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   Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to request that the provisions of Title III of H.R. 701, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act be included in the Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations conference report. The Interior Appropriations conference report passed last week included increased funding for land, water and wildlife conservation programs. While the bill is a positive first step towards providing permanent funding for these programs, I would have preferred to see enactment of the Conservation and Reinvestment Act, CARA, especially the wildlife conservation provisions in Title III of the bill. To this end, I am requesting that Title III of H.R. 701 be included in the conference report of the Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations bill. I was a strong supporter of CARA when it was reported out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, of which I am a member. It is the most important conservation and wildlife measure that Congress has written in the last 50 years. In particular, I am very pleased with Title III of the bill, which addresses wildlife conservation. I was actively involved early in the process and worked with the Committee to see that the wildlife provisions were included in the final product.

   Title III would provide funding for a diverse array of fish and wildlife species, with an emphasis on preventing species, both game and non-game, from becoming endangered. These goals would be achieved by conserving important wildlife habitat, funding wildlife inventories to design better management plans, and working cooperatively with private landowners in a non-regulatory, incentive-based manner. Moreover, it gives the States the flexibility to set their own goals to meet their needs in a way that works for them. In addition, the emphasis on preventing species from becoming endangered will go a long way to help private property owners. Addressing concerns for endangered species on their lands is a costly process. Preventing species now from becoming endangered later is an investment that will save landowners valuable time and money that would occur after the species have been depleted. In addition, CARA will make it easier on hunters and anglers---more than 90 percent of all State fish and wildlife agency funding is from user fees. The passage of Title III and of CARA would create more equity in funding preservation efforts.

   I am concerned that the language in the Interior bill, while providing funding for a new wildlife conservation fund'' does not provide enough funding for the States to meet their needs and leaves discretion to the Fish and Wildlife Service without giving States the proper flexibility to administer the programs. Wildlife conservation efforts have been chronically underfunded over the years. Including Title III of CARA would help to guarantee that sufficient resources are available so that States and the Nation can meet these important needs.

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