[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 118 (Monday, July 23, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H8202-H8203]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        ASIAN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2007

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 465) to reauthorize the Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 
1997, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 465

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Asian Elephant Conservation 
     Reauthorization Act of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION AND AMENDMENT OF ASIAN ELEPHANT 
                   CONSERVATION ACT OF 1997.

       (a) Notice of Approval of Project Proposal.--Section 
     5(c)(2)(C) of the Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1997 (16 
     U.S.C. 4264(c)(2)(C)) is amended by striking ``, the 
     Administrator, and each of those countries'' and inserting 
     ``and the Administrator''.
       (b) Administrative Expenses.--Section 8(b) of the Asian 
     Elephant Conservation Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 4266(b)) is 
     amended by striking ``$80,000'' and inserting ``$100,000''.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 8(a) of the 
     Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 4266(a)) 
     is amended by striking ``2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 
     and 2007'' and inserting ``2007 through 2012''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) and the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. 
McMorris Rodgers) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague, Congressman Jim Saxton, for 
introducing H.R. 465, the Asian Elephant Conservation Reauthorization 
Act of 2007. H.R. 465 would authorize the Asian Elephant Conservation 
Act through fiscal year 2012. This law authorizes grants to be issued 
for the survival of the Asian elephant in the wild.
  Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the status of the Asian elephant remains 
tenuous. Fewer than 4,000 Asian elephants are found throughout the 
forests and savannas of South Asia. Approximately 16,000 of these 
animals are held in captivity. The captive elephants are used to assist 
people in timber harvest, forest clearing and agriculture. In the wild, 
populations remain under heavy stress from several factors, especially 
habitat loss and deforestation.
  Since the first grant was awarded in 1997, more than $10.3 million in 
matching contributions or in-kind support have been generated by 
leveraging the $7.8 million contribution made available by the 
Congress.

                              {time}  1245

  Funding supports cooperative conservation projects that protects 
Asian elephants and their habitat by providing scientific research, law 
enforcement and education.
  I support this noncontroversial bill, and again commend the gentleman 
from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton), the author of the original Asian Elephant 
Conservation Act, for his unwavering commitment to international 
wildlife conservation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 465, 
the Asian Elephant Conservation Rauthorization Act. This legislation 
will extend the Asian Elephant Conservation Fund at the existing 
authorization levels until September 30, 2012.
  In the early 1900s, there were less than 40,000 wild Asian elephants 
living throughout the world. In response to this international wildlife 
crisis, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) introduced the Asian 
Elephant Conservation Act. Since 1997, the Secretary of the Interior 
has reviewed over 300 proposals to assist Asian elephants, and 183 
grants have been awarded to various entities. These projects have 
received $7.8 million in Federal funds and $11.3 million in private 
matching funds.
  This conservation fund has had a profound impact on protecting Asian 
elephants, and there is no question that these projects have stopped 
this specie's slide into extinction. This is a sound investment of a 
small amount of Federal tax dollars. I urge an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 
465.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr Speaker, as the author of this legislation, I am 
pleased the House is now considering H.R. 465. This simple non-
controversial legislation will extend the Asian Elephant Conservation 
Fund at existing authorization levels of up to $5 million each year 
until September 30, 2012.
  During our public hearing on H.R. 465, the Fish and Wildlife Service, 
which administers this Fund, testified that: ``The Asian Elephant 
Conservation Act has greatly enhanced the conservation status of the 
Asian elephant''.
  There are currently only about 40,000 wild Asian elephants living in 
south and southeastern Asia. As a result, this species is listed on our 
Endangered Species Act, on Appendix I of CITES and on the World 
Conservation Union's Red List.
  In response to the ongoing slaughter of this keystone species, 
Congress adopted the Asian Elephant Conservation Act which I was 
pleased to sponsor in 1997. In the decade since its enactment, the 
Secretary of the Interior has carefully reviewed over 300 conservation 
projects designed to save Asian elephants for future generations. The 
Secretary has approved 183 of these grant proposals which

[[Page H8203]]

have received $9 million in Federal funds and $11.3 million in private 
matching funds.
  As every witness testified, there is an overwhelming need to extend 
this important conservation program and there is no question that these 
conservation funds have had a profound impact on protecting this 
irreplaceable species. While everyone enjoys seeing elephants at the 
National Zoo, it is far more important that they continue to exist in 
the wild in Burma, India and Thailand. The road to extinction is a one-
way street and we must work to ensure that the Asian elephant does not 
make that journey.
  I am proud to urge my colleagues to vote ``aye'' on H.R. 465, the 
Asian Elephant Conservation Reauthorization Act. It is an appropriate 
and sound investment of U.S. tax dollars.
  Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. 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 Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 465, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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