[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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