Kendrick Meek: “Mr. Chairman, I support the Gilchrest-Dingell NBS [National Biological Service] volunteers amendments. During a time…”

“Mr. Chairman, I support the Gilchrest-Dingell NBS [National Biological Service] volunteers amendments. During a time when budgets are being cut and agencies are being asked to do more with less, it makes little sense to prohibit the use of properly trained volunteers working under the supervision of professionals. Volunteers have provided a wide variety of services, from common labor to highly specialized areas of expertise. The last year for which national statistics were gathered--6,080 volunteers added at least 240 FTE's to the National Biological Service's work force. That, Mr. Speaker, was an increase to the paid staff of almost 13 percent. The Department of the Interior's 30-year-old breeding bird survey would have been impossible had they not used volunteers. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleague not to set up artificial roadblocks to impede the Department of the Interior from gathering information that allows us to understand the health of our living resources. Support the Gilchrest-Dingell amendments.”