Congress fixed the air traffic controller problem and now considers a bill that will involve many more Americans. Safari Club International (SCI) strongly supports the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act, introduced by Congressman Dan Benishek (MI) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (AK). H.R. 1825 and S. 170 will require the U.S. Forest Service (FS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to manage their lands for hunting, angling, and target shooting-based recreation. Members of Safari Club International traveled to Washington, D.C., on May 9 to advocate for H.R. 1825 and S. 170.
“For hunters, it is critical that legislation be passed that will ensure future generations of sportsmen and women have every opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors,” said SCI President John Whipple. “We are extremely thankful for the leadership that Congressman Dan Benishek of Michigan and Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska have shown with the introduction of this needed legislation.”
The U.S. House of Representatives passed this language with bi-partisan support as part of the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012, whereas the Senate never took final action during the 112th Congress. “We hope to have this common sense legislation move quickly through both the House and Senate,” concluded Whipple.
Instead of battling anti-hunting and animal rights groups, taking a proactive approach has far greater ramifications for the future of sporting recreation. Your support is needed now to contact your U.S. Senators and encourage the passage of this critical bill. A small effort by each of us now will prevent the expenditure of huge sums of money in court battles in the future and assure our grandchildren they will have the right to hunt, fish, and trap on public land.
