The Senate Committee on the Environment & Public Works (EPW) is planning a hearing for the 8th of July following the holiday break. The Committee Chair is Senator Barbara Boxer (D) of California. It will actually be a joint hearing in front of two subcommittees; Senate Water & Wildlife and the EPW Oversight. The topic for discussion will be Threats to Native Wildlife Species. We believe this will be a precursor to the introduction of a new Senate version of HR669. S373 will also likely be discussed. Although we do not want to assume her position, Senator Boxer has strong historical ties to the Animal Rights and Environmental movements that are pushing for this hearing.
USARK will NOT request to be a witness at the hearing. This hearing is supposed to be about ALL invasive species and we do not want to let Senator Bill Nelson and the committees turn this into a circus with Pythons and the Reptile Industry at the center. There is much unwarranted sensationalism surrounding the Burmese Python and it would play well for our opponents to put us in the spotlight. Reptiles represent the smallest portion of invasive species in the US so we must keep them from focusing solely on us. We won't play into their hands on this point. We will not win this debate arguing about Burmese Pythons. It is about addressing ALL invasive species without putting our Industry and Hobby in jeopardy. This battle will NOT be won on the floor of the committee, but at the grass roots level and behind the scenes. That has been our strength. Discretion is the better part of valor.
HR669 - The Non Native Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act (or Senate companion Bill) could BAN the import, export, interstate transport, purchase, sale, trade and breeding of most non native animals... including reptiles & amphibians. It is a fee based approved "white" list that functions on the premise of guilty until proven innocent. The burden is to prove each animal would never, under any circumstances, be a threat to the environment, agriculture or human and animal health... and you have to pay to have your animals considered for this "white" list. USARK OPPOSES HR669, "White Lists" or complicated regulatory schemes that would alienate any segment of the Reptile Industry and Hobby.
S373 would amend the Lacy Act by adding the genus Python to the Injurious Wildlife list. It is commonly known as the "Python Ban" and would end the import, export and trade in all the most popular Pythons in the reptile trade. USARK OPPOSES S373 or any legislative manipulations of the Lacy Act.
Both bills are disingenuous because they do not actually address the issue of invasive species which they claim to be so concerned about. Both of these bills would have far more impact on legitimate captive breeding operations already here in the US than addressing invasive species in the wild. Neither bill would have any demonstrable effect on established populations in the wild. Because of the size and ecological diversity of the United States we believe invasive species issues are best addressed as issues in individual states.
As we have done since our inception, USARK will fight tooth and nail for the Reptile Nation. But we need your help. These are dangerous and uncertain times for our Industry and Hobby. We have positioned ourselves well to fight these battles. We have the best lobbyists in Washington working to put us in a position to succeed, but without the financial support of the Reptile Nation this battle can't be won. MORE and BIGGER FIGHTS are coming. We know there are many out there who will fight with us. Please donate to the cause! Whatever you can afford... $10, $20, $100, $1000! It will ALL be matched by Zoo Med... dollar for dollar. WE NEED YOUR HELP!!
Many have gotten comfortable with our success in the US House of Representatives. We derailed HR669 in the House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife with 50,000 written letters. It was the biggest letter writing campaign in 30 years on Capitol Hill. It is time to wake back up! Now we are in the Senate. We may need an even bigger effort to stop Animal Rights Extremists in the Senate! BE READY!!! We will keep you posted as things develop. The Reptile Nation is even stronger and more organized now!!
Picture above from left to right - Andrew Wyatt ( USARK President ), Congressman Henry Brown ( SC ) and Tom Wolfe ( USARK's Washington Representative ) - HR669's 50,000 letters from the REPTILE NATION.
Please click here to Join USARK with dollar for dollar matching from Zoo Med
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Rock On!!!
