[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 116 (Tuesday, July 15, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1466]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     INTRODUCTION OF THE CAPTIVE PRIMATE SAFETY AND DISABLED HUMAN 
                             ASSISTANCE ACT

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                             HON. DON YOUNG

                               of alaska

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 15, 2008

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Speaker, today, I am introducing a bill to 
assist a remarkable nonprofit humanitarian organization known as 
Helping Hands.
  This organization, which was first established in 1979, has placed 
131 specially trained capuchin monkeys in the homes of severely 
disabled Americans throughout the country at absolutely no cost to the 
recipient.
  While Helping Hands initially received some financial assistance from 
the National Science Foundation, the Paralyzed Veterans of America and 
the U.S. Veterans Administration, it has been operating solely on its 
own since its final government grant in 1994. The purpose of this 
legislation is not to authorize any government funding for this 
organization. In fact, it is simply designed to correct what I am sure 
is an unintended consequence of a bill, H.R. 2964, the Captive Wildlife 
Safety Act that passed the House of Representatives on June 17, 2008.
  The measure I am introducing today is a solution to the problem 
created by H.R. 2964 which would prohibit the transportation of 
nonhuman primates across State lines. Since this legislation is pending 
action in the other body, I have incorporated the text of the Captive 
Wildlife Safety Act, as passed by the House, in this measure with the 
modification of allowing the Helping Hands organization to continue to 
place their service monkeys in the homes of disabled Americans 
throughout this country. It is a narrowly tailored change that only 
exempts a nonprofit organization that provides service monkeys to 
recipients with severe mobility impairment.
  Madam Speaker, until my office was recently contacted by a 
representative of Helping Hands, I was not aware of its existence. I 
was also not aware that capuchin monkeys were being specifically 
trained at the Thomas and Agnes Carvel Foundation Center in Boston to 
help disabled individuals with simple everyday tasks. This training 
lasts between 18 to 24 months and costs about $10,000 per monkey. It is 
a remarkable program.
  Upon graduation, these trained service monkeys are transported by car 
and plane from Boston to disabled recipients throughout the United 
States. The recipients must hold a valid state permit for the nonhuman 
primate and Helping Hands retains ownership of the service monkey at 
all times.
  For nearly 30 years, this humanitarian organization has provided 
invaluable assistance to Americans with polio, multiple sclerosis, 
spinal cord injuries, military veterans who sustained severe injuries 
in Vietnam and Iraq and people who are paralyzed or live with other 
severe mobility impairments. The service monkeys perform a variety of 
tasks including retrieving dropped items, turning on the television or 
loading a compact disc, putting straws in drinking bottles and pushing 
buttons on personal computers. Just as importantly, these service 
monkeys provide the disabled recipients with a sense of independence, 
companionship and a renewed enthusiasm for life.
  Madam Speaker, my bill will make a small simple modification to the 
Lacey Act to ensure that Helping Hands will be able to continue to 
transport its service monkeys to worthy recipients in all 50 States and 
U.S. territories in the future. I am confident that the authors of H.R. 
2964 never intended to adversely affect this humanitarian group nor did 
they realize it would effectively kill this nationwide effort to assist 
Americans like the marine who was severely injured by a roadside 
explosion in Iraq. As a result of this attack, the marine sustained a 
severe brain injury, lost both legs and one of his eyes. Today, he is 
living in southern California and he has become a recent recipient of a 
Helping Hand service monkey.
  Madam Speaker, I urge the adoption of the Captive Primate Safety and 
Disabled Human Assistance Act. It is a humanitarian solution to what 
would be, if uncorrected, a serious problem. It is also right that we 
allow our disabled military veterans who have sacrificed so much for 
this country the opportunity to participate in the Helping Hands 
Program. I want to also acknowledge that the Army Veterinary Corps has 
already endorsed its enactment.

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