Tom Udall: “Mr. Speaker, for years, and most recently during our CARA deliberations, we have heard about the success and the proven…”

“Mr. Speaker, for years, and most recently during our CARA deliberations, we have heard about the success and the proven track record of Pittman-Robertson and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Programs administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service. It was the prospect of CARA contributing an additional $350 million a year in outer continental shelf oil revenues to Pittman-Robertson that first spurred the request of the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young) of December 1999 for a General Accounting Office review of the Federal Aid Program. This in turn led to the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young) initiating the majority's own investigation into the financial conduct of the program. As it turned out, these investigations did identify problems concerning how the Fish and Wildlife Service administers and executes these programs, some considerable, several recurrent, but none criminal or even illegal. Nonetheless, I am convinced that the Federal Aid Program was long overdue for an administrative and financial overhaul. I believe all members of this committee share that view. I think it is also important to note that the Fish and Wildlife Service has recognized and admitted that substantial errors have been made in the enforcement of financial policies and procedures.”