Frank Lautenberg: “I rise to introduce the Endangered Species Recovery Act. The bill will update the original Endangered Species Act…”

“I rise to introduce the Endangered Species Recovery Act. The bill will update the original Endangered Species Act, provide tax and other incentives for landowners, and help increase the number of species that are recovered and taken off the protected list. The bill has been endorsed by the 380 conservation, religious, and scientific organizations that belong to the Endangered Species Coalition. Public support for strong endangered species protection is high. Also, a majority of the nation's biologists are convinced that a mass extinction of plants and animals is underway. Some believe this loss of biological diversity will pose a major threat to humans in the coming century. At least one in 8 known plant species (which provide medical, commercial, and agricultural benefits) is threatened with extinction. The bill I introduce today includes provisions that will help both landowners and the species themselves. The bill incorporates tax proposals endorsed by both property-rights and conservation organizations.”