Conservationists Urge Congress To Pass Sportsmen’s Provisions
Thirty-four of the nation’s leading hunting, angling, and conservation organizations sent a letter Oct. 5 to Senate and House Energy bill (S. 2012) conferees in strong support of including important provisions from the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act (S. 405) and Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act (H.R. 2406) in final conferenced energy legislation.
Forty-seven total bipartisan conferees from the Senate and House include 34 members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC). S. 405, introduced by CSC Members Senators Lisa Murkowski (AK), Martin Heinrich (NM), and Senate CSC leadership, expands access to and opportunities for hunting and angling, and promotes wildlife and habitat conservation. On April 20, the Senate adopted many provisions within the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act with a vote of 97 – 0 under the Natural Resources Title of the Energy Policy Modernization Act (S. 2012).
The House followed suit by adding its version of comprehensive sportsmen’s legislation, H.R. 2406, to S. 2012. The SHARE Act, introduced by the bipartisan House CSC leadership, includes provisions such as the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage Opportunities Act; Hunting, Fishing, and Recreational Shooting Protection Act; Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act; Farmer and Hunter Protection Act, and permanent creation of Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council Advisory Committee; Preserving Public Access to Public Water Act, among others.
Inclusion of these provisions in the final conferenced energy legislation between the House and Senate Committees, and ultimately signing them into law, is crucial to the traditions of sportsmen and women across the country as well as fish and wildlife conservation for the future. —courtesy Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
