|
Senators Hagan & Murkowski introduce first bipartisan Senate sportsmen’s package
Story Date: 2/5/2014
| |
Source: PRESS RELEASE, 2/4/14
U.S. Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC), Co-Chair of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, today introduced the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2014, the first bipartisan, comprehensive Senate sportsmen’s bill. The legislation, which was introduced with ten bipartisan cosponsors, includes policies to enhance opportunities for hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation; reauthorizes key conservation programs; and helps boost North Carolina’s outdoor recreation economy.
“I am proud to have partnered with Senator Murkowski to develop the first bipartisan Senate sportsman’s package,” said Hagan. “In North Carolina, hunting, fishing and shooting are a way of life. Many of these traditions have been handed down through my own family, and I’m proud that our bill protects these activities for future generations while ensuring that outdoor recreation can continue to support jobs and local economies across our state. At a time when Washington is stuck in political gridlock, our bill demonstrates that Democrats and Republicans can work together to find common ground, and I look forward to working with Senator Murkowski to advance this package through the Senate and into law.”
“Senator Hagan and I have been able to combine the best of the bills from our individual packages to support outdoor recreation and created a truly bipartisan package that will improve access to public lands for anglers, hunters, and recreational shooters across the nation, ” said Murkowski. “I’m hopeful that the Senate can follow suit and work together to pass a sportsmen’s package this Congress, because these are some of the last remaining ‘easy’ issues that enjoy widespread support here on Capitol Hill.
The Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act combines provisions from bills that Hagan and Murkowski introduced separately last year. The legislation recognizes that the needs of sportsmen and women in North Carolina are different from those in Alaska or other states, and includes policies that address the unique needs of hunters and anglers in different parts of the country, resulting in bipartisan support from Senators across the country.
The bill introduced by Hagan and Murkowski today already has ten cosponsors: Senators Mark Begich (AK), John Boozman (AR), Dean Heller (NV), John Hoeven (ND), Mary Landrieu (LA), Joe Manchin (WV), Rob Portman (OH), Mark Pryor (AR), Jon Tester (MT) and David Vitter (LA).
In North Carolina, access to lands and waters for hunting and fishing is one of the most pressing issues facing sportsmen. According to the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, lack of access is the primary reason hunters leave the sport. Hagan and Murkowski’s bill includes theMaking Public Lands Public Act, which requires 1.5% of funding from the Land and Water Conservation fund to be dedicated to improving access to public lands for hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities. In North Carolina, lack of access is a particular problem on National Forest lands, including Nantahala, Pisgah, Uwharrie and Croatan.
The bill also includes the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act, which is critical to North Carolina’s efforts to build new public shooting ranges where hunters and sportsmen can responsibly practice their sport and promote firearm safety. This bill would allow the state to allocate a greater proportion of federal funding to build and maintain ranges. A map of existing and projected shooting ranges in North Carolina is available here.
Outdoor recreation is an important economic driver in North Carolina, supporting 192,000 jobs and contributing more than $19 billion annually to the state’s economy.
Other provisions in the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act:
• North American Wetlands Conservation Act Reauthorization. Over the last 20 years, this program has funded over 1,600 projects that conserved more than 20 million acres of wetlands in North America. From 2009-2013, North Carolina received $7 million for projects that protect and enhance wetland habitats and promote access for outdoor recreation. NAWCA is also cost-effective, with every dollar of federal funding traditionally generating three dollars in non-federal money.
• The Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Protection Act, which exempts lead fishing tackle and bullets from being regulated by the Toxic Substances Control Act, leaving the existing authority to state fish and game agencies and the Fish and Wildlife Service.
• The Permanent Duck Stamp Act, which allows states to issue electronic duck stamps that enable hunters to participate in duck season while waiting for the physical stamp to arrive in the mail.
Full list of groups supportive of the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act
North Carolina Wildlife Federation
North Carolina Camouflage Coalition
North Carolina Trout Unlimited
North Carolina Delta Waterfowl Foundation
North Carolina Ducks Unlimited
North Carolina Chapter National Wild Turkey Federation
North Carolina Chapters, Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation
North Carolina Wildlife Habitat Foundation
Albemarle Conservation and Wildlife Chapter
Charlotte, Reconnecting Ourselves With Nature
Fayetteville Increasing Sustainable Habitat
Gaston County Piedmont Area Wildlife Stewards
Greater Raleigh Outdoors and Wildlife
Habitat and Wildlife Keepers
Lake James Area Wildlife and Nature Society
Lake Norman Wildlife Conservationists
Mountain Wild!
PACT (Protecting, Advocating, and Conserving Together) in the High Country
Resource Institute
Table Rock Trout Unlimited
Gordon Myers, Executive Director of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, endorsed the Senator’s bill saying:
“This comprehensive bi-partisan legislation addresses a range of key conservation and public access objectives that benefit North Carolina sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts. These objectives are accomplished by maintaining and enhancing long-standing programs that are built on foundations of public-private partnerships.”
Jim Cogdell, Chairman of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Commissioners, said:
“This legislation recognizes the importance of working together to accomplish critical conservation and public access objectives, and I am grateful for the bipartisan support for these core values of North Carolina's and America's sportsmen and women.”
Michael R. ‘Squeak’ Smith, Chairman of the Resource Institute, said:
“Senator Hagan deserves credit for bringing together Republicans and Democrats on a bipartisan bill that is critical to sportsmen and women in North Carolina. I applaud Senator Hagan for her leadership on this very important legislation, which sportsmen and women, outdoor wildlife enthusiasts and all users of Federal Lands in North Carolina and nationwide have requested and long fought to have enacted.”
G. Richard Mode, Affiliate Representative of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation and Sportsman Outreach Coordinator for the National Wildlife Federation, said:
“The Senate Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2014 is the most important federal legislation to sportsmen, wildlife enthusiasts, and outdoor recreationists since the benchmark natural resources legislation of the 1970s. From reauthorization of major wildlife programs to clarification of numerous laws pertaining to sportsmen, this bill is of major importance to every American who hunts, fishes, observes wildlife, is a general outdoors enthusiast or public lands advocate. As more and more Americans use public lands, this legislation will open and enhance more of the special places where we hunt and fish. Thank you to Senators Hagan and Murkowski for developing a proposal that will meet many interests of sportsmen and wildlife advocates in America and will help preserve our sporting heritage and the special places for our children.”
Richard Plattenberger, President of the North Carolina Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, said:
“Senator Hagan’s bill is a Win/Win for everyone in North Carolina and nationwide. With the increased number of people engaging in hunting and fishing, Senator Hagan’s bill will provide more opportunities for these sports. It will also enhance the NWTF’s Save the Habitat, Save the Hunt initiative by increasing conservation of habitat and wildlife.”
Eddie Bridges, Founder and Executive Director of the North Carolina Wildlife Habitat Foundation, and National Budweiser Conservationist of the Year, said:
“I am not aware of a person that is more dedicated to the one million sportsmen in North Carolina than Senator Hagan. She is a staunch supporter of the rights of our sportsmen and gun ownership, and the fact that she could bring together Republicans and Democrats on a bill like this shows that she can get real results for sportsmen in North Carolina.”
|
|
|
|
