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laurarfl
07-29-2009, 01:51 AM
COPIED AND PASTED FRO PIJAC PET ALERT. URGENT ACTION REQUIRED!!! PYTHON BAN GOES TO FULL COMMITTEE!!!

Congressional Bill Banning Pythons Set For Full Committee Markup Session Tomorrow (July 29th) Take Action!



During the House Judiciary Subcommittee Markup Session this afternoon, NO AMENDMENTS were offered. Only a few members spoke. One felt that they did not have sufficient knowledge to formulate appropriate amendments and requested testimony from reptile experts so they would be able to educate themselves to make an informed and proper decision. The Chair mentioned that Representative Rooney would submit a proposed amendment during the Full Judiciary Committee Markup Session tomorrow, July 29. The proposal would limit the ban to Burmese and African Rock Pythons. There is no indication that exceptions for interstate movement of animals already possessed in the United States would be permitted.

The full Judiciary Committee will hold a Markup Session tomorrow July 29 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. You can watch it on the Internet by going to http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/calendar.html and clicking on "Watch Video Webcast" for July 29 under "FULL COMMITTEE."

IT IS IMPORTANT for concerned pet owners from all around the country to contact members of the FULL COMMITTEE via telephone, Fax and email to encourage them to seek expert input. Complete contact information for the full House Judiciary Committee can be found by viewing page 3 of PIJAC's July 27 PetAlert.

To contact your own Representative, and to view helpful talking points, enter your Zip Code in the 'Call Now' box or 'Take Action' link and tell your Representative to convey your concerns to their colleagues on the Judiciary Committee!

BEWARE that this sets a dangerous precedent by simply adding controversial species to the Lacey Act without hearings and better understanding of the issues. While today it might be your Burmese Python, tomorrow it might be your pet bird, turtle or fish due to a perceived "danger!"

Angelrose
07-29-2009, 10:50 AM
USARK - HR2811 Amemdment

UPDATE: HR2811 Amendment

House Judiciary Committee Staff and bill Sponsors agrees with USARK position to limit the scope of HR2811 with a proposal for an amendment. All but two pythons will be completely exempted from the bill. The exception will be the IMPORT of the Burmese Python and the African Rock Python. Further, Committee staff has committed to work with USARK over the August legislative break to craft language to allow the commercial trade in captive bred Burmese Pythons and African Rock Pythons to continue. This is a huge victory for USARK and the Reptile Nation!


For the last two days, while the Reptile nation was making their calls, USARK was involved in intense discussions with the Sponsors of HR2811 and House Judiciary Committee Staff, not to destroy the Reptile Industry with their bill. Yesterday morning we suggested to Congressman Kendrick Meek and Congressman Tom Rooney that the bill be amended to address ONLY the IMPORT of the Burmese Python and exempt all the other pythons from this legislation. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) caught wind of what we were doing and began to apply pressure to leave the bill "as is", banning all pythons.


Today we coordinated a conference call to discuss the possibility of amending HR2811 instead of banning all pythons. Present were Rep Meek's staff, Rep Rooney's staff, both minority & majority Committee staff, bill proponent HSUS and USARK. HSUS made a very emotionally charged argument to ban all pythons. Their argument was strong on rhetoric and weak on facts and science. HSUS suggested that any bill going forward must include the Burmese Python, African Rock Python and Reticulated Python. They stated that the Reticulated Python was an Invasive Species that could surpass the Burmese Python. Andrew Wyatt of USARK challenged that statement indicating that HSUS could not produce credible scientific evidence to support their position, and that in more than 30 years of captivity in the US Reticulated Pythons have never been shown to be invasive; or even likely to be invasive. Wyatt also voiced concerns that this bill goes far beyond just stopping the import of these animals, but would also stop interstate transport. HSUS challenged that assertion, but Todd Willens of Vitello Consulting (USARK DC Consultant) confirmed Wyatt's concerns reading directly from the Lacy Act. Wyatt indicated that there was probably more than 100,000 Burmese Pythons already in captivity and HR2811 made no provision for what would happen to all these very valuable animals that would become worthless overnight. Frank Vitello of Vitello Consulting pointed out that there was already a science based process of evaluation to determine what animals should be placed on the Injurious Wildlife list of the Lacy Act. He pointed out that what HSUS was suggesting was to avoid a scientific evaluation in favor of legislating science.


Following the meeting USARK was contacted and told of an agreement by committee staff to create an amendment that would limit the bill to the IMPORT of the Burmese and African Rock Pythons. Committee staff committed to work through the August break to work on how to create an exemption for the captive trade in the Burmese and African Rock Pythons. During the July 29th markup of the Full Committee we are told that Congressman Rooney will introduce the following amendment to HR2811:
AMENDMENT TO H.R. 2811
OFFERED BY MR. ROONEY OF FLORIDA
Beginning in line 6, strike ‘‘; of the constrictor
snake of the species Python genera’’ and insert ‘‘; of the
Burmese Python of the species Python molurus
bivittatus; of the African Rock Python of the species
Python sebae’’.



If we are successful in saving the Python industry there will still be a few "armchair quarterbacks" that will criticize our efforts. There is no guarantee that the amendment will be passed, but USARK has done everything possible, and will continue to pursue every avenue to protect the Reptile Industry. This bill is politically driven and is going to move forward with or without amendment. We are encouraged that the amendment was crafted by both majority and minority staff, thus it should send a positive signal to both Democrat and Republican Committee Members. We are hopeful the amendment passes. In either case we will continue to work with the bill sponsors and committee staff to further amend the bill before it reaches the House floor for a vote. We are appreciative that Congressmen Meek and Rooney, and the majority and minority committee staff favored our recommended changes and have committed to continue working with USARK as the bill moves through the legislative process.


USARK is also pleased to report that it has secured a meeting with the office of Senator Bill Nelson during August recess to discuss modifications to the Senate counterpart to HR2811, S373.

Click here to watch Webcast of House Judiciary Committee Markup (http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/calendar.html)

http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/calendar.html
Click here to donate $10 with dollar for dollar matching from Zoo Med (http://usark.org/donate.php)
http://usark.org/donate.php



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laurarfl
07-29-2009, 12:16 PM
YAY!!! I think, lol!

I haven't seen any other responses to this thread. Has anyone out there made calls or faxes? Just curious.

Angelrose
07-30-2009, 12:47 AM
<table width="775" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="3"> HR2811 Passes Full Committee

This Just in from the House Judiciary Committee Regarding HR2811 Markup:
The full committee has just considered H.R. 2811.
Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) asked that his statement be placed into the record.
Full Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-TX) mentioned the recent python related death and stated the bill was needed to prevent any further accidents. He announced his support of the bill about to be amended.

Bill Co-Sponsor Rep. Tom Rooney (R-FL) offered his amendment to narrow the scope of the bill to 2 "real threats" to the restoration of the Everglades. He added the bill was needed because of the still pending petition to add pythons to the Lacey Act... 3 years after being submitted to USFWS by the South Florida Water Management District.

The Rooney Amendment to include only the Burmese and the African Rock Pythons was then passed by voice vote.

The amended bill HR2811 was then passed by voice vote.

As promised by Committee Staff, Rep. Rooney's Staff and Rep. Meek's Staff, HR2811 was amended to limit the scope of the bill to only two snakes. Staff renewed their commitment to work with USARK over the August recess to hammer out language for an amendment prior to a vote on the House Floor allowing the captive bred trade of the affected snakes to continue. USARK is dedicated to making sure all the Burm and Afrock breeders will be able to continue to operate their businesses. We will work hard to preserve your place as a legal business concern within the Reptile Nation Family.

HR2811 had bi-partisan support and flew through the Subcommittee and Full Committee even with hundreds of calls and faxes opposing it. Fortunately, USARK was able to convince Committee Staff and the Sponsors that this Bill would be incredibly damaging to an entire sector of the economy if not amended. To their credit they listened. They had not heard our side of this issue before. It seemed to them a very simple bill. We illustrated our concerns and they understood it was not necessary to destroy the Reptile Industry over this issue. They did not have to listen. The votes were overwhelmingly there to pass HR2811 intact.
USARK would like to thank Congressman Meek and his staff, majority and minority Judiciary Committee Staff, Congressman Rooney and his Staff, Congressman Gohmert and his Staff, and Congressman Scott and his staff for listening to the concerns of the Reptile Nation and for working with us in good faith. We look forward to continuing to work to fine tune this bill through the month of August.



This is a real Victory for the Reptile Nation! This whole situation could easily have led to the end of the Reptile Community. Thanks to the hard work of the Reptile Nation we have turned a bad situation good. Animal Rights organizations can no longer slander us at will. Washington now wants to know where we stand on these issues. We are working hard to make sure they understand the realities behind what we do, not the fairy tales being bandied about as if they are fact. We now have a voice... the voice of the Reptile Nation! You are now being heard loud and clear. Thank you for all the support!
WITHOUT YOU THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE!!!





Click here to donate $10 with dollar for dollar matching from Zoo Med (http://usark.org/donate.php)
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