Urgent: Contact Your Representative in the U.S. House

Oppose the Anti-Hunting Buchanan Amendment

Last night the House Rules Committee allowed an amendment offered by Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) to the "minibus" appropriations spending bill, H.R. 3055, to proceed to a vote by the full House of Representatives later this week or next.

Buchanan and other anti-hunting House members have hatched this last-minute backroom deal to end the importation of sport-hunted elephant and lion trophies from the African nations of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The Buchanan Amendment flies in the face of logic, conservation science, the conclusions of wildlife biologists, international experts, and the wishes of African wildlife managers.

Congress should not approve restrictions making it impossible for U.S. international hunters to participate in a proven and crucially important strategy for wildlife conservation.

You can help. Please call your Representative in the U.S. House NOW and urge them to OPPOSE THE BUCHANAN AMENDMENT.

The Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121. Or, Click here to send a direct written appeal.

Call or Click today click today! Make sure your U.S. House member knows that, as a hunter, you oppose the Buchanan Amendment because any restriction on hunting programs in Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe will only harm, not protect, lions and elephants.

If Congress is serious about protecting wildlife in Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe then they must not ignore the abundance of scientific evidence that highlights the clear positive relationship between big game hunting and successful conservation efforts.

The Buchanan Amendment's ban on elephant and lion imports from these countries would be detrimental to their conservation efforts and harmful to these species. If Congress truly wants to help wildlife, then they should leave management decisions to African wildlife experts.

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Mr. Buchanon needs to have a primary opponent in 2020.

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Originally posted by 376 steyr:
Mr. Buchanon needs to have a primary opponent in 2020.

Mr Buchanan is an asshole!

The country is in dire straights, and all he thinks about is banning hunting!

I never hunted Africa. But, I do know that millions are collected in fees from hunters and outfitters to help conservation of many species. What cracks me up is that none of these anti's ever lifted one finger to curb poaching! Poachers take the salable parts and the meat rots unless scavengers get it first. No fees for conservation, no funds for trackers or taxes from Outfitters, etc. So, why do they do what they do? I don't think their intentions are pure.

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Jeremy

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I just got off the phone with my congressman' office.

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Contacted them yesterday.

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Sent. It will probably do no good being from the state of Washington with it's far left politicians.

Dave

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https://www.einpresswire.com/a...f-threatened-species



Amendment passes House, see link.

https://buchanan.house.gov/med...ter-endangered-lions



U.S. House Approves Buchanan Measure to Stop the Slaughter of Endangered Lions & Elephants

Jun 21, 2019 Press Release

Lions Face Extinction As Habitat & Prey Shrink. Buchanan is Co-Chair of Animal Protection Caucus

WASHINGTON—The U.S. House Thursday approved Rep. Vern Buchanan’s amendment to protect endangered African lions and elephants by banning the importation of their dead carcasses into the United States to be mounted as trophies. Buchanan’s amendment passed the House by a vote of 239 to 192.

“These magnificent creatures are on the verge of extinction,” said Buchanan, a leader in Congress on protecting endangered species. “The last thing we should be doing is making it easy to slaughter these animals and bring their stuffed heads back into the U.S. as “trophies. Once a species is extinct it’s gone forever.”

Buchanan’s measure prohibits the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from issuing importation permits from Zambia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania – three countries that encourage trophy hunting. His amendment follows a 2017 Interior Department decision to allow the importation.

“The House took an important step towards banning the import of elephant and lion trophies,” Buchanan continued. “The taxpayers should not have to pay a single dollar to enable this activity. Protecting animals at home and abroad is an overwhelmingly bipartisan cause.”

Buchanan submitted his amendment to the latest sweeping government funding bill. Final passage is expected next week.

Over 30,000 elephants are slaughtered for their tusks every year – one every 18 minutes.

A 2015 Marist Poll showed that more than 85% of Americans disapprove of big game hunting.

In 2017, Buchanan urged President Trump to reject the Interior secretary’s decision to lift a ban on allowing African lion trophies to be brought into the United States.

Sara Amundson, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund, applauded Buchanan’s leadership on the issue: “Americans invest more tourism dollars in wildlife viewing safaris in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Tanzania than in the trophy hunting of lions and elephants. These iconic species are being threatened by continued poaching, habitat loss, and other human-caused mortalities. Trophy hunting exacerbates these threats, pushing these magnificent animals closer to extinction. That’s why we applaud Rep. Buchanan for championing a more humane future through an amendment to restrict the import of lion and elephant trophies from these countries. As the United States is the world’s largest importer of animal trophies, our efforts to alleviate the additional pressure trophy hunting puts on these species is critical.”

Cathy Liss, president of the Animal Welfare Institute, stated, “Species such as African elephants and lions face grave threats to their survival and there is no credible scientific evidence that legal hunting enhances their conservation. The revenue generated by trophy hunts often fails to provide any meaningful income to impoverished locals. Rather, these hunts usually funnel money into the hands of a select few without improving protections for hunted wildlife populations. No species that faces extinction should be further victimized by someone looking to hang a head on a wall.”

Angela Grimes, CEO of Born Free USA, stated, “The amendment led by Congressman Buchanan is a sharp and necessary rebuke to these actions. Born Free USA is proud to support this amendment that seeks to protect some of our most beloved species against those who feel compelled to kill them for sport.”

Buchanan, co-chair of the Animal Protection Caucus, received the “Legislative Leader” award from the Humane Society for his leadership and votes in 2018. Some of the votes and initiatives cited by the group included legislation to stop the slaughter of American horses for human consumption, ban cosmetic testing on animals and protect endangered species in Florida and across the globe. The Congressman is also a past recipient of the group’s coveted “Legislator of the Year” Award, the only Floridian ever to win the honor.

In April, Buchanan’s Rescuing Animals With Rewards Act (RAWR Act) was passed by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The bill allows the State Department to offer rewards for information leading to the arrest or conviction of wildlife traffickers around the globe. The RAWR would explicitly add wildlife trafficking to the list of criminal activities the State Department can target with financial rewards for whistleblowers.

Also in April, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that it would list the Gulf of Mexico Bryde’s whale as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) following a push from Buchanan and Kathy Castor (D-FL). The mammal is one of the most endangered marine mammals on the planet and perilously close to extinction.

He recently opposed the Interior Department’s announcement that it would move to delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species protection. His strong record of defending animals also includes opposing weaker protections for the Florida manatee and panther, as well as urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to restore a database of animal cruelty information that the department removed suddenly and without notice.

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Unreal. Hunting to poaching in one breath. The kind of ignorance from this guy is profound.

Sigh.

Someone should ask this stupid idiot and his supporters how much has any of them paid for conservation??

What’s interesting is that Rep. Buchanan had an A grade from the NRA as of last October.

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Originally posted by DCS Member:
What’s interesting is that Rep. Buchanan had an A grade from the NRA as of last October.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/..._Buchanan#Gun_policy

"Buchanan characterizes himself as "a strong defender of the Second Amendment, a Life Member of the NRA, and a gun owner and hunter.""

If this is the case, it makes it all the worse. Surely there is a way for the NRA to reach out to him? If one of our own, so to speak, is so ignorant and damaging, what hope do we have?

Politicians are the absolutely worst example of humanity!

Do you really expect any honesty from them??

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Originally posted by Saeed:
Politicians are the absolutely worst example of humanity!

Do you really expect any honesty from them??

Words of wisdom in most cases. Not always, but sadly, the majority of the time.

quote:

Politicians are the absolutely worst example of humanity!

Do you really expect any honesty from them??

Absolutely; scum of the earth!

The other day after clicking on the links in the OP's post, I signed and sent the provided SCI letter our one and only Representative.

A few hours later I received an e-mail response from him (or most probably from an aide) on the merits of the Endangered Species Act. Nothing at all about the Buchanan Amendment.

quote:

Originally posted by buffybr:
The other day after clicking on the links in the OP's post, I signed and sent the provided SCI letter our one and only Representative.

A few hours later I received an e-mail response from him (or most probably from an aide) on the merits of the Endangered Species Act. Nothing at all about the Buchanan Amendment.

See?

The bastards know what is best for you, and tell you to shut the fuck up and do not argue with them!

I honestly wish politicians are an endangered species.

The less of these parasites the better!

quote:

See?The bastards know what is best for you, and tell you to shut the fuck up and do not argue with them!I honestly wish politicians are an endangered species.The less of these parasites the better!

Perfect! I say we start with hangings, then allow African's to run the House and Senate for us. Obviously the Imp's that occupy the seats currently are too damned ignorant to understand anything others than coin and votes...by anyone legal or illegal. I'd call for shame on them but they have no shame.

Think some photos of paid poaching Officers arresting and sometimes killing poachers on sight would shut them up?
If some of these so-called non-profit (my ass) groups would spend some of that advertising money on anti-poaching efforts, then I would have an ounce of respect for them.
It's all about the money or at least a large percentage of it.

Assuming the bill passes the Senate with the import ban language intact, where does that leave things? How permanent is the ban? Should we all be selling our elephant rifles?
kh

I received back a reply from my Congressman, Michael Burgess.

Here's his reply. Quite frankly, I see his response as complete bullsh!t. The phrase [paraphrased] "be assured, I'll keep your view in mind if this issue hits the full house" is a complete cop out and abdication of any need to do anything or voice his opinion on the matter to his colleagues that are considering the bill.


This is the problem I have with our politicians. They blame our current situation on everyone else. Take ownership for representing your constituents in every fashion possible. I'll consider another candidate to replace Michael Burgess when he comes around for re-election. He's served our district for 16 years, he's obviously part of the problem. That was more than enough time to help resolve immigration, trade imbalances, spiraling healthcare, spiraling tuition etc. etc. Instead, just lip service.


Dear Mr. Smith:

Thank you for contacting me about H.R. 2245, the Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing the Importation of Large Animal Trophies (CECIL) Act . I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.

As you may know, Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-California) introduced H.R. 2245 on April 10, 2019. This legislation would amend the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to significantly reduce international game hunting by American citizens. If signed into law, H.R. 2245 would require that any animal species proposed for inclusion as an endangered or threatened species under the ESA be treated as if the proposal was already approved for the purposes of trophy hunting import licensing. This bill would prohibit the importation of the trophies of any such species without a permit issued by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). To issue a permit, the FWS would be required to publish every application submitted to the agency, host a public comment period, and issue a report on the conservation activities and species management plans of the country in which trophy hunting occurs. Furthermore, H.R. 2245 would require the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report to Congress that details the effectiveness of hunting for international wildlife conservation. Finally, this bill would eliminate the International Wildlife Conservation Council of the FWS.

While I am not a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources , which has primary jurisdiction over H.R. 2245 , you may be assured that I will keep your views in mind should this or additional relevant legislation be considered by the full House.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me. I appreciate having the opportunity to represent you in the U.S. House of Representatives. Please feel free to visit my website (burgess.house.gov) or contact me with any future concerns.


Sincerely,

Michael C. Burgess, M.D.
Member of Congress

I see the USF&W has only been issuing Leopard & Argali permits (CITES) and no Lion, Elephant or Bontebok. They must relish doing this and me thinks they are strongly infiltrated with anti's.