Lincoln Chafee: “there have been several references to people resisting the reauthorization of the Endangered Species Act. I do not know…”

“there have been several references to people resisting the reauthorization of the Endangered Species Act. I do not know who the references are to. But it certainly is clear that if this moratorium is extended, the pressure to reauthorize the Endangered Species Act is reduced. The best way to get the Endangered Species Act reauthorized is to get rid of this moratorium and have everybody concentrate their energies on the reauthorization. Certainly, as far as I am concerned, those on the committee--and certainly the subcommittee headed by the Senator from Idaho--have been working to get this act reauthorized. So, I for one have seen no resistance to the reauthorization of the act from any individual that I know. Let us just review the bidding, if we might. When President Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act in 1973, this is what he said: Nothing is more priceless or more worthy of preservation than the rich array of animal life with which our country has been blessed. It is a many faceted treasure for valued scholars, scientists, and nature lovers alike, and it forms a vital part of the heritage we share as all Americans. I congratulate Congress for taking this important step toward protecting a heritage which we hold in trust to countless future generations of our fellow citizens. That is what President Nixon said when he signed the Endangered Species Act in 1973.”