December 17, 2019 (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) voted to advance the recently introduced America’s Conservation Enhancement Act (S. 3051) out of Committee on a bipartisan voice vote.
In advance of the Committee’s vote on S. 3051, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) sent a letter to the Committee in support of the bill. Additionally, CSF sent an alert to the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Members who serve on EPW urging their support for this bill.
The America’s Conservation Enhancement Act was introduced by CSC Member and EPW Chairman John Barrasso as well as CSC Member and EPW Ranking Member Tom Carper on December 12. S. 3051 includes many provisions that will conserve fish and wildlife habitat, help combat wildlife disease, and increase public access for hunting, fishing, and other outdoor-dependent recreation. CSF is supportive of the entirety of S. 3051, but is particularly supportive of the following long-standing provisions for the sporting-conservation community:
- Establishing a task force within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help combat Chronic Wasting Disease under Section 104
- Authorizing $60 million annually through Fiscal Years 2021-2025 for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act under Section 106
- Exempting lead fishing tackle from the unwarranted purview of the Toxic Substances Control Act and the Environmental Protection Agency under Section 108
- Providing flexibility to State Wildlife Agencies to use hunter and recreational shooter generated funds for recruitment, retention, and reactivation efforts (R3) as provided by the Modernizing the Pittman-Robertson for Tomorrow’s Needs Act under Title II
- Congressionally authorizes the National Fish Habitat Partnership and $7.2 million annually through Fiscal Year 2019-2023 for on-the-ground, fish and aquatic habitat conservation under Title III
“The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation applauds EPW Committee Chairman Barrasso and Ranking Member Carper for introducing S. 3051, and the Committee as a whole for swiftly voting to pass this bill,” said CSF President Jeff Crane. “By including provisions that authorize funding to some of our most important conservation programs, establishing innovative ways to combat wildlife diseases, and providing much needed flexibility to our nation’s state wildlife agencies, the Committee continues to demonstrate their support of America’s sportsmen and women.”
S. 3051 now awaits further action in the Senate.
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.
