[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5248]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1930
                         END COMMERCIAL WHALING

  (Mr. GAETZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GAETZ. Mr. Speaker, our great ally Australia has long been the 
leading voice in the world to end commercial whaling. I rise to let 
them know that they are not alone and to announce the filing of 
bipartisan legislation to support an end to commercial whaling.
  Another of our valued allies, Japan, unfortunately continues this 
depraved practice. In fact, the Japanese whaling fleet has just 
returned home, having killed 333 Antarctic minke whales.
  Despite the global ban on commercial whaling, Japan continues the 
slaughter on the seas under a thinly veiled claim of research. Research 
into whales is important, but all available science shows that this 
research can be conducted with nonlethal testing and biopsies.
  The Japan whale hunt isn't about research. It is about whale meat. In 
2012, a Japanese minister even commented that the minke whale offers 
great flavor and aroma as sashimi. I think that is disgusting.
  The Japanese whalers shoot the world's majestic mammals with 
exploding harpoons and electric lances. Death can often take hours.
  Commercial and fake research hunting of whales must end. I thank 
Australia for its leadership. I ask Japan to be honest with the world 
and end this barbaric practice.

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