Jeff,

I agree with you that this is a serious issue but I think you are a little bit off on your assessment of the bill. The bill itself, if passed, would not automatically ban anything as you suggest. It would create a committee (read that a another screwed up government bureaucracy) to assess each species currently being imported. No doubt some would get banned but it is my opinion that the majority would not. Not even the idiots in Washington would be stupid enough to pass a bill as all encompassing as one like you suggested.

That is not to say that we shouldn't be concerned. We should, and everyone should contact his/her representative and those involved in the committee hearing and express their concerns. I am not suggesting that this is in any way OK because the majority of things will not be banned. The banning of anything based on the evidence they may use is most certainly not OK But to suggest that the passage of the bill would ban everything except what is on the list I think is off the mark.

Of course, it is not beyond our opposition to use scare tactics to elicit reaction so I guess if this gets people off their behinds and gets them to write letters and emails it might be a good thing. On the other hand, If these representatives start getting all kinds of letters chastising the bill based on erroneous information will that have the effect we want?

One last thing, The list provided does not suggest that these would be the only animals allowed. It says that these animals are not considered nonnative wildlife species and as such would not be up for assessment. At least that's my interpretation.

Steve Schindler

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