Important Action Item

[SteveVB]

FYI -- from VA4WDA
----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Boucher
To: Chris at home
Sent: Monday, November 18, 2002 7:32 PM
Subject: Fw: **CRISIS** Midnight Land Grab!!! S-990



----- Original Message -----
From: "John Stewart" <jstewart@cox.net>
To: <Recipient List Suppressed:>
Sent: Monday, November 18, 2002 9:54 AM
Subject: Fwd: **CRISIS** Midnight Land Grab!!! S-990


> Please note that this act will add categories to to the Endangered
> Species Act making it easier to list species resulting in area
> closures to prevent species harm.
>
> Overall, this is a bad bill for recreation as well as private property
owners.
>
>
> >American Land Rights Association - Land Rights Network
> >PO Box 400 - Battle Ground WA 98604
> >Phone: 360-687-3087 - Fax: 360-687-2973 - Email:
> ><<mailto:alra@landrights.org>alra@landrights.org> -
> ><http://www.landrights.org>http://www.landrights.org
> >Legislative Office: 507 Seward Square SE - Washington DC 20003
> >Phone: 202-210-2357 - Fax: 202-543-7126 - Email:
> ><mailto:landrightsnet@aol.com>landrightsnet@aol.com
> >
> >**CRISIS** Midnight Land Grab!!!
> >
> >EXTREME CRISIS !!!!!!! ***** EXTREME CRISIS !!!!!!!
> >
> >*** YOUR HELP NEEDED !!!!! ***
> >
> >**** WE CAN WIN WITH YOUR HELP !!!!! ****
> >
> >S. 990 - The "Son of CARA" - a version of CARA - the Condemnation
> >and Relocation Act - is on the fast track and moving through
> >Congress! This discredited land grab bill had not moved for eleven
> >months, until the dark of nite in the wee hours of Friday morning.
> >
> >ONCE AGAIN, selected members of Congress have moved legislation - S.
> >990 - in the dead of night that will
> >
> >1) make the Endangered Species Act EVEN
> >
> >WORSE,
> >
> >2) permit SEIZURE of private property, and
> >
> >3) hand out cash to environmental extremists and animal rights outfits!!!
> >
> >Oh yes, and 4) it hands out up to $25 million to foreign countries for
land
> >
> >acquisition. We couldn't make this up, folks!
> >
> >You may recall at the end of 2001, just four days before Christmas,
> >the Senate approved S. 990 - the "Son of CARA" land grab bill. It
> >was 11:45pm, with only three Senators present, NO debate, NO
> >hearings, NO vote - just "unanimous consent" on their last night in
> >session for the year, after nearly all Senators had left the Capitol.
> >
> >THEY DID IT AGAIN !!!
> >
> >This time it was the House of Representatives. It was the last day
> >the House was in session for the year, November 15, 2:35am!!!!
> >That's right, two thirty-five in the morning!!!!!!!
> >
> >Nearly all congressmen had gone home, NO debate, NO hearings, NO
> >vote, just "unanimous consent" and a BILLION dollar enviro pork
> >barrel land grabbing disaster - S. 990, the "Son of CARA" - was
> >approved.
> >
> >HOWEVER - the Senate last year, and the House this year, approved
> >DIFFERENT versions of S. 990.
> >
> >The House is now out of session for the rest of 2002. However, the
> >Senate is in session for one more week, from November 18 to 21.
> >
> >*** The Senate must vote on what the House just passed in order to
> >give final congressional approval to S. 990. ***
> >
> >
> >
> >******* ACTION ITEM BELOW !!! *******
> >
> >******* TELL YOUR SENATOR ******* NO on S. 990 *******
> >
> >WHY?? WHY?? WHY??
> >
> >WHY are REPUBLICAN Senator Bob Smith of New Hampshire and REPUBLICAN
> >Congressman Jim Hansen of Utah joining together and attempting to
> >push this disaster through at the last minute??
> >
> >ANSWER: BOTH are leaving Congress this year, and BOTH are in "Legacy
> >Mode." BOTH have buried provisions in S. 990 to give a name for
> >themselves, at the expense of private property and fiscal
> >responsibility.
> >
> >####### HERE is the item snuck in for New Hampshire by Senator Bob Smith.
> >
> >Page 19, "Grants to the State of New Hampshire." A NINE million
> >dollar payoff handed over to the Trust for Public Land, to buy
> >property that will only cost SEVEN million dollars!!! A two million
> >dollar profit for a "non-profit" land trust!!!!!!!
> >
> >####### UTAH: Jim Hansen is attempting to blow a total of THIRTEEN
> >million dollars of taxpayer funds to glorify himself! On page 49 is
> >two million dollars for the James V. Hansen Shoshone Trail. On page
> >52 is eleven million dollars for the Bear River Visitor Center to be
> >named after - you guessed it - James V. Hansen!!!!!!!!
> >
> >This self glorification is bad enough. But here are the FOUR
> >problems for everyone in the entire country with S. 990:
> >
> >FIRST: It will make the Endangered Species Act EVEN WORSE by adding
> >a new category called "species at risk" in addition to the current
> >"threatened species" and "endangered species." It hands out up to
> >$150 million per year to "environmental organizations," with no
> >prohibition on animal rights outfits receiving funds, to enforce
> >this new category.
> >
> >SECOND: It hands out $50 million per year to states for "cooperative
> >conservation" plans that include "property acquisition" with no
> >prohibition on condemnation power.
> >
> >THIRD: hands out up to $50 million per year for "shrubland and
> >grassland" conservation, with "environmental organizations" again
> >eligible to feed at the taxpayer trough. EVEN WORSE - grass and
> >shrubs are defined as, well, grass and shrubs - AND - areas
> >"historically dominated" by grass and shrubs - AND - areas that "if
> >restored to natural grassland or shrubland, would have the potential
> >to serve as habitat for endangered species, threatened species, or
> >species at risk." In other words, just about every inch of America
> >outside the Mojave Desert!!!!!!!!!!!
> >
> >
> >
> >*** ACTION ITEM *** ACTION ITEM *** ACTION ITEM ***
> >
> >You must call AND Fax both your Senators so their offices are deluged
with
> >messages beginning Monday morning. This is not a time you can depend on
> >someone else. YOU must do it.
> >
> >Tell your Senator to put a hold on S 990. Ask his staff person for a
> >commitment that his or her boss will do it. Follow up to make sure they
> >did it. Then you must keep up the pressure to make sure the hold is not
> >taken off.
> >
> >Any Senator can stop S 990 by simply putting a hold on the bill. That
will
> >delay it until next year. But you must make sure the hold gets put on and
> >stays on. Don't assume that because the staff person tells you the hold
> >is on, that it is on. Keep calling.
> >
> >The Senate is an old boys club and they try to get along by going along.
> >Also, its very late. It is a lame duck session. Many Senators are not
> >paying attention. They just want to get out of town.
> >
> >-----1. Write a fax immediately and fax it to your Senator. If you don't
> >have his or her fax, call Monday morning early and get it. Insist that he
> >or she put a hold on S 990.
> >
> >-----2. Early Monday morning call both your Senators. Every Senator may
> >be called at (202) 224-3121 or the temporary FREE NUMBER: (800) 648-3516.
> >Don't take your Senator for granted.
> >
> >-----3. Call at least three times on Monday. A vote is likely late in the
> >day. It could be delayed until Tuesday so keep calling Tuesday.
> >
> >-----4. Call your friends, neighbors, associations and anyone else you
can
> >to get them to call and fax. This is a big deal. And you can win.
> >
> >CALL YOUR FRIENDS. CALL YOUR NEIGHBORS. PULL OUT THE STOPS.
> >PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE.
>
>
> --
> John Stewart
> Director, Environmental Affairs, UFWDA, http://www.ufwda.org
> Recreation Access and Conservation Editor, http://www.4x4wire.com
> Webmaster, Tierra del Sol 4x4: http://www.tds4x4.com
> Webmaster, Jeep-L: http://www.jeep-l.net

 

[Rick]

I just read this Anyone know if they voted??

 

[SteveVB]

Im tying to find out now I sent out some e-mails and am going to make a few calls if I get time this am.

Unfortunately I didnt get this until yesterday afternoon.

 

[GJarrett]

Steve please keep us posted on what you learn. I may have some time off this afternoon and if so will try to get some info myself if possible.

 

[Campo]

Hey all,

go here and do a search for S.990

http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/g_three_sections_with_teasers/legislative_home.htm

As far as I can tell the bill wasn't even listed for yesterday according to there calander..

Dead Link Removed

But it seems to have passed without objection. ( can't tell if it's just from the House or both House and Senate)

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:s.00990:

DAMIT :frustrate

EDIT:
here's where you can find your senator
http://www.senate.gov/index.htm

Seems it hasn't made the Senate yet but the bill was passed in the House @ 2:03 am Nov 15 and waiting on the Senate

http://www.senate.gov/index.htm

 

[SteveVB]

The only thing I can find is that is is on the desk of the Senate. From the THOMAS site:

11/15/2002:
Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendments to Senate bill.

From what Ive found the House amendments now need to go back to the Senate- with the homeland stuff going on, I cant find any record of the bill coming up for vote- or commitee on the calenders.

The Senate wont be back to work until Fri from the schedule.

 

[Campo]

Well, just wanted to let you guy know that I emailed my Senator and here is the reply, which basically states that it was S.990 was not introduced and not voted on and is tabled until 108th convens next year...

So keep a watchful eye..
=======================================
November 21, 2002


Mr. Anthony Campuzano
Leavenworth, KS

Dear Anthony:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the American Wildlife Enhancement
Act of 2001. I appreciate your taking the time to contact me. It is
always encouraging to hear from Kansans about the issues that concern them
most.

S. 990, the American Wildlife Enhancement Act, would establish the
Conservation and Reinvestment Act Fund (CRAF). This fund would take
numerous environmental programs off-budget for the next 15 years and lock
Kansas in at 47th place in terms of annual state funding. The money in
CRAF would be used to maintain wetlands and restore costal lands that were
used for oil drilling as well as many other environmental efforts. While
I support the majority of these programs, I do have serious concerns with
the way in which this bill proceeds. There is additional money for land
acquisition-- even though the federal government is having trouble
maintaining the existing amount of federal lands. Also, this bill sets
aside money that currently goes to the Treasury to deal with issues like
Social Security and paying down the national debt. If we lock this money
away for 15 years, other programs, which are also very important, may very
well suffer, which is why appropriators make decisions about funding every
year.

I certainly understand your concerns and do not take lightly my
responsibility to ensure that our environment is properly maintained. In
fact, the Senate passed an amendment I offered to the Farm Bill regarding
carbon sequestration. The amendment will establish a pilot program for
farmer owned cooperatives to measure, verify and trade sequestered soil
carbon through agriculture conservation practices. The legislation
authorizes $5 million over 5 years to establish a program that will allow
our nation's farmers to implement the promise offered by carbon
sequestration – a process where plants and trees convert carbon dioxide
into stored carbon in the soil. At the same time, this project will
provide Congress with important information about how effective soil
carbon sequestration will be in addressing the issue of climate change.

S.990 was not brought before the Senate for a vote during this session of
Congress. According to Senate Rule 17, if the measure is to be further
considered it must be reintroduced during the 108th session of Congress,
which will began on January 7, 2002.

Congress is required by the 20th Amendment to the United States
Constitution to end every Congressional Session at some time before noon
on January 3rd every election year, and start the proceeding session, with
the newly elected Members, at noon on that same day. This amendment
limits the time that elected officials can serve following the general
election, and restricts outgoing legislators from passing excessive
legislation after they have been replaced by the voters.

While this legislation was not voted on during the 107th Congress, rest
assured I will take your concerns into consideration if similar
legislation is reintroduced and brought to the floor for debate during the
108th Congress.

Sincerely,



Sam Brownback
United States Senator

 

[Lifted95X]

My senator takes forever to respond.


Thank you . . .

. . . for contacting me regarding your strong opposition to the American
Wildlife Enhancement Act of 2001. I understand your views.

Although this legislation was passed by both the House and the Senate, the
House of Representatives passed a different version of the Senate bill.
Therefore, they would need to be resolved in a conference committee before
they could be signed into law. A conference committee on this bill was not
held by the time Congress went out of session in November 2002. As a
result, no further action will be taken on this particular bill. Should a
similar bill be introduced during the 108th Congress, which begins in
January 2003, I will keep your opposition in mind and share your thoughts
on this matter with my colleagues on the Senate Committee on Environment
and Public Works.

Thank you again for taking time to contact my office. Please continue to
keep me informed about issues of concern to you and your family.


Sincerely,
Debbie Stabenow
United States Senator

 

[GJarrett]

Good news for now.

FYI, My senator is Strom Thurmond, who is evidently finally going to retire after something like 150 yrs in the senate, LOL. Next month I will write an email to his successor so he will know what I think if and when this comes back up again next year.