WASHINGTON, DC – Representative George Miller (D-CA), a member of the House Resources Committee and the panel’s former Chairman, issued this statement about legislation regarding endangered species approved by the committee today:

“Thanks to amendments adopted in the committee today, the ESA bill approved by the House Resources Committee today is improved from what was presented to us yesterday. However, I continue to have serious concerns about the impact the bill would have on environmental protection, on landowners, and on taxpayers.

“The bill in its present form is an unacceptable tradeoff to the existing endangered species law and therefore I opposed the bill today. It is my hope that by the time the bill is voted on in the full House additional improvements will be made to the bill to ensure that it promotes the recovery of threatened and endangered fish and wildlife.”