Date: 2016-02-26
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. scientists estimate. as I indicated. that we may lose twothirds of the polar bear population by 2050. Therefore. we. as custodians of these very precious animals. should do all that we can to protect a vanishing species from extinction instead of incentivizing trophy hunters to kill as many as possible in advance of pending ESA listings. This is a critical measure to assure the longterm viability of imperiled animals. Let me also cite for the record that the appeals court upholds Endangered Species Act protections for polar bears. Let me suggest to my colleagues that we saw an unfortunate circumstance just a few months ago when Cecil the lion was killed out of mistake or I dont know what. but this giant of an animal. this reflection of the idea of the importance of the animal kingdom. was killed. I introduced H.R. 3448. Cecil the Lion Endangered and Threatened Species Act. It is similar to the amendment I have today. I ask my colleagues to support it. Mr. Chair. let me express my appreciation to Chairman BISHOP and Ranking Member GRIJALVA for their leadership and commitment to working to maintain and preserve Americas natural resources and wildlife habitat. I also wish to thank Chairman SESSIONS. Ranking Member SLAUGHTER. and members of the Rules Committee for making in order Jackson Lee Amendment No. 3. Mr. Chair. thank you for the opportunity to explain my amendment. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 3 is an important revision to the SHARE Act because it serves to preserve the original intent of Congress under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. as well as the Endangered Species Act. Specifically. the Jackson Lee Amendment strikes Title Ill of the underlying bill that creates a loophole in the Marine Mammal Protection Act which would allow a handful of hunters to import polar bear trophies into the United States in contravention of current law. While H.R. 2406 purports to enhance recreational outdoor opportunities and does in fact have some favorable provisions. Title Ill. as well as many other harmful provisions make clear. that this legislation would in reality jeopardize already fragile ecosystems and negatively impact animal welfare and wildlife. As a longstanding member of the Congressional Animal Rights Caucus and champion of wildlife preservation and protection of animals. I am deeply concerned about the harmful provisions of H.R. 2406 and the impact this legislation will have on endangered and threatened populations. Title Ill of the SHARE Act is particularly concerning. because it creates a loophole in the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) allowing for a special class of hunters to import polar bear trophies into the United States in contravention of the law. The MMPA was set up because it was recognized that many marine mammal stocks. including polar bears. were in danger of becoming endangered or extinct. The sole. most important. objective of the MMPA is to help maintain the health and stability of the ecosystem. The polar bears for which these hunters seek permits for were hunted in Canada after the species was proposed for listing as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and was done so with full knowledge and warning that U.S. law would prohibit their eventual importation. Enacting Title Ill of the SHARE Act would threaten this imperiled species by encouraging hunters to race for trophies the moment a species is considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act. store them abroad and then seek waivers from Congress to import their trophies later. Granting such a waiver sets a dangerous precedent and sends signals to trophy hunters that they can flout the laweffectively rewarding hunters who raced to kill polar bears for trophies before their listing under the Endangered Species Act. Alternately. removal of this language will help ensure that hunters are not encouraged to seek bad faith waivers from Congress to import threatened and endangered species at a later time. These bears were knowingly hunted in Canada after the species was proposed for listing as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The survival and protection of the polar bear habitat is an urgent issue for wildlife experts and those who treasure our natural habitat. H.R. 2406. as it stands. is opposed by virtually every leading environmental organization in the nation. The Humane Society of the United States. the Humane Society Legislative Fund. and the Humane Society International. as well as several others including the Animal Welfare Institute. Center for Biological Diversity. and Born Free USA have all submitted letters in strong support my Jackson Lee Amendment as a necessary provision to provide real protections for endangered and threatened species. Earlier this year. I also introduced H.R. 3448. the Cecil the Lion Endangered and Threatened Species Act in response to the tragic killing of Cecil the Lion and the impermeable need for greater protections to shield all threatened and endangered species from trophyhunting. You have no doubt heard about the recent tragic illegal killing of Cecil the Lion. a 13yearold lion. dominant male of his pride. and one of Zimbabwes most beloved symbols of wildlife and important driver of tourism. The hunter. along with hired professionals. lured Cecil out of Hwange National Park and shot him. allegedly without a permit. and collected the head and skin. Beyond Cecil. over two thirds of the worlds cat species are recognized as species in need of protection under federal or international law. My legislation to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973. would prohibit the taking and transportation of any endangered or threatened species as a trophy into the United States. Currently. the Endangered Species Act (ESA) does not protect the vast majority of wild animals killed and imported by American hunters. While the ESA allows for the importation of endangered and threatened species for scientific research. propagation or survival of the species. hunters are abusing this limited exception to murder and transport protected wildlife for sport. As a result of the ESA loophole. tens of thousands of wild animals are killed every year by American trophy hunters and transported into the United States. In particular. Africas lion population has declined 90 percent in the past 75 years. The conservation of rare and threatened species is critically important to the sustainability of our ecosystem and wildlife as we know it. Polar bears. like African lions. currently face unprecedented threats by humans on two fronts: sport hunting and loss of habitat. The polar bear and African lion are vulnerable species sitting at the top of the food chain. The health of these animals is an indicator and foundation for the health of the ecosystem as a whole. and by protecting the sustainability of these specific umbrella species. we can have tremendous impacts on entire ecosystems. The International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has "Red Listed" polar bears as a "Vulnerable" speciesthus. meeting criteria as a threatened species facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. While Canada is the only country that allows for sport hunting of polar bears. it is unfortunate that what was once a necessity of life for indigenous Inuit communities in Canada. killing polar bears has now become a bloody sport for profit and prestige. It is estimated there are 20.00025.000 polar bears left in the wild a number that has only been sustainable through federal protection. Mr. Chairman. the SHARE Act of 2015. if enacted would continue to threaten the sustainability of one our most vulnerable species as well as the critical preservation of our wildlife. Scaling back protections on vulnerable and threatened species in the face of legislation aimed to do otherwise will have substantial adverse impacts on wildlife and conservation efforts. as well as policy implications rewarding those who failed to comply with federal law. We simply cannot afford to let threatened and endangered species die needlessly for sport or profit. The Jackson Lee Amendment would protect polar bears while at the same time preserving Congresss intent under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. I urge all members to support Jackson Lee Amendment No. 3. I reserve the balance of my time.