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“AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1999” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1260-E1261 on June 26, 1998.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND
RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1999
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speech of
HON. BART STUPAK
of michigan
in the house of representatives
Thursday, June 25, 1998
The House in a Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4101) making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999, and for other purposes.
Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to further clarify my position on the Wildlife Services program at the Department of Agriculture. Today Mr. Bass and Mr. DeFazio offered an amendment to H.R. 4101 which reduces the appropriation for Wildlife Services by $10 million, to
$28.8 million.
The intention of the Bass-DeFazio amendment is to prevent Wildlife Services from using controversial procedures and inefficient practices for killing predators in western states. The activities that have occurred in western state have been heavily criticized for their indiscriminate killing programs. The program designed to kill coyotes, for example, kills many pets and endangered species. Additionally, the program has been criticized for its wasteful spending practices in the west. In New Mexico, for instance, Wildlife Services spent more than $2 million to kill predators that had inflicted $167,000 to ranchers. I oppose these activities and urge the Department of Agriculture to assure that Wildlife Services acts responsibly and efficiently.
I cannot, however, vote for the Bass-DeFazio amendment. Just last week in my congressional district, a cow was identified as having contracted Bovine TB, a dangerous livestock disease. The cow contracted the disease from an infected white-tail deer. There are several deer herds in northern Michigan which are identified as Bovine TB-positive herds. Wildlife Services has assisted the State in fighting to eradicate Bovine TB and is responsible for depopulating some of the infected deer herds.
I appreciate the efforts of Mr. Bass and Mr. DeFazio to change they way Wildlife Services does business. This amendment, unfortunately, does not clearly state which practices at Wildlife Services should be changed or how they should be changed. The language does not protect the many exceptional activities performed by Wildlife Services, like protection of human health and safety. We may all be able to agree that the intention of this amendment is to stop the controversial practices in the west, but there is no guarantee that intention will be implemented when Wildlife Services receives their FY99 appropriations on October 1. While I appreciate the efforts of Mr. Bass and Mr. DeFazio, I cannot vote to put each of Wildlife Services activities at risk.
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