[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 120 (Tuesday, August 2, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1491]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   DICKS AMENDMENT TO H.R. 2854, THE FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2012 INTERIOR, 
          ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT

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                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 2, 2011

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the amendment offered 
by Representatives Dicks, Thompson, Fitzpatrick, and Hanabusa to H.R. 
2584, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Interior, Environment, and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act. H.R. 2584 contains language that would 
prevent the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) from enforcing the 
most important parts of the Endangered Species Act. The FWS would be 
unable to list any new species as endangered, unable to designate as 
protected any habitat that is critical to species' survival, and unable 
to upgrade any species from threatened to endangered status.
  This amendment would reverse this dangerous and short-sighted policy. 
It would allow the FWS to protect any of the over 260 ``candidate 
species,'' species that the FWS has already determined warrant 
additional protection, and to upgrade the status of these species to 
endangered.
  This amendment is not only vital for wildlife, but also for us. Many 
of these species play keystone roles in highly complex ecological 
systems on which we depend for clean water, clean air, arable soil, and 
healthy food. Biodiversity is a resource that can be tapped into; the 
complexities of organisms, only some of which have even been 
identified, can help us find cures for cancer and other diseases. A 
recent study by Dr. Felicia Kessing concluded that losses in 
biodiversity tend to increase the rate at which diseases are 
transmitted.
  Willingly allowing endangered species to go extinct is irresponsible 
and imposes limitations on our nation's ability to progress. Species 
loss is forever. I urge my colleagues to support this important 
amendment.

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