E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 113 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 160 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2014 No. 111 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was highlight just a few of the reasons entertainment, as they are at Sea called to order by the Speaker pro tem- Judge Gray has been so important to World and other parks around the pore (Mr. FLEISCHMANN). our community. world, marine mammal experts have, f Mr. Speaker, Tom Gray is a Ten- for decades, been engaged in a longer nessean through and through. He grad- discussion about the scientific value DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO uated from Central High School in and morality of keeping killer whales TEMPORE Shelbyville, received his bachelor’s and in captivity. The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- master’s degrees from George Peabody ‘‘Blackfish’’ documents the history of fore the House the following commu- College, and received his law degree the captivity of orcas in the United nication from the Speaker: from the Nashville YMCA Law School. States, focusing on one whale named WASHINGTON, DC, During his exemplary career in the Tilikum, who figured in the deaths of July 16, 2014. Tennessee legal community, Judge three of his trainers. I hereby appoint the Honorable CHARLES J. Gray served as treasurer and secretary Public displays of animals can en- FLEISCHMANN to act as Speaker pro tempore of the Tennessee Judicial Conference. gage our children and kindle a lifelong on this day. He has served on committees to im- interest in and respect for wildlife. JOHN A. BOEHNER, prove education and domestic rela- They can sometimes add to our sci- Speaker of the House of Representatives. tions, as well as to improve work be- entific body of knowledge. Indeed, f tween the bench and the bar. He has these are often cited as the justifica- MORNING-HOUR DEBATE hosted student groups at the court- tions for keeping animals in captivity. house and has spoken to local civic Yet the shows in which these animals The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- clubs and churches. are displayed often have more in com- ant to the order of the House of Janu- As a proud Sumner County resident, mon with a rock concert than a sci- ary 7, 2014, the Chair will now recog- he has served as the president of the entific exposition, and many believe nize Members from lists submitted by Gallatin Rotary Club. His long resume that the psychological and physical the majority and minority leaders for of community activities includes work harm done to these magnificent ani- morning-hour debate. with the Sumner County Historical So- mals far outweighs any benefits reaped The Chair will alternate recognition ciety, the Rosemont Society, Habitat from their display. between the parties, with each party for Humanity, as well as the Sumner Here are a few facts that call into limited to 1 hour and each Member County Museum. question the propriety of keeping these other than the majority and minority Judge Gray is a proud member of the animals in captivity. leaders and the minority whip limited Hendersonville United Methodist In the wild, orcas frequently swim 100 to 5 minutes, but in no event shall de- Church and a proud husband, father, miles a day and dive to great depths in bate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. and grandfather. search of food. In captivity, they are f Mr. Speaker, my friends and I in held in tiny, shallow concrete pools Sumner County wish all the best to our where they often wallow listlessly HONORING JUDGE TOM GRAY friend Tom as he retires from the when not being asked to perform. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bench. I look forward to watching In the wild, the average life expect- Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Judge Gray begin the next chapter of ancy for male orcas is 30, and for fe- Tennessee (Mrs. BLACK) for 5 minutes. his life. It is my honor to speak on his males it is 50 years; whereas, most cap- Mrs. BLACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise behalf here today. tive orcas die before they reach the age today to honor a friend and exemplary f of 25. Remarkably, a 103-year-old orca member of our community, Judge Tom was recently spotted off the coast of Gray. ORCA CAPTIVITY Canada. Judge Gray has led a distinguished The SPEAKER pro tempore. The In the wild, dorsal fin collapse is ex- career in Sumner County, Tennessee, Chair recognizes the gentleman from tremely rare, but all adult male orcas serving as a judge since 1982 and as a California (Mr. SCHIFF) for 5 minutes. in captivity have collapsed dorsal fins. chancellor of the 18th judicial district Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, while the Many scientists attribute this phe- since 1986. As he will soon step aside documentary ‘‘Blackfish’’ ignited a nomenon to the condition of their cap- from his career in public service to public and passionate debate over tivity, such as repetitive circular spend more time with his family, I whether orcas should be held in cap- swimming patterns, gravitational pull wanted to take this opportunity to tivity for the purposes of display and from spending the vast majority of the 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. H6299 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 10:21 Oct 06, 2015 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD14\JUL 2014\H16JY4.REC H16JY4 vlivingston on DSKHW7XVN1PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE H6300 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE July 16, 2014 time at the surface of the water, and respect for wildlife. They can sometimes add importance of animal welfare when our poli- dehydration. to our scientific body of knowledge. Indeed, cies and practices do not reflect our deeply Marine mammals are some of the these are often cited as justifications for keep- held principles. most intelligent nonhuman animals on ing these animals in captivity. Yet the shows From my own point of view, I believe it’s Earth. They are highly social and live in which these animals are displayed often time to phase out killer whale captivity. That in matrilineal pods that can be as large have more in common with a rock concert means no more captive breeding, no more as 40 individuals. Pod members are than a scientific exposition, and many believe wild captures. Orcas held in captivity now interdependent. Pods often have their that the psychological and physical harm done should live out their lives in their current habi- own hunting techniques and commu- to these animals far outweighs any benefits tats, if they cannot likely survive in the wild. nication styles that some argue are reaped from their display. But with the death of this generation of captive akin to language or dialect. Orcas in Here are some very simple facts that call orcas, we should draw a line. No more con- marine parks do not live in natural into question the propriety of keeping these finement in tiny tanks. No more forced social pods, and separation of calves and magnificent animals in captivity: structures. No more captivity for our entertain- mothers has been documented on mul- In the wild, orcas frequently swim 100 miles ment. tiple occasions. in a day and dive to great depths in search of High mortality rates, aberrant behavior In the wild, not a single human death food. In captivity, they are held in tiny, shallow among orcas, the consistent collapsed dorsal has been attributed to an orca, but cap- concrete pools, where they often wallow list- fins, and the tragic deaths of the trainers tive orcas are responsible for numerous lessly when not being asked to perform. themselves all point in the same direction—an injuries and deaths. Because of this, In the wild, the average life expectancy for end to the forced captivity of these majestic the Labor Department’s OSHA office male orcas is 30, and for females is 50, creatures. has conducted an investigation and whereas most captive orcas die before they f issued new rules aimed at protecting reach the age of 25. Remarkably, a 103-year- AMERICA’S DEBT IMPACTS ILLE- human trainers and handlers of orcas old orca was recently spotted off the coast of GAL ALIEN CHILDREN SOLUTION by prohibiting those trainers from get- Canada. ting in close contact with the animals The SPEAKER pro tempore. The In the wild, dorsal fin collapse is extremely Chair recognizes the gentleman from during the shows. These rules have re- rare, but all adult male orcas in captivity have cently been upheld by the court of ap- Alabama (Mr. BROOKS) for 5 minutes. collapsed dorsal fins. Many scientists attribute Mr. BROOKS of Alabama. Mr. Speak- peals. this phenomenon to the conditions of their er, America’s deficits have averaged a Last month, my colleague JARED captivity—such as repetitive circular swimming trillion dollars a year for 5 years. HUFFMAN and I advanced an amend- patterns, gravitational pull from spending the ment to require USDA to finalize long- America’s total debt has blown vast majority of the time at the surface of the through the $17 trillion mark, and our delayed regulations pertaining to the water, and dehydration. captivity of orcas. It is my hope that Comptroller General warns America Marine mammals are some of the most in- that our financial path is USDA will do so based on sound science telligent non-human animals on Earth.