Portman, Udall, Burr, Coons, and Whitehouse Praise House Passage of DELTA Act to Protect the Okavango River Delta

Statement

U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Tom Udall (D-NM), Richard Burr (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today praised the House passage of the Defending Economic Livelihoods and Threatened Animals (DELTA) Act, legislation that encourages the U.S. to develop a strategy to protect the Okavango River Delta in South Africa. The House legislation was introduced by Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) and Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY). The legislation awaits action in the Senate.

"As a co-chair of the International Conservation Caucus, I believe we must confront the threats to wildlife and natural resources around the world, and I'm pleased the House has passed this legislation to encourage the U.S. to develop a strategy to protect the Okavango River Delta in South Africa," said Portman. "The Okavango Delta is a precious water resource and serves as a critical habitat to some of the world's most endangered species that continue to face a variety of threats from wildlife traffickers, poachers, and others. I am proud to protect this important resource and the people, wildlife, and ecosystems that depend on it, and I urge the Senate to pass this legislation as soon as possible."

"The Okavango River Basin is a pristine and delicate region of deep ecological, cultural, and economic importance to surrounding nations and to the world," Udall said. "But today, this diverse ecosystem, and its robust populations of some of the world's most endangered species, are threatened after years of conflict by development. I applaud the House of Representatives for passing the bipartisan DELTA Act, and I encourage the Senate to consider our legislation to promote key partnerships to help preserve this precious region, promoting long-term conservation, economic growth, and stability in the greater Okavango River Basin."

"I applaud the House for passing the DELTA Act, which will further the United States' international conservation efforts. By encouraging neighboring nations to work together, we can help preserve a vital watershed, the Okavango River, which is home to some of the most endangered species in the world. As co-chair of the International Conservation Caucus, I look forward to working to pass the DELTA Act with my colleagues in the Senate," said Burr.

"I am delighted that the House passed the DELTA Act yesterday," said Coons. "This bill supports a collaborative approach to conservation in the biodiverse Okavango watershed, allowing countries in the watershed and in neighboring areas to work together on habitat protection and water management. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass the bill here in the Senate."

"This bill will help safeguard important species and natural resources, as well as the economies of the Okavango Basin and neighboring areas. In the process, this work will show American leadership in promoting conservation around the world," said Whitehouse. "That leadership is vital to protecting endangered species and our environment everywhere."

NOTE: Senators Portman and Udall -- along with Senators Burr, Coons, and Whitehouse as original cosponsors -- introduced the DELTA Act earlier this month. This legislation would encourage the U.S. to work with the governments of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and neighboring countries Zambia and Zimbabwe, as well as nongovernmental organizations to facilitate transboundary cooperation, improve water and natural resources management, and protect threatened wildlife species that depend on the Okavango River Basin as a critical habitat. The bill authorizes the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide technical assistance to governments and local communities for water and natural resource management, and to build the capacity of local law enforcement, park rangers, and community leaders to combat illegal poaching and wildlife trafficking. The bill requires State and USAID to provide Congress a report within three years on the progress of the strategy.