8390 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS May 4, 1989 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS refuges were established as inviolate sanctu­ when refuge managers feel that it is neces­ THE REFUGE WILDLIFE aries, pressures to exploit their wildlife have sary to kill one or more wild animals on a PROTECTION ACT OF 1989 grown. In recent years this pressure has refuge for management purposes, such as to become more and more intense and the re­ benefit the animals themselves, or to provide HON. BILL GREEN sponsible Government agencies have permit­ some overriding and necessary benefit to OF NEW YORK ted more and more exploitation of refuge wild­ other wildlife living on the refuge. My bill IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES life. would allow such necessary programs. Finally, At first, pressure was slight, and the execu­ Thursday, May 4, 1989 the Refuge Wildlife Protection Act establishes tive branch must have considered these few that activities which are permitted on refuges Mr. GREEN. Mr. Speaker, I have introduced exceptions to the inviolate sanctuary concept directly affecting refuge wildlife must be con­ the Refuge Wildlife Protection Act of 1989. to be insignificant. These few exceptions have ducted in such a way to ensure that such wild­ That legislation is necessary and appropriate grown into a major assault on the integrity of life is treated in the most humane manner to restore integrity to the management of the our National Wildlife Refuge System. Indeed, possible. National Wildlife Refuge system. For the ben­ without the recognition of most of the Con­ My bill also reaffirms that it is the policy of efit of my colleagues, I want to review briefly gress and without knowledge and agreement the U.S. Congress that national wildlife ref­ the National Wildlife Refuge System, the de­ of the public, national wildlife refuges have uges are inviolate sanctuaries for wildlife. That struction of wildlife on refuges, and the provi­ become places where wildlife is routinely shot principal was clearly enunciated in the early sions of the Refuge Wildlife Protection Act of for sport, or trapped for commerce and recre­ days of the National Wildlife Refuge System. 1989. ation. The public overwhelmingly supports and ex­ The National Wildlife Refuge System is the I must emphasize that I am not discussing pects a refuge system that requires refuges to world's foremost collection of lands and wildlife killed on refuges as a rule of air or be true sanctuaries for their wildlife inhabit­ waters dedicated to the protection and en­ water pollution from outside the refuge, as ants. hancement of wildlife. The system was estab­ bad as that would be, but rather I am discuss­ After all, according to a study by Yale Uni­ lished not just to benefit individual animals, ing the intentional killing of wildlife on refuges versity, a majority of the public opposes any but also to benefit wildlife populations and for primarily commercial or recreational . pur­ hunting solely for sport or recreation. A majori­ whole species. The Refuge System was cre­ poses. ty of the public opposes trapping with the ated in 1903 by President Theodore Roose­ Mr. Speaker, this makes a mockery of our velt with the establishment of Pelican Island entire refuge system. Certainly, the lands and steel jaw trap for any reason. How much more Refuge-in Florida-as an inviolate sanctuary water are stil beautiful, vital and important, but will the public oppose sport hunting or com­ for the protection of wildlife, principally birds. what of the concept of refuge or sanctuary for mercial trapping on national wildlife refuges? Since that small beginning, the National Wild­ the wild animals that these areas should pro­ We can all answer that question; for no one life Refuge System has grown to a spectacu­ tect? can seriously believe that a public that barely lar system of 442 refuges, in every State but Last year, 259 national wildlife refuges were supports any sport or commercial killing of West Virginia, and I am pleased to note that host to 557 different programs of sport hunt­ wildlife on any lands, will support such killing efforts are now underway to establish a Na­ ing. Moreover, 91 refuges allowed commercial on a national wildlife refuge. tional Wildlife Refuge in West Virginia. Acre­ or recreational trapping. These programs re­ Finally, there may be concerns or questions age is more than 90 million, with 13 million sulted in death and wounding of more than regarding this legislation that need to be ad­ acres in the coterminous 48 States. It includes 400,000 wild animals that refuges were estab­ dressed now: nearly every conceivable habitat from beach­ lished specifically to protect. First, will that legislation permit wildlife man­ es, desert, mountains, and tundra to marshes, The animals killed by sport hunting or com­ agement programs? forests, grasslands, and glaciers. mercial trapping include arctic fox, grizzly Yes. That legislation will permit any wildlife The Refuge System provides a home during bear, black bear, rabbits, woodchucks, management programs which are otherwise at least some time of some years for 71 en­ coyotes, skunks, gray foxes, quail, geese, permissible. Indeed, wildlife management pro­ dangered and threatened species, and thou­ swans, doves, porcupines, wolves, moose, grams will be unaffected. That legislation sands of other species of plants and animals. beaver, squirrels, red foxes, oppossum, bob­ simply prohibits killing of wildlife for sport, rec­ But the National Wildlife Refuge System is cats, raccoon, mink, and river otter. Also killed reational or commercial purposes, and makes more than just 442 isolated areas that provide are numerous ducks in spite of the fact that certain that killing of wildlife for management home and life support for resident species. It duck populations of species such as the black purposes on national wildlife refuges is con­ is a system that provides critical nesting, mi­ duck and others are at or near the lowest ducted as a last resort, is the minimum neces­ gration, and wintering habitats for migratory levels in history. sary, and is conducted in the most humane birds and is critical to fulfilling our treaty obli­ Mr. Speaker, the intentional killing of wildlife manner possible. These are reasonable and gations under Migratory Bird Treaties with on those areas makes our efforts to stop in­ necessary restrictions for management pro­ Canada, Japan, Mexico, and the Soviet Union. sidious pollution on refuges laughable. How grams which involve killing of refuge wildlife. It provides a coordinated network of critical can anyone take seriously our resolve to pro­ Second, is such detailed legislation neces­ areas to provide needed habitats in various tect wildlife on refuges from pollution when we sary? Why can't we just prohibit incompatible places and times of year. And, over the years, allow the responsible Federal agency to con­ activities? this spectacular system has grown even more duct programs to kill wildlife for sport and That has always been my question. Howev­ important to nonmigratory and migratory ani­ recreation? er, Congress has twice previously, in 1962 mals alike, as development and habitat de­ For these reasons, I introduce the Refuge and in 1966, attempted to prohibit incompati­ struction have enveloped so many other Wildlife Protection Act of 1989. ble commercial or recreational activities. How­ lands. The principal purpose of that legislation is ever, the agency is under intense pressure to With this introduction some of my col­ to prohibit killing wildlife for sport, recreational, allow recreational hunting and commercial leagues may yet wonder why I would intro­ or commercial purposes on national wildlfie trapping, and, as experience shows, without duce an act to protect refuge wildlife. Despite refuges. That bill establishes an orderly proce­ specific standards the agency will try to bend these beautiful habitats and areas, refuge ani­ dure whereby refuge managers may allow the the rules just to continue to allow these activi­ mals all too often are under assault, even killing of refuge wildlife for purposes other ties. when they are on the very areas that should than sport, recreation, or commercial use of Third, will this bill stop refuge personnel provide refuge. Indeed, over the years since wildlife. For example, there may be times from killing an animal that has been injured or e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. May 4, 1989 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 8391 is otherwise near death, and for which a quick Yes, absolutely. National wildlife refuges tion program, a flexible freeze would require and painless death is the only humane solu­ constitute only 90 million acres, and all but 13 deeper cuts. In fact, $18 billion, or 86 percent, tion? million acres are in Alaska. As opposed to of the President's proposed education budget It is my intention that this bill not prohibit that, there are 185 million acres of national of $21.9 billion would be included in such a that kind of activity by refuge personnel. If the forest and more than 260 million acres of freeze. For example, chapter 1, which serves agency believes that this bill would prohibit Bureau of Land Management lands, virtually disadvantaged children, could be cut 46 per­ such action I shall work with the agency and all of which are open to public hunting. In ad­ cent, education of the handicapped 42 per­ Mr. STuoos' subcommittee to ensure that dition, there are millions of acres of private cent, vocational and adult education 44 per­ such human action is permissible. lands, State lands, and other Federal lands, cent, bilateral education 21 percent, libraries Fourth, there are other abuses of national on which hunting is allowed.