[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 206 (Thursday, December 19, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H12285]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           PROTECTING HAWAII'S UNIQUE AND FRAGILE ENVIRONMENT

  (Mr. CASE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce my bill to protect 
one of the most unique and fragile environments on Earth, my Hawaii, 
from devastating invasive species.
  Isolated Hawaii has one of the highest number and rate of endemic 
species anywhere. Invasive species have wreaked havoc on our natural 
environment as well as Hawaii agriculture.
  In the last 200 years alone, countless plant and animal species have 
gone extinct, in large part because of invasives.
  Leading countries have required strict invasive prevention measures. 
Even the continental United States requires inspections of goods from 
Hawaii to prevent the introduction of species that may damage mainland 
crops.
  Yet, Hawaii's prevention regime is weak. My bill simply says that if 
these invasive species prevention requirements are good enough for the 
rest of the country and much of the world, then they are good enough 
for Hawaii.

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