Political Quotes

“Notwithstanding the statement of my very good friend from Alaska, I rise in support of Mr. Peters's amendment. It would remove a provision that would allow for the importation of polar bears killed in Canada, but the provision only benefits 41 big game hunters who shot bears in Canada prior to their listing as a species threatened with extinction. {time} 1630 These hunters were on notice that the trophies would likely not be allowed into the United States, but rushed to hunt the bears anyway. Now they're asking for Congress to bail them out by creating an exemption in the law so they can bring their trophies into the country. It's not about the number of polar bears. It is about the underlying principle that decisions related to the protection of threatened and endangered animals should be based upon science and subject to consistent enforcement, not dependent upon the whims of Congress. Polar bears are already threatened, and the last thing they need is more trophy hunters chasing them down and shooting them. But that's exactly what will happen if this Congress demonstrates that it is fully willing to retroactively change the law in this manner to accommodate the wishes of a very small minority. It's only 41 big-game hunters but we're changing the law on their account? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a Federal court have rejected previous requests to import trophies after 2008. That should be the final word on the subject.…”