[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 121 (Thursday, September 30, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1744-E1745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          BROWN TREE SNAKE CONTROL AND ERADICATION ACT OF 2004

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 28, 2004

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3479 was introduced to provide a more 
coordinated and consistent approach in dealing with the brown tree 
snake, which has decimated native bird populations in Guam since its 
accidental introduction following World War II. Today, the brown tree 
snake poses a direct threat to the environment and economies of the 
Mariana Islands and the Hawaiian Islands, and to a lesser extent, 
Coastal California, the Gulf States, and the Caribbean. If not 
effectively contained in Guam, the brown tree snake could prove to be 
devastating should it make its way further outside its native and 
historic range. The brown tree snake, whose scientific name is Boiga 
irregularis, is especially prone to tropical climate and with no 
natural predators can virtually destroy an ecosystem. This invasive 
species has already irrevocably harmed Guam's environment.
  With the level of military and commercial air and sea traffic between 
Guam and points in the Pacific Region, including Saipan and Honolulu, 
increasing on an almost daily basis, the need for effective control of 
the brown tree snake correspondingly rises. For over a decade, a 
Federal partnership has existed with the Government of Guam and the 
State of Hawaii in preventing the brown tree snake's transport off 
Guam. This partnership emerged following the introduction of the first 
legislation in Congress dealing with the brown tree snake. That measure 
was H.R. 4804 in the 101st Congress, introduced by former Congresswoman 
Patricia Saiki (Hawaii) and former Congressman Ben Blaz (Guam), whose 
purpose was eventually incorporated into and enacted as part of the 
Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990. H.R. 
3479 builds upon this law by providing more programmatic authorization 
and direction for the Federal elements of the overall partnership to 
combat the brown tree snake.
  The legislation provides funding authority for eleven specific 
authorized activities relating to control, interdiction, research and 
eradication. It authorizes appropriations for five offices and agencies 
under the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior 
to support and coordinate the different elements of this overall work. 
Apart from these two cabinet level agencies, it is expected that strong 
support and cooperation will continue to come from the Department of 
Defense, who has a major stake in reducing brown tree snake populations 
on military installations in Guam and in preventing the accidental or 
incidental transport of the brown tree snake off Guam.
  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has been at 
the center of this partnership, with its Wildlife Services operating a 
program to screen outbound cargo at the airport and seaport for brown 
tree snakes. This partnership has proven effective at interdicting 
snakes, although stands to gain much more Federal backing and resources 
in order to ultimately succeed in its mission. In recent years the 
program has struggled to keep up

[[Page E1745]]

with the pace of outbound flights and surface cargo. H.R. 3479 would 
provide for specific authorization levels to maintain strong and 
consistent Federal funding for this program. From this perspective, I 
believe H.R. 3479 is a cost-saving measure for the Federal Government 
in the long run. If our guard is let down, and the program becomes 
inevitably unable to keep up with the demand of increased inspections, 
the value of all the inspections conducted to date and the value of all 
Federal resources invested to date lessens and becomes jeopardized in 
its entirety. Should the snake ever become established in Hawaii, the 
responsibility and need to control for it in yet another location would 
ensue, causing the expenditure of additional Federal funds. The costs 
of the adverse impact to the economy of any local community hit by the 
introduction of the brown tree snake would be beyond estimating and 
difficult to bear.
  Apart from the concern over consistent and adequate year-to-year 
Federal funding for interdiction, is the larger, more long-term concern 
about controlling for the snake to restore and protect Guam's 
environment. To date, efforts have largely focused, with limited and 
inconsistent resources, on interdiction. I believe more can and should 
be devoted towards protecting Guam's environment and native species. I 
believe brown tree snake control work carried out on Guam should be 
tied to, consistent with, and made an integral component of species 
recovery efforts. In this regard, I am pleased H.R. 3479 provides a 
specific authorization of appropriations for the Fish and Wildlife 
Service to participate in this partnership. I would also note that this 
legislation provides for research authorization with the long-term goal 
of eradication and with the near-term focus on large-scale reduction.
  H.R. 3479 also provides important direction and purpose for the Brown 
Tree Snake Technical Working Group that has convened over the years to 
provide a forum for the partners across the levels of government to 
coordinate their efforts. The legislation outlines specific duties and 
activities for the working group, including the evaluation of Federal 
activity and funding. It is hoped that the working group's evaluation 
and reporting would provide Congress with authoritative and useful 
information to consider in the appropriations process. Furthermore, I 
believe the five-year authorization period contained within the 
legislation can yield a process by which we are able to evaluate the 
progress of the work. Without the direction and authorization embodied 
in this legislation, I am concerned that the Federal Government will 
forever be engaged in an effort to prevent the brown tree snake from 
leaving Guam, and will likely prove unsuccessful in the long run. 
Without this legislation, I am also concerned that future efforts will 
be focused on interdiction and interdiction alone at the expense of 
Guam's environmental and economic interests.
  Although, not all provisions of the bill as introduced have been 
retained in the version before the House today, I am pleased that we 
have been able to craft a product that I believe will encourage more 
direction, coordination and consistency in year-to-year funding for 
brown tree snake interdiction, control, research, and eradication 
efforts. I look forward to continuing to work with the leadership of 
the committees with jurisdiction to enact this legislation.

                          ____________________