Elizabeth Furse: “I wish to express my deep opposition to this bill. Amongst many other things, it prematurely terminates three vital…”

“I wish to express my deep opposition to this bill. Amongst many other things, it prematurely terminates three vital initiatives that protect fishery habitat in the Northwest, amongst many other bad cuts. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my unmitigated opposition to this bill. From funding decreases in land acquisition and energy conservation to the termination of the National Biological Survey and the Office of Indian Education, this bill is so packed with ill-advised cuts that it would take me an hour just to list them all. At the top of the list, however, is this bill's treatment of our Nation's sports and commercial fisheries. First, this bill prematurely restricts and terminates three vital initiatives to protect fisheries habitat in the Northwest--PACFISH, INFISH, and the Upper Columbia Basin assessment. These measures are designed to ensure that activities in the region's national forests don't harm important spawning and rearing habitat for trout and salmon. Second, this bill drastically slashes funding for land acquisition. If we are serious about protecting private property rights, we must purchase the lands necessary to provide the habitat for fish and wildlife. And third, this bill terminates all funding for new species listings under the Endangered Species Act. We are simply putting our heads in the sand if we think that stopping agencies from listing species will somehow magically make endangered species problems go away.”