CSF, Governor’s Staff Gather to Discuss Advancing the Interests of the Sporting Community
For more than thirty years, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) has been at the forefront fighting for the interests of America’s sportsmen and women. Through their collective efforts of working with policymakers at the federal and state level, no other organization has the same level of effectiveness in advancing policy that is critical to our outdoor heritage. Today’s virtual policy discussion, titled “Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus: Advancing the Interests of the Sporting Community,” further exemplifies CSF’s mission of working with Congress, governors, and state legislators to protect and advance hunting, angling, recreational shooting, and trapping.
The virtual event was hosted on the eve of National Hunting and Fishing Day, an event that is observed every fourth Saturday in September. CSF staff worked with the Administration to obtain a presidential proclamation as well as governor’s from across the country to collect over 30 proclamations from states wanting to recognize and celebrate their state’s rich sporting heritage and the contributions of sportsmen and women to conservation in their state.
The GSC was formed in 2009 by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation as a bipartisan caucus of governors working to protect and advance the interests of America’s sportsmen and women as well as professional fish and wildlife management. As with the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus and the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses, the GSC facilitates communication and information exchange between participating offices and is currently lead by co-chairs Gov. Kristi Noem (SD) and Gov. John Bel Edwards (LA). Presently, the bipartisan GSC consists of 30 Governors representing diverse regions of the nation.
“The GSC is the youngest of the three caucuses and fills a vital role. As the head executive in their states, priorities identified by governors often affect the legislative agenda, and their support on issues can carry significant weight,” said Jeff Crane, CSF’s President and CEO. “To continue to advance priorities, relationships with governor’s offices are key, and through the GSC, we have created a network of pro-sporting governors and a mechanism to ensure the policy priorities of the sportsmen’s community are effectively communicated with a state’s executive branch.”
Staffers from several gubernatorial offices from across the country joined CSF staff to learn more about the mission and goals of both CSF and the GSC. CSF staff focused the discussion on the work we do at both state and federal levels and how GSC member offices can support these efforts to advance the issues important to sportsmen and women. Staff also highlighted CSF’s collection of issue briefs that serve as an educational resource to elected officials. These issue briefs cover a variety of topics that are organized into four categories: youth engagement and R3, protecting our sporting heritage, access and opportunity, and conservation.
GSC Co-Chair Gov. Noem welcomed attendees with a video and stated, “it all starts with habitat and access”. The Governor also discussed the work South Dakota has done to increase access and opportunity by “streamlining and simplifying our youth hunting and fishing regulations” while working with farmers and ranchers to improve habitat and recreational access opportunities for current and future generations of sportsmen and women.
Since 1989, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) has maintained a singleness of purpose that has guided the organization to become the most respected and trusted sportsmen’s organization in the political arena. CSF’s mission is to work with Congress, governors, and state legislatures to protect and advance hunting, angling, recreational shooting and trapping. The unique and collective force of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC), the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC) and the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC), working closely with CSF, and with the support of major hunting, angling, recreational shooting and trapping organizations, serves as an unprecedented network of pro-sportsmen elected officials that advance the interests of America’s hunters and anglers.
