[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14582]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         THREATENED POLLINATORS

  (Mr. BLUMENAUER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, on the floor of the House, we are often 
involved with contentious, hard political choices. Many of the sharpest 
disagreements deal with the environment. We look forward in the fall to 
a spirited debate between President Bush and Senator Kerry about their 
rhetoric and their actions in protecting our environment.
  But one critical area that actually brings us together is on exhibit 
a short 10 minutes away from this House Chamber, down the hill at the 
National Botanical Gardens. This exhibit deals with the tens of 
thousands of threatened pollinators who make possible our quality of 
life, our agricultural bounty, things that range from fresh fruits and 
chocolate, flowers, even Tequila and other exotic items. These key 
species, from honey bees, fruit bats, butterflies, are, in fact, at 
risk. We in Congress, we as the American public, need to be aware of 
this. This is one of the environmental issues that is not that 
contentious, it is not that expensive, and, in fact, brings us 
together. I urge my colleagues to take advantage of the pollinator 
exhibit at the Botanical Gardens.

                          ____________________