Recognizing the important role pollinators play in supporting the ecosystem and supporting the goals and ideals of National Pollinator Week.

I thank my good friend from California for yielding the time.

Mr. Speaker, today the House is going to consider H. Res. 1460, which honors National Pollinator Week. With the efforts of the Pollinator Partnership, a majority of States and a number of Federal agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, have officially recognized June 21 through June 27, 2010, as a time to reflect upon the importance of, and challenges facing, these species.

The resolution, as offered, acknowledges how vital bees and other pollinators are to our ecosystem and agriculture and supports the goals and ideals of National Pollinator Week.

As mentioned by my colleague, 75 percent of all flowering plant species rely on creatures like birds, bats, bees, and butterflies for fertilization. It would be a misconception, however, to think that pollinators are only important to plants and provide little benefit to us. In fact, one out of every three bites of food that we eat as well as $20 billion of products in the United States alone are derived from pollinators. In light of those kinds of figures, the security of our food supply clearly hinges on the survival of these species.

National Pollinator Week is a time to reflect upon these contributions and what we can do to help preserve these animals. On a similar note, Mr. Speaker, to further emphasize the importance of this issue, I recently participated in cofounding and am now cochair of the Congressional Pollinator Protection Caucus, along with Representative Tim Johnson, Representative Cardoza, and Representative Henry Brown of South Carolina. The caucus is a bipartisan source of information and discussion related to how natural, political, and economic developments impact the security of pollinators and their habitats.

Last week, a briefing on the future of pollinators and in recognition of National Pollinator Week was held in conjunction with the caucus and was a tremendous success. We are planning more events and briefings to keep Members and their staffs informed on this important issue. I urge all of my colleagues to become members of the Congressional Pollinator Protection Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, National Pollinator Week provides us with an opportunity to recognize how important pollinators are to the sustainability of our environment and to our food supply.

You know, Mr. Cardoza, several in my local media and throughout have come forward with all sorts of humor about this; you know, ``It bees that way,'' and ``It's the buzz'' and a whole bunch of these things. But when all is said and done, I think we all recognize that beyond the humor, this is a critically serious matter for the food supply of this Nation and, indeed, the world.

Therefore, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this resolution, and I thank you for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1460) recognizing the important role pollinators play in supporting the ecosystem and supporting the goals and ideals of National Pollinator Week.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1460, recognizing the important role that pollinators play in supporting the ecosytem and supporting the goals and ideals of National Pollinator Week.

Approximately three-quarters of the world's 250,000 flowering plants require pollinators to facilitate reproduction. In addition, nearly 130 different crops that provide more than $15 billion per year in farm gate value would cease to exist without our pollinators. In California alone, some 1.3 million beehives pollinate over 600,000 acres of almond trees. There is no doubt that without the healthy population of pollinators that we currently have, our Nation's farmers will not be able to continue to grow many of the high quality and nutritious foods that we enjoy today.

The House Agriculture Committee has paid special attention to the issue facing pollinators, holding several hearings in recent years to review the status of pollinator health issues and including funds in the 2008 farm bill to conduct much-needed research on pollinator health. I'm proud to support this resolution brought by my colleague today, which recognizes the importance of pollinators supporting diverse ecosystems and the crops that produce so many of the foods grown across this great Nation. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Oklahoma, my good friend, for his support of this resolution.

At this time, I yield such time as he may consume to the author of the resolution, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), who, without his help, we would not have been able to pass the farm bill in 2008. He has been continuously an advocate for pollinator research and for making sure that specialty crops get their due day in the sun.

Mr. Speaker, I want to again thank my colleague from Oklahoma for his gracious advocacy on behalf of this issue.

And to my colleague from Florida, if your media were to be without the products of these bees, that really, truly would be a news story, Mr. Hastings. I want to thank you for your tireless advocacy on behalf of pollinators and on behalf of agriculture generally.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.

I rise in support of House Resolution 1460, recognizing the important role pollinators play in supporting the ecosystem and supporting the goals and ideals of National Pollinator Week.

More than 32 State Governors designated the last week of June as Pollinator Week to bring awareness to the important role pollinators play in our food supply and ecosystem. In my home State of Oklahoma, Pollinator Week was celebrated with a variety of activities and exhibits across the State, including those at the Oxley Nature Center in Tulsa. On a national level, the Pollinator Partnership has launched a Web-based program to highlight specific actions that school groups, farmers, gardeners, and others can take to support pollinators.

It is important that we bring awareness to the importance of pollinators, given the fact that most pollinating species are in a decline. Colony Collapse Disorder, commonly referred to as CCD, continues to plague honeybees and will be a major concern to beekeepers and agricultural communities.

Over the past several years, the honeybee population has experienced a dramatic decline due to a variety of factors, including loss of habitat, introduction of diseases and pests, and migratory stress. All of these factors have contributed to higher operating costs for the pollinator industry as well as the agricultural producers who rely on a readily available supply of pollinator bees.

Pollination activities by honeybees add more than $15 billion annually to the value of U.S. crops. With one-third of our food supply dependent upon pollination by honeybees, we need to have a solid understanding of CCD and how to eradicate it.

I commend researchers from the Federal and State level as well as the industry, State universities, and State Departments of Agriculture for coming together under the CCD Working Group. I am hopeful that this collective group of experts can get to the bottom of this very important problem.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the valuable

contribution of America's pollinator industry by supporting House Resolution 1460.

I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume simply to close by thanking my colleagues Mr. Cardoza, Mr. Hastings, and Mr. Johnson for their work on this important issue. It does make a tremendous difference in our ecology, and certainly with a $15 billion tag, the effect of losing these pollinators on our agricultural economy, it's important to every consumer and every pocketbook.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.