How much time remains? The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Louisiana has 1\1/2\ minutes remaining.

Well, my response, Mr. Chairman, is, first of all, there is nothing vague about the billions and billions of dollars that have already been wasted through corporate welfare, giving loans that are guaranteed by the Federal Government, loans…

I thank my good friend, who is also from Louisiana (Mr. Cassidy), and I do support the Cassidy-Fleming amendment. Mr. Chairman, the President has bragged about the increase in energy production during his tenure as President of the United…

I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: Sec. __. None of the funds made…

48 years ago this August marks my first practice as a football player for the famed Meridian, Mississippi High School Wildcats. After almost a half century, I still remember the fragrance of freshly cut dew-covered grass juxtaposed against…

What has happened? Tell me what is different.

We are going to have to go after the middle men, the source, the other major consumers, but we are going to have to set an example here.

the African Elephant Conservation Act of 1988 clearly implies that no such limitation should be placed

It is clear that the rate of illegal killing that African elephants have experienced is tragic.

The international law enforcement community must target those hot spots.

I remain hopeful that the Fish and Wildlife Service will listen to reason and not criminalize millions of Americans who legally own ivory.

who would have more of an invested interest in conservation than hunters themselves; the same for fishermen.

The money that is necessary in Zimbabwe to protect the elephants comes from the hunters themselves.

if wildlife has no economic value, then there is little, if any, incentive for the people who live in that habitat to conserve or save them

by stopping legal hunting and legal importation, then what is in effect happening is that the actually opposite effect of that desired, which is to lose elephants.

So as a result of one or two cases of significant, substantial amounts that you claim today... you are saying that we should now deem all owners of ivory... that it no longer has any value...

The question is should we put limits on the amount of sports trophies that come back, and we are proposing two.

The simple truth is that if wildlife have no economic value, there is little if any incentive for people who live in that habitat to conserve or save them.

In order to stop this killing, the world community must work together to stop the flow of illegal ivory.

It is inappropriate, in fact, I think unconstitutional to require someone to be guilty until proven innocent.

Again, sir, you are not answering my question. My question is what has changed in recent history. What is new?

If we could put together something bipartisan, we can get the attention, I believe, of some of these countries that are facilitating the absolute slaughter of elephants.

Simply closing the U.S. market and prohibiting the import-export, interstate and intra-state sale of elephant ivory will not save elephants in the ivory producing states.

I also remain unconvinced that treating Grandma's ivory broach, Uncle Bob's Steinway piano, or cousin John's vintage Martin guitar with ivory pegs... as contraband will do anything to save or conserve wild elephants today.

the easiest thing for them is to simply declare that virtually everything is contraband