July 31, 2008 "In The Crosshairs"

July 31, 2008

 
Senate Democrats Meet with Sportsmen’s Community

Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Jon Tester (D-MT), representing the Democratic majority, recently took time to meet with the conservation community to identify  key issues  to address during the short time remaining in the 110th U.S. Congress. SCI’s Director of Hunting Advocacy, Dr. Bill Moritz was at the meeting where topics ranging from the recently enacted Farm Bill, to energy development, and the upcoming White House Conference on enhancing hunting and fishing opportunities on federal lands were discussed. Other organizations attended the briefing session including the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Boone & Crockett Club, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

 
Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Bill Introduced in the Senate

“Congressional Sportsmen Caucus Co-Chairs, Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced legislation, S. 3331, seeking to rectify a longstanding inequity in the collection of the firearms and ammunition excise tax (FAET); a major source of wildlife conservation funding. S. 3331 is the companion bill to H.R. 6310 introduced in the House last month…The Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax flows from the IRS through the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to the state wildlife agencies and is the major source of funding for the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Trust Fund…If passed, S. 3331 and H.R. 6310 would allow the firearms and ammunition industry to pay the FAET on a quarterly basis; the same payment schedule as every other industry that supports conservation through dedicated excise taxes.” (Source: www.sportsmenslink.org) Read more here.

 
SCI Attends State Legislator’s Dinner in New Orleans

At the annual National Congress of State Legislators, SCI and NASC announced to the group that they would be working collaboratively to bring model legislation to the sportsmen’s caucuses around the country that would allow more big game tags to reach disabled and terminally ill hunters.  The message was presented at a dinner attended by state Representatives and Senators from Maryland, North Carolina, Kentucky, Arkansas and Missouri with Executive Council Members, Sen. John Astle (MD) and Rep. Robin Webb (KY) attending. Schriever, Louisiana SCI members, Ron and Jackie Bartels, who are the sub-Chairs of the Sensory Safari & Disabled Hunter sub-Committee for SCIF were joined by SCI’s DC staffer, Nelson Freeman.  The dinner hosted by the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) was sponsored by Safari Club International and U.S. Smokeless Tobacco. National Shooting Sports Foundation, Shell Oil, and Comcast were also in attendance.

 
U.S. Treasury Restricts More of Mugabe’s supports in Zimbabwe

A recent press release from the U.S. Department of the Treasury has included 17 new individuals and businesses that have been added to the growing list of Zimbabwean with whom American should not interact with financially. As has been reported in previous “In the Crosshairs”, any financial interaction known or unknown will be viewed by the U.S. Treasury as a financial act supporting the regime of Robert Mugabe. Please read the full press release from the U.S. Department of the Treasury here, http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/hp1097.htm

 
Namibia: Ivory Money Key to Jumbo Benefits

“All the revenue Namibia will generate from the sale of ivory to either China or Japan will be used exclusively for elephant conservation and local communities living alongside elephants... This was spelled out yesterday by Environment and Tourism Permanent Secretary Dr. Kalumbi Shangula, who has just returned from the 57th meeting of the CITES Standing Committee in Geneva, Switzerland…The meeting approved China as a buyer of ivory from four southern African countries that CITES had allowed to auction off their stockpiles of ivory…Japan was allowed to import ivory in 2006… ‘Namibia will pay the proceeds into the Game Products Trust Fund which supports wildlife conservation and community development programmes,’ said Shangula.” (Source: allafrica.com) To read the full article, http://http://allafrica.com/stories/200807220554.html.

 
South Africa: Country Donates 160 Elephants to Zambia

“The South African Government has donated 160 elephants to Lusenga Plains National Park in Zambia's Kawambwa Disrict. Luapula Province Acting Permanent Secretary Clement Siame said the elephants would arrive next week for Lusenga Plains National Park as part of an ongoing restocking program. Speaking at a preparatory meeting for Destination Luapula Tour on Wednesday, Mr. Siame said the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) had given the Park 100 Zebras, 100 Wildebeests and 280 Impalas, as well, to increase the animal population there.” (Source: allafrica.com) To read the full article, http://allafrica.com/stories/200807240304.html

 
SCI Fights On For the Delisting Of Northern Rocky Mountain Wolves

Despite a disappointing ruling in which a Montana federal district court issued a preliminary injunction that temporarily returned the wolves of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming to the federal "endangered" species list, SCI lawyers continue to aggressively represent the interests of its members and those of the hunting community in general, by defending the delisting of wolves.  Currently, SCI is conferring with legal counsel for federal, state, and other non-governmental defendants in the case to determine the most effective means to persuade the Montana court to uphold the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to delist the species.  SCI is also actively engaged in litigation to defend the delisting of the Western Great Lakes wolves and will be participating in a hearing on that case on Monday, August 4, 2008 in District court in the District of Columbia.