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CAPITOL FLYER
Friday, October 6, 2006
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Capitol
Flyer is intended to keep you abreast of the latest developments
in Washington affecting the National Wildlife Refuge System.
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Table of Contents:
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Congressional Update
At the end of last week, Congress recessed until November 13. Before leaving town, the House and Senate passed a continuing resolution to keep funds for most federal programs flowing until November 17. The stopgap measure will fund programs covered by all appropriations bills that were not enacted by the October 1 start of fiscal year (FY) 2007—this includes all bills except the Defense and Homeland Security appropriations bills.
It is considered unlikely that lawmakers will pass remaining appropriations bills by November 17. As a result, another continuing resolution will likely be needed. While House and Senate Appropriations Committee chairmen have expressed their desire to pass each spending measure separately, a year-end omnibus appropriations bill is expected. However, activity in the House and Senate will depend heavily on results of the November 7 elections.
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Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus Takes Off
As reported in the September 2006 issue of Capitol Flyer, the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE), chaired by the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA), hosted a Congressional breakfast event on Capitol Hill to celebrate the official launch of the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus. The event took place September 14 in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill. The approximately 90 attendees included nine members of Congress, dozens of Congressional staff, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) employees, members of the CARE group, reporters, and others.
Also on September 14, the Caucus gained its 100th member! At the time this article went to print, the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus membership had grown to 114 members of Congress. With 545 national wildlife refuges located across the country, the Caucus has lots of room to grow! You can contact your Member of Congress about the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus by visiting http://refugenet.e-actionmax.com/showalert.asp?aaid=2110.
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Cahaba Refuge to Double in Size
As reported in the August 2006 issue of Capitol Flyer, the House of Representatives passed legislation sponsored by Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL) to expand the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Cahaba River is considered to be the longest free-flowing river in Alabama and is known for its extraordinary biological diversity. The refuge encompasses 3,400 acres and 3.5 miles of the river; the bill will add 3,600 acres and an additional four miles of the river to the refuge.
The Senate approved the Cahaba expansion legislation early Saturday morning. Now the bill will go to the president for his signature.
Congress passed the bill despite objections from the FWS, which opposes refuge expansions because of the additional costs to maintain and manage the 545 national wildlife refuges across the country. The NWRA testified before the House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans in support of the bill.
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Border Fence Legislation Could Harm Refuges
Before leaving the Capitol to campaign for the upcoming elections, the Senate passed legislation authorizing 700 miles of fencing along the southwestern border with Mexico. The bill, passed earlier by the House, is one part of immigration policy supported by Republican leadership in the House.
By a vote of 80-19, senators cleared the House-passed legislation (H.R. 6061) on September 29. President Bush is expected to sign the bill, which would also authorize a “virtual fence” of sensors, cameras, unmanned aerial vehicles and other surveillance technology along the entire border with Mexico.
The NWRA and other conservation organizations are concerned the legislation could severely harm wildlife and natural environments along the border. National wildlife refuges like Cabeza Prieta, Buenos Aires and San Bernardino in Arizona could see environmental damage, habitat fragmentation and harm to migratory wildlife like the Sonoran pronghorn.
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FWS Gets Two New Regional Directors
The FWS recently named two new regional directors west of the Mississippi River. Dr. Benjamin Tuggle was named as the new Regional Director of the Southwest Region of the FWS. The region includes the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
Dr. Tuggle has served as the region’s Acting Regional Director since January and has served in leadership positions throughout the agency for the past 25 years. His prior assignments included serving as the Acting Special Assistant to the Director of the FWS H. Dale Hall and prior to that as Chief of the Division of Habitat and Resource Conservation.
Ren Lohoefener was named Regional Director of the Pacific Region of the FWS. The region includes Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands. Dr. Lohoefener took over the position from David Allen, who retired in August. Lohoefener joined the FWS in 1989 after working for six years as an ecologist for the National Marine Fisheries Service. Since joining the FWS, he has been a field biologist, the agency’s Texas State Administrator, and Assistant Regional Director of the agency’s Southwest Region.
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Take
Action!
You can make your voice heard by utilizing the Refuge Action Network (RAN), a free, fast and easy way to respond to important national wildlife refuge alerts. Using the RAN system, you can send an e-mail or fax (even if you don't own a fax machine) to your elected officials with a click or two of your mouse.
Please
visit the NWRA Web site or contact Michael Woodbridge,
Director of Government Affairs, at 202.333.9073 or mwoodbridge@refugenet.org
for more information.
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Capitol
Flyer, a monthly e-newsletter from the NWRA, is prepared by Michael
Woodbridge, NWRA's Director of Government Affairs.
For additional information, please contact mwoodbridge@refugenet.org. |
