Sportsmen Contacts Needed ASAP

On Jan. 20, the U.S. Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee approved a bill containing some of the top priorities of the hunting and fishing community, including the Sportsmen’s Alliance.

1. 659, the second half of the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2016, includes a key provision sponsored by Sen. John Barrasso (R- Montana) directing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove gray wolves from the Endangered Species List. Despite greatly exceeding population targets for delisting, anti-hunting groups successfully persuaded a federal judge to keep wolves protected. The amendment returning wolves to the state management, which has been advocated for and supported by the Alliance, passed on a voice vote.

The committee also rejected an attempt by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-California) that would have stripped language preventing the EPA from regulating lead in ammunition. Read more

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee improves and passes important fisheries legislation

Alexandria, VA – The sportfishing industry applauds the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee for advancing the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015. This bill, which will improve fisheries conservation and recreational fishing access throughout the country, has now cleared all committees of jurisdiction in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives and now awaits action on the floor of both chambers. Read more

On Wednesday, January 20, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee is scheduled to hold a markup on the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act (S. 659).

In March 2015, after a testimony before Congress with various stakeholders and supporters, including Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) President Jeff Crane, the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act, S. 405, was split for two mark ups: S. 556 includes provisions that were marked up the Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, and S. 659 includes the remaining provisions that will be reviewed by the EPW Committee. After the passage of S. 556, with overwhelming support from the ENR Committee in November, the second portion of the bill awaits its review in order to move forward to a full Senate floor vote.

S. 659 includes: the Hunting, Fishing, and Recreational Shooting Protection Act (adding lead fishing tackle and components to the list of exempted products from EPA regulation); Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act; Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness Act; Farmer and Hunter Protection Act; protecting the right of individuals to bear arms at water resource development projects; and the reauthorization of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Act.

In anticipation of next week’s markup, contact your Members of Congress on the Senate EPW Committee and urge them to support the interests of America’s sportsmen and women during the mark up of S. 659.

– See more at: http://www.sportsmenslink.org/the-media-room/news/sportsmens-act-scheduled-for-senate-committee-markup#sthash.e0voN157.dpuf