[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 76 (Thursday, May 8, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E870]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTING A BILL TO AUTHORIZE APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE NATIONAL 
                       TROPICAL BOTANICAL GARDEN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MAZIE K. HIRONO

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 8, 2008

  Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill 
authorizing appropriations for the National Tropical Botanical Garden. 
This is a companion to S. 2220, which was introduced by Senator Daniel 
K. Akaka and cosponsored by Senators Daniel K. Inouye, Bill Nelson, and 
Mel Martinez. S. 2220 was approved by the Senate Energy and Natural 
Resources Committee on April 10, 2008. I am joined in introducing this 
bill by Congressman Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii and Congresswoman Ileana 
Ros-Lehtinen of Florida.
  The Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden was chartered by Congress in 
1964; it was renamed the National Tropical Botanical Garden in 1988 
through an Act of Congress. The purposes of the garden as set forth in 
the 1964 charter was to: establish, develop, operate and maintain an 
education and scientific center with libraries, herbaria, laboratories 
and museums appropriate and necessary for encouraging and conducting 
research in basic and applied tropical botany; foster and encourage 
fundamental research with respect to tropical plant life and to 
encourage research and study of the uses of tropical flora in 
agriculture, forestry, horticulture, medicine and other sciences; 
disseminate through publications and other media the knowledge acquired 
at the gardens relative to basic and applied tropical botany; collect 
and cultivate tropical flora of every nature and origin and to preserve 
for the people of the United States species of tropical plant life 
threatened with extinction; and provide a beneficial facility that will 
contribute to the education, instruction, and recreation of the people 
of the United States.
  Although its charter does not include authorization of 
appropriations, the National Tropical Botanical Garden has endeavored, 
with notable success, to live up to the goals set forth in its charter. 
Its work has been almost exclusively supported by private donations 
from individuals and foundations. Operating support of nearly $100 
million has been provided through donations in the 43 years of the 
Garden's existence; assets valued at $50 million, including endowments, 
trusts, land, buildings, and rare books are owned by the Garden. During 
its 43 years, the Garden has received less than $5 million in federal 
grants and contracts. The National Tropical Botanical Garden files an 
audit report with the Senate each year by an independent auditing firm 
in accordance with the terms of its Congressional Charter.

  The National Tropical Botanical Garden manages five tropical 
botanical gardens and three preserves, which comprise 1,800 acres. Four 
of the gardens and the three preserves are in Hawaii's second 
Congressional District, which I represent. One of the gardens is 
located in Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen's district in Florida. More than 
a collection of beautiful and rare plants, the National Tropical 
Botanical Garden also has important research and educational 
facilities. These include the Loy McCandless Marks Botanical Library, 
the largest and most important botanical/horticultural library 
collection in Hawaii, and a major regional herbarium used by scientists 
throughout the world.
  The Garden conducts world-class, state-of-the-art tropical 
biodiversity research and conservation, which distinguishes it from 
display-oriented gardens and parks in the United States and abroad. The 
Garden has extensive national and international alliances with 
botanical gardens, universities, and research centers. It has a 
visiting scientist program and the library is used by a wide array of 
scientists, including federal researchers. However, these facilities 
badly need to be updated. The Garden has a plan to construct a new 
Botanical Research Center. Such a Center would bring the Garden's 
significant botanical, research, and rare book libraries and its unique 
and important herbarium collections together under one roof, along with 
research laboratories, offices, and dedicated space for students and 
visiting researchers.
  The Garden's research focuses on field research, including 
discovering new species; documenting and conserving ecosystems, 
endangered species, and cultural knowledge; and addressing invasive 
species and restoration ecology issues. Its scientists are involved in 
a number of international science programs focused primarily on the 
Pacific Islands.
  Some 90 percent of all biodiversity exists in the tropics. Hawaii, 
the only U.S. State in the tropics, is home to more endangered plants 
and animals than any other State. This is due to the high percentage of 
unique, endemic species that evolved because of Hawaii's geographic 
isolation and their susceptibility to the impacts of aggressive 
nonnative species and diseases. However, over the past 30 years, the 
National Tropical Botanical Garden has rediscovered some two dozen 
species that were thought to be extinct and discovered 30 new species 
previously unknown to science. Many of the species that the Garden is 
working to preserve and protect hold promise for the future development 
of drugs to cure diseases. The Garden's research teams conduct 
ethnobotanical research to study and document how indigenous people 
used plants. Ethnobotanical fieldwork is augmented by laboratory 
studies using state-of-the-art technology to determine a plant's 
molecular composition and medicinal properties. This research has 
yielded potential new anti-HIV medication and provided clues to the 
genesis of ALS and Parkinson's disease.
  While the National Tropical Botanical Garden has achieved much over 
the past four decades, there is so much work that is needed. Although 
the primary support for the Garden will always be private funding, it 
is fitting that we have an opportunity to appropriate funds to support 
this institution in achieving its Congressional Charter. Our bill 
authorizes annual appropriations up to $500,000 for operation and 
maintenance expenses. The 2008 budget for the Garden is $9 million, 95 
percent of which will be provided from private sources.
  I invite all of my colleagues to come to Hawaii or Florida to visit 
the National Tropical Botanical Garden and to observe firsthand the 
important conservation and research activities taking place. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.

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