Jim Saxton: “I have a noncontroversial amendment to title 29 of the bill dealing with wildlife conservation on military lands or, as…”

“I have a noncontroversial amendment to title 29 of the bill dealing with wildlife conservation on military lands or, as it is better known, the Sikes Act. During the past 3 years, my Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans conducted two hearings on the Sikes Act and the House, on two separate occasions during the 104th Congress, approved legislation to extend this landmark statute. Regrettably, this legislation did not become law and the Department of Defense [DOD], the Department of the Interior [DOI], and the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies have been engaged in ongoing discussions on the details of a reauthorization bill. I am happy to report that those negotiations have now been successful and that the language contained in my amendment has been endorsed by DOD, DOI, and the States. The Sikes Act is the law under which land under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense is managed for fish and wildlife-related conservation and recreational purposes. The Department of Defense controls nearly 25 million acres of valuable fish and wildlife habitat at approximately 900 military installations nationwide. These lands, equal in size to the State of Kentucky, contain a wealth of plant and animal life, and provide vital habitat for migrating waterfowl and nearly 100 federally listed threatened or endangered species.”