3/31/201- Sires Co-Sponsors the Global Conservation Act

For Immediate Release                                                 Contact: Erica Daughtrey

March 31, 2010                                                            201-222-2828

Washington, D.C.—On March 25, 2010, Congressman Sires joined Congressman Russ Carnahan (D-MO) in introducing H.R. 4959, the Global Conservation Act to enhance the ability of the United States government in addressing an international conservation crisis that threatens to impoverish developing countries, affect our health and security, and drive most of the world’s species to extinction. H.R. 4959 would establish a national strategy to integrate conservation efforts in U.S. foreign development assistance and improve U.S. policies that can undermine conservation efforts abroad.

“There are many reasons why it is crucial that we work to protect our ecosystems for future generations,” said Congressman Sires. “Conservation issues are not only a threat to the environment, but also pose national security, developmental and economic problems.”

Specifically, H.R. 4959 would introduce a plan to aggregate the collective international conservation actions of six federal agencies in one unified strategy. This strategy would be implemented by a Special Coordinator for Global Conservation in the Executive Branch.

“Ecosystem loss is a global issue,” said Sires. “Conservation challenges span political and national borders and therefore we must make conservation an integrated part of our foreign policy and push for a global effort.”

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