The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) and its KeepAmericaFishing initiative is calling on everyone
connected with recreational fishing, hunting and conservation to help resurrect
the Sportsmen’s Act 2012.
The historic act, containing 17 key provisions for outdoor
enthusiasts, surprisingly failed to advance in the US Senate this week.
After months of discussion with Senate members by a large and
diverse coalition of angling, hunting and conservation organisations
the bill failed to pass on a procedural motion.
But the Act may come up for vote again as supporters work hard
to find a solution to the problem that stopped the bill from going through.
However, time is running out and the ASA is urging interested
individuals and parties to send an “effective message” to Senate members via
the link www.KeepAmericaFishing.org/sportsmensact, which takes you
to a Take Action Now page.
“We need everyone’s support to help pass this essential piece of
legislation,” stressed Gordon Robertson, Vice President of the ASA. “Please
help us convince the Senate to bring this bill back to the floor and vote ‘yes’
for fish and wildlife conservation.”
Robertson revealed that the shocking aspect of the bill’s defeat
is that it occurred over a budget argument giving the Secretary of the Interior
the ability to increase the duck stamp price by $10, thus pumping more dollars
into wetland conservation for the benefit of both fisheries and wildlife.
The bill ran into trouble when a point of order was raised about
whether it violated a 2011 budget agreement and a motion to waive the point of
order failed by just 10 votes. While budget-related disputes are not uncommon,
the ASA points out that it is very uncommon for a budget point of order
challenging a provision that would modestly increase revenues to sink a bill.
“Adding salt to the wound is that the increase is strongly
supported by waterfowl hunters who champion the user pay-user benefit concept
for fish and wildlife conservation, as well as the fishing and hunting
industries,” said Robertson. “The Congressional Budget Office has stated that
overall the Act would reduce the nation’s deficit by $5 million.
“It’s a cruel twist of fate that the Senate failed to move the
Act over a budget procedural question when it would most certainly have a
positive impact on the nation’s economy. It would truly be a tragedy if this
historic piece of legislation went down in flames due to partisanship and
simmering disputes over Senate rules and procedures that have nothing to do
with the merits of the bill.
“We’ve come this far because we’ve kept partisan politics away
from the bill. We need to get back on that course. The ASA and members of the
coalition are ready to work with Senate and House members to find a solution
that enables passage of the Sportsmen’s Act before Congress adjourns. It will
take a lot of effort but we remain hopeful.
”It is not too late for our Senators to put aside the
partisanship that caused the bill to fail but they must act quickly.”
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