If you have not taken the time to look at or do something about HR669 then shame on you. Our way of life and our pets are in Trouble. Get off your bum and make a call or send an e-mail or just go to and click a letter out.
People the two letters below are actual letters coming back from our representatives these are the people that are gong to vote on these issues they are unfortunately under informed about the legislation ad mistakenly believe that this is a good thing.. I have written a letter below ( at the bottom ) in response to some of their letters . Please feel free to use it, edit it and sent it out to to contact your representatives and let them know that there is more harm in this bill then the nice easy cute wrapper that they are looking at.



Response from congress women in Ohio regarding hr 669

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about invasive species and H.R. 669, the Nonnative Invasive Species Prevention Act. I appreciate your comments and I welcome this opportunity to share my views.


As someone who grew up on Lake Erie, I am well aware of the damages that nonnative species, such as zebra mussels, can do to an ecosystem. My neighbors in Columbus spend a lot of time and effort trying to remove invasive species like garlic mustard from the ravine areas. So H.R. 669, the Nonnative Invasive Species Prevention Act makes a lot of sense to me. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.


Thank you again for taking the time to reach out to me. As your representative, I both need and value your perspective. Please feel free to write, email and call about any issue that you wish to discuss with me. I look forward to continuing our dialogue in the future.


Sincerely,
Mary Jo Kilroy
Member of Congress



Response from California congress man

Thank you for contacting me regarding invasive species. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.
As an environmentalist and a former member of the California Coastal Commission, I recognize the danger posed by invasive species. These species, be they plant, animal, aquatic or macrobiotic, have the ability to devastate our natural ecosystems by out-competing our native species to a potentially devastating effect. Today, a number of federal agencies are actively combating many of these species, in an effort to protect our natural environment. For more specific information on our government's response you can visit the National Invasive Species Information Center's website at: www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov.
On a related note, Representative Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-Guam) has introduced H.R. 669, the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, on January 26, 2009. The purpose of this bill is to establish a risk assessment process to prevent the introduction and establishment of nonnative species in the U.S. That may cause economic or environmental harm. H.R. 669 has been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources for consideration. If this bill, or any related legislation, comes before the House, please rest assured that I will keep your views in mind.

Again, thank you for contacting me. If you have any further questions, please call me or my office at (202) 225-0508.





If I take a look at the arguments for this legislation I say ...OK I see your point about species that are a problem. But what about species that are not a problem that are already here and are not on the list. I run a business and lets forget about imports, but discuss for a moment animals not on the approved list that will probably be on the list of approved species. If I and thousands of other breeders hobbiests and business have to stop breeding selling and transferring across state lines all of our animals until they get on the list in - 2 years then we are out of business long before the results of the USFW study are out. Not only that but many of us will have animals starving, suffering and dying because other animals and insects also not on the approved species list are food for the animals we keep.
If you want to do this right, then do the studies and make a list of unapproved animals that are a problem. Like mustard and mussels. lets do something about them but retroactively banning almost everything then taking any time, especially 2 years, to approve animals which have been imported and bred in captivity for 20-40 years already with no issues or potential issues hurts American business, businesses that would not be a problem when the studies are done but will be out of business because of this legislation.
There are no animals entering this country currently that are new to the country save a very few super rare animals just newly being discovered and they are most likely going to zoos or institutions for study. There are restrictions in place currently that stop the importation of harmful species. . Those restrictions need to be expanded to include other species, we all agree . Some perhaps on the country wide level but most, I believe, at the state or regional level. Saying that somehow even some of the most invasive species , the brown tree snake, that has devastated The bird and other populations in Guam is going to have any impact on the wildlife of Alaska is absurd. No one will argue against that point. Yet they are unilaterally banned in Alaska as they were added to the injurious wildlife list years ago and since have caused no additional problems. Whie all will agree that the brown tree snake can reak havoc in the right environment if left unchecked, we live in a large country and very few species could actually survive in the whole of the country.for more than a few months even if introduced on purpose.
You see this legislation is a wolf wrapped in sheep's clothing. No one will argue that we do not need to stop the invasive species problems we have and to stop the invasive species that we may have in the future before they begin. This legislation is no the answer its is going to needlessly harm many companies and individual people in this country . Please think about it. and lets do something together that works and is actually good for everyone and our country.. Say no to HR669 and make the writers go back to the drawing board and put something that works properly together.
I know your being pressured to get this passed. It sounds good almost. But wolves even in sheep's clothing still bite just as hard.
Thanks
Michael Cole
Ballroom Pythons South
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Michael Cole
Ballroom Pythons South
863-439-3015
WWW.BallroomPythonsSouth.com

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