Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 7025 is a bipartisan bill led by the chair and the ranking member of the Natural Resources Committee. It will significantly improve the management and oversight of international conservation programs at the Department of the Interior. Over the past couple of years, our committee conducted a bipartisan investigation into the role of the Worldwide Wildlife Fund, or WWF, and the Department of the Interior, DOI, regarding allegations of human rights abuses at conservation parks around the world. The reports are deeply upsetting, describing decades of abuse toward indigenous and local people in the name of conservation. The committee's oversight hearing in October revealed numerous shortcomings in how WWF carries out its work and how DOI oversees grant funding in challenging locations. These allegations aren't unique. Leading voices at the U.N. and elsewhere have, for years, warned of grave abuses in the name of conservation, in large part due to the colonial-based ``fortress conservation model'' that kicked indigenous and local people off their lands to set up protected areas. International conservation efforts are critical to the success of our national security, international development, climate, and biodiversity goals. However, when investing in these goals, we must ensure commonsense safeguards are in place that protect human rights. This bill does that.…”