HR 669 Hearing webcast

[loganh83]

The subcommittee on Inslular and Ocean Affairs will conduct its hearing on HR 669 tommorow, April 23 at 10 AM est in 1324 Longworth house office building in Washington DC.

The witness list for this hearing was just posted today and the hearing will be webcast live tommorow morning. Just follow the link below. Testimony of all witnesses as well as all official testimony of non witness should be uploaded to the site below following the hearing.

http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=27&extmode=view&extid=246

Also, keep up opposition and continue to call/write this committe to let them know you are opposed to HR 669. This bill can die in committee if they let it. Contact info below.

Committee On Natural Resources
1324 Longworth Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6065




UPDATE:

Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife Legislative Hearing on H.R. 669 (10:00 AM -- 1324 Longworth)

LIVE VIDEO WEBCAST (http://resources.edgeboss.net/wmedia-live/resources/36401/300_resources-nr1324_080313.asx)
LIVE AUDIO WEBCAST (http://resources.edgeboss.net/real-live/resources/11459/32_resources-committee-on-resources-hearings_060530.smi)

[DucatiDragster]

Thanks for the link.

[loganh83]

Gonna be an interesting hearing.

[ewurm]

Thanks for the link, I'll be listening at work.

[Yanker]

Thanks for the link!

[loganh83]

I will be in attendance and gonna grab all testimony and documents available. If they are not posted online I will post them myself here.

[koop171]

Watch the webcast NOW.....


http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=273&Itemid

Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife Legislative Hearing on H.R. 669 (10:00 AM -- 1324 Longworth)

LIVE VIDEO WEBCAST (http://resources.edgeboss.net/wmedia-live/resources/36401/300_resources-nr1324_080313.asx)
LIVE AUDIO WEBCAST (http://resources.edgeboss.net/real-live/resources/11459/32_resources-committee-on-resources-hearings_060530.smi)

[ProblEmZ]

Watch the webcast NOW.....


http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=273&Itemid=


Thanks watching/listening now.

[nitrofish1]

x2

[nitrofish1]

so far its not looking good..... doubt the northern snakehead could survive in alaska....

[koop171]

If you're not watching this YOU NEED TO. they are so far bashing our hobby. a guy just tried to say that if unchecked the northern snakehead could get all the way up to northern ALASKA.

[nitrofish1]

If you're not watching this YOU NEED TO. they are so far bashing our hobby. a guy just tried to say that if unchecked the northern snakehead could get all the way up to northern ALASKA.
thats what i just posted about. yeah, so far they are making good points towards this bill. not liking it...

[koop171]

thats what i just posted about. yeah, so far they are making good points towards this bill. not liking it...


they are only bringing in people who are for the bill so far though no one against it. So it's going to sound good now.

[nitrofish1]

yet, this new israeli guy talking, makes the good point of prevention, not elimination. but is still for the bill :(

[koop171]

I'm not liking the fact that they will assume the species is bad untill the person who whats to bring it in pays to have the study done.

[nitrofish1]

ugh, ill advised pet owners.....

[nitrofish1]

AH! Bordallo..... the one who proposed this bill.... its great that she gets the say...

[swede]

Where's Steve Irwin when you need him?

(I know, RIP Steve)

[koop171]

AH! Bordallo..... the one who proposed this bill.... its great that she gets the say...



I'm not 100% on this but I think b/c she is the original supporter of the bill she can over hear these initial hearings. but I want to know who gets to choose who speaks.

i think Li needs to head down there if they have another hearing.

[swede]

This still is in the house..... still needs the Senate to pass it.

[swede]

This fish farmer isn't helping ..... he's speaking for himself instead of the rights of everyone.

[swede]

Should'nt they be worrying about the importing of HEROIN, or crack down on making it tougher to possess METHAMPHETAMINES???!?!?!?

[koop171]

the guy talking now the ranking member is On my good side.

[nitrofish1]

the guy talking now the ranking member is On my good side.
yeah he is. they r getting the point across that this bill is ridiculous.

[swede]

I don't even think they had these kinds of regulations in COMMUNIST RUSSIA!

[BPags52]

I don't even think they had these kinds of regulations in COMMUNIST RUSSIA!

:ROFL:

[koop171]

OMG no one knows what will happen in the transition period if this thing passes

[nitrofish1]

i like how they say they would give us time to euthanize our own pets b4 they become illegal.....

[Neophyte]

I am only able to half listen to this, are they saying that pets will have to be euthanized? I thought that what you currently have was allowed to live just not reproduce.

[swede]

I swear this tilapia farmer is going to shoot us in the foot

[SilkyPimP]

WOW im about to cry
why couldnt they do this to cat and dogs ;*(((((((((

[nitrofish1]

I am only able to half listen to this, are they saying that pets will have to be euthanized? I thought that what you currently have was allowed to live just not reproduce.
they wouldnt have to worry about them if the owners would euthanize them. its an umbrella effect over all pets except, cats, dogs, and goldfish

[ProblEmZ]

Anybody know if this is on television? Cable, Satellite, whatever? I gotta use this work pc's audio for work.

Keep updating if possible.

[koop171]

OMG no one that is directly related to this bill are living in the U.S. !!!!!! What the F***

[koop171]

They are not talking about the possiblity of getting rid of this bill at all. They are constantly saying that We will rearange the bill to make it work and they are talking about revisions. But not the totall denile of this bill.

they are screwing the hobby

[chefjamesscott]

the tilapia farmer is a good shot and he will be a very strong voice against this bill

bud saddly what I am hearing as an undertone here is CASH GRAB BY THE GOVT from pet owners via pemits etc...

[swede]

BIO_TERRORISM?!?!???!?!??!?!?!??!? this is insane!

[koop171]

I tire of these people who are from territories not states talking about OUR country. I'm sorry but if you don't have a star on the flag but have your own flag it's not your country

[nitrofish1]

the tilapia farmer is a good shot and he will be a very strong voice against this bill
no, the tilapia farmer is the voice of aquaculture, and is defending his facilities as well as similar ones that have permits etc.

i dont think australia is happy with its pet industry and all of its regulation, so its not a perfect example....

[nitrofish1]

not sure of how much more of this i can watch....

[nitrofish1]

yeah im not laughing like they are....

[chefjamesscott]

that ms bordallo lady is an oldmaid who really should not be in such a position of power in this matter

from what I just watched things do not bode well for you guys there

here's a crazy thing

a student activist on campus here came in and told me of a very similar thing the govt here in canada is trying to sneak in that they have not publicized, I am waiting for him to give me the info on it

[SilkyPimP]

so when do the senate really vote?

[koop171]

They are pushing hard to get this thing passed and just adjust the bill to make it fit. they need to At least agree that the bill has a possiblity to fail.

[nitrofish1]

well thats just great.....

[koop171]

Well that was it. 2 hours of people that don't even live In the US telling us we have to make invasive species. We need a voice from the aquarium hobby to talk if they would allow it.

[swede]

this wouldn't be as harsh if they had reasonable people adjust it so that maybe it would just make it ore difficult for irresponsible people to have species that could cause problems. Just have people get permits like a fishing license or whatever. grandfather in those that have the pets and people trying to get into keeping such animal should have to go to a class about being responsible with non-native species. Thats what has ruined it really ..... people that think a pet would be cool, don't know anything about care, and then release it to the wild when they are sick of it. People like that need to be weeded out somehow. Its not the species, its the manner they are cared for and housed.

[Neophyte]

No sir I don't like it!

Why do these territories of the U.S. that don't even appear on the U.S. map able to decide laws/regulations of the country as a whole?

[swede]

I really think people like that lady that had the chimp that went crazy and ripped her friend's face off in CT are the type of animal keepers that make politicians want to make bills like this one. Too many people act stupid with animals and ruin it for all of us. Like the people that think its awesome to hand feed wild bears human food. Then they lash out at the wildlife when the bears link humans to food and end up ripping apart the minivan (or the humans). Its not the fault of the animals. If you could only prove how responsible you are to the government, this stupid bill could be annulled

[ceeej31]

i cant watch it because im at school, is it over?, was it passed?

[Neophyte]

@ceeej31:

This was only the hearing of it to discuss possible ramifications and to get opinions out.

[ceeej31]

@ceeej31:

This was only the hearing of it to discuss possible ramifications and to get opinions out.
so, it has not gone to the senate yet?

[OddBaller]

Madeleine Bordallo looked so pretty with her pearl necklace and earrings.... i wonder if they were aquacultured or imported?

[CichlaRyan]

i cant view it says its program your tryin to view is unable?? oh man the tensions up!!

[benzjamin13]

It's over.

[nitrofish1]

it was pretty much passed by the sub-committee. it definitely wasnt shot down ill tell you that. aquaculture wants to be grandfathered in while everyone else is out.

what i dont understand is how in the beginning they said theyd give us time to get our animals euthanized, but then at the end said that already pet-owners wouldnt have to put down their pets.

it was a one-sided argument that had no intentions of being shot down.

[swede]

yeah that stupid tilapia farmer only cared about his business and threw hobbyists under the bus (he said in so many words that his practices are safe, never had an escape or release to the wild, but species like snakeheads, etc. are a different story). Honestly though, with the times were in economically and otherwise, you really wanna mess with what brings people joy and for some, even pays at least some if not all of their bills?

[Neophyte]

Time to start up rubbermaid tanks and buy as much as I can! I wonder how much I can sell platies for after the ban.


America: land of the free...to work until you die and for every thing else there is a law to make sure the only thing you are free to do is work until you die.

[swede]

:shakehead :headshake :shocked: :bs: :wall: :angryfire :swear: I am beyond words

[nitrofish1]

hope the cops dont want to check my filter for fish. theyll be in there until they leave the house...

[SilkyPimP]

but i cant keep my breeding pairs in the same tank anymore cuz they might breed?
i dont understand its like they went back on what they said at the start

[soupy1977]

I can hear it now.

Chief of Police
Men I don't want you to crack down on Speeders, Meth Labs, Rapist, Killers, etc. I want you going door to door to collect FISH!!!!! There just isn't any place in our great country for these lawless pet owners. Round them up and we will put them in camps.

Police Officer
Sir that sounds alot like Nazi Germany.

Police Chief
(Smiles dreamily) *sighs* Ah the good ol' days.

Police Officer
Excuse me sir????

Police Chief
Don't you have work to do?!? (snaps his boot heals together and high steps out of the office)

Police Officer
Well perhaps I won't mention my daughters new guppies to anyone.(rushes home to hide his daughter and her guppies in the attic)

[Joshmac8]

This pure bullshiet, This thing better not pass! I don't think i could kill my fish....on purpose lol

[neoprodigy]

If you missed it ... check this thread --> HR669 Hearning Video , April 23, 2009 (http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=236951)

[BPags52]

This pure bullshiet, This thing better not pass! I don't think i could kill my fish....on purpose lol


Stupid laws are made to be broken.

[sesquipedalianis]

i was reading this earlier and it explained some stuff.. now they have changed the rules now that the game in in play..idk

it says here .. that you can keep your fish you owned before the ban, if ....you have the receipt or written statement saying you bought he fish before the ban..

ill just have to get hauled off to fishy jail..because i cant kill my fish... i refuse to..

here is the link to a page of answered questions and a place yall can ask more..

http://www.govtrack.us/users/questions.xpd?topic=bill:h111-669

[polish]

This sucks.

[devder1]

This sucks.
did we lose?

[polish]

No I don't think anything is final yet but it doesn't look good from reading what everyone wrote about the video.

[Allan01230]

A comitee has the bill now. They will try to decide how the text will be written and if and when it will go for votes, keep writing your reps people.

[loganh83]

I attended the hearing and the vibe was negative. We have not lost yet but they seem adamant to push this bill through. The theme of the hearing was invasives are costly to the economy and we absolutely have to do something. The problem however is that US Fish and Wildlife does not have the budget or man power to review every species as is suggested in the bill text. Mr Frazier of USFWS stated that this undertaking is a "daunting task" and that there are three major flaws with the bill. 1. This is too much workload. 2. Enforcibility is a problem 3. He already has a lack of funding and staffing.

Dr Lodge, an ecologist stated there are "substantial hurdles" and that scientist don't have "all the tools available" for this undertaking.

Mr. Nemtzov, of Isreal talked about Isreal's system which is very similar to the one proposed by HR 669. He said Isreal has a risk management system where NO species is allowed unless it is first approved by the government. The cost of the analysis is paid by the first person who seeks to import each species, usually around $150 each. He also stated in his powerpoint that customers entering pet stores do not care which species they purchase...They only ask for a parrot/snake/turtle. This is blatenly wrong.

Mr. Riley of Arizona fish and game stated that each state should decide how to manage invasives within thier own borders without federal mandates. He also pointed out the difficulty in determing the dangers posed by each species across the varying ecotypes of our country.

Mr. Martin, a tilapia farmers main point was the bill was too broad and needed to be more narrowly focused.

Finally, Mr Meyers, a rep of the pet industry joint action committee stated that over 1/3 of americans own non-native species. He also said we need ot fix the current system and not enact new laws. He said the bill is not strategic and its timeline of 4 years for the analysis of each species is too long to be effective. He also pointed out how the bill undermines states rights and what the economic impact would be on the multi-billion dollar pet industry. Lastly he said that a one size fits all aproach is set up for failure.

[nitrofish1]

i agree with mr. riley's point the most, as some of those systems are already set up.

[loganh83]

i agree with mr. riley's point the most, as some of those systems are already set up.

As do I.

[Joshmac8]

I refuse to get rid of my fish also, this is just silly.......I don't know about everyone else but i have put far too much time,effort, and money into this hobby i love so much!

[krichardson]

When did Isarael become a U.S. territory?This guy stands up and runs his mouth about what goes on in his far off country,I thought that they had a little more to concern themselves with than which pets their citizens should be allowed to keep.

[nitrofish1]

When did Isarael become a U.S. territory?This guy stands up and runs his mouth about what goes on in his far off country,I thought that they had a little more to concern themselves with than which pets their citizens should be allowed to keep.
they r talking to that guy cuz what they do in israel is what they r trying to do here with hr669. yet, they made the point that israel is 8 million ppl, america is much larger.

[swede]

This is the same country that went to Iraq, and toppled Saddam Hussein in the name of freedom and democracy..... and then they decide a few years later to dictate what we can have for pets? I call shenanigans.

[velanarris]

Yeah we toppled Hussein because he threatened to sink oil tankers into the Suez canal, thereby cutting off the majority of the world's oil and causing utter chaos in all of our trade partners. We did not go there for freedom and democracy.

[Lupin]

No political debates outside HR669 please, folks.

[Joshmac8]

I got a letter from my state rep Tom Latham today thanking me for voiceing my opinion and will definatley look more into this bill. Each of us just needs to stay positive and keep fighting against HR 669. The war isn't over everyone!

[swede]

I was just trying to show the hypocrisy of the hr669 when i spoke of the middle east. this country prides itself on freedom in so many ways, and then they think they should take away what we have as companions and pets?

[Tom]

Oh boy

[Lupin]

I was just trying to show the hypocrisy of the hr669 when i spoke of the middle east. this country prides itself on freedom in so many ways, and then they think they should take away what we have as companions and pets?
Still no excuse to start a political debate. Before you know it, we have about 3-4 pages of long winded political drama upstage here. Thanks for citing an example but we don't need it here.

[swede]

really, i'm not even into politics and i wasn't trying to start anything.

[Cholly]

One of the things that really honk me off is the Northern Snakehead, it was not brought in as a pet, it was brought in as a food fish, "poor man's lobster". Yet they keep holding it up as an example, while all 22 species were banned in 2004, instead of the 2 that can survive in northern waters. They have already gone overboard, this is just frosting on the cake.

[Tongue33]

That's it!! I am moving to Japan!

[Drew'n'Kylene]

"no, the tilapia farmer is the voice of aquaculture, and is defending his facilities as well as similar ones that have permits etc.

i dont think australia is happy with its pet industry and all of its regulation, so its not a perfect example...."

I feel bad for all you guys atm. In a way I'm happy with our laws against invasive species, but it's wrong for someone in authority to tell you to get rid of your snake heads because of the other minority of owners couldn't house them and were sold to them by ill advised people.

[Allan01230]

One of the things that really honk me off is the Northern Snakehead, it was not brought in as a pet, it was brought in as a food fish, "poor man's lobster". Yet they keep holding it up as an example, while all 22 species were banned in 2004, instead of the 2 that can survive in northern waters. They have already gone overboard, this is just frosting on the cake.
Yes I agree with you on the snakehead. About 10 years ago I had some of the dwarf "channa" snakehead species. My 50 breeders heater failed and the temp went down to about 65 degrees one night. I am in Michigan and it does get cold anyhow all dwarf snakeheads died at 65 degrees. Ever swim in Lake Superior in July? BBBBrrrrrrr! Don't even think the Northern snakehead would last long in Superior in the wintertime.

[Cholly]

Actually, I jumped into not Lake Superior, but Lake Michigan off of Soldier Pier in Chicago at 12:01AM Jan. 1, 1981. I also have three witnesses that swear I ran on water back to the dock. Jack Daniels can persuade you to do some very stupid things... But there are fish that do survive, the Northern Snakehead may be one. 20 of the remaining 21 can't though. They're still banned in all 50 states.

[Allan01230]

Actually, I jumped into not Lake Superior, but Lake Michigan off of Soldier Pier in Chicago at 12:01AM Jan. 1, 1981. I also have three witnesses that swear I ran on water back to the dock. Jack Daniels can persuade you to do some very stupid things... But there are fish that do survive, the Northern Snakehead may be one. 20 of the remaining 21 can't though. They're still banned in all 50 states.
Dude Lake Michigan is a sauna. You gotta jump in Superior with Jack Daniels. LOL