mr. chairman , i rise in strong opposition to this bill .  the legislation before us today turns back the clock on 35 years of progress in responsible environmental stewardship by gutting the current endangered species act and replacing it with little to preserve endangered wildlife for future generations .  over 99 percent of the species that have been listed as threatened or endangered under current law have been saved from extinction .  but had this bill been the law of the land over the last 30 years , the fish and wildlife service points out that the bald eagle -- an icon of american freedom -- would exist only in our memones .  any law that is 35 years old should be looked at with a fresh eye , and so i am supportive of attempts to update and improve the endangered species act .  indeed , in my home state of connecticut , we are concerned that oysters , a key aquaculture product , may be unnecessarily characterized as an endangered species .  and so we should be willing to consider smart changes to the law .  but that is not the intent of the underlying bill .  rather , the purpose of this legislation is to remove obstacles inconvenient to special interests with whom the republican leadership is in partnership .  for this majority and their supporters -- developers , the oil and gas industry -- laws protecting the air and water are not a priority -- they are a nuisance .  as such , this legislation would eliminate conservation measures on tens of millions of acres of land around the country , the `` critical habitat '' of endangered species , and prevent such conservation activities in the future .  it also reveals the majority 's clear disdain for sound science .  current law requires a review of all scientific and commercial data by a panel of outside scientists .  this , mr. chairman , ensures that the peer-review process -- a central tenet of sound scientific research -- guides the process , not ideology and politics .  instead , this bill would allow the secretary of the interior to make a determination about whether a species is endangered based on `` all available information '' -- that is to say , information that opens the door for phony science supporting special interests .  finally , mr. chairman , the bill fails the fiscal responsibility test .  by allowing for payments to land owners who do not develop land that is home to protected species , it actually creates a system where people and businesses -- mostly big oil and gas companies -- are paid for following the law .  if only we were all so fortunate .  this bill is nothing more than yet another entitlement program for special interests -- as always , with this majority , at the expense of the taxpayer .  little wonder that even conservative groups like taxpayers for common sense have expressed their grave concerns regarding this legislation .  mr. chairman , the endangered species act is a statement of our priorities as americans .  it is an affirmation of our belief that , just as we desire better economic opportunity for our children and future generations , so too do we hope to leave them a healthier environment .  unfortunately , the underlying bill will accomplish neither .  this is simply the continuation of a decade-long assault by the majority on our clean air , our clean water and our environment .  and it should be rejected .  