[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 20048-20049]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUNDS REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2007

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 50) to reauthorize the African Elephant Conservation Act and 
the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 50

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Multinational Species 
     Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION AND AMENDMENT OF AFRICAN ELEPHANT 
                   CONSERVATION ACT.

       (a) Notice of Approval of Project Proposal.--Section 
     2101(c) of the African Elephant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 
     4211(c)) is amended by striking ``and to each country within 
     which the project is proposed to be conducted''.
       (b) Administrative Expenses.--Section 2306(b) of the 
     African Elephant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 4245(b)) is 
     amended by striking ``$80,000'' and inserting ``$100,000''.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 2306(a) of 
     the African Elephant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 4245(a)) is 
     amended by striking ``2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 
     2007'' and inserting ``2007 through 2012''.

     SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION AND AMENDMENT OF RHINOCEROS AND TIGER 
                   CONSERVATION ACT OF 1994.

       (a) Notice of Approval of Project Proposal.--Section 5(c) 
     of the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994 (16 
     U.S.C. 5304(c)) is amended in the third sentence by striking 
     ``, to the Administrator, and to each country within which 
     the project is to be conducted'' and inserting ``and to the 
     Administrator'' .
       (b) Administrative Expenses.--Section 10(b) of the 
     Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994 (16 U.S.C. 
     5306(b)) is amended by striking ``$80,000'' and inserting 
     ``$100,000''.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 10(a) of the 
     Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994 (16 U.S.C. 
     5306(a)) is amended by striking ``2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 
     2005, 2006, and 2007'' and inserting ``2007 through 2012''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) and the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. 
McMorris Rodgers) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, let me begin by commending Congressman Don Young, the 
ranking Republican on the Committee on Natural Resources, for 
introducing H.R. 50, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds 
Reauthorization Act of 2007. This bill would authorize two important 
international wildlife conservation laws, the African Elephant 
Conservation Act and the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act.
  Mr. Speaker, illegal poaching, habitat loss and other factors have 
pushed African elephants, rhinoceroses and tigers dangerously close to 
extinction. H.R. 50 authorizes funding through fiscal year 2012 for 
scientific research, management, law enforcement and public education 
activities used to conserve and protect these keystone wildlife species 
and their habitat.
  Congress has provided $26.9 million, which has been leveraged through 
matching funds and in-kind contributions to generate more than $96.1 
million for international species conservation. This has been an 
excellent investment for the Federal Government.
  We support this noncontroversial bill, and urge all Members on both 
sides to vote for this important conservation bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 50. This legislation, 
introduced by the distinguished ranking Republican on the Natural 
Resources Committee, the Honorable Don Young, will extend the African 
Elephant Conservation Act and the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation 
Act. This legislation builds upon the proven success of these two 
conservation funds and allows the Secretary of the Interior to continue 
to approve badly needed conservation grants for the next 5 years. These 
acts have been two of the most effective conservation laws ever 
approved by the United States Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 50, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the

[[Page 20049]]

rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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