S373 python Ban Hearing Set!!!!!

anybody hear what happened with the bill?

The hearing is today, so we probably won't learn anything until later, or perhaps tomorrow.

I hope we stay well updated

does any1 know anything yet ?

DANGER: Python Ban Moving Fast!!!

Postby USARK Admin on Fri Dec 04, 2009 12:07 am
The Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works (EPW), Subcommittee on Water & Wildlife held a Hearing on S373 aka the Python Ban today at 2 PM. Senator Ben Cardin, Chairman, presided. Senator Bond and Senator Levine were the only presenters. Senator Bill Nelsen, the Bill sponsor, was not in attendance to present on S373. The Hearing was brief and more of a formality in order to move 9 different bills forward quickly.

Some of you that are following USARK on Twitter got the blow by blow during the hearing. Dan Ashe, Deputy Secretary of US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), testified on S373 recommending that the Bill be amended to include all 9 snakes addressed in the recent US Geologic Survey (USGS) Report on large constrictors. Chairman Cardin indicated that USFWS should approach Senator Nelson regarding amendment. Robert Bendick of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), while acknowledging problems with the science in the USGS Report, also recommended amending S373 to include the 9 snakes.

The representative of the Humane Society of the United States was seen urging USFWS to ask Senator Nelson to amend S373 to include 45 species of Boa and Python.

http://usark.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=130

*sigh* That didn't copy/paste all of it. I'll fix it tomorrow if somebody else doesn't first.

I shall continue what A.G. meant to post the rest of:

S373 as written would add ALL 40 species of python to the Injurious Wildlife List of the Lacey Act; the entire python genre. If amended as recommended by USFWS and TNC it would add all 4 species of anaconda and Boa Constrictor to the list. That would be 45 species in all. Although the Bill Sponsor is from Florida this is not a Florida Bill. This is federal legislation that would affect the entire country…. Including, but not limited to, Ball Pythons, Chondros, Blood Pythons, Carpet Pythons and Boa Constrictors. If passed S373 will destroy the Reptile Nation!

It is time for a gut check. Have you done everything you can to keep this nightmare scenario from happening? If you have we greatly appreciate your support!! If you have been sitting on the sidelines hoping others will take care of this for you please stand up and help now. We need members and money to fight this legislation. You can make excuses or you can take action! There is Strength in Numbers… Protect Your Rights! In the coming days USARK will ask a lot from the Reptile Nation. This is it. It is now or never. Live or die. This industry and hobby has NEVER been so close to annihilation. Please don’t go quietly into the night.

Next Thursday, December 10, 2009 S373 will go to ‘Mark Up’ before the Senate EPW Committee. This is where the Bill can be amended. USARK has submitted several amendment proposals. We have one week to have an impact! Get involved and get ready to take massive action. We have worked too hard and come too far to let it all go now! ONE WEEK!… Don’t Sit This One Out!!!

Come on Guys Call I really Dont want my burms banned =( or the retics=( and my boas and other pythons. They are my education money.

When you call/email or whatever here are some points to bring out.

Dogs kill more people a month than Pythons ever have.
The how come the media never tells the THOUSANDS of deaths by dogs than snakes.
Dogs can breed in the wild and are all over the U.S.
Where is The "REAL Statistic geo map" of the burmese python that says they can spread threw the South FACT: burmese pythons(nor any Python or boa) can not live UNDER 60 degrees for more than a month without getting sick and Dying Just above the everglades It gets that cold and colder Infact flordia Can get below flordia Resulting in killing any non native snakes.
If you want people to get rid of the pythons I canget a hand full in a couple of calls.
What about banning dogs and cats for Breeding and Exosing and killing all of our wild life all over the U.S.
What about all the killer PitBulls,German sheps(I own one)Rock's,Etc. that has killed many Children and Chase them
FACT:Pythons can NOT Go nearly as fast as dogs and Will not see you from yards away and Chase you and Kill you Unlike Dogs.
Did you know that 1 in every 25 people own a Snake of some sort and their is 300 million of people in the U.S. So The Breeders and Petstores will loose money and Workers,The Economy is bad enough So When you take these jobs away from them By banning our pythons and other snakes The source of our money It acually will drop the Economy even more.
With us Breeder/keepers to Ensure the Survival of these reptiles they will go extinct in the wild Already Numeral amounts of boas and Pythons are endangered(Example:Womas) If this bill is passed and We can not breed to keep the population they will go extinct.Zoos cant do it Nor do snakes breed in zoos They buy from breeders like us once theirs dies.
And If you Dont think that It will not hurt the Wild that Pythons are Extinct think about this Rats carry over 22 Diseases And with out snakes controlling their population They Will Increase in numbers Goes into homes across the countries which pythons are native to and Giving diseases to the humans (by eating their food Etc.) Which WIll effect us Due to the fact that they can Become a U.S. Citizen And spead the Disease (wouldn't that Be a Epidemic?) Like For instance Aids It spread (not from rats I dont think) from another country and Is a Huge risk factor to Humans.Same thing can Happen with rats if we do not have snakes in the Wild to Control them Not only that But even if the Disease Did not make it Fast into the U.S.(Which it would) It would Kill ALLOT of people in the Third world Countries.

Well those are a Few that I thought of.....you can think of a Few yourself Let me know what you think Guys I love this Hobby and really want ot keep my snakes and Do shows with them at schools Which I do Love as well,and continue this hobby for Generations to come Please take your effort It ticks me off Seeing Hundreds of Reptile people and Not a ***** one will do anything but read DO your Part! please even if you haev no money you can still call fax email write Riot WHATEVER PLEASE fo rhte sake of our hobby It we give them a good PUNCH they might not try to slap another bill on us in 6 months. and realize their are Quiet a few people in this Hobby Which is what we need to show that their is not just a Couple Hundred Not a Couple thousand But a COuple MIllion people that enjoy this Econic Hobby Which we do Need for Our families,Thanks Guys,Jeremy Parker

Jeremy,
While I appreciate your enthusiasm for the cause, a number of your "facts" are just plain ol' incorrect. Realistic, accurate statements are better allies in this case...presenting a few half baked or sensationalized theories is enough to get one's entire message disregarded.

They sensationalize every aspect of it with strait up lies!thats why there is this bill not facts we are few they are many they got the dollars we don't! It may not be much but I donated another $20 to USARK I try to every few weeks If everybody on this forum & all the other forums did that we would have some power to lobby!