H.R. 3060, THE ANTARCTIC ENVIRONMNETAL 

 PROTECTION ACT OF 1996 



THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 1996 



U.S. House of Representatives, 



Committee on Science, 



Washington, DC. 



The committee met at 9:55 a.m. in Room 2318 of the Rayburn 

 House Office Building, the Honorable Robert S. Walker, chairman 

 of the committee, presiding. 



The Chairman. The Committee will come to order. I want to wel- 

 come everyone to our hearing on H.R. 3060, the Antarctic Environ- 

 mental Protection Act of 1996, legislation I introduced on March 

 12, 1996 to enable the United States to implement the 1991 Proto- 

 col on environmental protection to the Antarctic Treaty. 



While the subject of protocols and treaties is often complex, the 

 goal of H.R. 3060 is quite simple. Once signed into law, H.R. 3060 

 will help protect an environmental and scientific treasure, Antarc- 

 tica. 



It is important to remember that the scientific value of this great 

 continent is tied directly to the pristine nature of its environment. 

 Conversely, much of the research done in the Antarctic is vital to 

 the understanding of our global environment. 



If we impose too onerous restrictions on American researchers, 

 our ability to understand the world's environment will suffer. 



H.R. 3060 charts a middle course, one that I hope will preserve 

 Antarctica as the earth's best environmental laboratory. 



H.R. 3060 now has over 20 cosponsors. I want to thank in par- 

 ticular Mr. Brown, the Ranking Member of the Full Committee and 

 my subcommittee chairs, Connie Morella, Steve Schiff and Dana 

 Rohrabacher for their support of this bill. 



Just as the research is a joint effort on the ice, this legislation 

 has been a joint and bipartisan effort in this Committee. 



Today we'll be taking testimony from the State Department, the 

 National Science Foundation, and the scientific research and envi- 

 ronmental commimities. 



All four have played an important and supporting role in crafting 

 H.R. 3060. 



The hearing is particularly timely since the representatives of 

 the United States will be attending the 20th Annual Antarctic 

 Treaty Consultative Meeting later this month in the Netherlands. 



Our representatives will be able to report that we are making 

 legislative progress toward implementing the treaty that reflects 

 America's continued commitment to the protection of the Antarctic 

 environment. 



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