House Passes Historic Hunting, Conservation Legislation
Senate Urged to Quickly Take Up Companion to H.R. 4089
For Release: April 17, 2012
Washington, DC Safari Club International expressed its appreciation to the U.S. House of Representatives for passing H.R. 4089, the Sportsmen's Heritage Act of 2012. The legislation passed on a bipartisan vote and will now be reported the Senate for consideration.
"The Sportsmen's Heritage Act of 2012 will preserve the rightful place of hunting, fishing and target shooting on U.S. public lands for generations to come," said SCI President Kevin Anderson. "Millions of Americans, including thousands of SCI Members, hunt and shoot on our nation's public lands. By passing this legislation, Congress has helped protect our hunting heritage for the future outdoorsmen and women."
H.R. 4089 included four separate parts. Title I requires hunting and recreational shooting and fishing to be recognized activities on all Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands; Title II protects recreational shooting on National Monuments under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management; Title III amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act to allow hunters who legally harvested polar bears in Canada prior to its listing under the Endangered Species Act to purchase permits in order to transport their trophies into the U.S.; and Title IV clarifies that the Environmental Protection Agency does not have the jurisdiction to regulate traditional lead component ammunition and lead fishing tackle.
"Sportsmen and women encourage the U.S. Senate leadership to take up H.R. 4089 and quickly pass it," asserted SCI Chief Communications Officer Larry Rudolph. "Our national heritage of ¡¡hunting, fishing and target shooting is constantly under attack by eco-maniac special interests who want to lock up our public lands and prohibit recreational uses. Today was a day of action and we look forward to the Senate proceeding forward with this legislation.
"SCI would like to thank those members who drafted HR 4089, Congressman Miller (Fla.) for introducing the comprehensive bill as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Hastings for his leadership in the floor debate. Legislation introduced by Congressmen Young (Alaska), Bishop (Utah), Benishek (Mich.), Flake (Ariz.), and Broun (Georgia) also contributed H.R. 4089."
The Sportsmen's Heritage Act of 2012 was supported by a coalition that included Safari Club International, National Rifle Association, the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, the Boone & Crockett Club, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, and over 30 other hunter-conservation organizations.
Contact: Nelson Freeman (Media@safariclub.org)
Safari Club International Hunters' Defense Fund supports the important advocacy, conservation and legal work keeping hunters afield and promoting hunting worldwide.¡¡ Donations to the Hunters¡¯ Defense Fund have a direct impact on our freedom to hunt, wildlife conservation policy and important legislative, regulatory and legal issues. DONATE NOW: www.hunterdefensefund.org
Safari Club International - First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI's approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI's proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.safariclub.org or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.
