[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 99 (Tuesday, June 29, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H4930-H4931]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  SUPPORTING NATIONAL POLLINATOR WEEK

  Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1460) recognizing the important role 
pollinators play in supporting the ecosystem and supporting the goals 
and ideals of National Pollinator Week.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1460

       Whereas bees, birds, butterflies, and other pollinators are 
     vital to sustaining a healthy ecosystem;
       Whereas pollinators are responsible for an estimated 1 out 
     of every 3 bites of food that we eat;
       Whereas diversity of pollinators is necessary for diversity 
     of plant life and the security of our food supply;
       Whereas a decline in pollinators would adversely impact 
     animal species that eat pollinating plants;
       Whereas colony collapse disorder has caused an alarming 
     decline in the population of honey bees, one of the most 
     important pollinators;
       Whereas the United States Senate designated the last week 
     of June as National Pollinator Week in 2006; and
       Whereas the majority of States have recognized June 21-27, 
     2010, as National Pollinator Week: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes the importance of pollinators in agriculture 
     and in maintaining our diverse ecosystem; and
       (2) supports the goals and ideals of National Pollinator 
     Week.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Cardoza) and the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1460, 
recognizing the important role that pollinators play in supporting the 
ecosytem and supporting the goals and ideals of National Pollinator 
Week.
  Approximately three-quarters of the world's 250,000 flowering plants 
require pollinators to facilitate reproduction. In addition, nearly 130 
different crops that provide more than $15 billion per year in farm 
gate value would cease to exist without our pollinators. In California 
alone, some 1.3 million beehives pollinate over 600,000 acres of almond 
trees. There is no doubt that without the healthy population of 
pollinators that we currently have, our Nation's farmers will not be 
able to continue to grow many of the high quality and nutritious foods 
that we enjoy today.
  The House Agriculture Committee has paid special attention to the 
issue facing pollinators, holding several hearings in recent years to 
review the status of pollinator health issues and including funds in 
the 2008 farm bill to conduct much-needed research on pollinator 
health. I'm proud to support this resolution brought by my colleague 
today, which recognizes the importance of pollinators supporting 
diverse ecosystems and the crops that produce so many of the foods 
grown across this great Nation. I urge my colleagues to support this 
resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1340

  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.
  I rise in support of House Resolution 1460, recognizing the important 
role pollinators play in supporting the ecosystem and supporting the 
goals and ideals of National Pollinator Week.
  More than 32 State Governors designated the last week of June as 
Pollinator Week to bring awareness to the important role pollinators 
play in our food supply and ecosystem. In my home State of Oklahoma, 
Pollinator Week was celebrated with a variety of activities and 
exhibits across the State, including those at the Oxley Nature Center 
in Tulsa. On a national level, the Pollinator Partnership has launched 
a Web-based program to highlight specific actions that school groups, 
farmers, gardeners, and others can take to support pollinators.
  It is important that we bring awareness to the importance of 
pollinators, given the fact that most pollinating species are in a 
decline. Colony Collapse Disorder, commonly referred to as CCD, 
continues to plague honeybees and will be a major concern to beekeepers 
and agricultural communities.
  Over the past several years, the honeybee population has experienced 
a dramatic decline due to a variety of factors, including loss of 
habitat, introduction of diseases and pests, and migratory stress. All 
of these factors have contributed to higher operating costs for the 
pollinator industry as well as the agricultural producers who rely on a 
readily available supply of pollinator bees.
  Pollination activities by honeybees add more than $15 billion 
annually to the value of U.S. crops. With one-third of our food supply 
dependent upon pollination by honeybees, we need to have a solid 
understanding of CCD and how to eradicate it.
  I commend researchers from the Federal and State level as well as the 
industry, State universities, and State Departments of Agriculture for 
coming together under the CCD Working Group. I am hopeful that this 
collective group of experts can get to the bottom of this very 
important problem.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 
valuable

[[Page H4931]]

contribution of America's pollinator industry by supporting House 
Resolution 1460.
  I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Oklahoma, my good 
friend, for his support of this resolution.
  At this time, I yield such time as he may consume to the author of 
the resolution, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), who, without 
his help, we would not have been able to pass the farm bill in 2008. He 
has been continuously an advocate for pollinator research and for 
making sure that specialty crops get their due day in the sun.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I thank my good friend from California for 
yielding the time.
  Mr. Speaker, today the House is going to consider H. Res. 1460, which 
honors National Pollinator Week. With the efforts of the Pollinator 
Partnership, a majority of States and a number of Federal agencies, 
including the Department of Agriculture, have officially recognized 
June 21 through June 27, 2010, as a time to reflect upon the importance 
of, and challenges facing, these species.
  The resolution, as offered, acknowledges how vital bees and other 
pollinators are to our ecosystem and agriculture and supports the goals 
and ideals of National Pollinator Week.
  As mentioned by my colleague, 75 percent of all flowering plant 
species rely on creatures like birds, bats, bees, and butterflies for 
fertilization. It would be a misconception, however, to think that 
pollinators are only important to plants and provide little benefit to 
us. In fact, one out of every three bites of food that we eat as well 
as $20 billion of products in the United States alone are derived from 
pollinators. In light of those kinds of figures, the security of our 
food supply clearly hinges on the survival of these species.
  National Pollinator Week is a time to reflect upon these 
contributions and what we can do to help preserve these animals. On a 
similar note, Mr. Speaker, to further emphasize the importance of this 
issue, I recently participated in cofounding and am now cochair of the 
Congressional Pollinator Protection Caucus, along with Representative 
Tim Johnson, Representative Cardoza, and Representative Henry Brown of 
South Carolina. The caucus is a bipartisan source of information and 
discussion related to how natural, political, and economic developments 
impact the security of pollinators and their habitats.
  Last week, a briefing on the future of pollinators and in recognition 
of National Pollinator Week was held in conjunction with the caucus and 
was a tremendous success. We are planning more events and briefings to 
keep Members and their staffs informed on this important issue. I urge 
all of my colleagues to become members of the Congressional Pollinator 
Protection Caucus.
  Mr. Speaker, National Pollinator Week provides us with an opportunity 
to recognize how important pollinators are to the sustainability of our 
environment and to our food supply.
  You know, Mr. Cardoza, several in my local media and throughout have 
come forward with all sorts of humor about this; you know, ``It bees 
that way,'' and ``It's the buzz'' and a whole bunch of these things. 
But when all is said and done, I think we all recognize that beyond the 
humor, this is a critically serious matter for the food supply of this 
Nation and, indeed, the world.
  Therefore, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this 
resolution, and I thank you for yielding me the time.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume 
simply to close by thanking my colleagues Mr. Cardoza, Mr. Hastings, 
and Mr. Johnson for their work on this important issue. It does make a 
tremendous difference in our ecology, and certainly with a $15 billion 
tag, the effect of losing these pollinators on our agricultural 
economy, it's important to every consumer and every pocketbook.
  With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, I want to again thank my colleague from 
Oklahoma for his gracious advocacy on behalf of this issue.
  And to my colleague from Florida, if your media were to be without 
the products of these bees, that really, truly would be a news story, 
Mr. Hastings. I want to thank you for your tireless advocacy on behalf 
of pollinators and on behalf of agriculture generally.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Cardoza) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1460.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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