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S. 751
To protect and enhance sportsmen's opportunities and conservation of wildlife, and for other purposes.
Mr. SHELBY (for himself, Mr. MURKOWSKI, Mr. CRAIG, and Mr. BURNS) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public works
To protect and enhance sportsmen's opportunities and conservation of wildlife, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
(a) FINDINGS- Congress finds that--
(1) fishing is an important and traditional recreational activity in which 36,000,000 Americans 16 years old and older participate;
(2) hunting is an important and traditional recreational activity in which 14,000,000 Americans 16 years old and older participate;
(3) survey data from a recent comprehensive 3-year study entitled `Factors Related to Hunting and Fishing Participation in the United States' suggest that 95 percent of Americans approve of fishing and 81 percent of Americans approve of hunting;
(4) anglers and hunters have been and continue to be among the foremost supporters of sound wildlife management and conservation practices in the United States;
(5) persons who hunt or fish and organizations related to those activities provide direct assistance and support to wildlife managers and enforcement officers of Federal, State, and local governments;
(6) funds raised through license, permit, and stamp purchases as well as through excise taxes on goods used by anglers and hunters have generated more than $6,000,000,000 for wildlife research and management;
(7) fishing and hunting are essential components of effective wildlife management in that they tend to reduce conflicts between people and wildlife and provide incentives for the conservation of wildlife and the habitats and ecosystems on which wildlife depends.
So tell us something we already dont know you say? I will, and it should scare you. Small steps are already being made to topple hunting altogether. Ever heard of H.R. 1202? You may agree with it, you may think it made sense, but you need to find out where it came from, who pushed it and the underlying reason why? In January, an anti-hunting organization financially supported by the Humane Society of the United States, the Fund for Animals and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, known as the Save the Dove Committee barely failed in its first attempt to petition the state of Ohio to place a ballot issue before the voters of Ohio in the November 1998 general election to END Dove hunting.
The following article appears on the Wildlife Legislative Fund of America's home page at
www.wlfa.org
BALLOT ISSUE DEADLINES NEARING:
Currently, the WLFA is monitoring potential 1998 election issues challenging hunting and trapping in 10 states. Several states are approaching critical deadlines which will determine whether or not anti-hunting issues will be on the ballot.
In Alaska (potential anti-wolf snaring issue ), California (anti-trapping) and Ohio (anti-dove hunting) deadlines are rapidly approaching for filing valid voter signatures representing percentages of votes cast in the previous gubernatorial elections. In Maine, anti-hunters have been talking about attempting to qualify an issue to ban bear hunting and trapping but have yet to file language with the Secretary of State. When that happens, they may begin circulating petitions to acquire necessary signatures.
I told you it was going to scare you. And if it does'nt than it's another proof that we are unorganized, and unaware of the political impacts taking place around us. Only together can we protect what we love. If we dont, the $6,000,000,000 dollars we spend to conserve, will be gone, and the Anti-Hunting Activist wont give a damn.
