[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 10162-10166]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 GREAT CATS AND RARE CANIDS ACT OF 2009

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 411) to assist in the conservation of rare felids and 
rare canids by supporting and providing financial resources for the 
conservation programs of nations within the range of rare felid and 
rare canid populations and projects of persons with demonstrated 
expertise in the conservation of rare felid and rare canid populations, 
as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 411

       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 ``Great Cats and Rare Canids 
     Act of 2009''.

     SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

       The purposes of this Act are to provide financial resources 
     and to foster international cooperation--
       (1) to restore and perpetuate healthy populations of rare 
     felids and rare canids in the wild; and
       (2) to assist in the conservation of rare felid and rare 
     canid populations worldwide.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) CITES.--The term ``CITES'' means the Convention on 
     International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and 
     Flora, done at Washington March 3, 1973 (27 UST 1087; TIAS 
     8249), including its appendices.
       (2) Conservation.--The term ``conservation''--
       (A) means the methods and procedures necessary to bring a 
     species of rare felid or rare canid to the point at which 
     there are sufficient populations in the wild to ensure the 
     long-term viability of the species; and
       (B) includes all activities associated with protection and 
     management of a rare felid or rare canid population, 
     including--
       (i) maintenance, management, protection, and restoration of 
     rare felid or rare canid habitat;
       (ii) research and monitoring;
       (iii) law enforcement;
       (iv) community outreach and education;
       (v) conflict resolution initiatives; and
       (vi) strengthening the capacity of local communities, 
     governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations and 
     other institutions to implement conservation programs.
       (3) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Great Cats and Rare 
     Canids Conservation Fund established by section 5.
       (4) IUCN red list.--The term ``IUCN Red List'' means the 
     Red List of Threatened Species Maintained by the World 
     Conservation Union.
       (5) Rare canid.--The term ``rare canid''--
       (A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), means any of 
     the canid species dhole (Cuon alpinus), gray wolf (Canis 
     lupus), Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis), bush dog (Speothos 
     venaticus), African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), maned wolf 
     (Chrysocyon brachyurus), and Darwin's fox, (Pseudalopex 
     fulvipes), including any subspecies or population of such a 
     species; and
       (B) does not include any subspecies or population that is 
     native to the area comprised of the United States and Canada 
     or the European Union.
       (6) Rare felid.--The term ``rare felid''--
       (A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), means any of 
     the felid species lion (Panthera leo), leopard (Panthera 
     pardus), jaguar (Panthera onca), snow leopard (Uncia uncia),

[[Page 10163]]

     clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), cheetah (Acinonyx 
     jubatus), Iberian lynx (Lynx pardina), and Borneo bay cat 
     (Catopuma badia), including any subspecies or population of 
     such a species; and
       (B) does not include--
       (i) any species, subspecies, or population that is native 
     to the United States; and
       (ii) any tiger (Panthera tigris).
       (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.

     SEC. 4. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

       (a) In General.--Subject to the availability of funds and 
     in consultation with other appropriate Federal officials, the 
     Secretary shall use amounts in the Fund to provide financial 
     assistance for projects for the conservation of rare felid 
     and rare canids for which project proposals are approved by 
     the Secretary in accordance with this section.
       (b) Project Proposals.--
       (1) Eligible applicants.--A proposal for a project for the 
     conservation of rare felid and canids may be submitted to the 
     Secretary by--
       (A) any wildlife management authority of a country that has 
     within its boundaries any part of the range of a rare felid 
     or rare canid species, respectively; and
       (B) any person or group with the demonstrated expertise 
     required for the conservation in the wild of rare felids or 
     rare canids, respectively.
       (2) Project proposals.--To be considered for financial 
     assistance for a project under this Act, an applicant shall 
     submit a project proposal that includes--
       (A) a concise statement of the purposes of the project;
       (B) the name of the individual responsible for conducting 
     the project;
       (C) a description of the qualifications of the individuals 
     who will conduct the project;
       (D) a concise description of--
       (i) methods for project implementation and outcome 
     assessment;
       (ii) staffing for the project;
       (iii) the logistics of the project; and
       (iv) community involvement in the project;
       (E) an estimate of funds and time required to complete the 
     project;
       (F) evidence of support for the project by appropriate 
     governmental entities of the countries in which the project 
     will be conducted, if the Secretary determines that such 
     support is required for the success of the project;
       (G) information regarding the source and amount of matching 
     funding available for the project; and
       (H) any other information that the Secretary considers to 
     be necessary for evaluating the eligibility of the project 
     for funding under this Act.
       (c) Project Review and Approval.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall--
       (A) not later than 30 days after receiving a project 
     proposal, provide a copy of the proposal to the appropriate 
     Federal officials; and
       (B) review each project proposal in a timely manner to 
     determine if the proposal meets the criteria specified in 
     subsection (d).
       (2) Consultation; approval or disapproval.--Not later than 
     180 days after receiving a project proposal, and subject to 
     the availability of funds, the Secretary, after consulting 
     with other appropriate Federal officials, shall--
       (A) ensure the proposal contains assurances that the 
     project will be implemented in consultation with relevant 
     wildlife management authorities and other appropriate 
     government officials with jurisdiction over the resources 
     addressed by the project;
       (B) approve or disapprove the proposal; and
       (C) provide written notification of the approval or 
     disapproval to the person who submitted the proposal, other 
     appropriate Federal officials, and each country within whose 
     borders the project will take place.
       (d) Criteria for Approval.--The Secretary may approve a 
     project proposal under this section if the project will 
     contribute to conservation of rare felids or rare canids in 
     the wild by assisting efforts to--
       (1) implement conservation programs;
       (2) address the conflicts between humans and rare felids or 
     rare canids, respectively, that arise from competition for 
     the same habitat or resources;
       (3) enhance compliance with CITES, the Endangered Species 
     Act of 1973, and other applicable laws that prohibit or 
     regulate the taking or trade of rare felids and rare canids 
     or regulate the use and management of rare felid and rare 
     canid habitat;
       (4) develop sound scientific information on, or methods for 
     monitoring--
       (A) the condition and health of rare felid or rare canid 
     habitat;
       (B) rare felid or rare canid population numbers and trends; 
     and
       (C) the ecological characteristics and requirements of 
     populations of rare felids or rare canids for which there are 
     little or no data;
       (5) promote cooperative projects among government entities, 
     affected local communities, nongovernmental organizations, 
     and other persons in the private sector; or
       (6) funds will not be appropriated for the purchase or 
     lease of lands to be used as suitable habitat for felids or 
     canids.
       (e) Project Sustainability.--In approving project proposals 
     under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to 
     conservation projects that are designed to ensure effective, 
     long-term conservation of rare felids and rare canids and 
     their habitats.
       (f) Matching Funds.--In determining whether to approve 
     project proposals under this section, the Secretary shall 
     give preference to projects for which there exists some 
     measure of matching funds.
       (g) Project Reporting.--
       (1) In general.--Each person that receives assistance under 
     this section for a project shall submit to the Secretary 
     periodic reports (at such intervals as the Secretary 
     considers necessary) that include all information that the 
     Secretary, after consultation with other appropriate 
     government officials, determines is necessary to evaluate the 
     progress and success of the project for the purposes of 
     ensuring positive results, assessing problems, and fostering 
     improvements.
       (2) Availability to the public.--Reports under paragraph 
     (1), and any other documents relating to projects for which 
     financial assistance is provided under this Act, shall be 
     made available to the public.
       (h) Limitations on Use for Captive Breeding or Display.--
     Amounts provided as a grant under this Act--
       (1) may not be used for captive breeding or display of rare 
     felids and rare canids other than captive breeding for 
     release into the wild; and
       (2) may be used for captive breeding of a species for 
     release into the wild only if no other conservation method 
     for the species is biologically feasible.
       (i) Advisory Group.--
       (1) In general.--To assist in carrying out this Act, the 
     Secretary may convene an advisory group consisting of 
     individuals representing public and private organizations 
     actively involved in the conservation of felids and canids.
       (2) Public participation.--
       (A) Meetings.--The advisory group shall--
       (i) ensure that each meeting of the advisory group is open 
     to the public; and
       (ii) provide, at each meeting, an opportunity for 
     interested persons to present oral or written statements 
     concerning items on the agenda.
       (B) Notice.--The Secretary shall provide to the public 
     timely notice of each meeting of the advisory group, 
     including the meeting agenda.
       (C) Minutes.--Minutes of each meeting of the advisory group 
     shall be kept by the Secretary and shall be made available to 
     the public.
       (3) Exemption from federal advisory committee act.--The 
     Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not 
     apply to the advisory group.

     SEC. 5. GREAT CATS AND RARE CANIDS CONSERVATION FUND.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established, in the 
     Multinational Species Conservation Fund established in title 
     I of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies 
     Appropriations Act, 1999 under the heading ``MULTINATIONAL 
     SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND'', a separate account to be known 
     as the ``Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Fund'', 
     consisting of--
       (1) amounts transferred to the Secretary of the Treasury 
     for deposit into such account under subsection (c); and
       (2) amounts appropriated to such account under section 7.
       (b) Expenditures From Fund.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), upon request by 
     the Secretary, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer 
     from the Fund to the Secretary, without further 
     appropriation, such amounts as the Secretary determines are 
     necessary to provide assistance under section 4.
       (2) Administrative expenses.--Of the amounts in the Fund 
     available for each fiscal year, the Secretary may expend not 
     more than three percent, or up to $100,000, whichever is 
     greater, to pay the administrative expenses necessary to 
     carry out this Act.
       (c) Acceptance and Use of Donations.--The Secretary may 
     accept and use donations to provide assistance under section 
     4, and may make public on the Internet website and in 
     publications of the Department of the Interior that the 
     Secretary is authorized to accept and use such donations. 
     Amounts received by the Secretary in the form of such 
     donations shall be transferred to the Secretary of the 
     Treasury for deposit into the Fund.

     SEC. 6. STUDY OF CONSERVATION STATUS OF FELID AND CANID 
                   SPECIES.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary shall initiate within three 
     months after the date of the enactment of this Act a study of 
     felid and canid species listed under the IUCN Red List that 
     are not rare canids and rare felids (as those terms are 
     defined in section 3), respectively, to determine--
       (1) the conservation status of such species in the wild, 
     including identification of any such species that are 
     critically endangered or endangered; and
       (2) any such species that should be made eligible for 
     assistance under this Act.
       (b) Report.--Not later than two years after date of the 
     enactment of this Act the Secretary shall report to the 
     Congress the determinations made in the study, including 
     recommendations of additional felid species

[[Page 10164]]

     and canid species that should be made eligible for assistance 
     under this Act.

     SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated--
       (1) to the Fund, $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 
     through 2014 to carry out this Act, other than section 6; and
       (2) such sums as are necessary to carry out section 6.

     SEC. 8. INELIGIBLE COUNTRIES.

       Amounts provided as a grant under this Act may not be used 
     for any project conducted in Iran, Syria, Cuba, Sudan, or 
     North Korea.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. 
Bishop) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which 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 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 411, the Great Cats and Rare Canids Act, was introduced in the 
111th Congress by our colleague from Washington, Congressman Jay 
Inslee. The bill before the House today is identical to 
noncontroversial legislation that passed the House during the 110th 
Congress.
  The overall purpose of the bill is to assist in the conservation of 
15 imperiled cat and canid species such as the lion, cheetah, and 
jaguar and the African wild dog and Darwin's fox. The bill would 
establish a new Great Cat and Rare Canid Conservation Fund to finance 
Federal matching grants that support critical conservation projects to 
conserve these highly endangered wildlife species and their shrinking 
and fragmented habitats.
  Moreover, this legislation is patterned after other noteworthy 
wildlife conservation funds authorized by the Congress that help 
conserve and recover critically endangered populations of rhinoceros, 
tigers, African and Asian elephants, great apes, and marine turtles.
  Mr. Speaker, great cats and rare canids are no less deserving than 
these other keystone wildlife species, and I ask Members on both sides 
to support the passage of this noncontroversial bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  While this legislation is similar to a bill that was approved by the 
House last year, and I did, in fact, vote for the bill last year, we 
have Members who still continue to have concerns with H.R. 411, the 
Great Cats and Rare Canids Act.
  During consideration in the Natural Resources Committee during the 
last Congress, this bill was amended by Congressman Henry Brown to 
target only 12 imperiled big cats and rare dog species. That was an 
appropriate amendment especially considering the beginning stages of 
this particular bill, which had well over 50 different animals listed. 
However, by the time it went from committee to the floor last year, 
this bill was expanded, and several other species that are protected 
under this bill but do not reach the criteria used to create the other 
five existing wildlife conservation funds under law were added.
  I am particularly troubled that the inclusion of things like the 
Iberian lynx, which lives exclusively in Spain and Portugal, is added. 
These are clearly two countries that are not impoverished European 
nations. They could easily afford to conserve their own native 
wildlife. In addition, I note that few of the species singled out for 
special treatment under this law could be considered ``keystone,'' 
unlike the African elephant, the tiger, the rhino that are considered 
keystone criteria. Under H.R. 411, this bill, these 15 cats and dogs 
will now be competing for limited funds with the other iconic species.
  More importantly, at a time when America has a national debt in 
excess of $11 trillion, you still have to question whether this 
legislation is the proper priority for right now. With Federal 
spending, bank failures, and home foreclosures reaching historic 
levels, is it really appropriate to spend our constituents' hard-earned 
tax money to conserve an African wild dog, an Ethiopian wolf, or a 
Borneo bay cat in Asia? We still are taxing too much, spending too 
much, and borrowing too much. And this particular bill once again goes 
at elements and species that are not considered reaching the criteria 
of needing this kind of protection. If it were to go back to the 
original bill that came out last year from the Natural Resources 
Committee with the Brown amendment intact, then you would have a decent 
standard bill which I would firmly support. But as long as we are still 
expanding it to areas that don't meet the criteria that should be used 
on these types of issues, then I need to urge a ``no'' vote.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 
such time as he may consume to the sponsor of this legislation, 
Congressman Jay Inslee of Washington State.
  Mr. INSLEE. Mr. Speaker, I just want to point out a few points about 
this bill.
  First off, this is a bill we passed with broad bipartisan support 
last year. Two hundred ninety-four Democrats and Republicans stepped up 
to the plate and took a very, very modest step to try to preserve these 
endangered species that, in fact, are threatened and are listed on 
international lists. Having gone through the scientific process, these 
15 species are all recognized at risk both under United States 
considerations and under the international consortiums of the 
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna 
and Flora, also called CITES; and the World Conservation Union, the 
IUCN. We know the science is that all 15 of these species are at risk. 
And I want to suggest in answer to my friend's concern about this 
investment by Americans, there are at least three reasons Americans 
should have an interest in these species even though some of them are 
not in the United States.
  Number one and perhaps most important, many of our citizens will 
never physically be in the presence of a cheetah or physically be in 
the presence of some of the fox species that are endangered here. But I 
can tell you that they are enjoying the presence of these species, the 
Creator's creation, in the Creator's creation watching them on 
television. I spent a week taking care of my dad recovering from 
surgery, and he spent about half of his time enjoying watching these 
creatures, the Creator's creation, because it gives him joy. And we 
have got constituents who are enjoying the existence of these species. 
This is a very small down payment to protect that.
  Number two, when we preserve these species and when we preserve their 
habitat, it is in our self-interest because it is in our self-interest 
that the rain forest in South America is preserved. That is the lungs 
of the planet. We cannot solve our climate change problems without it. 
This can, in fact, help Americans through our environmental challenges 
that we have.
  And, third, this bill is a great investment because for every dollar 
we put in, and it's a very small commitment of $5 million, but for 
every one of those dollars, we get $4 from the international community 
to match and exceed our investment. It is a prudent investment.
  So I would hope that we would continue our efforts that we had on a 
bipartisan basis last year of standing up for these precious species 
that are on the cusp. And I realize that these species are sometimes 
thousands of miles away from us, but they can be only months or years 
away from extinction; so our great-grandkids will never get to watch 
them except in old-time videos and old-time documentaries. We owe them 
more. Let's take this very small step forward and pass this bill.
  I rise to present important legislation, the Great Cats and Rare 
Canids Conservation

[[Page 10165]]

Act, which supports the conservation of wild big cats and canine 
populations outside the United States by providing financial resources 
to conserve 15 such species that are vital for their ecological value 
and are listed as endangered or threatened on the International Union 
for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, IUCN, Red List of 
Endangered Species.
  Mr. Speaker, the genesis of the Great Cats and Rare Canids program is 
nearly a decade old, and the bill under consideration today was also 
introduced in the past three Congresses. In that time, these species 
have continued to decline in numbers. I would like to thank 
Representative Udall, now Senator Udall, who brought up this bill in 
the past.
  This bipartisan legislation continues our tradition of protecting 
threatened and endangered species around the world and comes at a 
critical time in the survival of these animals. Of the 37 wild felid 
species worldwide, all are currently recognized as species in need of 
protection. Of the 35 wild canid species worldwide, nearly 50 percent 
are recognized as in need of such protection in one of these 
categories.
  The 15 species whose conservation is supported in this bill are 
umbrella species that, if conserved appropriately, protect their 
corresponding landscapes and other species dependent on those 
ecosystems. They include the majestic jaguar of South and Central 
America, the elusive snow leopard, the cheetah, the African wild dog, 
and other rare carnivore species.
  If enacted, the Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Fund would be 
established, building on the success of the Multinational Species 
Conservation Fund. Importantly, it leverages private conservation 
dollars from corporate and non-government sources in order to address 
the critical need to conserve these threatened large carnivores. 
Historically, for every $1 invested by the Federal Government in the 
programs that are part of the Multinational Species Conservation Fund, 
there is a $4 match by private donations. Since 1990, the Multinational 
Species Conservation Fund which has invested over $50 million in 
conservation assistance to the world's charismatic species, has 
garnered over $180 million in partner contributions and private 
funding.
  A coalition of over 80 conservation organizations, zoos, sportsmen 
and hunting groups and other non-governmental organizations support 
this bill. I would particularly like to recognize Defenders of 
Wildlife, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Safari Club 
International, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. These 
organizations together and their millions of members represent the 
broad based support among Americans all over the country for Congress 
to enact this critical piece of legislation.
  I would like to thank Chairman Rahall and committee staff Jim and 
Dave Jansen for bringing this bill to the floor.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, just to clarify on the record, for 
any kind of species to be included, they have to be included on the 
endangered species list, the appendix I and appendix II in the red 
list. Three of these 15 do not meet that criteria. Twelve are 
legitimate. Three don't meet that criteria.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Gohmert).
  Mr. GOHMERT. Again I appreciate the sensitivities with regard to rare 
cats and dogs around the world. With regard to the previous votes on 
this bill in the House, to be specific, 227 Democrats voted ``aye,'' 67 
Republicans voted ``aye,'' which also was about the same numbers, 
similar numbers, that voted for the bailout back in September, which 
was also a huge mistake. There was one Democrat that voted ``no'' and 
118 Republicans that voted ``no.''
  But we are even in different times now. We are still borrowing money 
from the Chinese. And, once again, the irony here is incredible. We are 
going to borrow more money from the Chinese to possibly give them money 
back to create habitats for wild dogs and cats that are rare.

                              {time}  1445

  There is no assurance that if we did that we wouldn't end up with moo 
goo dog pan or moo goo cat pan. There is no way to assure that money 
will not be wasted when it's sent to foreign countries.
  One other thing, Iberian lynx, that cat would be eligible, and he is 
only found in Spain and Portugal. We would be appropriating $25 million 
over 5 years in order to send some money to the very country that has 
been making ridiculous accusations about the United States here in 
recent days. Oh, good, accuse us of ridiculous crimes, and then we will 
send you money for your dogs and cats. At some point we have got to 
stand up and be more responsible with the money we are borrowing that 
we are pledging our children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren 
will pay back.
  This is not the time to be passing this bill. I know there were 294 
votes, 67 Republicans last time, but I am hoping that because American 
habitats are again threatened for individual people in America, it's 
time to quit spending money for habitats in foreign countries for 
animals.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to once again yield such 
time as he might consume to the sponsor of the bill, Congressman 
Inslee.
  Mr. INSLEE. Very briefly, I just wanted to respond to my friend's 
assertion that the species have not been recognized by the scientific 
community. I want to assure the gentleman, all of the 15 species, eight 
cats and seven canine species, are listed on at least one of the 
salient lists of these endangered and threatened species, and that 
would be the Endangered Species Act of the United States, the 
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna 
and Flora, also called CITES, and the third, the World Conservation 
Union Red List of Endangered Species. All of the species that we have 
selected are on at least one of those lists.
  I think we will find broad scientific consensus a lot more species 
are in trouble than these. These are just a tiny fraction of the 
species that are in trouble, but, frankly, the ones whose existence our 
constituents enjoy. They are enjoying them in their living rooms, and 
this is a very small down payment to make sure that continues.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. May I inquire, Doctor, do you have other 
speakers?
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I have just a brief closing statement.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Just in conclusion, once again, the grants that 
we have pervaded in the past for things like the African elephant, the 
rhino, the tigers are on all three lists, not just one of the three 
lists. Twelve of the fifteen categories included in this are on all 
three, not one of the three, which is why, if you were to go back to 
the bill that was actually passed in the Resources Committee, the Brown 
amendment, and take that standard, that is one that I think is clearly 
defendable here on the floor.
  But the fact of the matter is, we have expanded it. And once you 
expand it, taking not all three criteria, but any of those three 
criteria, you set the standard for what may or may not happen in the 
future. And once again, we start moving into the direction of having 
dedicated reserve funds going to specific areas without having a 
comprehensive plan of how we want to spend that money overseas.
  In our situation, in the budget crunch here that we are in, we should 
be much more systematic in the way we try to deal with these kind of 
endangered species and at least demand that everything on that list is 
covered on all three of those categories, not just one or two, but all 
three of them.
  Let me just say once again, I did vote for this bill last time. And, 
once again, I think we could make it better and should be making it 
better.
  I do actually want to thank the majority party for putting back an 
amendment that was inadvertently omitted last time that had been placed 
in the bill in committee and making sure that that was added in there 
before this bill came to the floor. That was very kind of them. I 
appreciate them doing that.
  With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, President Theodore Roosevelt in a 
message to the Congress once said, and I am quoting, ``To waste, to 
destroy our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of 
using it, so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining 
in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by

[[Page 10166]]

right to hand down to them amplified and developed.''
  H.R. 411, the Great Cats and Rare Canids Act, is legislation that 
embodies the central tenet in President Roosevelt's message by 
conserving our natural resources. By conserving our natural resources 
today, we will ensure the prosperity of future generations.
  Mr. INSLEE. Will the gentlewoman yield?
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I yield to the gentleman from Washington.
  Mr. INSLEE. Just to make sure that Members will know about the lists 
we are talking about, the reason not all of these species are on all 
three lists that we have alluded to is that canine species that are not 
traded could not be listed under one of these lists that involve just 
those that are traded animals. It doesn't mean they are not endangered. 
It doesn't mean they are not threatened. It just doesn't mean that that 
is the list that pertains to only traded species.
  And I can warrant that you will not find anything but scientific 
consensus that we have had a very well-targeted rifle shot to the most 
endangered cats and canines here, not the least. And I am very 
sensitive to my colleague's concern about our fiscal condition. It is 
real and his points are well taken.
  But there are some things that will not wait, even in respite of our 
fiscal condition, and extinction is one of them. If we get in better 
fiscal condition 3 years from now, we can't go back and sort of gin up 
the DNA from these species. Once the Creator's handiwork is gone, we 
can't go to our grandkids and say, well, we had a budget crunch and we 
just couldn't save them. So we hope we get this done.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Just for the record, I think it's important to note 
also that this legislation has the full support of the cochairs of the 
bipartisan International Conservation Caucus, which includes 
Congressman Norm Dicks, Congressman Harold Rogers, Congressman John 
Tanner and Congressman Ed Royce, as well as the Safari Caucus.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that Members on both sides support the passage of 
this noncontroversial bill.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 411, the Great 
Cats and Rare Canids Act of 2009. I strongly endorse this effort to 
provide financial resources and foster international cooperation to 
restore and perpetuate healthy populations of endangered species and to 
protect threatened habitats.
  This bill establishes a fund to support specific conservation 
activities by ``any wildlife management authority'' of a foreign 
country that meets certain criteria, as well as groups and individuals 
with demonstrated, relevant expertise. While supporting such efforts is 
a key element of any effective conservation strategy, it seems to me 
that such funding in effect constitutes a new form of foreign 
assistance that ought to be carefully coordinated with our other 
foreign aid programs.
  In the first place, it is essential that the Secretary of the 
Interior, who will be administering these programs, consult closely 
with the Secretary of State to ensure that these activities will not 
conflict with our overall foreign policy objectives. For instance, if 
there are problems with corruption or transparency and accountability 
in a particular government, the State Department would be in a better 
position to know which entities are reliable partners, and to ensure 
that funding is not diverted to unauthorized purposes. There may also 
be some countries to which all other government-to-government aid has 
been terminated for political or human rights reasons, and in which 
these conservation activities ought to be conducted exclusively through 
non-governmental organizations.
  Secondly, the State Department, the United States Agency for 
International Development, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the 
Peace Corps and other foreign policy agencies may be carrying out their 
own environmental programs in a given country. The conservation 
activities supported by this new fund must be coordinated with ongoing 
and planned efforts of such agencies in order to avoid duplication and 
overlap and to seize openings for collaboration. Without a mechanism 
for consultation with the State Department and USAID, opportunities to 
build synergy among programs will be lost and the risks of waste and 
inefficiency will escalate.
  In light of these concerns, I would strongly urge that in 
implementing these new provisions, the Secretary of the Interior 
develop a mechanism for full and meaningful consultation with the State 
Department, USAID and the foreign policy agencies under the 
Department's guidance.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 411, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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