Corolla Wild Horses Protection Act

Mr. Chairman, thank you very much for the time. To the ranking member, thank you for your comments as well.

As has already been stated, H.R. 306 would provide for a new public- private management plan for the free roaming Corolla wild horses of North Carolina's Outer Banks--at no cost to our taxpayers.

The Corolla wild horses are Colonial Spanish Mustangs that can be traced back to the Spanish explorers on the Outer Banks in the 16th century. They've survived in the wild for over 400 years and roam across 7,500 acres of public and private land in coastal Currituck County, North Carolina.

Under the existing management agreement between the Interior Department, the State of North Carolina, Currituck County, and the nonprofit Corolla Wild Horse Fund, the maximum number of horses allowed in the herd is 60. Equine genetic scientists believe the number of 60 threatens the herd's existence due to high levels of inbreeding and low levels of genetic diversity.

To address this issue, H.R. 306 would require a new management plan to allow a herd of no less than 110 horses and no more than 130 horses. 110 is the minimum number that leading equine genetic scientist Dr. Gus Cothran of Texas A&M University has found to be necessary to maintain the herd's genetic viability. It is important to note that these numbers are well within the carrying capacity of the land these horses call home. To improve the herd's genetics, the bill would allow for the limited introduction of wild horses from the related herd at Cape Lookout National Seashore.

I would like to emphasize that H.R. 306 requires the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, not the Federal Government, to pay for managing the horses. The fund is a thriving nonprofit with an annual budget of over $400,000 that is growing each and every year. They already pay the costs of managing the horses, and they will continue to do so under this bill. Confirming this point, the CBO score on H.R. 306 found ``the Federal Government would incur no significant additional costs to manage or mitigate the effects of horses on the refuge.''

H.R. 306 is similar to another bipartisan bill that was made reference to a while ago that I authored to create a public-private partnership to save the wild horses of Shackleford Banks in Cape Lookout National Seashore. That legislation was passed by the Republican House in 1998 and was signed into law by President Bill Clinton. I want to, at this time, acknowledge for the record that his Chief of Staff, Erskine Bowles, was instrumental in that bill's becoming law.

Mr. Speaker, the Corolla wild horses are a key part of North Carolina's heritage and an important element of the Outer Banks' economy. In fact, they're the North Carolina State horse. H.R. 306 has broad bipartisan support, and I want to thank both parties for that support. Among others, it is supported by North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue, Currituck County and the local community, the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, the Humane Society, the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Animal Welfare Institute, and the Foundation for Shackleford Horses.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I make reference to these posters. As you can well see, these horses have their own heritage. They are absolutely wonderful, beautiful animals, and many times on the coast of North Carolina, when these horses are standing in the ocean with their foal, you will see those tourists come right up to the horse and to the foal and pet them. These horses are part of our heritage, and I thank both parties for passing this bill as I hope that we will pass this bill today.

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

(Mr. SABLAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 306. H.R. 306, as amended, directs the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement with the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, as well as local and State authorities, to provide for the management of the free-roaming wild horses in and around Currituck National Wildlife Refuge. The agreement will increase the cap on the herd size in and around the refuge to 130 horses and specifies that the privately funded Corolla Wild Horse Fund will cover the costs of managing the herd.

Catching a glimpse of these horses on the beach is an integral part of what draws thousands of visitors to the North Carolina coast each year. However, the Currituck refuge was established in 1984 to preserve and protect the native coastal barrier island ecosystem. The refuge provides essential habitat for migrating waterfowl and endangered species, such as piping plover and sea turtles, which also draws visitors to these beaches.

It is unusual to protect a nonnative species in a wildlife refuge. Extra effort and resources are needed to ensure that the wild herd does not impair the ecosystem for the native animals and plants. The Fish and Wildlife Service needs additional funds to accomplish the conservation purposes of the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge. Additional resources would support staff salaries, since no staff is currently stationed at Currituck National Wildlife Refuge; corrals to keep the horses from trampling critical habitat; and research to study the potential impacts of these horses on the island's habitat.

As we move forward to consider the Fish and Wildlife Service budget later this month, we should examine the operations and maintenance backlog of the National Wildlife Refuge System, which has been chronically underfunded. We must provide the Fish and Wildlife Service adequate funding to

preserve all the species in the home of these horses.

I thank Mr. Jones for his work in support of the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge and urge adoption of H.R. 306.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 306) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement to provide for management of the free-roaming wild horses in and around the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, in 2007, the State of North Carolina, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the County of Currituck, and the Corolla Wild Horse Fund completed a Wild Horse Management Plan for the colonial Spanish Mustangs that live on the 7,544 acres of public and private lands in coastal North Carolina. This plan expires in April, and the Fish and Wildlife Service has indicated that they will not sign the 2012 plan.

H.R. 306, authored by my friend and classmate Congressman Walter Jones from North Carolina, requires the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a new agreement within 180 days of enactment.

It will also stabilize the number of horses to no more than 130, allow the introduction of a small number of Shackleford Banks horses to improve genetic diversity, and will ensure that the Corolla Wild Horse Fund will continue to pay for the costs of caring for and managing these horses.

Mr. Speaker, these horses are living symbols of our colonial history. H.R. 306 ensures that they will survive in the future at no cost to our taxpayers.

I want to thank my friend from North Carolina for his leadership on this matter, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4 minutes to the author of this legislation, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones).

I urge the passage of this important piece of legislation for North Carolina, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 306, the Corolla Wild Horses Protection Act. This bill is a responsible and well-studied solution to the on-going debate regarding wild horse populations. Generally, when we discuss wild horse populations we are trying to find answers on how to curb the rapidity of herd growth. Yet today we are here attempting to support the expansion of the dwindling Colonial Spanish Mustangs that roam on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

These graceful and social wild animals have captured the hearts and minds of Americans for hundreds of years. They are stunning to watch as they roam free on public lands and remain an historical national treasure. It is imperative that we protect and ensure a viable future for the Corolla wild horse population.

Currently, the Corolla wild horses are at risk of being reduced to a herd of 60 horses. According to scientific research led by Texas A&M University's Dr. Gus Cothran, a herd of horses that small is unsustainable because it lacks sufficient genetic diversity. A healthy population for the herd would be in the range of 110 to 130 horses. H.R. 306 takes heed of this warning and ensures that steps to responsibly increase the herd population are taken without affecting the other endangered species and refuge lands in the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge.

In the past, I have advocated for significant changes to current herd management practices to ensure humane and responsible population management on public lands. Such concerns are shared by the public and Members of Congress alike. I support this bill and will continue to work to ensure that wild horse populations are protected.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that H.R. 306 be discharged from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.