Letter: Mica's vote wrong on Endangered Species Act

Letter: Mica's vote wrong on Endangered Species Act

Andrea Conover
Ponte Vedra Beach
Publication Date: 10/09/05

Editor: On Sept. 24 U.S. Rep. John Mica participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Education Center at the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM ERR) which protects, studies and celebrates wildlife. What a great photo opportunity!

Just five days later Mica voted against really protecting the animals.

He voted for HR 3824, the so-called Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act, which actually weakens protection for many of the animals in the GTM NERR, including sea turtles, whales, manatees and many others.

The original Endangered Species Act has protected plants and animals for 33 years. Only nine of the 1,800 endangered animals listed under ESA have become extinct. That's a pretty good track record!

The House of Representatives also voted against the bipartisan substitute version of this bill which would have strengthened the Endangered Species Act.

Hopefully, clearer heads in the U.S. Senate will vote against this legislation so the U.S. can keep protecting its precious wildlife.

Congressman Mica has disappointed his constituents again. But what else would we expect? The League of Conservation voters has scored his voting record on environmental issues a dismal 9 percent.


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