Sam Farr: “Mr. Speaker, I rise also to enthusiastically support this legislation. This will provide much-needed funds, again…”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise also to enthusiastically support this legislation. This will provide much-needed funds, again, taxpayer money, for the protection of highly endangered rhinos and tigers throughout the world. Why do we spend American taxpayer money on this? There is probably no two animals more urgently in need of strong conservation programs. Throughout their range, these two magnificent species have been brought to their knees by habitat destruction and commercial trade in products made from their carcasses, essentially, greed. Today, our President is viewing wildlife on a safari in Botswana. Hopefully, he will be able to see a rhino, perhaps a black or even more endangered and rare, a white rhino. If we do not act and pass legislation like this, the next President to visit Africa may not be so fortunate to ever see a rhino. While CITES, which is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Flora and Fauna, has made great strides in controlling the international trade of rhino horn daggers and tiger skins, these species continue to decline due to massive habitat destruction and the black market demand for traditional medicines using rhino and tiger products. Here in the United States, we sometimes find it hard to believe that a relatively small amount of money can produce such tremendous conservation benefits when applied to on-the-ground programs in other parts of the world, but, believe me, it works.”