ON CAPITOL HILL

Sportsmen's Legislation Moving in Congress

Two important bills that include language important to our sporting heritage have recently advanced in Congress. The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF) has been working with both the leaders and members of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus (CSC) to promote much of this legislation throughout the 112th Congress. To see the full CSF press release, click here.

Conferees reached a bicameral, bipartisan compromise on the Highway Transportation Bill reauthorization. The agreed upon language that came out of the conference committee includes the reauthorization of the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund through Fiscal Year 2014. Additionally, the bill included the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourism Opportunities and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012. The bill passed both Chambers of Congress last week and has been signed by the President.

The House Appropriations Committee marked-up the Department of the Interior Appropriations Bill. This legislation includes the following provisions: allots the Secretary of the Interior 60 days after passage of this bill to determine a final rule on the Wyoming wolf management plan; prevents appropriated funds from being used to prohibit the use of or access to Federal land for hunting, fishing or recreational shooting; appropriates $2.5 million to the Bureau of Land Management for hunter and angler access and $5 million to the Forest Service for "priority recreational access" from the Land and Water Conservation Fund; and an amendment that requires the Fish and Wildlife Service to reissue a final "three antelope species" rule. The appropriations bill will now move to the House floor.

2012 Farm Bill Moving in the House

The House Agriculture Committee is scheduled to mark up its version of the 2012 Farm Bill on Wednesday, July 11, at 10am. The draft legislation, which was released last week, contains many similarities to its Senate counterpart which was passed last month. The House draft is estimated to cut $35.1 billion in spending - $12 billion more than the Senate-passed legislation - and more than $6 billion is proposed to be cut from conservation programs. Similar to the Senate version, the bill is anticipated to include an amendment that would tie conservation requirements to crop insurance premium eligibility. The current version of the Farm Bill is set to expire on September 30 of this year.

The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation and partners of the conservation community will be hosting a breakfast briefing on July 24 to provide an update on the conservation priorities of the 2012 Farm Bill as it moves through the House. For more information on this briefing, contact Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Outreach Coordinator, Phil Hoon at phil@sportsmenslink.org.

At a breakfast briefing, hosted by the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation on June 19, Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus (CSC) member Representative Steven Palazzo expressed the concerns of the recreational fishing community that the Idle Iron guidance issued by the Department of the Interior is having an adverse impact on marine habitats in the Gulf of Mexico. In response, Representative Palazzo has drafted a letter to Secretary Salazar requesting that a temporary moratorium be placed on the removal of structures related to this directive until more information is known regarding the best methods to properly dismantle the rigs designated for removal as well as protect the structures that have now become thriving marine ecosystems. This letter is currently being circulated through Congress to members of the CSC and already includes the signatures of CSC Co-Chairs Representative Jeff Miller and Representative Mike Ross. Additionally, Representatives Miller and Ross have sent a dear colleague letter to their fellow Congressmen urging them to sign the letter to Secretary Salazar.

Senate Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Cape Hatteras Legislation

The sport fishing and boating community has been subjected to a recent disturbing trend within the National Park Service of disregarding the importance of providing access to sportsmen and women on our nation's public lands. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on National Parks highlighted one such example, in Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreation Area, NC, during a hearing held on Wednesday, June 27 at 3:00 pm.

Among the bills included at the hearing was "Preserving Public Access to Cape Hatteras Beaches Act" (S. 2372), which would address the severe restrictions on public access to one of the East Coast's most popular surf fishing areas in Cape Hatteras. If passed, S. 2372 - a companion bill to H.R. 4094 - would reinstate the 2007 Interim Management Strategy governing off-road vehicle use in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area which allows for a more balanced approach to fish and wildlife management concerns and provides for adequate recreational fishing access. The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation signed on to a support letter on S. 2372 which the recreational fishing community circulated to Senators prior to the hearing.

IN THE STATES:

California Sportsmen Continue to Face Legislative Ban on Hunting with Hounds

California sportsmen and women continue to face a threat in the form of Senate Bill 1221, a proposal that would prohibit the use of dogs to hunt bears and bobcats. The bill, sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), uses arguments based on emotion rather than science-based evidence to justify wildlife management. Throughout the legislative process, California hunters, particularly those who legally pursue game with the aid of trained hunting dogs, have expressed fear that this effort represents the first step in banning hunting with dogs altogether.

Although the measure has passed the California Senate, SB 1221 has hit a snag in the Assembly's Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee. During a hearing on June 26 with one member of the committee absent and two others abstaining from the vote, the bill failed to receive the seven votes needed to move forward. .

Despite a letter from the Executive Council of the National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses specifically urging him not to do so, Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee Chairman Jared Huffman held a second hearing on Monday, July 1 to reconsider the bill. Much to the chagrin of the hundreds of California sportsmen and women who descended upon the Capitol to oppose SB 1221 at each and every hearing throughout the bill's long voyage through the legislature, Chairman Huffman did not allow testimony during the "vote only" session. This time, the bill passed out of committee on a vote of 8-4.

SB 1221 will now head to the California Assembly's Appropriations Committee for a hearing sometime in August. For more information on how to get involved and oppose this anti-sportsmen legislation, please contact the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation's Western States Manager, Andy Treharne, at andy@sportsmenslink.org.

New York: Loss of $20 Million in Conservation Funding Averted

As reported in the last edition of The Sportsmen's Voice, due to a clause in Governor Andrew Cuomo's 2012-2013 budget - which would have allowed funds to be swept out of the Conservation Fund (where sportsmen's license revenue is deposited) - over $20 million in conservation funding was recently at risk in New York. In order to remain eligible for federal aid through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program, states must prohibit the diversion of license revenues collected from sportsmen and women to any purposes other than fish and wildlife management, hunter education, shooting range construction, etc. Because there would have been no control on what projects these funds would be used for if swept from the Conservation Fund, New York was in violation of this requirement and was deemed ineligible to receive federal aid.

Thankfully, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Governor Cuomo's office were able to come to an interim agreement and the $20 million in excise taxes that the sportfishing, boating, archery, and firearms and ammunition industries have paid into this incredibly important funding structure through the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson/Wallop-Breaux Acts will be received by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as planned.

If you would like more information on conservation funding in New York, contact the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation's Northeastern States Manager, Brent Miller, at brent@sportsmenslink.org.

Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration 75th Anniversary

The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF), partnering with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), developed model resolutions and proclamations in early 2012 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program - a key component of the "user pays-public benefits" American System of Conservation Funding. The CSF has been working with National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses (NASC) member caucuses and Governor Sportsmen's Caucus (GSC) member governors across the nation to pass or sign these resolutions and proclamations. To date, 15 resolutions have been passed in 13 states (Alabama, Alaska, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia) and Governors Beebe (Arkansas), Hickenlooper (Colorado), Otter (Idaho) and O'Malley (Maryland) have signed proclamations.

Resolutions or proclamations celebrating the unique "user pays-public benefits" American System of Conservation Funding have now been passed or signed in 17 states with other governors expected to sign a proclamation before the end of the year.

CSF EVENTS:

Governor's Sportsmen's Caucus Reception

This weekend, the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation will hold a reception for members of the Governor's Sportsmen's Caucus (GSC) that will be concurrent with the National Governor's Association Annual Meeting. Members of the GSC, conservation community and related industries will hear pro-sportsmen governors speak on sportsmen's issues within their states. Governors also take this time to highlight their efforts on behalf of the sportsmen's conservation community through their work with pro-sportsmen legislators in the National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses and the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus.

For more information contact the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation's Southeastern States Director, Jennifer Lundy, at Jennifer@sportsmenslink.org 

Whiskies of the World & Cigar Reception

The first ever, Whiskies of the World & Cigar Reception will be held on Monday, July 23. Sample Diageo's Single Malt Scotch, Whiskey and Bourbon with Diageo's Master of Whiskey, Ewan Morgan. Cigars will be provided by Old Virginia Tobacco Company, and there will be a raffle for a Browning X-Bolt 25-06. This event will bring together Members of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus with supporters of the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation for a fun evening. If you have any questions regarding this event, contact Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Director of Events and Donor Relations, PJ Carleton at (202) 543-6850 ex. 22 or pj@sportsmenslink.org.

Breakfast Briefing

The next breakfast briefing will be held on Tuesday, July 24 from 8:00-9:00 a.m. in B-340 of the Rayburn building. Speakers will focus on the Conservation Priorities of the 2012 Farm Bill. For more information contact Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Outreach Coordinator, Phil Hoon at phil@sportsmenslink.org.

August Recess Shoot-Out

The annual August Recess Shoot-Out will be held Tuesday, August 7. The Recess Shoot is designed to bring Congressional staff and the sportsmen's community together for a fun day out of the office. Throughout the day, attendees will learn about and experience hands on, the fun and camaraderie provided by participating in the shooting sports. If you have any questions regarding this event, contact Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Director of Events and Donor Relations, PJ Carleton at (202) 543-6850 ex. 22 or pj@sportsmenslink.org.

Political Convention Events

The Stars & Stripes Shoot occurs every four years in conjunction with the Republican and Democratic National Conventions; this year the events will be held on August 28, in Tampa, Florida at the Republican Convention and September 4, in Charlotte, North Carolina at the Democratic Convention. This is a chance for members of the Caucuses affiliated with the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation to join like minded sportsmen for a day of friendly competition of shooting sports. If you have any questions regarding this event, contact Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Director of Events and Donor Relations, PJ Carleton at (202) 543-6850 ex. 22 or pj@sportsmenslink.org.

23rd Annual Banquet & Auction

The 23rd Annual Banquet & Auction: A Celebration of America's Sporting Heritage will be held Wednesday, September 19. The yearly Banquet & Auction provides an opportunity for the outdoor sporting community, supporters and friends of the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation to recognize the tremendous work of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus in keeping sportsmen in the field. If you have any questions regarding this event, contact Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Director of Events and Donor Relations, PJ Carleton at (202) 543-6850 ex. 22 or pj@sportsmenslink.org.

8th Annual Wine, Wheels & Wildlife

The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF) has once again partnered with NASCAR legend and CSF board member Richard Childress to celebrate America's outdoor traditions at the 8th annual Wine, Wheels & Wildlife event on Wednesday, October 17. This unique event presents an opportunity for the nation's leading sportsmen and women, along with political leaders and NASCAR affiliates, to enjoy an evening outdoors at Childress Vineyards. If you have any questions regarding this event, contact Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Director of Events and Donor Relations, PJ Carleton at (202) 543-6850 ex. 22 or pj@sportsmenslink.org.

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 sportsmen's conservation community and to share information relevant to America's hunters and recreational anglers and shooters.