[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 118 (Monday, July 23, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1600-E1602]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN SUPPORT OF H.R. 50, THE MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUNDS 
   REAUTHORIZATION ACT AND H.R. 465, THE ASIAN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION 
                          REAUTHORIZATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 23, 2007

  Mr. SHAYS. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 50, the 
Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act, which 
reauthorizes the African Elephant Conservation Act and the Rhinoceros 
and Tiger Conservation Act through 2012, and in support of H.R. 465, 
the Asian Elephant Conservation Reauthorization Act. These conservation 
funds have a tremendous impact on the survival of threatened species.
  The ivory and bushmeat trades, as well as competition from humans for 
space and resources, continue to threaten the survival of the African 
Elephant. Rhinos and tigers similarly fall victim to these black market 
trades. In addition, deforestation and overworking have had devastating 
impacts on Asian Elephant populations. The grants awarded through the 
MSCF have proven to be effective in creating nature reserves, enhancing 
wildlife and ecosystem management, and developing antipoaching 
campaigns, helping to combat the practices that endanger these species 
the most.
  As of January, the Department of Interior had approved 280 
conservation grants in 23 African countries to assist African 
elephants, 321 grants for rhinos and tigers, and 171 grants for Asian 
elephants. By using $17 million in federal funding, the African 
elephant program has leveraged $72 million in private matching funds, 
and the rhino and tiger program has generated nearly $20 million in 
private funds to match its federally allocated $7.8 million. The Asian 
elephant program has been almost as successful, leveraging $10 million 
in private matching funds from $7.8 million in federal funding.
  H.R. 50 and H.R. 465 would reauthorize the Multinational Species 
Conservation Fund to support three important international conservation 
laws and help to protect these animals on a federal level. I strongly 
urge their support.

[[Page E1601]]

                       SENATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

  Title IV of Senate Resolution 4, agreed to by the Senate on February 
4, 1977, calls for establishment of a system for a computerized 
schedule of all meetings and hearings of Senate committees, 
subcommittees, joint committees, and committees of conference. This 
title requires all such committees to notify the Office of the Senate 
Daily Digest--designated by the Rules Committee--of the time, place, 
and purpose of the meetings, when scheduled, and any cancellations or 
changes in the meetings as they occur.
  As an additional procedure along with the computerization of this 
information, the Office of the Senate Daily Digest will prepare this 
information for printing in the Extensions of Remarks section of the 
Congressional Record on Monday and Wednesday of each week.
  Meetings scheduled for Tuesday, July 24, 2007 may be found in the 
Daily Digest of today's Record.

                           MEETINGS SCHEDULED

                                July 25
     9:30 a.m.
       Foreign Relations
         To hold hearings to examine S. 732, to empower Peace 
           Corps volunteers.
                                                            SD-419
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine Department of 
           Veterans Affairs health care funding.
                                                            SD-562
     10 a.m.
       Finance
         Business meeting to consider the nominations of David H. 
           McCormick, of Pennsylvania, to be an Under Secretary, 
           and Peter B. McCarthy, of Wisconsin, to be an Assistant 
           Secretary, both of the Department of the Treasury, 
           Kerry N. Weems, of New Mexico, to be Administrator of 
           the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Tevi 
           David Troy, of New York, to be Deputy Secretary of 
           Health and Human Services, and Charles E. F. Millard, 
           of New York, to be Director of the Pension Benefit 
           Guaranty Corporation.
                                                            SD-215
       Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
         Business meeting to consider S. 625, to protect the 
           public health by providing the Food and Drug 
           Administration with certain authority to regulate 
           tobacco products, S. 1183, to enhance and further 
           research into paralysis and to improve rehabilitation 
           and the quality of life for persons living with 
           paralysis and other physical disabilities, S. 579, to 
           amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the 
           Director of the National Institute of Environmental 
           Health Sciences to make grants for the development and 
           operation of research centers regarding environmental 
           factors that may be related to the etiology of breast 
           cancer, S. 898, to amend the Public Health Service Act 
           to fund breakthroughs in Alzheimer's disease research 
           while providing more help to caregivers and increasing 
           public education about prevention, a bill entitled, 
           ``Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2007'', and the 
           nominations of Diane Auer Jones, of Maryland, to be 
           Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education, 
           Department of Education, David C. Geary, of Missouri, 
           to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the 
           National Board for Education Sciences, and Miguel 
           Campaneria, of Puerto Rico, to be a Member of the 
           National Council on the Arts, and other pending 
           calendar business.
                                                            SD-106
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine the nomination of Dennis R. 
           Schrader, of Maryland, to be Deputy Administrator for 
           National Preparedness, Federal Emergency Management 
           Agency, Department of Homeland Security.
                                                            SD-342
       Small Business and Entrepreneurship
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine Gulf Coast 
           disaster loans, focusing on the future of the disaster 
           assistance program.
                                                           SR-428A
       Joint Economic Committee
         To hold hearings to examine the national foreclosure 
           crisis, focusing on subprime mortgage fallout.
                                                            SH-216
     11:30 a.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
         Business meeting to consider S. 169, to amend the 
           National Trails System Act to clarify Federal authority 
           relating to land acquisition from willing sellers for 
           the majority of the trails in the System, S. 278, to 
           establish a program and criteria for National Heritage 
           Areas in the United States, S. 289, to establish the 
           Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area, 
           S. 443, to establish the Sangre de Cristo National 
           Heritage Area in the State of Colorado, S. 444, to 
           establish the South Park National Heritage Area in the 
           State of Colorado, S. 471, to authorize the Secretary 
           of the Interior to convey to The Missouri River Basin 
           Lewis and Clark Interpretive Trail and Visitor Center 
           Foundation, Inc. certain Federal land associated with 
           the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail in 
           Nebraska, to be used as an historical interpretive site 
           along the trail, S. 637, to direct the Secretary of the 
           Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of 
           establishing the Chattahoochee Trace National Heritage 
           Corridor in Alabama and Georgia, S. 645, to amend the 
           Energy Policy Act of 2005 to provide an alternate 
           sulfur dioxide removal measurement for certain coal 
           gasification project goals, S. 647, to designate 
           certain land in the State of Oregon as wilderness, S. 
           722, to direct the Secretary of the Interior and the 
           Secretary of Agriculture to jointly conduct a study of 
           certain land adjacent to the Walnut Canyon National 
           Monument in the State of Arizona, S. 800, to establish 
           the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area in the State 
           of New York, S. 817, to amend the Omnibus Parks and 
           Public Lands Management Act of 1996 to provide 
           additional authorizations for certain National Heritage 
           Areas, S. 838, to authorize funding for eligible joint 
           ventures between United States and Israeli businesses 
           and academic persons, to establish the International 
           Energy Advisory Board, S. 955, to establish the Abraham 
           Lincoln National Heritage Area, S. 1089, to amend the 
           Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Act to allow the Federal 
           Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation 
           Projects to hire employees more efficiently, S. 1148, 
           to establish the Champlain Quadricentennial 
           Commemoration Commission and the Hudson-Fulton 400th 
           Commemoration Commission, S. 1182, to amend the 
           Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage 
           Corridor Act of 1994 to increase the authorization of 
           appropriations and modify the date on which the 
           authority of the Secretary of the Interior terminates 
           under the Act, S. 1203, to enhance the management of 
           electricity programs at the Department of Energy, S. 
           1281, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to 
           designate certain rivers and streams of the headwaters 
           of the Snake River System as additions to the National 
           Wild and Scenic Rivers System, S. 1728, to amend the 
           National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 to 
           reauthorize the Na Hoa Pili O Kaloko-Honokohau Advisory 
           Commission, H.R. 85, to provide for the establishment 
           of centers to encourage demonstration and commercial 
           application of advanced energy methods and 
           technologies, H.R. 247, to designate a Forest Service 
           trail at Waldo Lake in the Willamette National Forest 
           in the State of Oregon as a national recreation trail 
           in honor of Jim Weaver, a former Member of the House of 
           Representatives, H.R. 356, to remove certain 
           restrictions on the Mammoth Community Water District's 
           ability to use certain property acquired by that 
           District from the United States, H.R. 407, to direct 
           the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to 
           determine the feasibility of establishing the Columbia-
           Pacific National Heritage Area in the States of 
           Washington and Oregon, and H.R. 995, to amend Public 
           Law 106-348 to extend the authorization for 
           establishing a memorial in the District of Columbia or 
           its environs to honor veterans who became disabled 
           while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States, 
           and other pending calendar business.
                                                            SD-366
     2 p.m.
       Environment and Public Works
       Superfund and Environmental Health Subcommittee
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Environmental 
           Protection Agency's Environmental Justice programs.
                                                            SD-406
     2:30 p.m.
       Foreign Relations
         To hold hearings to examine Pakistan's future, focusing 
           on the challenges of building a democracy.
                                                            SD-419
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
       Interstate Commerce, Trade, and Tourism Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine United States trade relations 
           with China.
                                                            SR-253
     3 p.m.
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
       Federal Financial Management, Government Information, 
           Federal Services, and International Security 
           Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine the implementation of the 
           Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act. (Public Law 
           109-435).
                                                            SD-342

[[Page E1602]]

     3:30 p.m.
       Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
       Security and International Trade and Finance Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine reforming key international 
           financial institutions for the 21st century.
                                                            SD-538

                                July 26
     9:30 a.m.
       Foreign Relations
         To hold hearings to examine extraordinary rendition, 
           extraterritorial detention, and treatment of detainees, 
           focusing on restoring our moral credibility and 
           strengthening our diplomatic standing.
                                                            SD-419
       Indian Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine the nomination of Charles W. 
           Grim, of Oklahoma, to be Director of the Indian Health 
           Service, Department of Health and Human Services.
                                                            SR-485
     10 a.m.
       Budget
         Business meeting to consider the nomination of Jim 
           Nussle, of Iowa, to be Director of the Office of 
           Management and Budget.
                                                            SD-608
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         To hold hearings to examine preparation taken for digital 
           television transition.
                                                            SR-253
       Environment and Public Works
         To hold hearings to examine the case for the California 
           waiver, including an update from the Environmental 
           Protection Agency.
                                                            SD-406
       Judiciary
         Business meeting to consider S. 1060, to reauthorize the 
           grant program for reentry of offenders into the 
           community in the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets 
           Act of 1968, to improve reentry planning and 
           implementation, S. 453, to prohibit deceptive practices 
           in Federal elections, S. 1692, to grant a Federal 
           charter to Korean War Veterans Association, 
           Incorporated, an original bill entitled, ``School 
           Safety and Law Enforcement Act'', and the nomination of 
           Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Velez, of Puerto Rico, to be 
           United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
                                                            SD-226
     2:30 p.m.
       Foreign Relations
       International Operations and Organizations, Democracy and 
           Human Rights Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine the United Nations Human 
           Rights Council, focusing on its shortcomings and 
           prospects for reform.
                                                            SD-419
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
       Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, 
           Safety and Security Subcommittee
         To continue hearings to examine the Railroad Safety 
           Enhancement Act.
                                                            SR-253
       Energy and Natural Resources
       Water and Power Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine S. 300, to authorize 
           appropriations for the Bureau of Reclamation to carry 
           out the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation 
           Program in the States of Arizona, California, and 
           Nevada, S. 1258, to amend the Reclamation Safety of 
           Dams Act of 1978 to authorize improvements for the 
           security of dams and other facilities, S. 1477, to 
           authorize the Secretary of the Interior to carry out 
           the Jackson Gulch rehabilitation project in the State 
           of Colorado, S. 1522, to amend the Bonneville Power 
           Administration portions of the Fisheries Restoration 
           and Irrigation Mitigation Act of 2000 to authorize 
           appropriations for fiscal years 2008 through 2014, and 
           H.R. 1025, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior 
           to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of 
           implementing a water supply and conservation project to 
           improve water supply reliability, increase the capacity 
           of water storage, and improve water management 
           efficiency in the Republican River Basin between Harlan 
           County Lake in Nebraska and Milford Lake in Kansas.
                                                            SD-366
       Intelligence
         To hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence 
           matters.
                                                            SH-219

                                July 31
     10 a.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Ronald 
           Spoehel, of Virginia, to be Chief Financial Officer, 
           National Aeronautics and Space Administration, William 
           G. Sutton, Jr., of Virginia, to be an Assistant 
           Secretary of Commerce, Thomas J. Barrett, of Alaska, to 
           be Deputy Secretary of Transportation, and Paul R. 
           Brubaker, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the 
           Research and Innovative Technology Administration, 
           Department of Transportation.
                                                            SR-253
     2:30 p.m.
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine death and serious injury 
           relating to oxycontin and defective products.
                                                            SD-226
     9:30 p.m.
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine Department of Veterans 
           Affairs and Department of Defense education issues.
                                                            SD-562

                                August 2
     10 a.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         Business meeting to consider pending calendar business.
                                                            SR-253