Call your senator NOW!!

[jryoung]

Federal Land issues at the Federal level are on the table today.

Senators in Washington, D.C., are working to finalize their budget for Fiscal Year 2016. A “vote-a-rama” is taking place today to consider numerous amendments that have poured in from both sides of the political aisle.

Call your Senator and ask them to:

Vote no on Senator Murkowski’s Amendment #838

Vote no on Senator Lee’s Amendment #747

Vote yes on Senator Heinrich’s Amendment #1024

Call the capitol switchboard and ask to be connected to your Senator.

202-224-3121

https://www.backcountryhunters.org/...action-votes-today-on-the-sale-of-public-land

 

[BuzzH]

Done...thanks for posting JR.

 

[Sawtooth]

What are the objectives of each of these amendments JR? Like to have an ideas of what they are about before taking a stand on an issue.

 

[jryoung]

See the link I provided, there is limited info out there as this is moving VERY fast as I understand it.

But....
Budget amendment 838 introduced just last night by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, would enable the sale and/or transfer of federal public lands, including national forests, wilderness areas, national wildlife refuges, historical sites and other important conservation lands, for the purpose of balancing the budget. A similar attack is being levied by Sen. Mike Lee. His senate amendment 747 proposes selling federal public lands to reduce the federal deficit. If passed, these measures could permanently affect our ability to access and enjoy our public lands and waters.

Martin Heinrich introduced amendment 1024, which precludes the sale of any public lands to reduce the federal deficit and has bipartisan support.

Bottom line, it looks like they are both "budget balancing/federal deficit" issues, which the math just does not work...which is why Heinrich stepped in.

 

[smarandr]

What's the bill number? I'd like to see how my senators voted on these amendments once it's all over. I know one of my senators (Risch) is on board with this nonsense, but I still have some hope that the other (Crapo) is not.

 

[Nameless Range]

Thanks JR. Done,

 

[Sawtooth]

Thanks JR for the info. Don't know how I missed the link.

 

[jryoung]

This letter is going out as well with a laundry list of concerned sportsman groups.

https://www.backcountryhunters.org/...ale_National_Sportsmen_Letter_3_24_2015_1.pdf

 

[smarandr]

The Murkowski amendment passed (51-49)
http://democrats.senate.gov/2015/03/26/roll-call-vote-on-murkowski-amendment-838/#.VRR2tuEXMU4

 

[Nameless Range]

Here's the text from the Amendment:


SEC. __X. SPENDING-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND RELATING TO THE DISPOSAL OF CERTAIN FEDERAL LAND.

The Chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the Senate may revise the allocations of a committee or committees, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for one or more bills, joint resolutions, amendments, amendments between the Houses, motions, or conference reports relating to initiatives to sell or transfer to, or exchange with, a State or local government any Federal land that is not within the boundaries of a National Park, National Preserve, or National Monument, by the amounts provided in such legislation for those purposes, provided that such legislation would not raise new revenue and would not increase the deficit over either the period of the total of fiscal years 2016 through 2020 or the period of the total of fiscal years 2016 through 2025.

 

[Nameless Range]

I can see the good Senator Daines voted Yea, while Tester voted Nay.

Reason number 1331 I can't stand Steve Daines.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/L...ote_cfm.cfm?congress=114&session=1&vote=00106

This has absolutely NOTHING to do with the national debt.

 

[smarandr]

Both Idaho senators voted Yea (just like the both voted against the LWCF) a few weeks back.

 

[bigskyblueman]

The White House comment line at 202-456-1111 gets my call for a veto if any of this land swindle gets thru Congress, ahead of the final vote.

 

[Sapper.dawg]

This letter is going out as well with a laundry list of concerned sportsman groups.

https://www.backcountryhunters.org/...ale_National_Sportsmen_Letter_3_24_2015_1.pdf

JR - What is the next step here? Is there a vote pending in the House on this, or does the amendment go to conference? I guess I am asking what we can do next from coordinated response standpoint in contacting our representatives regarding this issue.

Jeff

 

[jryoung]

JR - What is the next step here? Is there a vote pending in the House on this, or does the amendment go to conference? I guess I am asking what we can do next from coordinated response standpoint in contacting our representatives regarding this issue.

Jeff

In reality, these are just budget proposals and nothing is happening tomorrow. But, these are indicators, and IMO calling those that voted for the amendment and letting them know that it is short sided and myopic is the best action.

There are a number of levers, puts and takes in the budget....the sausage of all sausage making. We know that on a county by county basis those that spend conservation dollars have longer more stable GDP growth, as opposed to those that have a higher reliance on extractive industries which are subject to boom and bust cycles. $50 a barrel?

I'm not against extractive industries, but what I fear is that if the land was transferred/sold projects could be fast tracked, and when you have a rush on a commodity prices collapse and what is left?

My point is, let's take the transfer/sale off the table, there are far bigger revenue generators/spending cuts in the budget. If you want short term, go for repatriation of foreign earnings. Long term, do away with MACRs depreciation in conjunction with tax reform.

 

[----]

.....

 

[6speed]

Both Idaho senators voted Yea (just like the both voted against the LWCF) a few weeks back.

Hopefully we get someone decent to run against them next election. I can't in good conscience vote for them any more.

 

[UTK14]

I realize that a lot of this nonsense seems to have its genesis here in Utah, but I for one am disgusted with my senators. I believe that many sportsmen here in Utah don't grasp the gravity of this line of discussion. This isn't an imaginary threat to hunting as we know it. Doesn't appear that there are many R's in the nay column. I wish sportsmen would realize who the friends of the sportsmen are when it comes to vote.....