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“INTRODUCTION OF THE BROWN TREE SNAKE CONTROL AND ERADICATION ACT” mentioning the Department of Interior was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E2283-E2284 on Nov. 7, 2003.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
INTRODUCTION OF THE BROWN TREE SNAKE CONTROL AND ERADICATION ACT
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HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO
of guam
in the house of representatives
Friday, November 7, 2003
Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, roughly a half-century ago my home island of Guam was invaded by an unwelcome alien pest. Believed to have arrived on Guam as a passive stowaway in a military cargo ship shortly after World War II, the brown tree snake has kept our island's native wild life under siege ever since and has emerged to become the single greatest threat to Guam's natural environment.
Today, I am introducing legislation along with my colleagues from Hawaii, Mr. Case and Mr. Abercrombie, to combat the brown tree snake by increasing authorized funding levels for research, control and prevention of the spread of this species with the ultimate goal of eradication in Guam. In doing so, the legislation aims to improve the coordination among Federal agencies and other institutions in dealing with the problems brought about by the brown tree snake.
The Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990, which established a Federal program to prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic nuisance species, included an authorization for programmatic efforts to combat the brown tree snake as well. Since then the Federal Government has gradually increased efforts to prevent the brown tree snake from departing Guam and to reduce the population of the brown tree snake in certain targeted areas in Guam. Our legislation would enhance these efforts by improving the coordination and consistency of actions undertaken by Federal agencies and by providing an adequate authorized funding schedule to achieve the goal of eradication. Our legislation clarifies the responsibility for funding brown tree snake programs and places that responsibility in the appropriate Federal agencies. In the past the Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs has had to contribute funds meant for territorial technical assistance to the brown tree snake program in order to make up for shortfalls in other Federal agencies' budgets. While we appreciate the Office of Insular Affair's efforts in the past, it is preferable to secure funding from those with direct responsibility and expertise for these issues.
Since 1993, Congress has attempted to address the brown tree snake problem, but I would contend, by indirect and inconsistent means. Currently, Federal funding to fight the brown tree snake has remained stagnant over the past decade and has been realized, in addition to the contributions from the Office of Insular Affairs, through the efforts of a Senate Appropriations $1 million annual earmark in the Department of Defense Operations and Maintenance account for the Defense Health Services. These funds have been the basis for the progress made to date, but these appropriations funds are not specifically authorized, which has caused difficulty in securing the appropriation each year. In addition, as an earmark, these efforts have been misinterpreted by interest groups opposed to such earmarks and has at times been characterized as
``pork'' spending.
If we do not adequately address these funding shortfalls, significant brown tree snake containment efforts may fail resulting in the spread of a very aggressive invasive species to other areas of the United States. The brown tree snake has caused severe environmental damage on Guam, and our experience has been that once introduced, this species is extremely difficult to eradicate. The environmental cost in protecting other species in other areas that may become endangered by this alien predator is enormous, thus making the prevention of the spread of the brown tree snake an economic issue. This is a clear example of a situation where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
This bill is also notable for its emphasis on control and eradication. Guam has had the unfortunate experience of having the brown tree snake threaten the extinction of our own indigenous species of birds.
I look forward to moving this bill through the legislative process. I thank my colleagues from Hawaii, Mr. Case and Mr. Abercrombie, for their diligent work in crafting this legislation with me. I also wish to commend stakeholders in Guam and Hawaii, including the Government of Guam's Department of Agriculture, for their valuable input. I urge my colleagues to support the Brown Tree Snake Control and Eradication Act.
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