mr. chairman , today i rise in opposition to h.r 3824 , the threatened and endangered species recovery act .  under the constitution , we are charged with securing this country 's blessings not only for ourselves , but for our posterity .  this bill turns its back on our posterity .  the endangered species act has been a model for the protection and preservation of endangered species since 1973 .  when this legislation was first passed , many species in this country were on the brink of extinction , and many more were in severe decline .  esa is essential to safeguard our natural resources and ensure the biodiversity that is critical to a healthy environment for all species , including human beings .  esa is a great american success story that should only be altered with the greatest of care .  in the thirty years since the passage of the endangered species act , we have seen an amazing turnaround in both the population numbers of species that were in decline , as well as in the significant environmental improvements that have fostered their recovery .  i acknowledge the concerns of landowners and farmers about the current law , and i agree that the current law needs to be reformed .  this is why i support the miller-boehlert substitute bill .  the substitute helps small landowners by dedicating funding for technical assistance for private property owners , and it provides conservation grants for landowners who help conserve endangered species on their property .  finally , it provides assurances that private citizens will get timely answers from the fish & amp ; wildlife service regarding the status of endangered species requirements on their land .  the miller-boehlert substitute provides positive changes to the current esa without reversing the progress that has been made over the past thirty years .  the bipartisan substitute is not perfect legislation , but it is far superior to h.r. 3824 .  h.r. 3824 was introduced just last week and was marked up without any public hearings , yet this legislation would most certainly rank as the most sweeping and significant change of environmental law in the past three decades .  i have grave concerns about provisions in the bill that give political appointees the power to remove species from the endangered list based on political decisions rather than on sound science .  habitat degradation is the leading cause of species decline , and this bill proposes to eliminate critical habitat designations .  i do not understand how eliminating protected areas can result in greater protection of endangered species .  the endangered species act needs an update , but we must not reverse course on significant progress and results for endangered species .  we have a solemn obligation to maintain responsible stewardship of america 's bounty , and this legislation would abandon that responsibility .  i urge my colleagues to vote against h.r. 3824 , and to vote in favor of the balanced , bipartisan substitute legislation for esa reform .  