[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 133 (Wednesday, December 6, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H8778-H8779]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  AMENDING PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT TO MODIFY PROGRAM FOR SANCTUARY 
                     SYSTEM FOR SURPLUS CHIMPANZEES

  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 5798) to amend the Public Health Service Act to 
modify the program for the sanctuary system for surplus chimpanzees by 
terminating the authority for the removal of chimpanzees from the 
system for research purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 5798

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

[[Page H8779]]

     SECTION 1. SANCTUARY SYSTEM FOR SURPLUS CHIMPANZEES; 
                   TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY FOR REMOVAL FROM 
                   SYSTEM FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES.

       (a) In General.--The first section 481C of the Public 
     Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 287a-3a) (added by section 2 of 
     Public Law 106-551) is amended in subsection (d)--
       (1) in paragraph (2), in subparagraph (J), by striking ``If 
     any chimpanzee is removed'' and all that follows; and
       (2) in paragraph (3)--
       (A) in subparagraph (A)--
       (i) by striking clause (ii); and
       (ii) by striking ``except as provided'' in the matter 
     preceding clause (i) and all that follows through 
     ``behavioral studies'' and inserting the following: ``except 
     that the chimpanzee may be used for noninvasive behavioral 
     studies'';
       (B) by striking subparagraph (B);
       (C) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B); 
     and
       (D) in subparagraph (B) (as so redesignated), by striking 
     ``under subparagraphs (A) and (B)'' and inserting ``under 
     subparagraph (A)''.
       (b) Technical Correction.--Part E of title IV of the Public 
     Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 287 et seq.) is amended by 
     redesignating the second section 481C (added by section 
     204(a) of Public Law 106-505) as section 481D.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Deal) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
insert extraneous material on this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5798, a bill modifying 
the authorities of the chimpanzee sanctuary system.
  A few years ago, Congress enacted a law offered by former Congressman 
Greenwood of Pennsylvania to provide for sanctuary for chimpanzees that 
have been used for research purposes at the National Institutes of 
Health. I believe this legislation and the resulting sanctuary system 
have been very successful. The bill before us today would modify the 
existing law to eliminate a provision that could have, under very 
limited circumstances, allowed for the removal of the chimpanzees from 
the sanctuary system for further research.
  H.R. 5798 strikes an appropriate balance between the need for medical 
research and the need to provide safeguards for the subject animals 
because it would still allow for non-invasive behavioral studies and 
medical and longitudinal studies based on information that could be 
obtained at the same time as information gathered for veterinary care. 
Thus, the simple items like blood samples or imaging studies could, 
under certain circumstances, be provided within the sanctuary system, 
so long as such studies involved minimal physical and mental harm, 
pain, distress and disturbance to the chimpanzee and the social group 
in which the chimpanzee lives.
  In particular, we now have the ability to non-invasively look inside 
brains of living individuals, including chimpanzees, to find the 
changes associated with aging, cognitive decline and changes in immune 
system function.
  One of the key questions in the field of brain sciences is to 
understand what brain changes are responsible for the decline in 
cognitive functions as we age. The chimpanzee exhibits some of the same 
age-related changes as humans. Accordingly, the ability to use non-
invasive brain imaging in individual chimpanzees whose genetic 
backgrounds and behavioral experiences have been well-documented and 
studied can be very important for Alzheimer's research and add to our 
knowledge on aging.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe that H.R. 5798 preserves our ability to 
conduct important medical research, while providing needed safeguards 
for the animals, and I would ask my colleagues to join me in supporting 
this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5798, a bill to amend the 
Public Health Service Act to modify the program for the sanctuary 
system for surplus chimpanzees by terminating the authority for the 
removal of chimpanzees from the system for research purposes.
  On December 20, 2000, the Chimpanzee Health Improvement, Maintenance, 
and Protection Act was signed into law by President Clinton. That law 
required the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a 
nonprofit sanctuary system of lifetime care for chimpanzees that have 
been used by the Federal Government for research. Chimpanzees within 
this sanctuary system were declared surplus, and any research, save for 
non-invasive behavioral research, was restricted.
  The bill before us today takes even greater steps to ensure that 
extremely stringent criteria are met with regard to research on surplus 
chimpanzees. Currently there are approximately 1,500 captive 
chimpanzees in laboratories in the U.S., many of whom are no longer 
being used in biomedical research, and this legislation takes important 
steps forward in an effort to protect their health, well-being and 
livelihood.
  H.R. 5798 is supported by Dr. Jane Goodall, whose work in the field 
of wildlife research, education and conservation with respect to 
chimpanzees is unmatched. I would like to thank Dr. Goodall for her 
significant contribution, and would also like to thank Representative 
McCrery for his hard work on this bill.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5798.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would likewise wish to express appreciation to Mr. Jim 
McCrery from Louisiana, the author of this legislation, and thank him 
for bringing this to our attention, and would urge my colleagues to 
vote in favor of this legislation.
  Mr. McCRERY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5798, a 
bill to further the success of the national chimpanzee sanctuary system 
established by the 2000 Chimpanzee Health, Improvement, Maintenance and 
Protection Act. Chimpanzees are very similar to humans, not only in 
anatomy and physiology, but also in their behavior, emotional needs, 
and cognitive abilities. Chimps have served as medical research models 
for decades, and humans have reaped the benefits, including lifesaving 
vaccines and medical therapies. But with new technologies and changing 
research goals, hundreds of chimpanzees are no longer needed for 
research.
  Responding to the urgent need for long-term chimpanzee care, the 
Congress passed the CHIMP Act in 2000 to create a Federal chimpanzee 
sanctuary system. My constituents were awarded the first contract and 
now operate Chimp Haven in Keithville, LA. They are currently caring 
for 89 retired research chimpanzees and anticipate the addition of 111 
new chimpanzees over time. The cost of letting the chimpanzees live in 
the natural environment at Chimp Haven is half of the cost of keeping 
them in the laboratory--providing a tremendous savings of taxpayers' 
dollars. In addition, Chimp Haven is responsible for matching 25 
percent of the Federal funding they receive each year.
  But a provision inserted in the 2000 law is making private 
fundraising difficult for Chimp Haven because it leaves open the 
possibility that the retired chimpanzees can be recalled into Federal 
research if the need were to arise. In making changes to this bill, we 
will return to the original intent of the CHIMP Act--to provide 
permanent retirement to chimpanzees who have served Americans in 
medical research.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Deal) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 5798.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds of those voting having 
responded in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was 
passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________