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WILEY, REIN & FIELDING 



1776 K STREET, N.W. 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 2000S 



(202) 429-7000 



JOH N A. HODGES 

 I202J 429-3377 



FAC5IMI 

 (202) 429- 

 Ex 248349 



STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF 



THE MARINE MAMMAL COALITION 



BEFORE 



THE HOOSE COMMITTEE ON MERCHANT MARINE AND FISHERIES 



SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES 

 ON REAUTHORIZATION OF THE MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT 



February 10, 1994 



My name is John A. Hodges. I am a partner with the law 

 firm of Wiley, Rein & Fielding in Washington, D.C. I am 

 General Counsel of the Marine Mammal Coalition, a consortium 

 of marine mammal public display and scientific research 

 institutions. 



The Marine Mammal Coalition appreciates this opportunity 

 to present its position concerning reauthorization of the 

 Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) . 



Public display and scientific research institutions play 

 an essential role in marine mammal conservation. They should 

 be supported, not discouraged. This view is shared by a vast 

 majority of the American people and is crystallized in 

 Congressional policy in the MMPA, which creates a special, 

 favorable category for these beneficial activities and 

 provides for simplified, nonburdensome procedures for them. 

 None of these institutions can afford prolonged, wasteful, 

 crippling administrative procedures, which divert scarce 

 resources from activities Congress has declared to be 

 critically important. Nor can the government afford 

 inefficient and wasteful use of its scarce resources. 



Congress, as part of the reauthorization of the MMPA, 

 should reinforce its policy 



(1) that public display and scientific research are to 

 be fostered, not hindered; 



(2) that permits for these beneficial activities be 

 granted based on simplified, nonburdensome 

 procedures; and 



(2) that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 

 should not adopt rules that relate to marine 



