On December 3, 3009, the Senate committee on Environment and Public Works will hear Senate Bill S373. The bill, sponsored by Senator Bill Nelson of Florida was initially introduced in February 2009. It is a bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to include constrictor snakes of the species Python genera as an injurious animal.



What does this mean? This means that the bill itself is going to place all species of Pythons on the Injurious Animal list of the Lacey Act, thus preventing import, export and interstate transport. That means all pythons from Children's Pythons to Reticulated Pythons will be considered injurious.



At this point the bill is at the second stage, which is to be referred to Committee. The committee will hear one witness for this bill and determine if any revisions are needed, if there is need to move ahead to Senate vote, or if it is to be dismissed. According to govtrack.us, most bills that make it this far never make it out of committee. This is no assurance that we are out of the woods, however. This is the best time to take action and influence Committee members with a grassroots effort.



Kingsnake.com would like to once again ask that you take time over the next several days to make calls and send faxes to members of the Committee to let them know you are not in favor of this bill. USARK has provided a good sample statement for you to use when you call in:



My name is ___. I oppose S373. Although I support and appreciate efforts to preserve the Everglades, this bill will hurt American families while doing little to benefit conservation. This bill would ban the captive bred trade in 40 species of pythons. It would destroy thousands of jobs in our state and across the country. Scientists have questioned the USGS report being used to justify this extreme proposal. Science should trump political expediency. Please oppose S373.





A list of the full EPW committee, with complete contact info, is below. In addition we suggest you also contact your senator. You can find out who your senator is, and get their contact info, here.



Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), (Sponsor S373)

Phone: 202-224-5274

Fax: 202-228-2183



Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), (Chair EPW)

Phone: 202-224-3553

Fax: 202-224-0454



Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), (Ranking Member EPW)

Phone: 202-224-4721

Fax: 202-228-0380



Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), (Chair Water & Wildlife)

Phone: 202-224-4524

Fax: 202-224-1651



Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), (Ranking Member Water & Wildlife)

Phone: 202-224-6142

Fax: 202-228-1375



Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)

Phone: 202-224-4944

Fax: 202-228-3398



Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY)

Phone: 202-224-6441

Fax: 202-224-1724



Sen. Max Baucus [D-MT]

Phone: 202-224-2651

Fax: 202-224-9412



Sen. Christopher (Kit) Bond [R-MO]

Phone: 202-224-5721



Sen. Thomas Carper [D-DE]

Phone: 202-224-2441

Fax: 202-228-2190



Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand [D-NY]

Phone: 202-224-4451

Fax: 202-228-0282



Sen. Amy Klobuchar [D-MN]

Phone: 202-224-3244

fax: 202-228-2186



Sen. Frank Lautenberg [D-NJ]

Phone: 202-224-3224

Fax: 202-228-4054



Sen. Jeff Merkley [D-OR]

Phone: 202-224-3753

Fax: 202-228-3997



Sen. Bernard (Bernie) Sanders [I-VT]

Phone: 202-224-5141

Fax: 202-228-0776



Sen. Arlen Specter [D-PA]

Phone: 202-224-4254

Fax: 202-228-1229



Sen. Tom Udall [D-NM]

Phone: 202-224-6621



Sen. David Vitter [R-LA]

Phone: 202-224-4623

Fax: 202-228-5061



Sen. George Voinovich [R-OH]

Phone: 202-224-3353



Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse [D-RI]

Phone: 202-224-2921

Fax: 202-228-6362
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Cindy Steinle

PHFaust

Email Cindy

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