19 



a nation. Presumably, we have to reauthorize and extend the stat- 

 ute in the face of some rather heated emotional controversy. 



To the extent that we can focus people here on the larger ques- 

 tions which you have all raised so eloquently, each in your own 

 way, we will all be far better off for it. 



I thank you for your time and patience. I hate to ask you to do 

 anything even remotely political, but in this case I think it will 

 serve the interest of what brought us here together. Thank you 

 very much. The Subcommittee stands adjourned. 



[The statement of Mr. Fields follows:] 



Statement of Hon. Jack Fields, a U.S. Representative from Texas, and 

 Ranking Minority Member, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries 



Mr. Chairman, I appreciate your holding this hearing to further evaluate the me- 

 dicinal use of plants and the protections they are afforded under the Endangered 

 Species Act. 



Using plants to treat wounds and diseases dates back thousands of years in 

 human history. According to World Health Organization statistics, plant-based 

 medicines play an essential role in the primary health care of 80 percent of the 

 world's population. Approximately 25 percent of drugs currently prescribed in the 

 United States contain at least one compound originally derived from plant material, 

 including aspirin, oral contraceptives, cortisone, digitalis, and taxol. Research sug- 

 gests that several plant compounds may also prove promising for the treatment of 

 AIDS. 



Although more than 250,000 plant species are known to exist on the planet, only 

 a small fraction of these species has been examined for medicinal application. Re- 

 grettably, there is increasing concern that many species may disappear due to habi- 

 tat destruction before their medicinal values can be discovered. 



The Center for Plant Conservation (CPC) estimates that more than 200 plant spe- 

 cies have become extinct in the United States alone. This century has seen the 

 world's tropical rain forests, ecosystems known to contain more than half of the 

 world's known plant species, decline from 16 percent to 7 percent of the earth's sur- 



A striking example of these threats to medicinal research occurred two years ago 

 in Malaysia when material from a tree was found to contain a compound (Calano- 

 lide A) which, in laboratory tests, had proven 100 percent effective in preventing the 

 replication of HIV-1 (the AIDS virus). However, scientists were unable to retrieve 

 additional material for testing due to destruction of the habitat. Fortunately, an ad- 

 ditional search was initiated in the area and a tree with similar characteristics was 

 finally located in 1992. 



Although the ESA is intended to protect plants as well as animals, the extent of 

 protection afforded to plants has been less effective than for other species. Many 

 useful plants are being threatened by a loss of habitat, the introduction of exotic 

 species, and the collection of plants for personal and commercial gain. 



This hearing will give us the opportunity to review the success of the programs 

 under current law, explore options for future protection, and discuss the impact of 

 such protections on the private sector. As we do this, I would hope that we will keep 

 in mind that limitations on land and land use have direct impacts on private prop- 

 erty owners. While I support the goal of preserving plant species, it is important to 

 consider all implications of such preservation, and make sure it is done in a reason- 

 able way. 



I look forward to hearing from the witnesses and learning more about the treat- 

 ment of plants under the Endangered Species Act. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



[Whereupon, at 11:15 a.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned, and 

 the following was submitted for the record:] 



