Sheila Jackson Lee: “This is a very important amendment in the cycle of life, protecting endangered species, which give the joy of life and…”

“This is a very important amendment in the cycle of life, protecting endangered species, which give the joy of life and understanding to the world, to the coexistence of humans and these wonderful species that have given us so much knowledge. My amendment makes a good bill better by providing a $1 million focus to combat the transportation of the remains of endangered species, to bring down the desire to go after these endangered species. So many of us remember, a few years ago, the brutal killing of Cecil the lion. At that time, I introduced and sought the support of my colleagues as original cosponsors of my legislation, Cecil the Lion Endangered and Threatened Species Act of 2015. This bill sought to strengthen partner countries' capacity in countering wildlife trafficking and designating major wildlife countries for protection. The amendment now is offered in the same spirit: to prohibit the taking and transportation of any endangered and threatened species as a trophy to the United States. Currently, the Endangered Species Act does not protect the majority of wildlife animals killed. At this point, we can choose to make wise decisions that will sustain the global population, or we can ignore the warning signs. Climate change is not the only threat facing our world. There is also massive extinction of microscopic organisms to more complex insects and animals. More than 90 percent of all organisms that have ever lived on Earth are extinct.…”