Date: February 10, 1999
Contact: Dan Evans
Phone: (352) 373-6441
UPDATE 3/3/99 – Rep. George Miller and 60+ cosponsors (see below for a partial list) introduced the Endangered Species Recovery Act of 1999, and the bill number is H.R. 960. The new H.R. 960 is essentially the same as Miller’s endangered species bill in the last Congress (that was H.R. 2351), see There is still time! Call in Your Support of the Miller Bill (HR 2351), a Beneficial Bill for Sea Turtles and Endangered Species for details.
Your help is needed again to protect the strength of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Rep. George Miller (D-CA) is going to reintroduce the “good” Endangered Species Recovery Act (then H.R. 2351) that will help strengthen the ESA to help protect and recover endangered species, especially sea turtles. Miller plans to introduce the bill when he has 50 cosponsors.
Many of you may be aware that members of Congress continue to debate the merits of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for several years. Supporters of the ESA, including conservation groups like the Sea Turtle Survival League, have argued that the Act needs to be strengthened to better protect species and their habitat. Those on the other side have argued, among other things, that the ESA is a waste of taxpayer money and that it interferes with private enterprise. During the last several years, a handful of bills have been introduced before Congress that would have severely weakened protection for endangered species in the United States. During the last session, with your help, conservation groups were able to stop the Kempthorne Bill, a bill that would have reduced the effectiveness of the ESA, from succeeding.
Representative George Miller (D-CA) is looking for co-sponsors for his ESA bill before introducing it to the House. The bill, called the Endangered Species Recovery Act (ESRA), would actually strengthen endangered species protection in the US. In order for this bill to have any chance of passing, we need to get more members of Congress to cosponsor this bill.
One of the reasons the ESRA is so good is that it focuses on the recovery of endangered species and eliminates loopholes in Endangered Species Act that prevent species recovery. It is also an opportunity for the conservation community to actually support a bill rather than continually trying to fight bad bills. It is critical that this type of legislation receive maximum support. The ESRA is identical to one introduced last session.
** No matter where you live in the U.S., check the list below for your Representative in Washington. If they are not there please urge them to sign on as a cosponsor for Rep. Miller’s Endangered Species Recovery Act bill.
** IF YOU LIVE IN FLORIDA, Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL) and Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) have already signed as cosponsors. Two other cosponsors of the original bill — Corrine Brown and Carrie Meek — have not yet signed as cosponsors or the reintroduced bill. And there is no word yet from three more prospects in Florida — Jim Davis, Peter Deutsch, Porter Goss, or Clay Shaw. Constituents in these districts are needed to let House members know that the voters want them to sign onto Miller’s bill! Contact information can be found here.
List of Representatives who have signed on to Cosponsor the Endangered Species Recovery Act:
Abercrombie (D-HI)
Ackerman (D-NY)
Andrews (D-NJ)
Berman (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Borski (D-PA)
Blagojevich (D-IL)
Cardin (D-MD)
Clay (D-MO)
DeFazio (D-OR)
Degette (D-CO)
Delahunt (D-MA)
DeLauro (D-CT)
Eshoo (D-CA)
Farr (D-CA)
Forbes (R-NY)
Frank (D-MA)
Gejdenson (D-CT)
Gutierrez (D-IL)
Hastings (D-FL)
Hinchey (D-NY)
Holt (D-NJ)
Kilpatrick (D-MI)
Levin (D-MI)
Lewis (D-GA)
McCarthy (D-NY)
McDermott (D-WA)
McNulty(D-NY)
Millander-McDonald (D-CA)
Nadler (D-NY)
Olver (D-MA)
Pallone (D-NJ)
Pascrell (D-NJ)
Pelosi (D-CA)
Rahall (D-WV)
Rivers (D-MI)
Shays (R-CT)
Sherman (D-CA)
Tierney (D-MA)
Wexler (D-FL)
The Honorable Corrine Brown (D-3-FL)
U.S. House of Representatives
2444 Rayburn House Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 30515
D.C. phone: 202-225-0123
D.C. fax: 202-225-2256
Jacksonville office: 904-354-1652
Orlando office: 407-872-0656
The Honorable Peter Deutsch (D-20-FL)
U.S. House of Representatives
204 Cannon House Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515
e-mail: pdeutsch.pub@mail.house.gov
D.C. phone: 202-225-7931
D.C. fax: 202-225-8456
Pembroke Pines office: 954-437-3936
Key West office: 305-294-5815
The Honorable Porter Goss (R-14-FL)
U.S. House of Representatives
108 Cannon House Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515
e-mail: porter.goss@mail.house.gov
D.C. phone: 202-225-2536
D.C. fax: 202-225-6820
Ft. Myers office: 941-332-4677
Naples office: 941-774-8060
Punta Gorda office: 941-a639-0051
The Honorable Carrie Meek (D-17-FL)
U.S. House of Representatives
401 Cannon House Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515
D.C. phone: 202-225-4506
D.C. fax: 202-226-0777
Miami office: 305-381-9541
Sea Turtle Conservancy
