Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 108 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION

E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 108 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 149 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2003 No. 51 House of Representatives The House met at 12:30 p.m. and was California of Exotic Newcastle Disease cock operations in southern California called to order by the Speaker pro tem- which does not appear to threaten peo- alone. USDA officials, according to pore (Mr. ADERHOLT). ple but which is deadly to birds. news sources, have said that fully one- f Though not yet identified for certain, third of the flocks that they have de- it appears that illegal cockfighters are populated are gamecock operations. DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO responsible. Fighting roosters from Under California law, it is illegal to TEMPORE Mexico, where there has been an out- possess birds for fighting purposes. But The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- break of Exotic Newcastle, have moved the USDA is providing millions in com- fore the House the following commu- illegally into California. The imprint pensation to illegal cockfighters whose nication from the Speaker: of the disease in Mexico is nearly iden- birds have been ordered killed. Accord- WASHINGTON, DC, tical to the imprint of the disease now ing to the Bakersfield Californian and March 31, 2003. spreading throughout the American other newspapers, some individuals are I hereby appoint the Honorable ROBERT B. Southwest. being paid up to $1,800 per fighting ADERHOLT to act as Speaker pro tempore on Since the outbreak occurred 6 rooster. this day. months ago in the United States, the Mr. Speaker, this is a scandal, a J. DENNIS HASTERT, Speaker of the House of Representatives. disease has spread rapidly. First dis- gross and irresponsible use of tax dol- covered in Los Angeles County, it has lars. Our Federal Government is paying f spread throughout southern California top-dollar black-market prices for live MORNING HOUR DEBATES and into Arizona and Nevada. There contraband. If there was an outbreak of The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- are now eight affected counties in Cali- plant disease, would we be compen- ant to the order of the House of Janu- fornia, and experts predict that more sating marijuana growers for the de- ary 7, 2003, the Chair will now recog- counties will soon be hit as the disease struction of their crops? Let me repeat, nize Members from lists submitted by marches north. All movements of live under State law it is illegal to possess the majority and minority leaders for birds have been halted in the quar- birds for fighting. Under the provisions morning hour debates. The Chair will antine area and all poultry shows have of an amendment I sponsored last year alternate recognition between the par- been canceled throughout the entire with the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. ties, with each party limited to not to State. In an effort to contain the dis- TANCREDO), it will soon be illegal under exceed 30 minutes, and each Member, ease, the U.S. Department of Agri- Federal law to move any fighting birds except the majority leader, the minor- culture and State agriculture depart- to or from any State or territory in the ity leader, or the minority whip, lim- ments have ordered many bird flocks United States. In short, there is no le- ited to not to exceed 5 minutes. depopulated if any bird in a flock has gitimate reason for individuals to pos- The Chair recognizes the gentleman been diagnosed with the infection. sess birds for fighting purposes. But from Oregon (Mr. BLUMENAUER) for 5 State and Federal authorities have they are being remunerated. These peo- minutes. killed more than 3.2 million birds, in- ple are organized criminals and we f cluding pet birds, poultry and egg-lay- should not be squandering the tax dol- ing hens from commercial flocks, fight- lars of hardworking Americans by COCKFIGHTING ing roosters and other birds. Thus far, making compensation payments to Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I Federal authorities have spent $65 mil- them. These people should not be paid rise today on an issue that I have ad- lion and cost estimates may climb to off. They should be prosecuted under dressed in this Chamber on a number of $250 to $500 million before the disease State and Federal law. occasions, cockfighting. But today I runs its course. The last time there It is indeed ironic that the Federal am here not to reiterate the case was a major outbreak of Exotic New- Government is paying cockfighters against this despicable and barbaric castle Disease in California, it cost more than it is paying pet owners, practice but to draw attention to a taxpayers and agriculture an immense poultry growers, and other individuals gross misuse of tax dollars of hard- impact. who legitimately possess birds in working Americans whose funds are During the course of the containment southern California. At a time when we being quietly handed off by the Depart- exercise, agricultural officials have are making so many difficult choices ment of Agriculture to illegal been staggered by the scope of the ille- with Federal expenditures, when we cockfighters. gal cockfighting operations they have have a war to pay for, when we have a In October, the Federal Government stumbled upon. There are some observ- soaring deficit, when we are not fund- learned of an outbreak in southern ers who say that there are 50,000 game- ing critical environmental programs in b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H2475 . VerDate Jan 31 2003 01:48 Apr 01, 2003 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A31MR7.000 H31PT1 H2476 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 31, 2003 agriculture, the farmland protection ments intended to improve the legisla- Finally, responsible administration bill, wetland reserves program, wildlife tion. This bill was introduced on Fri- of any vaccine program requires edu- habitat incentives program, the con- day and it is on the floor today. Only a cation, prescreening, as we found out servation security program, the envi- handful of Members had a say on this tragically in four cases, and surveil- ronmental quality investment pro- bill. No one else. No firefighters, no po- lance. H.R. 1463 ignores these costs, gram, these critical programs to pro- lice officers, no teachers, no EMTs, no jeopardizing the future of the program tect the environment and American ag- nurses. We are being told to take it or and, more importantly, jeopardizing riculture, we do not have money to leave it. the future health of many of these vol- fund them adequately, but we are pay- The fundamental question is, have unteers, these nurses, these fire- ing out millions to illegal cockfighters. Members of Congress become so far re- fighters, these EMTs, these police offi- This should not happen, and I want this moved from the people we represent cers. body to join me for an accounting by that we would pass a bill opposed by Bioterrorism preparedness is either a the Department of Agriculture of what the very men and women it is supposed priority or it is not. H.R. 1463 is a is happening on the ground in Cali- to protect? Do we in Congress think we token response, and barely that. Our fornia, Arizona, Nevada, and through- know better than bioterrorism experts nurses, our firefighters, our police offi- out the Southwest. when it comes to bioterrorism pre- cers, our EMTs and our other first re- Mr. Speaker, soon several colleagues paredness? sponders deserve better. That is why and I will be introducing legislation to Protecting first responders and their they oppose this bill. They want Con- strengthen penalties for violations of families in the event of a vaccine in- gress to sit down with all the first re- Federal anti-animal fighting law. jury and increasing vaccine participa- sponders at the table, all of us, discuss These are the same provisions that tion rates are important objectives. this bill and write legislation that will were passed by both the House and the They are time-sensitive objectives. The make the smallpox vaccine program Senate last year in the ag bill but were national smallpox vaccination program work. inexplicably stripped away in the con- is already underway and participation ference committee. Now is the time to is lagging far, far behind the goal set f restore the penalties already approved by the administration. Twenty-five by both Chambers. I hope that the Sec- thousand people have been vaccinated, SMALLPOX VACCINE retary of Agriculture will actively sup- less than 5 percent of the March 1 COMPENSATION port this change in law. Adequate en- benchmark. The experts tell us the bill The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- forcement of Federal anti-animal fight- will not jump-start the smallpox vac- ant to the order of the House of Janu- ing provisions is not only needed to cine program, so it will not enhance ary 7, 2003, the gentlewoman from Cali- stop the cruelty associated with ani- our bioterrorism preparedness. fornia (Mrs. CAPPS) is recognized dur- Congress should not be wasting valu- mal fighting, but it is needed to pre- ing morning hour debates for 5 min- able time enacting the wrong bill, par- vent future outbreaks of Exotic New- utes. ticularly when our Nation’s ability to castle Disease. I hope that even those Mrs.

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