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As we look to the future of the world, we are also confronted by the problem of AIDS orphans. USAID estimates that there will be 44 million orphans by 2010. Without a parent or family to
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The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the young will have a significant impact on the economic future of the world. The pandemic is contributing to economic decay, social fragmentation, and political destabilization in already strained and volatile societies. These factors are of particular concern in South and Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union where the pandemic is just beginning to become a problem. It is estimated that there are more than 5.8 million cases in South and Southeast Asia and the rate of HIV infection in the Caribbean is second only to sub-Saharan Africa. Russia is the new ``hot spot'' for HIV/AIDS. More Russians are expected to be diagnosed with HIV/AIDS by the end of 2001 than all cases from previous years combined. Many of these countries do not yet have prevention, treatment and care programs in place and we must equip our federal agencies with the resources and flexibility needed to address the pandemic in all of these areas.
The United States is seen as a leader in efforts to address the epidemic. We contributed almost $500 million to fight HIV/AIDS in fiscal year 2001. Through programs at the U.S. Agency for International Development, we have instituted prevention, care and treatment programs in some of the worst hit countries in sub-Saharan Africa. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we have worked with partners in other countries to expand treatment and home-based care programs. Other agencies, including the Department of Labor, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Agriculture have contributed in their areas of expertise.
This legislation recognizes the growing problems encountered by children around the world and instructs USAID to make efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission and orphan programs a major objective of their program. Through coordination with UN agencies, national and local governments, non-governmental organizations and foundations, the U.S. government shall implement effective strategies to prevent vertical transmission of HIV. Further, the bill states that the agency must strengthen and expand all of its primary prevention and education programs.
This bill also calls on USAID to continue to provide support to research that will help the world to understand the causes associated with HIV/AIDS in developing countries and assist in the development of an effective AIDS vaccine.
I believe the ``Global AIDS Research and Relief Act of 2001'' can make a profound difference in the lives of millions of people facing the HIV/AIDS epidemic. I ask all my colleagues to join us and support this legislation at this critical moment in the spread of the disease.
By Mr. FEINGOLD (for himself, Mr. CRAIG, and Mr. KOHL):
S. 1123. A bill to amend the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 to ensure that all persons who benefit from the dairy promotion and research program contribute to the cost of the program, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I rise today with my colleagues Senator Craig and Senator Kohl to introduce a modified version of the ``Dairy Promotion Fairness Act,'' which I introduced earlier this year. This legislation provides equity to domestic producers who have been paying into the Promotion Program while importers have gotten a free ride.
I introduce a revised version of this legislation, after I received suggestions on how to improve this legislation from America's dairy farmers. Their input is vital to enacting effective dairy legislation, and I thank all the dairy producers of my State not only for their views, but also their work to strengthen Wisconsin's rural economy.
Since the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board conducts only generic promotion and general product research, domestic farmers and importers alike benefit from these actions. The Dairy Promotion Fairness Act requires that all dairy product importers contribute to the program.
Unlike other agricultural commodity checkoff promotion programs, such as beef, cotton and eggs, the dairy checkoff program collects funds solely from domestic producers. Importers of dairy products do not have to pay into the program, yet they reap the benefits of dairy promotion.
I would also like to make sure my colleagues are aware that June is Dairy Month. This tradition of honoring our hard working dairy farmers, began as ``National Milk Month'' first held in the summer of 1937. Wisconsin celebrates this proud heritage every June by honoring our past accomplishments of Wisconsin as America's Dairy State.
Wisconsin became a leader in the dairy industry after the first dairy cow came to Wisconsin in the 1800's and by 1930 it earned the nickname, America's Dairyland. Dairy history and the State's history have been intertwined from the beginning. The people of Wisconsin are defined by the image of dairy farmers: hardworking, honest and the heirs of a great tradition.
I would like to share with you some of the accomplishments of Wisconsin's Dairy Farmers. Wisconsin is the No. 1 cheese-producing State in the country, with 28 percent of the total annual U.S. cheese production. Wisconsin's 130 cheese plants produce more than 350 varieties, types and styles of Wisconsin cheese.
We produce more than 2 billion pounds of cheese annually. We have more licensed cheese makers than any other state with some of the most stringent state standards for cheesemaking and overall dairy product quality. We lead the nation in the production of specialty cheeses, such as Gorgonzola, Gruyere (gru-yure), Asiago, Provolone, Aged Cheddar, Gouda, Blue, Feta and many others. In fact, we are the only producer of Limburger cheese in the country.
Colby, Wisconsin is the home Colby cheese. And Brick cheese was invented in Wisconsin, Brick is named for its shape, and because cheese makers originally used bricks to press moisture from the cheese.
Wisconsinites have recognized this proud tradition by holding over 100 dairy celebrations across our State, including dairy breakfasts, ice cream socials, cooking demonstrations, festivals and other events. These events are all designed to make the public aware of the quality, variety and great taste of Wisconsin dairy products and to honor the producers who make it all possible.
We must follow the lead of Wisconsin, and honor our dairy farmers by passing this legislation and halting the free ride dairy importers currently receive.
The Dairy Promotion Fairness Act supports the dairy marketing board's efforts to educate consumers on the nutritional value of dairy products. It also treats our farmers fairly by asking them not to bear the entire financial burden for a promotional program that benefits importers and domestic producers alike.
We have put our own producers at a competitive disadvantage for far too long. It's high time importers paid for their fair share of the program.
By Mr. MCCONNELL (for himself, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. ALLARD, Mr. BAYH, Mr. BINGAMAN, Mr. CLELAND, Mr. COCHRAN, Mr. EDWARDS, Mr. FITZGERALD, Mr. FRIST, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. HELMS, Mr. INHOFE, Mr. JEFFORDS, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. KERRY, Mr. KOHL, Mr. KYL, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. REED, Mr. SMITH of Oregon, Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire, Mr. SPECTER, Mr. TORRICELLI, and Mr. WYDEN):
S. 1125. A bill to conserve global bear populations by prohibiting the importation, exportation, and interstate trade of bear viscera and items, products, or substances containing, or labeled or advertised as containing, bear viscera, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, incredibly, there is a good chance that today someone will put on a facial cream, apply a medicine, or even eat a
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The slaughter of American black bears and the sale of their parts is a deliberate and dastardly plot hatched by a black market of poachers, traders, and smugglers who have been known to transport bear parts in cans of chocolate syrup or bottles of scotch. Because certain Asian bear populations are being poached to near extinction, poachers and smugglers often target American black bears to meet the demand for bear parts in Asia and even within certain communities here at home. In Oregon alone, one poaching-for-profit ring reportedly killed between 50-100 black bears a year for 5 to 10 years simply to harvest their gallbladders. While the bear population in North America presently is stable, the growth of illegal and inhumane poaching, coupled with the difficulty of anti-poaching enforcement efforts, could pose a real threat to our resident bear population. We should not stand by and allow American bears to be decimated by poachers.
The depleted bear populations in Asia suffer a different, but equally cruel, fate as they are ``protected'' to meet the demand for their bile. National Geographic, U.S News and World Report and The Los Angeles Times each have reported that Asiatic bears in China have been trapped in bear ``farms'' and milked for their bile through catheters inserted into their gallbladders. Bears in other countries often fare no better. In South Korea, for example, bears have been bludgeoned to death or boiled alive in front of patrons to prove they are purchasing authentic Asian bear parts.
Some States in America prohibit trading in bear parts. But others do not. And to make matters more complicated, some States prohibit such trading only if the bear was killed within that State. It hardly takes a lawyer to quickly find the loophole in such a law, poachers and black market profiteers can simply kill a bear in another State and take it back across State lines to sell the parts. And because it is almost impossible to tell where a bear was killed just by looking at its parts, traders and smugglers can always claim that the bear was killed out of State. So, as you can see, our conflicting web of State laws does little to deter poachers from their prey. In fact, the confusing labyrinth of laws may make it easier for poachers to slaughter still more bear .
To help bring the complex, sometimes criminal, and inhumane trade in bear parts to an end, I am once again introducing the Bear Protection Act. This legislation always has enjoyed broad, bipartisan support since I first introduced the bill in the 103rd Congress. Last year the bill passed this chamber by unanimous consent, only to be returned by the House under the blue-slip rule. I am proud to be joined by 25 original cosponsors of the bill today, including 14 Democrats, 10 Republicans and an Independent, and I hope that others soon will join me to help shepherd this important legislation to passage.
My legislation is straightforward. It prohibits the import, export, or sale of bear viscera, or any products containing bear viscera, and it imposes criminal and civil penalties for violators. Enacting a uniform Federal prohibition on the trade in bear parts is necessary to close the loopholes left open by the patchwork of State laws that have facilitated the illegal trade of bear parts in the United States and overseas.
This legislation will in no way affect the rights of sportsmen to hunt bears legally in any State. Illegal bear poaching and legal recreational hunting are separate and distinct acts. Indeed, we should remember that every bear poached for illegal profiteering of bear parts is a bear taken away from sportsmen. A former chief enforcement officer for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has estimated that approximately 40,000 bears are hunted legally each year, but an almost equal number are poached illegally. Many States understand this problem, as over two-thirds of the States that allow bear hunting also ban the trade of bear parts.
This bill is another example of what I like to call consensus conservation. The legislation does not pit hunters against environmentalists. Nor does it pit States against the heavy hand of the Federal Government on wildlife management or sporting laws. Indeed, I am happy to report that there are no political fireworks in this bill. One look at the cosponsor list should indicate that.
Instead, what we have is a bill that targets a specific legislative goal, to protect bears from illegal and inhumane poaching and black market profiteering. By carefully crafting this legislation with that single goal in mind, we have an opportunity to pass a common sense bill that is supported by wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists while protecting the autonomy of states and the rights of sportsmen.
I continue to believe that these types of targeted, bipartisan conservation efforts that are rooted in consensus goals, rather than conflicting politics, can, in the end, make the most noticeable strides toward protecting our national wildlife and environmental treasures.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the RECORD, and I further ask unanimous consent that the RECORD include letters of support from the Humane Society of the United States, the Society for Animal Protective Legislation, and the American Zoo and Aquarium Association.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Bear Protection Act of 2001''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) all 8 extant species of bear --Asian black bear , brown bear , polar bear , American black bear , spectacled bear , giant panda, sun bear , and sloth bear --are listed on Appendix I or II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (27 UST 1087; TIAS 8249);
(2)(A) Article XIV of CITES provides that Parties to CITES may adopt stricter domestic measures regarding the conditions for trade, taking, possession, or transport of species listed on Appendix I or II; and
(B) the Parties to CITES adopted a resolution in 1997 (Conf. 10.8) urging the Parties to take immediate action to demonstrably reduce the illegal trade in bear parts;
(3)(A) thousands of bears in Asia are cruelly confined in small cages to be milked for their bile; and
(B) the wild Asian bear population has declined significantly in recent years as a result of habitat loss and poaching due to a strong demand for bear viscera used in traditional medicines and cosmetics;
(4) Federal and State undercover operations have revealed that American bears have been poached for their viscera;
(5) while most American black bear populations are generally stable or increasing, commercial trade could stimulate poaching and threaten certain populations if the demand for bear viscera increases; and
(6) prohibitions against the importation into the United States and exportation from the United States, as well as prohibitions against the interstate trade, of bear viscera and products containing, or labeled or advertised as containing, bear viscera will assist in ensuring that the United States does not contribute to the decline of any bear population as a result of the commercial trade in bear viscera.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
The purpose of this Act is to ensure the long-term viability of the world's 8 bear species by--
(1) prohibiting interstate and international trade in bear viscera and products containing, or labeled or advertised as containing, bear viscera;
(2) encouraging bilateral and multilateral efforts to eliminate such trade; and
(3) ensuring that adequate Federal legislation exists with respect to domestic trade in bear viscera and products containing, or labeled or advertised as containing, bear viscera.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
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(1) BEAR VISCERA.--The term ``bear viscera'' means the body fluids or internal organs, including the gallbladder and its contents but not including the blood or brains, of a species of bear .
(2) CITES.--The term ``CITES'' means the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (27 UST 1087; TIAS 8249).
(3) IMPORT.--The term ``import'' means to land on, bring into, or introduce into any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, regardless of whether the landing, bringing, or introduction constitutes an importation within the meaning of the customs laws of the United States.
(4) PERSON.--The term ``person'' means--
(A) an individual, corporation, partnership, trust, association, or other private entity;
(B) an officer, employee, agent, department, or instrumentality of--
(i) the Federal Government;
(ii) any State or political subdivision of a State; or
(iii) any foreign government; and
(C) any other entity subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
(5) SECRETARY.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Interior.
(6) STATE.--The term ``State'' means a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and any other territory, commonwealth, or possession of the United States.
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