The So-Called Sportsmen Act Even Gets Worse

[Richard W. Firth]

This so called Sportsmen Bill even gets worse:

Share Act Title V, Section 10 : Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council Advisory

S.H.A.M.E. United

May 16, 2016 — We have a new section to the Share Act. This is Title V, Section 10: Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council Advisory Committee. This will essentially be established as a committee to "advise" the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture on wildlife, habitat and conservation, hunting and recreational shooting. The sole purpose of the committee is to advise the Secretaries on policies,

•Facilitate expansion and enhancement on hunting opportunities and management of game species and their habitat

•Regarding conservation and restoration of the wetlands, agricultural lands, grasslands, forest and rangeland habitats

•Policies and procedures to recruit new hunters and shooters

•Programs that increase the public awareness on the importance of wildlife conservation and the benefits and recreational hunting and shooting

•Programs that encourage coordination among the public, the hunting community and wildlife conservation groups and the State and Federal governments


The bill proposes that the Committee will consist of members from different areas of "expertise": 16 discretionary members and 8 ex officio members (government members).

Discretionary members will consist of:
•State fish and wildlife agencies
•Game bird hunting organizations
•Wildlife conservation organizations

•BIG GAME HUNTING ORGANIZATIONS
•Waterfowl hunting organizations
•The tourism, outfitter, or guiding industry
•The firearms, or ammunition manufacturing industry
•The hunting or shooting equipment retail industry
•Tribal resource management organizations
•The agriculture industry
•The ranching industry
•Women’s hunting and fishing advocacy, outreach, or education organization
•Minority hunting and fishing advocacy, outreach, or education organization
•Veterans service organization

The 8 ex officio members will consist of:
•The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
•The Director of the Bureau of Land Management
•The Director of the National Park Service
•The Chief of the Forest Service
•The Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation
•Administrator of the Farm Service Agency
•Executive Director of the Association of the Fish and Wildlife Agencies
•Administrator of the Small Business Administration


This is a major threat to our wildlife and environment as it means true conservation strategies and efforts can be directed by a committee run by hunting organizations. It is imperative that we stop the Share Act H.R 2406 from being enacted. We must continue to spread awareness and encourage our President to veto this bill.

　

THEN FOLLOW UP WITH DEMANDS THAT THE AGENCIES AND BOARDS DEALING WITH OUR WILDLIFE BE STAFFED WITH PERSERVATIONISTS (THOSE WHO STRICTLY USE NON-LETHAL MEANS OF DEALING WITH WILDLIFE PROBLEMS AS WELL AS CONSERVATIONISTS WHO WILL USE LETHAL MEANS AS WELL AS NON-LETHAL MEANS OF DEALING WITH THESE PROBLEMS.

These groups are violating established law precedent which declares our wildlife belong to all the people and not just one segment or group. Even the U. S. Supreme Court has ruled that hunting is a "non-essential right" so it is imperative that we demand our groups also be allowed to serve on those boards and in those agencies. I know many wish it could only be preservationists but unfortunately the law dictates both groups be allowed to serve. At least it is a step in the right direction and will definitely halt most of the killing and if we can get the public to do less hunting, fishing and trapping which now seems to be the case with fewer people participating in those activities we will eventually have our people finally in truly humane control of our wildlife.

[Richard W. Firth]

HERE IS THE LATEST ON THIS LEGISLATION AND ACTION YOU CAN TAKE:

It's supposedly an energy bill, but the "North American Energy Infrastructure Act of 2016" contains a lethal dose of anti-wildlife amendments that will lead to dead wolves, dead bears and the destruction of many important wildlife protections.

And while the pro-oil, pro-coal, climate change-denying provisions of the bill are despicable, the anti-wildlife measures are equally catastrophic.

Tell your senators including senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell to oppose this bill’s wide array of anti-wildlife provisions.

This bill has incorporated the so-called "Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Opportunity Act," with all of its horrific attacks on wildlife and public lands that we have spoken about before.

The deadly wildlife provisions include:

Forced delisting of Wyoming and Great Lakes gray wolves - you might recall that before the federal courts reversed a premature delisting of Wyoming wolves, over 85 percent of the state had been declared a "predator zone," where anyone could kill a wolf, at any time and for any reason;

Gun lobby-endorsed language that would hasten the extinction of African elephants by hindering U.S. efforts to crack down on the illegal ivory trade;

Provisions that would allow the most extreme forms of wolf and bear hunting on over 100 million acres of federally-protected wildlife habitat in Alaska, including baiting, snaring and killing mothers and young; and

Language that would severely undermine wildlife safeguards and encourage increased logging in the national forests that millions of creatures rely on for survival.

WORST OF ALL IT WILL DESTROY THE CONCEPT FOR WHICH WILDLIFE REFUGES WERE SET UP IN OUR NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM AND EVEN MAKING THEM UNSAFE FOR HUMAN VISITORS

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR TWO FEDERAL SENATORS AS WELL AS SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL BY CLICKING ON THIS LINK: http://www.senate.gov/index.htm