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First round in HR669 vs. Freedom / Advantage Freedom

The_Boaphile

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The proponents of this bill of this bill proved today, April 23, 2009 exactly what they wish to do. The very fact that they continue to mislead and outright lie about the consequences that would surly result if this bill passed as written, is proof of what their ultimate agenda is. The are working hand in hand with the special interest groups that paid for their elections and who continue to fund their re-elections. They have stacked the deck with like minded idealogs whose best examples of invasive species were either brought in directly by the government or were accidental passengers on ship hulls and the like. These previous invaders would have zero regard for any law that might be passed. The fact is the pet industry is not the enemy but we are in the sites of those who just can’t stand the fact that we “humans” own and care for other “species”.

The fight goes on and the need for us all to be unified behind the most effective grass roots organization is of paramount importance. That organization is of course USARK which is not fractured or vulnerable to compromise that could sacrifice smaller portions of supporters in favor of the larger group. The same cannot be said for others who represent the interests of a wide range of others in the pet industry. USARK is in the fight directly and wholly to save our businesses and hobby while not working behind the scenes to compromise with measures that could in effect shut down portions of our industry. Such as the advocacy of a permitting process, which others have already endorsed, that would mean the death of entire groups of the Reptile industry. Our loyalties are to the Reptile industry and hobby alone. As such, USARK is the standard bearer and clear choice for all those whose primary concern is the impact that this legislation could have upon Reptiles.

The grass roots base that USARK has built, has delivered the most effective blitz of written letter communication with the members of the sub committee, charged with considering HR669. The impact of this is unprecedented and undeniable. Just under 50,000 paper letters shook up the people who thought they would be able to just walk all over us. We saw this morning that they now know this is NOT going to happen. This fight costs money that people like me, and many others who have taken this seriously, have been putting up to fund USARK thus far. The efforts of USARK can be even larger than it has been to this point and this need is something that every single one of us must participate in.

USARK has earned your allegiance and needs not only your moral support but you financial support. If you have not joined yet, do it today. We will all need to be vigilant and continue to do letter writing campaigns when call upon. Phone in campaigns when required, and yes perhaps direct appeals will be made in the future, like this one, to ask for additional funds to pay for the behind the scenes efforts that are necessary to make the greatest impact possible. This is your fight and YOUR business AND YOUR responsibility.

Thank you to each and every one that has already participated at whatever level. I appreciate this very much and look forward to the time in the not too distant future that we will all breath a sigh of relief. This will happen! The more participation we have both financially and with boots on the ground, the sooner this will be possible.
 
Is there any way to get a text version of the committee meeting? There were some questioned asked by some of the committee members that weren't answered very well in my opinion and I would like to be able to send them my answer. Thanks
 
Here's a link to the U.S. Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife Legislative Hearing on H.R. 669:

http://resources.edgeboss.net/wmedia/resources/2009_04_23_insular.wvx

It's a 1 hour and 45 minute video which is well worth watching if you are interested in fighting for your rights to import, keep, breed, transport, and sell reptiles and other exotic animals.

Here is what USARK had to say about the hearing:

WE DID IT FOLKS!!!! Victory over HR669! You can thank yourselves and the Reptile Nation, for a hard fought Victory! Our nearly 50,000 grassroots letters and 1,000s of phone calls to the offices of the subcommittee members clearly prevailed at today's Insular Affairs Subcommittee hearing on HR 669. HR 669 in it's current form is finished. For anything to go forward it MUST be re-written from the ground up....and USARK will have a seat at the table along with other stake holders.
Delegate Faleomavega from Samoa said, "The letter and phone campaign hit the subcommittee like a BUZZ SAW". Harry Burroughs, of the subcommittee staff said, "I haven't seen a letter writing campaign like this in 30 years! You should be proud of yourselves." Take heart in the fact that the Reptile Nation stopped HR669 in it's tracks!!
We also need to thank Congressman Henry Brown, SC for helping us to focus our fight on the Subcommittee as opposed to the full House of Representatives. He is the one who instructed us to write real letters to be truly effective. He said emails are fine if that is all you can manage, but they can be filtered and deleted. There is no denying the weight of thousands of paper letters from American citizens. The Reptile Nation was responsible for 49,229 letters delivered to the Subcommittee in less than two weeks. Congressman Brown's staff made sure they all got in the door. 38,000 of those letters will be entered into the permanent record. Thank you my friends!
Credit should also be given to Bill Martin, a witness who testified at the hearing. He is the President of Blue Ridge Aquatics, a large multi-state Tilapia farming operation. They farm Tilapia as a food fish. He had some serious problems with the bill and the ear of much of the committee. His plain talk of how this bill would destroy hundreds of families hit home. What they do and the impact this bill would have on them parallels the plight of the Reptile Nation.
Senior Democrat staff from the House Committee on Natural Resources advised Subcommittee Chair Madeleine Bordallo that if she wants something to go forward she will have to go back to square one and draft a new bill. Then have another subcommittee hearing. When and if she does, USARK will be there to represent the interests of the Reptile Nation!! They probably will try, and that will be our challenge for another day. But Today VICTORY is SWEET!...... Celebrate today and rest, because tomorrow we must get ready to fight again.
Thank you Reptile Nation! Thank you Tom Wolfe. Thank you everyone who did their part.
Stay tuned... This fight has only begun!
USARK
A note from Tom Wolfe:
"The good news is, USARK engineered a significant victory which caught the attention of the entire membership of the Subcommittee and their staffs.
The bad news is this is just the first step in the process. Members of the Reptile Nation should be jubilant with this victory. However, our success should be measured, because the proponents of HR 669 will be back soon with another version of the same legislation. They will not rest, so we must not rest either.
Take satisfaction in a job well done and a victory well deserved, but know we all must rise up again to fight on because the battle has just begun!"
 
Great Job... But it's NOT Over!!


Congratulations on a Job Well Done with HR669... but that was just the first Battle. We are fighting a war!

The effort put forth by the Reptile Nation in opposing HR669 was nothing less than monumental. A real letter campaign like that hasn't been seen in a long time. It made a HUGE impression. USARK is so very proud that the community has pulled together like never before to fight this bill. We gained an important preliminary victory... but this is far from over. It was just round one.

USARK has learned that the Defenders of Wildlife, Humane Society of the United States and The Nature Conservancy are going to meet with Delegate Bordallo's Subcommittee Staff in early May. The word is that they will be discussing a rewrite of HR669. They are expected to actually change the bill very little. The idea is to cut deals with the biggest opponents of the bill. We believe any proposal that involves a "white list" or a complicated permit system is a Deal Breaker for the Reptile Nation. That scenario we believe would eliminate the majority of animals and most hobbyist breeders. USARK will never endorse a deal that sacrifices any of our brothers and sisters.

This NEW bill is likely to be reintroduced under a new number in order to lose the stigma of HR669 as a tainted bill. It will cause confusion, but USARK will keep the Reptile Nation apprised of the facts as they develop.

Stay tuned to the latest developments on the USARK website. Prepare yourself for battle.

USARK


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