[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 35 (Tuesday, March 12, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E277-E278]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      WILDLIFE SERVICES INVESTIGATION REQUEST AND AGENCY RESPONSE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. PETER A. DeFAZIO

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 12, 2013

  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, on November 30, 2012 I sent a letter to the 
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack, requesting an 
investigation into Wildlife Services and the conduct of its employees. 
Mr. Vilsack responded to my letter on February 1, 2013 and my office 
received this letter on February 13, 2013. I intend to monitor this 
situation closely and look forward to seeing the results of the 
internal investigation that is currently taking place of WS employees 
and their compliance with state and federal anti-cruelty and animal 
protection laws.
                                                November 30, 2012.
     Thomas Vilsack,
     Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Secretary Vilsack: We are writing to request a 
     thorough audit of Wildlife Services, especially its lethal 
     predator control program, by the USDA Office of Inspector 
     General (OIG) regarding the culture within Wildlife Services.
       As you know, recent news reports indicate that Jamie P. 
     Olson, a Wildlife Services employee working in Wyoming, may 
     have apparently committed acts of animal cruelty that appear 
     to violate Wildlife Services' Directives and Wyoming state 
     law. If it is found that Mr. Olson committed these acts, it 
     would bring disrepute to the Wildlife Services' program and 
     the federal government at a time when Wildlife Services, and 
     in particular its lethal control of predators to protect 
     livestock, labors under heavy criticism for unnecessarily 
     killing wild animals and lacking transparency and 
     accountability. We urge you to be thorough in your 
     investigation because these alleged acts clearly violate 
     standards of human decency.
       However, we are gravely concerned that photographs, 
     published on Mr. Olson's Facebook in an album labeled 
     ``work'' and since removed, do not represent an isolated 
     occurrence, but may reflect a deep-rooted problem within the 
     Wildlife Services program that allows for, and encourages, 
     inhumane lethal methods of predator control. According to a 
     recent Sacramento Bee article, Gary Strader, a former 
     Wildlife Services trapper in Nevada, ``was not surprised to 
     learn about the controversial photos. 'That is very common,' 
     Strader wrote in an email.'' (Toni Knudson, U.S. wildlife 
     worker's online photos of animal abuse stir outrage. 
     Sacramento Bee, Friday, November 2, 2012).
       We look forward to seeing the results of your 
     investigation, and thank you for your attention in this 
     important matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                    John Campbell,
                                               Member of Congress.
                                                    Peter DeFazio,
     Member of Congress.
                                  ____

                                   U.S. Department of Agriculture,


                                      Office of the Secretary,

                                     Washington, DC, Feb. 1, 2013.
     Hon. Peter DeFazio,
     U.S. House of Representatives, Rayburn House Office Building, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman DeFazio: Thank you for your letter of 
     November 30, 2012, regarding allegations of animal cruelty by 
     an employee with the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) 
     Wildlife Services (WS) program. I apologize for the delayed 
     response.
       I, and other USDA officials, take this matter very 
     seriously. USDA does not condone any form of animal cruelty 
     and holds all employees responsible for adhering to 
     Departmental and Agency standards and directives. WS 
     personnel are expected to use approved and humane methods to 
     euthanize captured or restrained animals whenever 
     practicable, and in accordance with American Veterinary 
     Medical Association guidelines. WS employees are also 
     required to comply at all times with applicable State and 
     Federal laws.

[[Page E278]]

       At this time, the Administrative Investigations and 
     Compliance Branch (AICB) of USDA's Animal and Plant Health 
     Inspection Service is engaged in an ongoing investigation of 
     this matter. In response to a previous request to initiate an 
     investigation into these allegations, USDA's Office of the 
     Inspector General (OIG) has deferred to AICB's active 
     investigation. However, OIG officials have requested that 
     AICB report its findings to them once the investigation has 
     been finalized. In the meantime, WS officials are also taking 
     this opportunity to reaffirm to program staff their ethical 
     obligation to uphold professional standards and their 
     responsibilities to the American public.
       I appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns. I 
     assure you that USDA remains steadfast in its commitment to 
     responsible oversight and stewardship with regard to the WS 
     program. I am sending a similar letter to Congressman 
     Campbell.
           Sincerely,
                                                Thomas J. Vilsack,
                                                        Secretary.