Jim Saxton: “I rise in support of H.R. 408, officially called the International Dolphin Conservation Program Act. This, Mr. Chairman…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 408, officially called the International Dolphin Conservation Program Act. This, Mr. Chairman, is essentially an ocean habitat management act to protect ocean species in the eastern tropical Pacific, including not just dolphins, but tuna fish as well, particularly juvenile tuna, sea turtles, bill fish, sharks and other species. This bill has been worked on for the last 3 years by the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young], our committee chairman, and by the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Gilchrest], and by the gentleman from California [Mr. Cunningham], and by others on the committee. This is an international declaration, the Declaration of Panama, a binding international agreement signed by 12 nations on October 4, 1995. The nations are Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Spain, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and of course the United States. The United States was ably represented by our State Department, and these issues are, of course, of great importance to the American people as well as to the international community.”