Providing for Consideration of H.R. Manage Our Wolves Act, and Providing for Proceedings During the Period From November Through November 2018

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge support of H.R. 6784. Our Federal wolf policy has gone rabid. From a policy standpoint, we are foaming at the mouth. As chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, I have been trying for years now to return some sanity to the way the Fish and Wildlife Service classifies and manages our wolf populations on Federal lands and otherwise.

Make no mistake, everyone who votes for Mr. Duffy's bill are big supporters of making sure wolf populations are robust, sustainable, and healthy for the next century and more. This bill is about fixing a Federal failure. Wolf populations across the country have made impressive gains and recovered quite nicely despite Federal involvement rather than because of it.

I have seen this firsthand, whether it comes to specific habitat listing decisions, or the rate at which the government adapts and responds to new situations on the ground. The Federal Government has been sluggish and out of touch when it comes to managing and recovering wolf populations. But the wolf has, nevertheless, persevered. It is now considered recovered by all relevant measures and metrics evaluating its status.

As a consequence, this bill makes necessary adjustments. It removes the species from the endangered list, as required by the statute for any recovered species, but empowers States to manage their unique habitats and populations in accordance with their storehouse of expertise and local knowledge.

State management plans developed for wolf populations are the antidote to repeat Federal blunders, both for this species and quite a few others. But for now, we are talking about the wolf and the fact that this bill will put States at ease.

We need to stop jerking their chain and hand them the reins. If we do, the wolf will have the best chance of continuing to make steady gains range-wide.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of H.R. 6784.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source