Mr. President, I rise today to call attention to a very serious problem that burdens not only the State of Hawaii, but also the entire country -- the problem of exotic and invasive species. Invasive species are plants, animals, and microbes which are transported from their native environments, and in the absence of natural predators and competitors, proliferate and permanently alter their new "home." Invasive species are potentially one of the largest economic and environmental threats in this century, costing the U.S. an estimated $100 billion each year and wreaking havoc with the nation's biodiversity. With the rise of global commerce, invasive species have found it easier to find their way to new lands. They arrive in nearly every possible way, including by vessels in ballast water to our ports, and by planes via cargo, military and commercial shipments of plants and food. Upon arrival, they can have devastating impacts on water quality, agriculture, health, and especially the environment and the economy.

Nowhere is this situation more evident than in Hawaii. Hawaii has suffered the highest rate of species extinction in the United States, and in fact, one of the highest rates of extinction anywhere in the world. The Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources estimates that before the arrival of humans, new species became established in Hawaii once every 70,000 years. Currently, Hawaii becomes home to over 20 new species per year. The federal interagency Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force estimates that Hawaii alone has 4,465 nonindigenous species. It is a problem of unbelievable magnitude.

I would like to bring your attention to a few species in particular. Many of you may have read the recent Washington Post article on the coqui. This small frog is less than two inches long and is beloved in its native home of Puerto Rico. But in Hawaii, we have no native frogs. In fact, we have no native reptiles or terrestrial amphibians, no native snakes, iguanas, toads, or even salamanders. In short, our ecosystems are not prepared to take on the coqui; there are no natural predators, such as snakes. Therefore, the impact of the coqui is immense. These nocturnal frogs, which make beautiful sounds individually, cause quite an uproar when singing in a chorus. Each one can produce a call at 90 decibels. However, at one site on the island of Hawaii, the coqui population is estimated at over 8,000 frogs an acre. It would sound as if 8,000 lawn mowers were running at once! The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has documented 260 infested sites on the Big Island, 40 sites on Maui, 20 on Oahu, and two on Kauai. Our tourism industries, especially our hotels which are world-renowned for the promise of restful tranquility, are already feeling the impact.

The coqui consume an average of 46,000 prey items per night per acre. This puts tremendous predation pressure on Hawaii's native arthropods, and provides intense competition for Hawaii's native forest birds, many of which are insect-eating as well as threatened or endangered species. The frogs also serve as an additional food source for non-native rats and mongoose. Increased populations of rats and mongoose then prey on the already impacted forest birds, which intensifies the effects on native ecosystems and disrupts their delicate balance.

The brown tree snake is another example of an invasive species with tremendous potential for affecting Hawaii. This snake was introduced to Guam in World War II probably as a stowaway in ship cargo. It eats any animal smaller than itself, and is responsible for the extinction of twelve native bird species on Guam. Up to 13,000 snakes per square mile may occur in some forested areas of Guam. A brown tree snake can enter a home, and its venom is life threatening to infants. In fact, one out of every thousand visits to the emergency room in Guam is due to snakebites. It has caused more than 1,200 electric power outages since 1980, some island-wide and lasting several days. Approximately every third day there is a snake-caused power outage somewhere on Guam. The outages cost Guam an estimated $1 - $4 million dollars each year. Research and control of brown tree snakes in Guam cost over $4 million per year.

Now the brown tree snake is poised to invade Hawaii, other Pacific Islands, and even the U.S. mainland. The snake has already reached Hawaii several times as a stowaway on flights from Guam. If the brown tree snake is accidentally introduced, Hawaii will suffer the same fate as Guam. On Guam, you no longer hear the sweet melody of a songbird because they have all been consumed by the brown tree snake. Development of long-term screening measures at airports to prevent this introduction would cost an estimated $2.5 million dollars annually over several years. While this may seem costly, the potential economic impact caused by the brown tree snake would be devastating in comparison.

Miconia is a large, leafy tree that was introduced to Hawaii in 1959. It was brought intentionally as an ornamental plant; miconia has a beautiful, deep rich purple color on the underside of its leaves. However, despite its benign appearance, it is an aggressive invader of native and disturbed forests, growing into dense stands that block light to smaller native plants. Miconia has also contributed to erosion and landslides because of its shallow root system. It blossoms four times a year, sending out millions of seeds each time, and the seed pods remain viable for up to eight years! Miconia is just one example of a noxious weed that is a major threat to native Hawaiian plants.

All across the country, invasive alien weeds fuel grass and forest fires, accelerate soil erosion, and consume critical water resources. The lost productivity of rangelands due to weeds has been estimated at $3.6 to $4.5 billion annually. Over 100 million acres of land are infested with weeds, and the infestation is expanding by 10 million acres per year. On federal lands alone, the rate of infestation is 4,600 acres per day. Noxious weeds destroy or alter natural habitats, damage waterways and power lines, and depress property values. Some are even toxic.

In Hawaii, federal, state, and local agencies have joined the universities and local communities to support efforts to prevent the spread of invasive species. The University of Hawaii, Hawaii's Department of Agriculture and State Department of Land and Natural Resources, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as smaller, island-specific citizen groups coordinate efforts to research, track and control the coqui. In the case of the miconia, students and volunteers have to hack through a jungle to reach the trees, suffering through mosquito bites and the thorny underbrush. The State employs helicopters to spot plants in places that may have been missed, and volunteers in some cases drop off 100-foot cliffs to destroy these invaders.

Now it is time to do our part in Congress to support these efforts at the federal level. I have joined 19 of my colleagues in signing a letter circulated by my friend, the senior Senator from Michigan [Mr. Levin] in support of funding for the National Invasive Species Act of 1996. This Act provides for ballast water management to prevent the introduction and spread of non-indigenous species into the waters of the United States, provides for a comprehensive program to control the brown tree snake, and provides for invasive aquatic plant management.

In 1999, President Clinton signed Executive Order 13112. The executive order mandates federal agencies to take steps to prevent the introduction and spread of harmful alien species, and coordinate their actions with other federal agencies. The goal of the executive order is to minimize the negative economic, ecological, and human health impacts that invasive species cause.

We must act to turn these goals into reality. Funding for the battle against invasive species crosscuts almost every federal agency, including the U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, and Department of Commerce. Each agency has been taking an active role against invasive species. This is a challenge that must be appreciated and fought on all fronts, and the agencies need increased funding in this budget-conscious year. I urge my colleagues to support funding for the effective implementation of Executive Order 13112, the National Invasive Species Act of 1996, and for federal and state agencies' efforts across the United States in the struggle against invasive and exotic species. Until these efforts are fully funded, we do not stand a chance against these destructive invaders.

Thank you, Mr. President.