Mr. President, I rise today to introduce The Paleontological Resources Preservation Act to protect and preserve the nation's important fossil record for the benefit of our citizens. I am pleased to have Senators Baucus, Campbell, Durbin, Feinstein, Leahy, and Roberts join me as original cosponsors on this significant legislation.
Mr. President, this bill was reported favorably by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and approved by unanimous consent by the Senate during the 107th Congress. I plan to work closely with my colleagues to enact this bill during the 108th Congress.
In 1999, Congress requested that the Secretary of the Interior review and report on the federal policy concerning paleontological resources on federal lands. In its request, Congress noted that no unified federal policy existed regarding the treatment of fossils by federal land management agencies, and emphasized Congress's concerns that lack of appropriate standards would lead to the deterioration or loss of fossils, which are valuable scientific resources.
In response, seven federal agencies and the Smithsonian Institution released a report in May 2000 entitled "Assessment of Fossil Management on Federal and Indian Lands." This assessment outlined governing principles for the management of fossils on federal lands. The report recommended that penalties for fossil theft be strengthened and that federal fossil collections be preserved and available for research and public education. The interagency group also stated that fossils on federal lands are rare and a part of America's heritage and that effective stewardship requires accurate information and inventories.
The Paleontological Resources Preservation Act embodies these principles, and provides the paleontological equivalent of protections found in the Archeological Resources Preservation Act. The bill finds that fossil resources on federal lands are an irreplaceable part of the heritage of the United States. It affirms that reasonable access to fossil resources should be provided for scientific, educational, and recreational purposes. The bill acknowledges the value of amateur collecting, but protects vertebrate fossils found on federal lands under a system of permits.
Mr. President, I would like to emphasize that this bill 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. They are exempted. This bill covers paleontological remains - fossils on federal lands only.
As we look toward the future, public access to fossil resources will take on a new meaning as digital images of fossils become available worldwide. The National Museum of Natural History, one of the premier Smithsonian museums, already has an online catalogue of 9 million specimens, some of which include digital images. Museums will be able to provide global access for researchers, collectors, and educators to study fossil collections through online catalogs and images. Many scientists in developing countries currently lack vital information about fossils because they cannot afford travel costs to museums. This digital advance will truly make fossils a global resource for the public.
Discoveries in paleontology are made more frequently than we realize. They shape how we learn about the world around us. In January of this year, Nature reported that Chinese scientists at Beijing's Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology discovered several four-winged dinosaur fossils. This discovery is providing us with critical insight into the phenomenon of flight. The Paleontological Resources Preservation Act would create a legacy of scientific knowledge for future generations.
Mr. President, the protections offered in this Act are not new. Federal land management agencies have individual regulations prohibiting theft of government property. However, the reality is that U.S. Attorneys are reluctant to prosecute cases involving fossil theft because they are difficult. Congress has not provided a clear statute stating the value of paleontological resources to our nation, as has been provided for archeological resources. Fossils are too valuable to be left within the general theft provisions that are difficult to prosecute, and they are too valuable to the education of our children not to ensure public access. We need to work together to make sure that we fulfill our responsibility 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 after my remarks.
