The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SUPPORTING THE NEOTROPICAL MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2006” mentioning the Department of Interior was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E881 on May 19, 2006.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SUPPORTING THE NEOTROPICAL MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION IMPROVEMENT ACT
OF 2006
______
HON. GEORGE MILLER
of california
in the house of representatives
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Improvement Act of 2006, introduced by my friend from Wisconsin, Mr. Kind. I was one of the coauthors of the original Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act in 2000, and I am very pleased to see this new legislation make its way through the process again. This has been a highly successful program, and its reauthorization will help to continue this record of success.
The hundreds of species of birds that migrate through our Nation every year are facing urgent threats. Warblers, plovers, and kites were once common, but many species are now listed as endangered or are dwindling rapidly and will soon approach that point. The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act has greatly helped the effort to protect these creatures here and in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Like the other multinational species conservation programs including the Great Apes Conservation Act--whose reauthorization is still pending--the Migratory Bird program has done an excellent job of matching public funds with private donations. In fact, this program has brought in more than $60 million in private sector funds to protect and restore habitat, to study species declines, to provide technical assistance, and to encourage public-private and international partnerships.
Mr. Kind's legislation will enable the Interior Department to continue providing this much-needed funding to conservation efforts both in the United States and throughout the Americas. He has done an excellent job shepherding this bill through the House, and I am hopeful that the Act will soon be reauthorized.
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