Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise today along with my distinguished colleagues, Senator Wyden, Senator Bunning, Senator Inouye, and Senator Durbin, to introduce the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act in order to protect and preserve the Nation's important fossil record for the benefit of our citizens. Vertebrate fossils are rare and important natural resources that have become increasingly endangered due to an increase in the illegal collection of fossil specimens for commercial sale. However, at this time there is no unified policy regarding the treatment of fossils by federal land management agencies which would help protect and conserve fossil specimens. Consequently, we risk the deterioration or loss of these valuable scientific resources. This Act will correct that omission by providing uniformity to the patchwork of statutes and regulations that currently exist. By creating a comprehensive national policy for preserving and managing paleontological resources found on federal land, this Act will also be instrumental in curtailing and preventing future illegal trade thereby ensuring that many generations to come will have access to these invaluable records of our past. Mr. President, I would like to emphasize that this bill covers only paleontological remains on federal lands in no way affects archaeological or cultural resources under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 or the Native American Graves Protection and Rehabilitation Act.
Mr. President, I would also mention that this bill is exactly the same bill that I introduced in the 109th Congress. This bill was heard and marked up by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and was passed by the Senate.
As a senior member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on National Parks, I am very concerned about the preservation of fossils as records of earth's past upheavals and struggles. While I recognize the value of amateur collecting - and casual collecting of fossils is protected in this bill - fossil theft has become an increasing problem. New fossil fields and insights into the earth's past are discovered nearly every month. Paleontological resources can be sold on the market for a hefty price. For example, the complete skeleton of a T-Rex was sold for $8.6 million at auction to the Field Museum of Chicago. Consequently, they are being stolen from public lands without regard to science and education. Mr. President, the protections I offer in this Act are not new. Federal and management agencies have individual regulations prohibiting theft of government property. However, Congress has not provided a clear statute stating the value of paleontological resources to our nation, as we have for archeological resources. We need to work together to make sure that we fulfill our responsibity as stewards of public lands, and as protectors of our nation's natural resources.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record immediately following my statement.
