Copyright 2000 P.G. Publishing Co.
Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette
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April 2, 2000, Sunday, TWO STAR EDITION
SECTION: SPORTS, Pg. D-16, SPORTSMEN
LENGTH: 716 words
HEADLINE:
CARA IN CRISIS WITH CONGRESS
BYLINE: BEN MOYER
BODY:
Supporters of CARA
(Conservation and Reinvestment Act) say the situation is "Do or
Die" this month in the U. S. House of Representatives for what would be the most
important wildlife conservation funding legislation since the
Pittman-Robertson Act.
CARA (HR 701) would provide as much as $ 13
million annually for wildlife conservation projects in
Pennsylvania, plus another $ 30 million for public lands, and outdoor and
community recreation. Funding would not come from new taxes, but instead would
be re-directed to conservation uses from offshore oil and gas
exploration revenues paid to the federal government.
CARA (HR 701) now
has more than enough votes to pass in the house. In fact, more than two-thirds
of House members are co-sponsors of the legislation. But the bill has run into
an unexpected snag because the House leadership has been unwilling to schedule a
floor vote. CARA's supporters are asking for a floor vote before Easter.
Congressional observers feel that timetable is necessary to subsequently get the
bill through the rest of the legislative process and onto the President's desk
before campaign season diverts attention completely away from the concerns of
constituents. Stalling by House leaders will effectively kill the bill, even
though 317 other representatives have pledged CARA their support.
The
only hope of moving the bill to a vote in time, and to prevent erosion of
current support, is for backers of wildlife conservation,
hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation to contact key congressional members
immediately and often. All Western Pennsylvania representatives are considered
key to the bill's passage, and can be contacted by writing to respective
congressman at: U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 20515. Some are
currently co-sponsors, but support will slip if reps perceive the legislation is
going nowhere. It is important to continue urging passage of CARA until the
votes are cast.
Especially important at the moment are contacts with
House leaders themselves, who have the power to bring CARA to a vote and
ultimate passage. Letters or phone calls to Rep. J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of
the House 202-225-0600; Rep. Richard Armey, House Majority Leader 202-225-4000;
Rep. Tom DeLay, House Majority Whip 202-225-0197; and Rep. David Dreier, House
Rules Chairman 202-225-9191 are critical. These Representatives can be reached
by mail at the address above.
Letters should be brief and to the point.
Simply state your support For CARA (HR 701) and ask your representative and
others to insist on a floor vote before Easter. You may also wish to mention
that voters demonstrated overwhelming support for land
conservation spending in various votes in the 1998 and 1999
elections. Also, a unique coalition of governors, mayors, county officials,
conservation organizations, and outdoor recreation businesses
have already signed on in support of CARA.
To maintain the broad and
diverse support the bill currently holds, it is important to remind
representatives that CARA would provide benefits from community ball fields to
the backcountry.
Readers have probably followed the recent
reintroduction of river otters into the Casselman and Youghiogheny River
watersheds here in Western Pennsylvania. Such projects would benefit immensely
from CARA's enactment.
"These funds will help us prevent species from
becoming threatened or endangered by protecting important habitats and
monitoring populations to identify species at risk before it is too late," said
Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director Peter Colangelo. "In addition, these
funds will enable us to provide innovative fish and wildlife-based recreational
and education programs for children and adults. Pennsylvanians consistently
express strong support for these goals, but funding to support such efforts has
always been extremely limited."
Readers know the importance of wildlife
and wild places in their lives. A letter or phone call now, when it really
counts, can help to keep wild things a part of Pennsylvania's landscape for
generations to come. For more information on the status of CARA in the coming
weeks, visit www.teaming.com. Or contact the International Association of Fish
and Wildlife Agencies at teaming@sso.org or 202-624-7890.
LOAD-DATE: April 6, 2000 
