Norman D. Dicks: “And we need to let the Mexican wolf population have the same chance. There is no doubt that there have been problems…”

“And we need to let the Mexican wolf population have the same chance. There is no doubt that there have been problems with the reintroduction, but we cannot cancel the entire program because of these isolated problems. There are programs in place that compensate livestock operators when wolves prey upon their stock. I am in favor of working to streamline and expand these programs. I am also in favor of pushing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to work more closely with the affected livestock operators. Finally, I believe we cannot interfere with the Endangered Species Act, and that's what the gentleman is attempting to do here. His amendment would overturn the Endangered Species Act, something that we have never done on this House floor that I can remember, and I don't think we should start today. I have experience with the Red Wolf Program at Point Defiance Zoo in the State of Washington where we regenerated the population, and then we introduced them into North Carolina. That program has worked very successfully. We have wolves in Alaska. We have wolves in Canada. There were wolves in New Mexico. And this is part of nature. I think the gentleman is completely overreacting to this. I urge him to withdraw his amendment and not to try to overturn the Endangered Species Act here on the floor of the House. I urge all my colleagues to vote strongly against this ill-considered amendment.”