sportsmans bill failed.

[WAcoyotehunter]

http://news.msn.com/politics/gop-blocks-bill-to-give-hunters-more-land-access

A wide-ranging bill to give hunters and fishermen more access to public lands stalled in the Senate Monday after Republicans said it spends too much money.

Republicans supported opening lands for outdoorsmen and many other provisions in the bill sponsored by Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, but GOP senators blocked the legislation on principle Monday evening in a mostly party-line procedural vote after Senate Budget Committee's top Republican, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, objected to spending on conservation programs included in the bill.

The sportsmen's bill would increase land access and allow hunters to bring home as trophies 41 polar bears killed in Canada before the government started protecting polar bears as a threatened species. The legislation would also exclude ammunition and tackle from federal environmental laws that regulate lead, allow bow hunters to cross federal land where hunting isn't allowed, encourage federal land agencies to help states maintain shooting ranges, boost fish populations and protect animal habitat.

Sessions said he supported the overall bill but objected to spending on conservation programs that he said violated budget rules. Democrats argued that the bill also raised money for those provisions.

The bill also faced some objections from environmental groups over the polar bear imports and exclusions from lead standards.

The lead provision threatens public health and the measures "could set back wildlife conservation efforts," said California Sen. Barbara Boxer, the Democratic chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, while acknowledging she supported other provisions in the bill. Boxer was the only Democrat to vote against moving the bill forward Monday.

Ammunition and tackle that contain lead are now unregulated under federal toxic substance laws, and the EPA has so far declined to regulate them. The bill would make it law that the Environmental Protection Agency could not regulate ammunition and tackle, leaving those decisions to states. Environmental groups opposing the exemption say that birds on land and water are killed by lead poisoning after eating the spent ammunition and fishing tackle.

The polar bear provision would allow the hunters — two from Tester's home state of Montana — who killed polar bears in Canada just before a 2008 ban on polar bear trophy imports took effect — to bring the bears' bodies across the border. The hunters involved were not able to bring the trophies home before the Fish and Wildlife Service listed them as a threatened species.

Some animal welfare groups, including of The Humane Society of the United States, say that allowing the polar bears bodies across the border could set a bad precedent and embolden other hunters to try and circumvent threatened or endangered species laws.

[huntrights]

It hasn't failed yet; the final vote has just been delayed again because of Monday's procedural vote.

http://www.nssf.org/bulletpoints/current.cfm

November 27, 2012
"NSSF Pledges to Continue Work on Sportsmen's Act

The National Shooting Sports Foundation today expressed disappointment with the results of last evening's procedural vote in the U.S. Senate that has delayed action on the Sportsmen's Act of 2012 (S.3525), but pledged to continue working in a bipartisan fashion, along with a coalition of more than 45 other leading sportsmen's and conservation groups, to advance the historic package of bills before the adjournment of the 112th Congress.

"It is clear there is broad bipartisan support for the policies contained in the Sportsmen's Act, which contains our industry's top legislative priorities" said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel. "While we are disappointed by Monday's procedural vote, we will continue to work in a bipartisan manner to address budgetary concerns raised by senators in time to ensure a vote on the Sportsmen's Act before the end of the lame-duck session.""

[csaaphill]

cool sounds good

[blackdog]

http://www.agri-pulse.com/Sportsmens-act-fails-senate-11272012.asp

[huntrights]

http://www.agri-pulse.com/Sportsmens-act-fails-senate-11272012.asp

The headline appears to be misleading.

Quote from the article. 

"The measure, S. 3525, failed a budget point of order brought by ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee Senator Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., with only 50 of the required 60 votes."

If they can work through this, there is still a chance.

[bearpaw]

If they clean up the spending issue I would fully support this bill. At some point this country has to reduce spending instead of increasing spending. Yes I know, that makes me look like the bad guy, but sometimes the truth hurts.

Let's hope they reduce the spending and try again. 

[Heredoggydoggy]

If they clean up the spending issue I would fully support this bill. At some point this country has to reduce spending instead of increasing spending. Yes I know, that makes me look like the bad guy, but sometimes the truth hurts.

Let's hope they reduce the spending and try again. 

  Besides, I fail to see how creating more layers of Government regulation and spending more money is going to make things better.

But then, the last sentence says that the HSUS is against the bill--Therefore it must have some merit! 

[huntrights]

No less than 46 of the nation’s leading sportsmen and conservation groups that represent us are asking that we continue to push for this bill.   Please don’t allow this Bill to become a political football.  If we don’t push for support of this Bill, we are hurting ourselves.  These organizations do far more research into these things than we can do as individuals; trust them.

Latest message from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF):

http://nssf.org/govrel/

Call Your U.S. Senators to Keep Sportsmen's Act Alive!

Urge your senators to continue their bipartisan work and get the bill passed before the end of the 112th Congress.

The Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 (S.3525) still can be enacted in this Congress if we keep the pressure on. Call your senators today and urge them to work in a bipartisan manner to resolve budgetary concerns raised on Monday so the Sportsmen’s Act can be brought back to the floor for a vote on final passage. There are ongoing negotiations but time is running short. Tell your senators to compromise and reach a bipartisan agreement now. Learn More (http://www.nssfblog.com/sportsmens-act-will-soon-face-a-vote/).
Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 to urge your senators to continue their bipartisan work on The Sportsmen’s Act of 2012. Let’s get the bill passed before the end of the 112th Congress. Find complete contact information for your elected officials here (http://capwiz.com/nssf/dbq/officials/).


Latest message from Keep America Fishing:

http://keepamericafishing.salsalabs.com/o/6394/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4086

Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 still alive in the U.S. Senate

Procedural Senate Motion Momentarily Stops Sportsmen's Act of 2012

Senators Tester (D-Mont.) and Sessions (R-Ala.) are working hard to resolve the budget point of order differences. When this compromise is reached the bill will again go to the Senate floor for a vote.
This is the largest sportsmen’s package in a generation; please send your Senator(s) a message to support this bill.

On November 26 in a surprise upset, the U.S. Senate failed to advance the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 (S. 3525). After months of discussion with Senate members by a diverse coalition of angling, hunting and conservation organizations to create a historic bill containing 17 key provisions for anglers, hunters and fish and wildlife conservation, the bill failed to pass over a party line vote on a procedural motion.

The bill ran into trouble when a point of order was raised about whether the bill violated a 2011 budget agreement and a motion to waive the point of order failed by 10 votes. Budget related disputes are not uncommon when large pieces of legislation come to the Senate floor. It is however very uncommon for a budget point of order challenging a provision that would modestly increase revenues to sink a bill. Six senators were not present and the vote on the procedural motion to waive the point of order fell along party lines with the exception of two senators. To see how your Senator voted, please visit the voting results (http://keepamericafishing.salsalabs.com/o/6394/p/salsa/web/common/public/content?content_item_KEY=8764).

Background

Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.), along with fourteen co-sponsors, introduced the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 on September 10. Individual bills of particular importance to the sportfishing community in the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 include:

The Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Protection Act (S. 838) (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112s838is/pdf/BILLS-112s838is.pdf) – Blocks ongoing attempts to federally ban lead in recreational fishing equipment and ammunition by amending the Toxic Substances Control Act.

National Fish Habitat Conservation Act (S. 1201) (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112s1201rs/pdf/BILLS-112s1201rs.pdf) – Authorizes the National Fish Habitat Partnership, the most comprehensive effort ever attempted to conserve, restore and enhance fish habitat on a range-wide scale.

Making Public Lands Public Act (S. 901) (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112s901is/pdf/BILLS-112s901is.pdf) – Increases access for angling, hunting and recreational shooting on federal lands by directing 1.5 percent of the Land and Water Conservation Fund to ensure access to fishing, hunting and other recreational activities.

Keep the pressure on, please fill out the form below today!

The most effective thing you can do is to call your Senator’s office, and simply tell them to vote YES for final passage on S3525.  Type in your zip code below to see the phone number(s).
In order to address your message to the appropriate recipient, we need to identify where you are.

Please enter your zip/postal code: [Go to the web site (http://keepamericafishing.salsalabs.com/o/6394/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4086) to do this].

[JLS]

If they clean up the spending issue I would fully support this bill. At some point this country has to reduce spending instead of increasing spending. Yes I know, that makes me look like the bad guy, but sometimes the truth hurts.

Let's hope they reduce the spending and try again. 

The bill spends 140 million, and is projected to bring in 145 million.  How is that not fiscally responsible?  As a side bonus, it does some great things for sportsmen.

Let's not cut off our noses to spite our face.

[csaaphill]

well recontacted murray and cantwell on this I did take a look and both did vote yes on it the first time so that's good.

[300UltraMagShooter]

well recontacted murray and cantwell on this I did take a look and both did vote yes on it the first time so that's good.

This should scare the heck out of anyone with two brain cells to rub together.

This is not "Sportman's Bill"...  This is bigger government....  ya'll need to not fall for the trick naming...

I'll be back with more detail when i get a moment.

[Heredoggydoggy]

well recontacted murray and cantwell on this I did take a look and both did vote yes on it the first time so that's good.

I don't care how many "good" things are in the bill--if Murray and Cantvotewell are for it, it can't be good.

[csaaphill]

 

[huntrights]

 
This just in from the NRA-ILA:

http://www.nraila.org/news-issues/articles/2012/act-now-to-stop-epa-from-regulating-your-ammunition.aspx

"You Must Act Now to Stop the EPA from Regulating Your Ammunition

Posted on November 30, 2012

Just over two weeks ago, the U.S. Senate voted 84-12 to advance S. 3525, "The Sportsmen's Act of 2012."  However, this week, by a 50-41 vote, the bill suffered a setback when the Senate failed to clear a procedural hurdle and move on to finish work on the bill.  There is still time to get this critically important legislation passed, but you must act now!

S. 3525 is an essential piece of legislation focused on the expansion and enhancement of hunting, recreational fishing and shooting on federal public land.  But it's more than that.

Of critical importance is the fact that, in addition to promoting land access, S. 3525 would amend the "Toxic Substances Control Act" to prevent this and future administrations from using the Environmental Protection Agency to eliminate the right of hunters, shooters and anglers to use traditional ammunition and fishing tackle.  The bill would amend the law to clarify that the EPA does not have the authority to regulate shot, bullets or sport fishing equipment.

The bill also allows for the importation of polar bears legally taken from approved populations in Canada before the 2008 ban.

S. 3525 could come up for a vote at any time, so please act now to secure support for this critically important bill that would prevent the EPA from regulating your ammunition!  Please contact your U.S. Senators TODAY and ask them to support S. 3525.

You can find contact information for your U.S. Senators by using the "Write your Representatives" tool at www.NRAILA.org. You may also contact your Senators by phone at (202) 224-3121."

[fethrduster]

If they clean up the spending issue I would fully support this bill. At some point this country has to reduce spending instead of increasing spending. Yes I know, that makes me look like the bad guy, but sometimes the truth hurts.

Let's hope they reduce the spending and try again. 

The bill spends 140 million, and is projected to bring in 145 million.  How is that not fiscally responsible?  As a side bonus, it does some great things for sportsmen.

Let's not cut off our noses to spite our face.

 

[300UltraMagShooter]

The libs are just using it to grab more power.  They are forcing public access on "private" property.  As much as I dislike all the greedy landowners hogging their land and not letting people hunt, it is and should remain their land.  Controlling property rights is a libs wet dream. 

It is also anothr infringement on state's rights.

Not to mention if you believe those numbers on cost they are trying to sell, ugh...

[huntrights]

Because of some of the concerns raised in this forum post, Senator Tester's office was contacted directly to ensure the information was straight from the source.  Here are the applicable parts of the responses from Senator Tester's Press Secretary:

"... We appreciate you pushing back against the falsehoods about the bill.  The fact of the matter is that the bill saves money.  Negotiations are still going on ..."

"... As far as costs, there is no truth whatsoever to the claims about $140 million taxpayer liability.  The duck stamp provision is expected to raise $132 million, but of course that is done by voluntary purchases.  Additionally, the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act Reauthorization saves $5 million...."

Please refer to the attachments to gain a better understanding of what this Bill means to us.

[csaaphill]

sounds good to me how can this be a liberal gov grab
Anyways I hope it passes eventually, and helps give us back some lands lost to greed!

[JLS]

The libs are just using it to grab more power.  They are forcing public access on "private" property.  As much as I dislike all the greedy landowners hogging their land and not letting people hunt, it is and should remain their land.  Controlling property rights is a libs wet dream. 

It is also anothr infringement on state's rights.

Not to mention if you believe those numbers on cost they are trying to sell, ugh...

Absolute bull$hit, pure and simple. 

This does not infringe upon states rights in any way, shape or form.  They are not forcing access in any way, shape or form.  It is for WILLING parties to create access easements.

It has nothing to do with controlling property rights.  And for you to classify John Tester as a liberal only shows how out of touch with reality that you are.

[JLS]

Because of some of the concerns raised in this forum post, Senator Tester's office was contacted directly to ensure the information was straight from the source.  Here are the applicable parts of the responses from Senator Tester's Press Secretary:

"... We appreciate you pushing back against the falsehoods about the bill.  The fact of the matter is that the bill saves money.  Negotiations are still going on ..."

"... As far as costs, there is no truth whatsoever to the claims about $140 million taxpayer liability.  The duck stamp provision is expected to raise $132 million, but of course that is done by voluntary purchases.  Additionally, the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act Reauthorization saves $5 million...."

Please refer to the attachments to gain a better understanding of what this Bill means to us.

Thank you jshunt for providing factual information on this matter.  Anyone that doesn't see the benefit to sportsmen, well I really don't know what to tell you.