PRINTER'S NO. 1791
No. 174 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY L. I. COHEN, FICHTER, BUNT, McNAUGHTON, READSHAW,
BEBKO-JONES, BAKER, BELARDI, RUBLEY, SERAFINI, TIGUE, ITKIN,
THOMAS, DONATUCCI, BOSCOLA, ROBINSON, B. SMITH, HENNESSEY,
PISTELLA, SURRA, STABACK, CAPPABIANCA, C. WILLIAMS, ROSS,
NAILOR, MELIO, HALUSKA AND WOJNAROSKI, MAY 12, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, MAY 12, 1997
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing the President of the United States and Congress to
2 promote and strengthen steps to save the rain forests.
3 WHEREAS, The House of Representatives is becoming
4 increasingly concerned that the tropical rain forests are being
5 destroyed at a rate of between 13.5 million and 55 million acres
6 a year; and
7 WHEREAS, It is feared that further destruction will lead to
8 the elimination of hundreds of thousands of species of plants
9 and animals; and
10 WHEREAS, Rain forests are an important source of medicinal
11 plants, and approximately 121 prescription drugs are derived
12 from plants which have their origins in rain forests; and
13 WHEREAS, Rain forests are storehouses of evolutionary
14 achievement and are increasingly invaluable to humankind in our
15 search for the mysteries of life; and
16 WHEREAS, Rain forests play a major role in the way the sun's
1 heat is distributed around the globe, and any disturbance could
2 produce climatic chaos; and
3 WHEREAS, It is imperative that something be done before the
4 damage to the rain forests is irreversible; therefore be it
5 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives memorialize the
6 President and Congress to take whatever steps are necessary to
7 protect the rain forests from further destruction; and be it
8 further
9 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
10 the President of the United States and the presiding officers of
11 each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from
12 Pennsylvania.
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