new law trying to pass HR 996

[Aquaticfan]

Well then lets act and get the ball rolling.

A couple of my other hobbies are high power rocketry and I have been into firearm shooting as a recreational enjoyment.

The rocketry hobby actually went through several different actions against the US government. The BATFE specifically and homeland security dept. Claiming our propellant is an explosive. We started a grassroots movement. Got several congress and senate members involved. Eventually the two rocketry organizations/clubs filed a law suit finaced by donations from people in the hobby. After a several year battle we won and rocketry was free from the regulation. Of course everyone knows about guns recently. They also know that currenty the big federal gun ban was shot down as well.

Things can be won. Bills can be shot down. But action must be taken. We must act in an organized but fast action. The best way to win is to get powerful backing. The higher the amount of backing the better it is. Id be willing to bet other big groups may help back the cause. Numbers and groups with political push power speak volumes.

While I understand why they want to try and create these laws due to the few idiots that ruin it for the many. The knee jerk overreaction to create stifling laws that would kill the hobby arent the answer. There are other answers. Things that we as responsible hobbyists should help advise our representatives on doing.

I know I won't sit by while dim witted uknowing burocratic people in our government who are supposed to be representatives of me and others try to create stupid laws that ruin life because they think they know better.

This doesn't make me fearful. It pisses me off.

Sorry for the rant.


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[Darkskies]

Hey everyone,

Here's a link I found that you can sign to oppose H.R. 996. I'm providing it below but you can also just go to google and type in 'oppose H.R. 996' and it'll show up as well.

https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/113/hr996

EDIT: I now found an even better link straight from HerpAlliance that you can sign to let Congressman know that you oppose this bill. There's an option for sending printed letters for greater impact(but it would cost 9 dollars otherwise it's free to sign) as well. I am providing the link below but you can search 'Herp Alliance H.R. 996' Google and select the third link as well. Let's try to spread the word and get as many people to sign as possible!

http://thereptilereport.com/no-on-hr-996-invasive-fish-and-wildlife-prevention-act/

 

[Aquaticfan]

Hey everyone,

Here's a link I found that you can sign to oppose H.R. 996. I'm providing it below but you can also just go to google and type in 'oppose H.R. 996' and it'll show up as well.

https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/113/hr996

EDIT: I now found an even better link straight from HerpAlliance that you can sign to let Congressman know that you oppose this bill. There's an option for sending printed letters for greater impact(but it would cost 9 dollars otherwise it's free to sign) as well. I am providing the link below but you can search 'Herp Alliance H.R. 996' Google and select the third link as well. Let's try to spread the word and get as many people to sign as possible!

http://thereptilereport.com/no-on-hr-996-invasive-fish-and-wildlife-prevention-act/

With doing the petition I would be sure to tell everyone you know to do so as well as informing your lfs and even writing the letter to your congressman telling them your stance and asking for their support.

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[livebearerfreak]

http://herpalliance.rallycongress.com/9645/no-on-hr-996-invasive-fish-wildlife-prevention-act/ sign the petitioin! anyone signing the act?

 

[livebearerfreak]

so far almost 175 letters/petition sent.

 

[Aquaticfan]

The link is only talking about Herpetoculture.. What about aquatic life?

 

[LO J]

Signed... Cause this is some BS man like earlier stated it only takes one to ruin it for the rest of us.

 

[Oscarowner84]

Signed it!

 

[piranhaman00]

Although I am a huge fish keeper something does need to be done about non native animals, not just fish, getting into the wild. If people keep screwing up this will eventually pass.

 

[ewurm]

Regarding HR 996, this bill is not the same bill as HR 669 proposed several years ago. I participated along with several MFK members in lobbying congress to stop that bill. This bill is different, in that it proposes a mechanism for the government to regulate injurious species individually by proposition to the director. In contrast, HR 669 proposed the banning of all non-native species and left the burden of proof of safety on those concerned. This bill leaves the burden of proof on those proposing that a species is injurious. I have several qualms about this bill, but I also like the restructured burden of proof.

My issue with this bill is that a species deemed "injurious" may not be injurious to all states and territories within the United States. For example, the introduction of piranhas or sting rays may be very injurious to Florida, but not at all to Minnesota. There is no reason why states cannot regulate themselves as it pertains to invasive species.

On the other hand, this bill places the burden of proof on the entity proposing regulation. This does leave some grey area, as providing evidence that a species can be injurious within he U.S. does not provide evidence that it can be injurious in all states. Even so, I do think that the federal government should have regulatory power to ban a species that would be injurious in most or all states if the states fail to act. For example, if there was evidence that a migratory bird could be injurious to several states, but one of them failed to regulate it, it could be injurious to said state and the surrounding states. The laws in one state do have an effect on another, as it pertains to wildlife crossing borders.

In summary, I this bill is not the equivalent of HR 669, but is it's mirror. I think that the provisions in the bill are reasonable, depending upon how they are enforced. We do need to better regulate invasive species, as our country is laden with sad tales of invasive pests endangering native flora and fauna. Even so, I doubt this bill will even make it to a vote in the House of Representatives. I don't find it to be a threat to the pet industry and I don't think it is worth our time. I will however, be monitoring the developments.