Reptile & Amphibian Forums

In the automated email sent to me from Senator Dianne Feinstein on Dec. 1st, it stated that S373 was currently being referred to the Senate Committee of Environment and Public Works. On the Senate Committee's website, they have no meeting or hearing scheduled for the rest of the month, or any yet in 2011. I will check back on the calender often to see if they add anything in at the last minute. You can check as well at:

http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfmFuseAction=Home.Home&SY=2010&SM=12

The people we should be bombarding with email/letters are the Senators on this Committee. Here is a list of their names and links to their contact forms. You can also find the addresses to send your letters to, usually, on the main page of their website.

Senate Majority Committee Members
Barbara Boxer (Chairman) http://boxer.senate.gov/en/contact/policycomments.cfm

Max Baucus
http://baucus.senate.gov/?p=contact

Thomas R. Carper
http://carper.senate.gov/contact/

Frank R. Lautenberg
http://lautenberg.senate.gov/contact/index1.cfm

Benjamin L. Cardin
http://cardin.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

Bernard Sanders
http://sanders.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm

Amy Klobuchar
http://klobuchar.senate.gov/emailamy.cfm

Sheldon Whitehouse
http://whitehouse.senate.gov/contact/

Tom Udall
http://tomudall.senate.gov/?p=contact

Jeff Merkley
http://merkley.senate.gov/contact/

Kirsten Gillibrand
http://gillibrand.senate.gov/contact/

Arlen Specter
http://specter.senate.gov/public/index.cfmFuseAction=Contact.OfficeLocations

Senate Minority Committee Members
James M. Inhofe
http://inhofe.senate.gov/public/index.cfmFuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

George V. Voinovich
http://voinovich.senate.gov/public/index.cfmFuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

David Vitter
http://vitter.senate.gov/public/index.cfmFuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

John Barrasso
http://barrasso.senate.gov/public/index.cfmFuseAction=ContactUs.ContactForm

Mike Crapo
http://crapo.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm

Christopher S. Bond
http://bond.senate.gov/public/index.cfmFuseAction=ContactUs.ContactForm

Lamar Alexander
http://alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Email

If you need help with what to write in your email/letters, here is the formatted email that USARK set up:

Please oppose S373 aka 'The Python Ban'. It would by pass the accepted USFWS process for amending the Lacey Act and legislatively add 9 species of boas and pythons to the Injurious Wildlife list. If passed as written it would threaten a viable US industry producing high quality captive bred reptiles for hobbyists, research, zoos, TV & film, museums and fashion industry. The USGS report being used as justification for these draconian measures has been characterized by independent scientists as "unscientific" and "not suitable as the basis for legislative or regulatory policies". Three independant studies have been published in 2010 that contradict the USGS report. I appreciate the difficulties Burmese Pythons may pose to South Florida, but it is a problem that is endemic only to South Florida and should be dealt with at the state level. S373 encompasses far more than Burmese pythons and will hurt my family and business. It does not address the underlying problems proponents claim. S. 373 makes no provisions for the disposition of over 2 million snakes already in captivity in the US. It will create a situation where as many as a million Americans are in possession of Injurious Wildlife and potentially subject to felony prosecution under the Lacey Act. This bill will be bad for our state, bad for jobs and sets terrible precedent by legislating science for the sake of political expedience. Please oppose S373.

Thank you to anyone that takes time to do this. We all need to stand up and say enough is enough. The amount of laws and unnecessary regulations are completely out of hand, and we need to stand up against it before we lose the right to work with the animals we love all together.

Below is the automated email from Senator Dianne Feinstein:

Dear Mrs. Russell:

Thank you for writing to express your opposition to legislation that would place large constrictor snakes on the injurious species list. I appreciate your correspondence and welcome the opportunity to respond.

As you know, Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) introduced S.373 on February 3, 2009. S. 373 and its companion bill in the House of Representatives, H.R. 2811, would amend the Lacey Act (42 U.S.C. w 18) to include constrictor snakes, such as the Burmese Python, as injurious species. Under the Lacey Act, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to regulate the importation and transport of species determined to be injurious to the health and welfare of humans. Currently, S.373 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Although I do not serve on this Committee, I will keep your opposition to this bill, as well as maintaining a science-based review process, in mind should S.373 or any similar legislation be considered by the Senate.

Once again, thank you for writing. If you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841. Best regards.

Also, may I take this opportunity to wish you a happy and healthy holiday season. Best regards

Sincerely yours,

Dianne Feinstein

United States Senator

Further information about my position on issues of concern to California and the Nation are available at my website http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/. You can also receive electronic e-mail updates by subscribing to my e-mail list at http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ENewsletterSignup.Signup. Feel free to checkout my YouTube page http://www.youtube.com/Senatorfeinstein

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That is not new information. It was referred to that committee back on Feb 2nd I believe.

This update was in response to the Email USARK sent out on 11/28:

It is rumored that S373 ‘The Python Ban’ may be included in a large omnibus Natural Resources Bill during the ‘Lame Duck’ session of Congress from now until the end of the legislative session. This provides the Reptile Nation an opportunity to kill S373 once and for all! Do Not allow powerful special interests to railroad S373 through in the 11th hour. Follow the link below and contact your two US Senators and ask them to oppose S373. USARK needs your help to Kill S373! Please take this opportunity to help win a great victory for the Reptile Nation.

Last Christmas USARK and the Reptile Nation rallied and produced a massive letter writing campaign that derailed S373... even after it passed Committee. Now we must reaffirm with our Senators strong opposition to this ill conceived legislation. If we turn out big numbers we will win again! Now is the opportunity to finish off S373 once and for all! Please spread the word to the four corners of the Reptile Nation. Forward this communiqué to your friends, family, co-workers, social networks and forums. There is Strength in Numbers… Protect Your Rights!

Click here to Defeat S373 ‘The Python Ban’: http://united-states-association-of-reptile-keepers.rallycongress.com/2705/tell-us-senate-to-stop-python-ban/

S373 was referred to the Committee in question in early 2009. It passed out of Committee in late 2009. A floor vote was scheduled in early 2010 which USARK was able to block using the influence developed with key Senators. It was rescheduled for a vote in September and USARK was again able to get it blocked. The last chance to get S373 passed is the current 'Lame Duck' session of Congress; by getting it added to a large omnibus Natural Resources bill. That is what we are trying to head off with our current campaign.

The confusion lies in the dated form letter you (and others) received from your Senator pointing out that it had been referred to Committee. This is ancient history. Don't worry just keep getting folks to contact their Senators!

Thank you for doing your part in fighting this injustice!

Andrew
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USARK