ON CAPITOL HILL:

Sportsmen's Act of 2012 Proposed as an Amendment to the 2012 Farm Bill

The bipartisan leadership of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus (CSC) has once again banded together to advance sportsmen's interests in the Senate. CSC Chairs Senators Tester and Thune introduced the Sportsmen's Act of 2012 as an amendment to the 2012 Farm Bill (S. 3240). This amendment is a compilation of a number of different bills that promote and advance our hunting and recreational fishing and shooting heritage. Several of these bills have passed the House of Representatives on a bipartisan basis as part of H.R.4089, The Sportsmen's Heritage Act of 2012, which was strongly supported by the CSC leadership and members as well as the broader sportsmen's community.

On June 7, the Senate held a cloture vote on the motion to proceed to the 2012 Farmbill, where the Sportsmen's Act of 2012 amendment will be proposed for inclusion. For full descriptions of the bills included in the Sportsmen's Act of 2012, click here. The CSF will continue to work with the CSC and will keep you up to date on the progression of the Sportsmen's Act of 2012 and 2012 Farm Bill as they move forward in the Senate.

Contact your Senators today and urge them to support the Sportsmen's Act of 2012 (AMDT 2232) as an amendment to the 2012 Farm Bill.

Federal Advisory Committee Meetings

CSF staff members sit on three federal advisory committees (FACs): The Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council (SFBPC), The Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee (MPA FAC), and the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council (WHHCC).

The 2012 spring meeting of the SFBPC took place on June 5th and 6th in Washington, DC; the MPA FAC will be meeting from June 12th though the 14th in Silver Spring, MD; and on June 12th and 13, the WHHCC will be meeting in Albuquerque, NM. All FACs are required to publish their meeting dates in the Federal Register and include a public comment period.

IN THE STATES:

Maryland Legislative Sportsmen's Foundation and Caucus Banquet

On Thursday, May 31, 2012, the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen's Foundation and Caucus hosted their 11th Annual Banquet in Annapolis. Approximately 200 guests, including the Secretary of Natural Resources, John Griffin, the Senate and House Caucus Chairmen, Senator John Astle and Delegate Wendell Beitzel, and many other Caucus members, came to support the Caucus and Foundation and show their support for sportsmen's issues in Maryland. Guests were treated to a cocktail reception which was followed by a banquet and awards ceremony featuring live and silent auctions. For more information, contact Brent Miller at Brent@sportsmenslink.org. 

New York: 1st Annual New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus (NYLSC) Trap Shoot

The 1st Annual New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus Trap Shoot hosted by Senator Greg Ball, Co-Chair of the Caucus, was held Saturday, June 2nd, at Willow Wood Gun Club in Mahopac, New York. The event featured 2 rounds of trap with awards given to the top three overall shooters of the day, as well as the top female shooter. Additionally, Tom King, President of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association was presented with a special award by Senator Ball to recognize King's steadfast dedication to protecting New Yorker's Second Amendment rights. Members of the sportsmen's community attended the shoot and were joined by the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation's Board Member John Larkin and National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses Executive Council Member Representative Craig Miner of Connecticut.

The event was sponsored by the National Rifle Association, the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, the American Knife and Tool Institute, the New York State Beer Wholesalers Association, and the Shooters Committee on Political Education. For more information on the event, or to learn how you can become involved in future events, please contact Brent Miller at Brent@sportsmenslink.org.

Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus Cigar Reception

The Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus hosted its annual Cigar Reception in Harrisburg on Tuesday, June 5, 2012. Pennsylvania Caucus Co-Chair and National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses (NASC) Executive Council Member, Representative Marc Gergely, was joined by over 60 members of the Pennsylvania Caucus, Lieutenant Governor Jim Cawley, Safari Club International (SCI) Chapter Presidents from across the state and other key members of the sportsmen's community to socialize and discuss key issues facing sportsmen and women in Pennsylvania. The event was sponsored by Safari Club International. For more information, contact Brent Miller at Brent@sportsmenslink.org.

CSF EVENTS:

CSF Breakfast Briefing

Please join the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation and the representatives of the recreational fishing community for a breakfast briefing to discuss the recreational fishing legislative priorities of the 112th Congress which include: the Fishery Science Improvement Act (H.R. 2304, S. 1916), the Billfish Conservation Act (H.R. 2706, S. 1451), and the Rigs to Reef Protection Act (H.R. 3429, S. 1555).

To learn more about the event, click here. For more details, contact Phil Hoon at phil@sportsmenslink.org or (202) 543-6850 ex: 24.

Executive Council of the National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses prepares for Mid-Year Meeting in Kansas

The Executive Council serves as the governing body of sportsman-legislators elected by leaders of the National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucus (NASC); in this role, Council members work with the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF) States Program Team at the mid-year meeting to discuss and determine the topics of greatest concern to the sportsmen's community.

At this year's meeting, the Council will review and discuss: sportsmen's issues addressed in the 2012 legislative sessions; legislative topics and areas to focus on future legislative sessions; the 75th anniversary of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program; legislation addressing sportsmen's issues at the federal level, in particular the Sportsmen's Heritage Act (HR 4089) and the Sportsmen's Act of 2012 which was introduced as an Amendment 2232 to the 2012 Farm Bill ; and, opportunities for the NASC to become more engaged at the federal level and with the Governor's Sportsmen's Caucus (GSC). Through these discussions, the Executive Council and CSF staff will determine which issues and topics will be presented and discussed at the NASC Annual Sportsman-Legislator Summit to help guide the legislative agenda for state sportsmen's caucuses in the years to come.

Save the Date for the National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses' 9th Annual Sportsman - Legislator Summit

The National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses (NASC) will be holding its 9th Annual Sportsman - Legislator Summit in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina from November 27 to November 30, 2012. The NASC Sportsman-Legislator Summit is the largest gathering of pro-sportsmen legislators that occurs each year. This event provides the bipartisan group of sportsmen-legislators - representing states across the nation - with the opportunity to interact with state and federal natural resource agencies, allied non-governmental conservation organizations and industries concerned with the future of our nation's outdoor heritage. The meeting is also an opportunity for legislators to gather together to discuss issues impacting the hunting, fishing conservation community and to share information relevant to America's hunters, and recreational anglers and shooters.

The NASC Annual Sportsman-Legislator Summit further educates and informs those involved in the policy process and helps to shape the legislative agenda and issues legislators take on for the upcoming legislative year. We encourage you to continue your involvement in the sportsmen's community by attending this year's Summit. For more information, please download a copy of the save the date notice.