Support Needed for Sportsmen's Act

[Mechanicaldawg]

Support needed for Sportsmen's Act

The Sportsmen's Act has taken many steps in its long journey toward enactment. Starting tomorrow, it will face one if its most significant steps, as it goes to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives where it will be voted upon.

This is one of the most significant legislative issues for the sportfishing industry in many years, so please take a moment to weigh in to your Representative TODAY and urge their support.

This bill protects traditional fishing equipment containing lead from unwarranted federal bans, requires federal land managers to prioritize fishing access, and blocks the National Park Service from arbitrarily closing waters to fishing without state approval (like they did at Biscayne National Park).

Here's what you can do to help immediately:

• Call the US Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to speak to your Representative's office (if you don't know who your Representative is, simply enter your zip code on this website: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/);
• When you reach your Representative's office, ask to speak to the staff person who handles environment issues;
• When you reach the environment staffer, please convey these three points:

1. Introduce yourself (your name, about your business, where you're located, number of employees, etc.);
2. Tell them that you strongly support HR 2406, the Sportsmen's Act, and urge your Congressman to vote "yes."
3. Tell them you oppose Amendment #24 by Rep. Don Beyer, which would remove an important provision that protects the states' ability to manage state marine waters.

You can also help further spread the word by sharing this action alert with your family and friends. Click below to send an email to your elected officials and help ensure this important legislation is passed into law.

Thank you.

Click the link below to log in and send your message:
https://www.votervoice.net/BroadcastLinks/oIHv1Xc9_zkVmvyiJt-zxQ

 

[fairweather]

Done. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

 

[Dominion]

Doesn't this request (which is certainly valid and much needed) rest on the assumption that our elected representatives actually work for the people? Hmm.

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

Done

 

[Mechanicaldawg]

Passed 242-161

H.R. 2406
SHARE Act

SPONSORRep. Rob Wittman
COMMITTEENatural Resources
DATE February 26, 2016 (114th Congress, 2nd Session)
STAFF CONTACTRobert Goad
FLOOR SITUATION

On Friday, February 26, 2016, the House will complete consideration of H.R. 2406, the Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act of 2015, under a structured rule. H.R. 2406 was introduced on May 19, 2015 by Rep. Robert Wittman (R-VA), and was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, which ordered the bill reported by a vote of 21 to 15 on October 8, 2015.

BILL SUMMARY

H.R. 2406 is a compilation of several bills and revises a variety of existing programs to expand access to, and opportunities for, hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting. Major provisions in the bill include:

Hunting, Fishing, and Recreational Shooting Protections Act—The bill makes the lead ammunition exemption from the Environmental Protection Agency regulation under the Toxic Substances Control Act permanent. It also prevents the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture from regulating the use of ammunition and related components and fishing tackle based on lead content.

Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act—The bill amends the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to: (1) increase the proportion of funding that states may use for acquiring land for public target ranges, and (2) encourage federal land management agencies to cooperate with state and local governments to maintain recreational shooting ranges.

Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness Act—The bill enables the Secretary of the Interior to authorize import permits of 41 polar bears legally harvested from approved populations in Canada before the polar bear was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Recreational Lands Self-Defense Act—The bill authorizes the lawful possession of firearms pursuant to state law on lands managed by the Army Corps of Engineers as part of a water resource development project, so long as the individual is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing the firearm and the possession of the firearm is in compliance with the law of the State.

Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council Advisory Committee—The bill establishes the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council Advisory Committee to advise the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture on wildlife and habitat conservation, hunting, and recreational shooting and requires the submission of an annual report to the Secretaries and relevant Congressional Committees.

Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act—The bill requires federal public land management officials to facilitate hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting on certain federal public land.

Farmer and Hunter Protection Act—The bill revises standards for determining what a baited area is for purposes of the prohibition on taking migratory game birds and prevents the National Park Service from prohibiting individuals from transporting bows and crossbows if certain requirements are met.

Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act—The bill reauthorizes the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act to extend the authority provided to the Bureau of Land Management to sell federal land for ranching, community development, and other projects. The bill also allows federal agencies to use funds in the federal land disposal account for deferred maintenance activities or the acquisition of lands that may help address deferred maintenance activities.

African Elephant Conservation and Legal Ivory Possession Act—The bill authorizes the possession, sale, delivery, receipt, shipment or transportation of African elephant ivory that has been lawfully imported or crafted in the United States, and the importation of a sport-hunted African elephant trophy if certain requirements are met.

BACKGROUND

According to the Committee, H.R. 2406 aims to protect Second Amendment rights and ensure that future generations of Americans will have ample access to federal lands to hunt, fish, and recreationally shoot.[1] Reliable access not only sustains our nation’s rich outdoor sporting tradition heritage, it significantly benefits the men and women that make up the industries that support it.[2]

Much of America’s outdoor sporting activities, including hunting, fishing and recreational shooting occur on our federal lands. Federal agencies often prevent or impede access to federal lands for hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting that should otherwise be available for those activities.[3] Since lack of access is one of the key reasons why sportsmen and women may stop participating in traditional outdoor sporting activities, ensuring that the public has reliable access to our nation’s federal lands must remain a priority.[4]

According to the bill’s sponsor, “This bipartisan legislation is full of important initiatives that facilitate access to outdoor sporting activities and uphold the values and traditions celebrated by sportsmen and women across the United States.”[5]