Political Quotes

“today I rise to introduce, with Senator Feingold and Senator Lugar, a bill that could have a far-reaching impact in preserving some of the most pristine tropical forest in the world. We seek to amend the Tropical Forest Conservation Act, TFCA, a law passed in 1998. The TFCA has led to the preservation of thousands of acres of tropical forest, particularly in the Americas, by allowing low and middle income countries to engage in debt-for-nature "swaps." The TFCA allows eligible governments to divert resources currently needed for debt service toward the conservation and management of disappearing rain forests. Our amendment to TFCA would expand the use of this successful program. Our change would allow more tropical forests to be preserved. Under TFCA, countries are limited to using concessional debt for making swaps. Concessional debt is special low-interest loans reserved for the poorest countries to exchange non-concessional debt, e.g. Export-Import bank loans, etc. for preserved forest land. This change will not only increase the potential for swaps in countries with concessional debt, but also make some countries newly eligible for the program. One example of a country that is not currently eligible for TFCA, but that has great potential for using the expanded program, is the African nation of Gabon. Gabon has some extraordinary, pristine forest land that deserves to be preserved.”