[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 130 (Friday, October 7, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2055]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES RECOVERY ACT OF 2005

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. BOB ETHERIDGE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 29, 2005

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill. (H.R. 3824) to 
     amend and reauthorize the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to 
     provide greater results conserving and recovering listed 
     species, and for other purposes:

  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chairman, today I rise in opposition to H.R 3824, 
the Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act. Under the 
constitution, we are charged with securing this country's blessings not 
only for ourselves, but for our posterity. This bill turns its back on 
our posterity.
  The Endangered Species Act has been a model for the protection and 
preservation of endangered species since 1973. When this legislation 
was first passed, many species in this country were on the brink of 
extinction, and many more were in severe decline. ESA is essential to 
safeguard our natural resources and ensure the biodiversity that is 
critical to a healthy environment for all species, including human 
beings. ESA is a great American success story that should only be 
altered with the greatest of care.
  In the 30 years since the passage of the Endangered Species Act, we 
have seen an amazing turnaround in both the population numbers of 
species that were in decline, as well as in the significant 
environmental improvements that have fostered their recovery.
  I acknowledge the concerns of landowners and fanners about the 
current law, and I agree that the current law needs to be reformed. 
This is why I support the Miller-Boehlert substitute bill. The 
substitute helps small landowners by dedicating funding for technical 
assistance for private property owners, and it provides conservation 
grants for landowners who help conserve endangered species on their 
property. Finally, it provides assurances that private citizens will 
get timely answers from the Fish & Wildlife Service regarding the 
status of endangered species requirements on their land. The Miller-
Boehlert Substitute provides positive changes to the current ESA 
without reversing the progress that has been made over the past 30 
years. The bipartisan substitute is not perfect legislation, but it is 
far superior to H.R. 3824.
  H.R. 3824 was introduced just last week and was marked up without any 
public hearings, yet this legislation would most certainly rank as the 
most sweeping and significant change of environmental law in the past 3 
decades.
  I have grave concerns about provisions in the bill that would give 
political appointees the power to remove species from the endangered 
list, and other drastic changes such as those which would take away 
critical habitat areas that have been set aside for endangered species. 
Habitat degradation is the leading cause of species decline, and this 
bill proposes to eliminate critical habitat designations. I do not 
understand how eliminating protected areas can result in greater 
protection of endangered species.
  The Endangered Species Act may need an update, but we must not 
reverse course on significant progress and results for endangered 
species. We have a solemn obligation to maintain responsible 
stewardship of America's bounty, and this legislation would abandon 
that responsibility. I urge my colleagues to vote against H.R. 3824, 
and to vote in favor of the balanced, bipartisan substitute legislation 
for ESA reform.

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