number of other Members, we proposed the establishment of the Asian 
Elephant Conservation Fund. The concept was modeled after the highly 
successful African Elephant Conservation Fund.
  The fundamental goal of this legislation was to obtain a small amount 
of Federal assistance for on-the-ground conservation projects. 
Fortunately, this important legislation was overwhelmingly approved by 
both bodies and was finally signed into law in 1997.
  Under the provisions of this act, $25 million could be set aside for 
the Asian elephant conservation funds until September 30, 2002. In 
fact, some $2.9 million in Federal funds have been allocated and these 
moneys have been matched by an additional $1.1 million in private 
donations.
  These funds have been used to underwrite 46 conservation projects in 
12 range countries to help benefit the Asian elephant population. While 
the early indication is that the worldwide population of Asian 
elephants has stopped its precipitous decline, it is unrealistic to 
believe that $3 million can save the species from extinction.
  We have been successful but we are not finished. Nevertheless, this 
law has sent a powerful message to the international community that we 
must not allow this flagship species to disappear from the wild.

                              {time}  1300

  The United States must continue to play its crucial leadership role. 
So I am pleased to have introduced this reauthorization and am hopeful 
that it will again pass the House of Representatives and be signed into 
law by the President.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume, and I would like to once again commend the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Saxton) for his passion on this issue and his leadership at 
the committee.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume 
to also compliment the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) for his 
effort on this issue, and the staff, and all those who helped push this 
bill through. I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye'' on this legislation. 

  Mr. PUTNAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the Asian Elephant 
Conservation Act, H.R. 700. This important measure will help protect 
the future of the Asian elephant by supporting and providing resources 
to conservation programs around the world.
  The Center for Elephant Conservation, located in my congressional 
district in Polk County, Florida, is dedicated to the conservation, 
breeding, and scientific study of Asian elephants. The Center for 
Elephant Conservation, sponsored through private funding from Ringling 
Brothers, is a global focal point for the worldwide study of the Asian 
elephant. Knowledge developed at the conservation center is shared with 
veterinary scientists dedicated to the preservation of the Asian 
elephant around the world.
  With fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants left internationally, the 
animal has been placed on the Endangered Species Act. The captive 
breeding program at the Elephant Conservation Center, however, is one 
of the most successful in the world, with over 12 elephant births in 
the last decade and is dedicated to the care and husbandry of 
elephants.
  The Asian Elephant Conservation Reauthorization Act would enable 
critical conservation efforts to continue to protect endangered species 
for future generations. Since 1997 when the bill was first authorized, 
over 27 conservation grants, matched in private funding, have been 
designated in nine different countries for the protection of the Asian 
elephant.
  The Act, which extends authorization to 2007, will continue to help 
preserve the future of the Asian elephant by supporting programs for 
the promotion of elephant conservation, resettlement of elephants, 
education on population dynamics and feeding patterns and other 
important elephant conservation programs.
  Please join me in support of the Asian Elephant Conservation 
Reauthorization Act and help to preserve the future of the Asian 
elephant.
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest) that the House 
suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R. 
700.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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