The Administration strongly supports the goals of conserving and protecting
coral reef ecosystems. However, as explained below, the Administration opposes
House passage of
H.R. 2233.
Ten years ago, the Congress created the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
to provide federal agencies with a vehicle for forming private-public
partnerships for natural resource conservation. The effort, which has included
coral reef conservation projects, has been highly successful in attracting
private donors to match limited federal funds. Creation of a new grant program
in the Commerce Department is duplicative and unnecessary.
|