STATEMENT OF HON. THOMAS W. EWING, A U.S. 

 REPRESENTATIVE FROM ILLINOIS 



Mr. EwiNG. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I really appreciate 

 the opportunity to speak here today on this controversial issue. 

 While I am not here to specifically discuss the Wild Bird Protection 

 Act, I am going to discuss the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's en- 

 forcement of bird protection laws in general. 



I would like to take this opportunity to recount a series of events 

 that have taken place over the last year in my district. In May of 

 1994 the First Lady, Hillary Clinton, gave the commencement ad- 

 dress at the University of Illinois at Champaign, which is also in 

 my district. A woman who was active in arts and crafts at the time 

 in nearby Monticello, Illinois, named Peg Bargon was asked bv a 

 local Democratic party official if she would make a dream catcher 

 for the First Lady. 



For those of you who are unfamiliar with a dream catcher, they 

 consist of a hoop with beads hanging from the bottom and feathers 

 surrounding the hoop. According to Native American lore, the hoop 

 was supposed to catch bad dreams and funnel good dreams toward 

 the sleeper's head through the beads. These items can be found in 

 virtually any craft store in the country. 



Peg Bargon was thrilled with the opportunity to represent Monti- 

 cello and all of Central Illinois in preparing a gift for the First 

 Lady. The gift was presented to Mrs. Clinton. Mrs. Clinton then 

 sent Peg Bargon a letter thanking her and explaining what a great 

 addition the dream catcher made in the White House and that she 

 was equally proud that it represented Native American culture. 



This story was picked up by one of the local newspapers in my 

 district and accompanied by a photo of Mrs. Clinton being pre- 

 sented the gift. One of the agents in the Springfield, Illinois, office 

 of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service noticed the picture and spe- 

 cifically took note of the feathers adorning the dream catcher. An 

 elaborate sting operation was set up with an agent posing as some- 

 one interested in buying a dream catcher. 



Also, Mrs. Bargon sells dream catchers in a local arts and crafts 

 store run by two sisters. These women were also targeted in the 

 sting operation. Finally the agent moved in and came to Peg 

 B argon's door armed with a search warrant and searched her 

 home. They also showed up at the craft store, locked the doors and 

 forced the employees to sit there while they were searching the en- 

 tire store, a search that lasted several hours. 



These women were arrested and charged with violating various 

 bird protection laws. They were not out killing birds for their feath- 

 ers. To the contrary, she would find various feathers while walking 

 through the woods by her house. They offered a plea bargain. In 

 the exchange for a guilty plea, prosecutors would recommend the 

 most lenient penalty allowed under law. Peg Bargon pleaded guilty 

 and is awaiting sentencing. She faces up to six months home con- 

 finement and up to $20,000 in fines as a result of this plea. No 

 charges have been made against the two store owners. 



This issue has set the Fish and Wildlife Service in Central Illi- 

 nois back fifty years. Every newspaper in my district came out 

 against the agency. Every piece of mail I have received on this 

 issue has been in support of Peg Bargon. At a time when there is 



