Asked Rules Committee to Allow Her Amendment

to Protect Santa Rosa Island

WASHINGTON, D.C. –

Today Congresswoman Capps will speak on the House Floor asking that her amendment to strike inappropriate language from the FY2007 Defense Authorization Act be made in order. 

Capps expressed concern that language inappropriately included in the defense authorization bill by Chairman Duncan Hunter would essentially kick the public out of part of a National Park purchased for $30 million dollars in 1986.  This effort to reduce public access to the island would be done without congressional hearings or opportunity for public comment on the proposal.  Capps will note that the Chairman’s bill would violate the terms of a 1997 court-ordered settlement by extending indefinitely a private trophy hunting operation on the island.

Congresswoman Capps’ comments will be carried live on C-SPAN shortly:

A copy of the Congresswoman’s statement follows:

Statement of Rep. Lois Capps

Statement Opposing Rule on the FY07 DoD Authorization Bill (H.R. 5122)

May 9, 2006

Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues on the Rules Committee to make in order my amendment to save Santa Rosa Island in the SECOND rule.

Santa Rosa Island is part of the Channel Islands National Park in my Congressional District.

This bill kicks the public off the island they bought for $30 million in 1986.

The bill prohibits the Park Service from carrying out a court-ordered settlement shutting down the privately run, extremely lucrative, trophy-hunting operation on Santa Rosa in 2011 and requiring removal of non-native deer and elk.

This ridiculous provision has no place in a defense bill.

There have been no hearings, the Pentagon hasn’t requested it, and the Park Service strongly opposes it.

Under this provision, the former owners of the island – who were already paid $30 million – will be allowed to continue this money making, trophy-hunting operation indefinitely. 

And since hunting basically closes the island for 5 months a year, taxpayers keep getting shortchanged.

In addition, the Park Service’s plans to expand visitor services will be halted and the huge non-native herds will continue to threaten several endangered species on the island.

It remains unclear why this provision is even in the bill.

The Chairman has said it’s to increase access to the island for veterans. 

But veterans can visit today and the Park Superintendent has offered to work out any problems – if they are identified.

There’s also noise about how this will protect the deer and elk from extermination.

Nonsense!  These privately owned animals have to be removed from the island, not killed.

And since when was an effort to keep hunting animals a strategy for protecting animal rights?

I ask that a letter from groups opposing this provision, including The Humane Society be made a part of the record.

Mr. Speaker, this provision is a travesty and an affront to all taxpaying Americans.

That’s why I hope the Rules Committee will make my amendment in order for the second rule.

It will give me a chance to strike this shameless provision and let American taxpayers enjoy their own national park.

I yield back.

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Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.