Gerry Studds: “S. 1636 reauthorizes the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 [MMPA]. Following more than a year of negotiations with…”

“S. 1636 reauthorizes the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 [MMPA]. Following more than a year of negotiations with the fishing industry, the public display community, the oil industry, environmental and animal welfare groups, and Alaska Natives, on March 21 my colleagues and I brought to this floor a good bill--a bill that focused the limited resources of the affected Federal agencies where they are most needed, maintained the zero mortality rate goal of the act, and provided protection for the essential habitats of marine mammals. Most importantly, the bill enabled our fishermen to continue fishing while still protecting whales and dolphins for future generations to enjoy, as is clearly the wish of the American people. That bill passed the House overwhelmingly under suspension of the rules. On March 22, after 24 hours of intense negotiations with our colleagues in the other body, we returned to this floor and asked you to consider a negotiated text. The clarifications and additional provisions contained in that text made a good bill even better, and again this body approved the bill under suspension of the rules. Sadly, within 24 hours that bill was completely stalled in the Senate for reasons which have nothing to do with marine mammals, nothing to do with fishermen, and--quite frankly--nothing to do with the good faith negotiations in which I, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Fields], the gentleman from Alaska [Mr.…”