Wes Bush, CEO & President, Northrop Grumman
Senator Rob Portman, Senate ICC Co-Chair
Congressman Ed Royce, House ICC Co-Chair
Peter Seligmann, Co-Founder, Chairman, & CEO, Conservation International

Wes Bush, CEO and President of one of the world’s leading global security companies, spoke about the direct connection between international conservation and America’s national security. He acknowledged that increased demands on natural resources will translate into regional instability and inevitably require increased U.S. involvement. Protecting ecosystems and the essential services they provide to people supplies the economic infrastructure for our planet. Placing part of our economic infrastructure at risk leads to economic instability, political instability and to national security issues. Many companies, including Northrop Grumman, have made financial commitments to international conservation and have continued this funding even throughout the economic downturn. These companies cannot do it alone. Leadership from the U.S. government is critical even with the increased pressure on the federal budget.