mr. chairman , i rise today in opposition to the threatened endangered species act , the so-called `` reform '' that will dismantle our nation 's most fundamental wildlife protection law and in support of the bipartisan miller , boehlert , dingell , gilchrest , dicks , saxton , tauscher , kirk substitute . 
i am disappointed at the missed opportunity for the house to strike a real balance in the protection of rare species facing extinction and landowners from future government constraints . 
while i agree that the current endangered species act , esa , needs improvements and updating , the controversial bill before us today does little to improve the current esa . 
among other things , the threatened and endangered species act would remove the federal protection of critical habitats that are necessary for the recovery of a species . 
i also find it extremely disturbing that my colleagues are so intent on establishing an entirely new entitlement program to pay landowners for compliance at the taxpayers ' expense at the same time they are working so hard to privatize entitlement programs like medicare and social security . 
i believe there is more we can do to support the goals of the esa . 
that is why i support the bipartisan substitute amendment offered by representative george miller and representative sherwood boehlert . 
this compromise amendment would proactively conserve species using both real science standards and conservation incentives for landowners . 
this amendment maintains several provisions in the underlying bill , but would , among other things , take a more comprehensive approach to recovery plans and create an advisory board to provide scientific advice to the interior department about applying the best science when enforcing endangered species law . 
it took decades for many of our nation 's species to reach the point of extinction . 
it is unrealistic to propose that there will be a quick fix to the recovery of animals and plants facing decline . 
for over 30 years , the esa has been a work in progress . 
now is not the time to turn back the clock on wildlife protection . 
environmental preservation is about self-preservation and about the land we are leaving our children . 
as members of congress , as responsible citizens , i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting real reforms to the esa by supporting the bipartisan substitute amendment and rejecting the underlying bill . 
