Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have completed all my calls to the congress. Amazing that I got through to them all the first time. Several of the people who answered did not even know of the bill I was referring too. So that tells me not enough people have called yet to make their position known. It only takes a short time to make your calls but a lifetime to think that you could have made a diferrence but chose not too.

Here are the numbers again make the call.

Sponsor and Key Members:
Congressman Kendrick Meek (D-FL), Sponsor
Washington DC: phone 202-225-4506; fax 202-226-0777
Miami: phone 305-690-5905; fax 305-690-5951

Congressman Tom Rooney (R-FL)
Washington DC: phone 202-225-5792; fax 202-225-3132

Punta Gorda: phone 941-575-9101; fax 941-575-9103
Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL)

Washington DC: phone 202-225-3001; fax 202-225-5974
Boca Raton: phone 561-988-6302; fax 561-988-6423

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)
Washington DC: phone 202-225-7931; fax 202-226-2052
Pembroke Pines: phone 954-437-3936; fax 954-437-4776

Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) Committee Chair
Washington DC: phone 202-225-5126; fax 202-225-0072
Detroit: phone 313-961-5670; fax 313-226-2085
EMAIL: john.conyers@mail.house.gov

Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX) Ranking Member
Washington DC: phone 202-225-4236; fax 202-225-8628
San Antonio: phone 210-821-5024; fax 210-821-5947

Congressman Howard L. Berman (D-CA)
Washington DC: phone 202-225-4695; fax 202-225-3196
Van Nuys: phone 818-994-7200; fax 818-994-1050

Congressman Rick Boucher (D-VA)
Washington DC: phone 202-225-3861; fax 202-225-0442

Congressman Howard Coble (R-NC)
Washington DC: phone 202-225-3065; fax 202-225-8611
Greensboro: phone 336-333-5005; fax: 336-333-5048

Congressman Randy Forbes (R-VA)
Washington DC: phone 202-225-6365; fax 202-226-1170
Chesapeake: 757-382-0080; fax 757-382-0780

Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ)
Washington DC: phone 202-225-4576; fax: 202-225-6328
Glendale: phone 623-776-7911; fax: 623-776-7832

Congressman Elton Gallegly (R-CA)
Washington DC: phone 202-225-5811; fax 202-225-1100
Thousand Oaks: phone 805-497-2224; Toll Free: (800) 423-0023; fax 805-497-0039

Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)
Washington DC: phone 202-225-5635
New York: phone 212-367-7350

I just made mine as well and was pretty disappointed to hear that I was the first on a few calls. I simply asked to speak with the congressmen/woman (none of them were in of course), but then asked to register a NO vote on HR2811.

The point isn’t to necessarily get the congressmen on the phone, but to bombard them with calls asking for a no vote!!!!

Get on the phones and get this done!!!!!
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Guy Scavone II
www.BoaGallery.com

I made my calls. Many of the offices were not interested in what I had to say secondary to me not being the congresspersons constituent. I still gave my name and zip code and registered my no. I also called my congressman and registered it with his office.
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Wayne and Ryan
Dark Continent Reptiles
www.darkcontinentreptiles.com

they were getting fairly well bombarded as i just finished my calls.

i do think that most people are calling the first 4 or so reps that were in the initial usark email.

there seems to be a huge lack of the reptile community knowing about this one. or, perhaps thinking it is the same bill they have already called on.

If you have huge email address books i think an emergency email blast to your freinds, clients is needed today
howard

If you give your zip code and aren't from the specific area of the specific person you are contacting your call will be ignored. Why should they bother with someone who is not a potential voter for that particular congressman? They don't count on your vote and you can't run against them...
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Matt Lerer
Ghi Reptiles

BS,

If you are calling a democratic congressman and you let them know that if you find that the democrats are supporting this piece of garbage bill that you are going to change parties. That matters a lot. Believe me when I tell you. When the democrats feel they are going to lose control they will listen. The only reason they have any control or power is because of the last dingaling that was our President. Let them know you will not stand for the same garbage and you want some intelligence representing you and your country.

Thanks,
Bill
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0.1 Het Albino
0.1 Spider Het Albino
1.0 Albino
0.1 Spinner
2.1 Super Pastel
0.1 Jungle Pastel
0.1 Het Pied
1.0 Pied 50 percent
0.1 Clown
1.1 Het Lavenders
1.1 Het Caramel Albino
0.3 Normal
1.1 Kids
0.1 Spouse
1.0 Chocolate Lab

When i gave my zip the aids attempted to blow me off. I then told them that their congressperson is on the committee that is hearing the bill and they generally stopped. Most that tried were pretty rude when I continued and I doubt the rep will ever hear my voice. I also informed them I already contacted my representative.
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Wayne and Ryan
Dark Continent Reptiles
www.darkcontinentreptiles.com

A couple of times I was told to call my representative -- by simply responding that "my representative isn't part of the committee meeting tomorrow on an issue that will seriously impact me and my livelihood so I'm contacting the ones that are" worked well enough for me.
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Tosha
JET Pythons
Toshas Blog

Herp Medicine does not equal a bottle of Baytril - Dr. Scott Stahl

I know this is scary. I just faxed both numbers for every representative and did not get a busy signal once. Has everyone just gave up???

I hate the phone but this took me 15 minutes tops.

I talked to one aid who said they had received 10 calls so far (it's noon ohio time), all against the ban, none for it.

Ten is kind of lame....call people!

Christy

Just wanted to let everyone know that I have called. The first few just said "Ok, we'll add it to the list". The person that answered Congressman Rooney's Washington phone actually talked with me for a second. He said that they are amending it as we speak to ONLY ban Burmese importation and that they never intended to BAN everything or anything like that. They just used old verbage from previous bills. Don't know if he knows what he is talking about or was pulling my leg but thought I would let everyone know. I would definitely keep up the calls/faxes.

Richard

Yeah I just called Rooney's Washington office as well and was told the same thing. "Congressmen Rooney is meeting with the Association of Reptile Keepers to change the language so the bill only addresses the importation of Burmese pythons." Regardless, this isn't a reason to give up. Everyone still needs to be calling to voice ones' opposition to such bans.

--nick

I hope everyone realizes that throwing burms under the bus just opens the door for the HSUS and others to slide into a ban on all pythons....If the burm goes the rest will follow...this bill will make it ILLEGAL to breed,sell and transport any burm whether import or captive bred....
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Wayne and Ryan
Dark Continent Reptiles
www.darkcontinentreptiles.com

HE HAS ONLY RECIEVED 18 CALLS ON THE PYTHON BAN AS OF 10AM THIS MORNING!

COME ON GUYS, THESE SMALL NUMBERS PATHETIC! Those phone lines should be jammed right now!

IF YOU DON NOT CALL....TODAY!....RIGHT NOW!

YOU HAVE NO RIGHT....TO PISS AND COMPLAIN YOU CAN'T SHIP, SELL OR BREED BALL PYTHONS LEGALLY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN THE FUTURE!

Rich Macias
BLOODLINES

>>HE HAS ONLY RECIEVED 18 CALLS ON THE PYTHON BAN AS OF 10AM THIS MORNING!
>>
>>COME ON GUYS, THESE SMALL NUMBERS PATHETIC! Those phone lines should be jammed right now!

I think that 18 calls from AZ to THAT office by 10AM is pretty good. Add that to that, or more in more populous states, in all the offices nationwide. That is a lot of calls.
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AMAZON REPTILE CENTER

They aren't getting nearly enough calls to make an impact. If you are phone shy - which I know a lot of herpers are - you still need to suck it up for 15 minutes of your life and get those calls in. At the very least fax them your response.
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Tosha
JET Pythons
Toshas Blog

Herp Medicine does not equal a bottle of Baytril - Dr. Scott Stahl

We need to ban together.Take 10 minutes out of your time and make these calls...Our hobby will be effected if you dont..
Kevin Stoltz

I completed my calls and surpisingly heard from a few that there is discussion to change the bill to only be a ban on the Burmese Python (Python molurus bivittatus). Some of them had not heard of the bill until today when they started receiving calls about it. Everyone needs to do their part and make the calls. It is not that hard and does not take that long to complete them all. More than likely you will not get to speak with the Congressman but will have your disproval of the bill in its current state on the record. Pretty much all offices said the amount of calls they have received has been very low in numbers so that means not everyone in this community is pulling their weight and standing up for the rights for Python Keepers. Come on everyone DO IT!
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usark.org/join.php

....I would rather have a Bottle in front of me.....than a Frontal Lobotomy....

Rob Trenor
RK Reptiles
www.rkreptiles.com
www.rkreptiles.net
www.ballpythonmorphs.net

_____

Looks as if the first few on the list are getting more calls than the rest. Make sure we call everyone on the list. Also if you have access to fax do both!!!

Plus wee need to get veeryone that called and helped on the Invasive species act to call in and help us with this python ban. Post this everywhere!!!!

I just made my calls ( 2pm eastern) and most of them said ohh the python bill. So we are getting there attention. I also spoke with the receptionist at Congreeman Rooneys office, I was told that they are going to ammend the bill tomorrow for a IMPORTATION ban on only Burmese. I specifically asked if it was only importation and nothing about interstate transport. His response was yes only imortation of only burmese. Keep those phones a buzzin!

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If you plan for 1 year, plant rice.
If you plan for 10 years, plant trees.
If you plan for 100 years, educate mankind.

It really did not take that long, especially after the first couple of calls. Then my "speech" became more automatic, and it was easy to remember what I wanted to say.

One good note is that the aide of Congressman Rooney (who is located near me - Punta Gorda, Fl), said he is introducing the amendment tomorrow that US ARK is asking for - ban only the import of only Burms, and allow the trade of c.b. Burms with whatever regulations they come up with, and leave the other python species out of the bill.

IT IS NOT DIFFICULT - DO IT NOW!

Made my calls, it is so easy to do your part! The calls can and will make a diff, some knew what I was calling about before I even had to tell them, some had never even heard of hr2811! Make your calls! The whole list!!
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06
.2 h alb
07
.1 dh snow
.2 leticia
1.1 triple het
.1 alb h snow
08
2.1 hypo hog
.1 sunset
1. ghost
.1 arabesque dh stripe alb
1.1 h type 2 anery
.1 pastel motley
.1 leticia
1. hypo ph bloody sharp
.2 ph bloody sharp
1. h blood
.1 sunglow
1.2 anery h snow
.2 albino h snow
1.0 50% guyana h alb
.1 triple h
.1 ghost h alb
1. jungle h anery ph alb
09
1.1 dh blizzard
.1 h alb
.1 jungle h alb
1. motley h alb ph snow
1. alb h snow
1. anery h snow
1.1 hypo dh stripe alb

I have made my calls and at least two of the operators I talked with told me to call my representative, but said they would register my "NO".
tom harbin

Anyone else having a problem getting through on the fax lines? I've been trying all the different numbers and keep getting all kinds of different error messages.

Faxes and calls are all done.
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Albey Scholl
Albeys Too Cool Reptiles
Email Me

I'm making my calls right now I HOPE YOU ARE TOO!

This time we don't have everyone with ferrets, birds, fish, etc etc helping us out.... it's just us python keepers. YOUR CALLS ARE NEEDED!
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-Diana
www.LunarBoids.com

I recommend you call your own congressman's local office first. If you call the local office and tell them you are a constituent, they will be interested in hearing your concerns and reasons. This also gives you a little more ammunition when you call the listed representatives. When they ask for your city and state, or if you are a constituent of theirs, it helps if you tell them you have already discussed the issue with your congressman's office and he/she is not on the committee currently considering the legislation. When I called my congressman's office, the aid recognized HR2811 as the "python bill" even though my congressman is not on the list or the committee. So I think others in my district are doing the same...
Paul

it only takes a few minutes.
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Proud supporter of USARK and Kingsnake.com
“We stand together or we fall apart”

Kyle
www.royalvariations.com

"be safe, be happy and dont let anyone make you afraid"
David Coverdale

Mike next, then staff
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AMAZON REPTILE CENTER

We made our calls as well. This did not talk long at all. We need to do all that we can. Call all that are on the list.

Rich Parrinello

I made my calls, and a few extras to my fellow herpers to make sure they called.
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Coolluigi

"You can never have too many hets" - Jim S

0.1 Pastel Pos Het Hypo
1.1 Pastel
1.0 Mojave Pos Het Hypo
1.0 Yellowbelly
1.0 100 % Het Pied
0.8 50% Het Pied
1.7 Normal
0.2 100% Het Hypo (Orange Ghost)
0.2 Spider
1.2 100% Het VPI Axanthic
and soon to be more. *fingers crossed*

and I was told I was number 21 on one of the lists.
I faxed and called in to both numbers provided, and most who answered had no idea what the bill was about, and then told me to call my own rep. Only one person asked me why I am aganist the bill and after I explained what would happen to ower industry, they took all my information down so I could speak to someone tomorrow. Anyone else have this happen?
Thanks
Raj
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BALLERSPYTHONS@YAHOO.COM
Don't you wanna be a BALLER too?