Florida Panther
photo courtesy USFWS,
by John and Karen Hollingsworth
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Peregrine Falcon
photo courtesy USFWS,
by Craig Koppie
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Today is the day.
The House is voting today.
And you need to tell them how to vote.
Republican Representative Richard Pombo (CA) has introduced legislation (HR 3824) that would gut the Endangered Species Act and give protection to the industries that threaten our vital, natural heritage. Call your represenatives and tell them to vote "no" on Pombo's proposal. And it wouldn't hurt to call your senators as well, to let them know where you (and the majority of Americans) stand.
"Just tell me who to call?" you say? Fine. Here's a start:
202-224-3121 or 800-839-5276 Capitol switchboard
To find the telephone number of your representative:
http://clerk.house.gov/members/index.html
To find the telephone number of your senator:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Read more about why this is utterly, utterly important, and why your support is crucial...
At stake is our natural heritage, the rich legacy of a vast continent spanning open waters, estatuaries, prarie, tundra, temperate and tropical rainforests and more.
You can't save a species effectively unless you save the places it needs to exist, to breed, to nest, to migrate. You can't set aside a postage-sized animal reservation and think animals will start using that, instead of land they've migrated to for decades, centuries, or in some cases, perhaps millenia. And it's much harder to protect these areas without the ESA.
The Endangered Species Act is one of the best tools we have to halt the stampede of species off the cliff into eternal nothingness. It's been used to halt unwise development, support breeding and reintroduction programs, preserve wild spaces as well as help find ways for humans and wild animals to co-exist.
Since its inception, the Endangered Species Act has saved 99% of the species it has protected from being lost to us forever. It has given the very symbol of our nation, the bald eagle, a fighting chance to get back aloft. Although birds and mammals are probably its most charismatic species, the ESA also protects invertebrates, plants and trees, reptiles, amphibians, fish and more. For the current list of threatened and endangered species, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Page.
The ESA is one of the great success stories of our country. It was signed into law by Richard Nixon, illustrating that conservation is a non-partisan issue (for more, see the actions taken by the great proto-conservationist, Republican President Teddy Roosevelt).
Today, this great legacy could be mortally wounded, if the bill proposed by Republican Representative Richard Pombo (CA) wins support in the House.
Your call to action is today.
"Just tell me who to call?" you say? Fine.
202-224-3121 (Capitol switchboard)
To find the telephone number of your representative...
http://clerk.house.gov/members/index.html
To find the telephone number of your senator...
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
note: jalefkowit did a great diary on this yesterday...
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/9/28/141953/269
and followed up with another today...
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/29/111047/235
it really doesn't matter which one you recommend. recommend them both, if you like. the important thing is to get one of these endangered species act diaries up on the rec list, to get people to call.
here is a list of the (shameful) co-sponsors. there are dems among them, including sheila jackson-lee (!)
Rep Aderholt, Robert B. [AL-4] - 9/27/2005
Rep Baca, Joe [CA-43] - 9/19/2005
Rep Bachus, Spencer [AL-6] - 9/27/2005
Rep Baker, Richard H. [LA-6] - 9/27/2005
Rep Barton, Joe [TX-6] - 9/27/2005
Rep Berry, Marion [AR-1] - 9/19/2005
Rep Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [GA-2] - 9/22/2005
Rep Blackburn, Marsha [TN-7] - 9/22/2005
Rep Bonilla, Henry [TX-23] - 9/22/2005
Rep Bonner, Jo [AL-1] - 9/27/2005
Rep Boozman, John [AR-3] - 9/27/2005
Rep Bordallo, Madeleine Z. [GU] - 9/22/2005
Rep Boren, Dan [OK-2] - 9/22/2005
Rep Brady, Kevin [TX-8] - 9/27/2005
Rep Brown, Henry E., Jr. [SC-1] - 9/19/2005
Rep Brown-Waite, Ginny [FL-5] - 9/27/2005
Rep Calvert, Ken [CA-44] - 9/27/2005
Rep Cannon, Chris [UT-3] - 9/20/2005
Rep Cardoza, Dennis A. [CA-18] - 9/19/2005
Rep Cole, Tom [OK-4] - 9/27/2005
Rep Conaway, K. Michael [TX-11] - 9/22/2005
Rep Costa, Jim [CA-20] - 9/19/2005
Rep Cramer, Robert E. (Bud), Jr. [AL-5] - 9/27/2005
Rep Cubin, Barbara [WY] - 9/19/2005
Rep Cunningham, Randy (Duke) [CA-50] - 9/27/2005
Rep Davis, Artur [AL-7] - 9/27/2005
Rep Davis, Geoff [KY-4] - 9/22/2005
Rep Doolittle, John T. [CA-4] - 9/27/2005
Rep Drake, Thelma D. [VA-2] - 9/22/2005
Rep Duncan, John J., Jr. [TN-2] - 9/27/2005
Rep Edwards, Chet [TX-17] - 9/27/2005
Rep Emerson, Jo Ann [MO-8] - 9/27/2005
Rep Everett, Terry [AL-2] - 9/27/2005
Rep Faleomavaega, Eni F. H. [AS] - 9/27/2005
Rep Flake, Jeff [AZ-6] - 9/27/2005
Rep Fortuno, Luis G. [PR] - 9/27/2005
Rep Franks, Trent [AZ-2] - 9/27/2005
Rep Gibbons, Jim [NV-2] - 9/19/2005
Rep Gingrey, Phil [GA-11] - 9/27/2005
Rep Graves, Sam [MO-6] - 9/19/2005
Rep Hayworth, J. D. [AZ-5] - 9/27/2005
Rep Herger, Wally [CA-2] - 9/27/2005
Rep Hinojosa, Ruben [TX-15] - 9/27/2005
Rep Hunter, Duncan [CA-52] - 9/27/2005
Rep Issa, Darrell E. [CA-49] - 9/27/2005
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18] - 9/27/2005
Rep Jenkins, William L. [TN-1] - 9/27/2005
Rep Jindal, Bobby [LA-1] - 9/22/2005
Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice [TX-30] - 9/27/2005
Rep Kennedy, Mark R. [MN-6] - 9/27/2005
Rep King, Steve [IA-5] - 9/27/2005
Rep Kingston, Jack [GA-1] - 9/27/2005
Rep Kline, John [MN-2] - 9/27/2005
Rep Lewis, Ron [KY-2] - 9/22/2005
Rep Lucas, Frank D. [OK-3] - 9/27/2005
Rep Lungren, Daniel E. [CA-3] - 9/27/2005
Rep McCaul, Michael T. [TX-10] - 9/27/2005
Rep McIntyre, Mike [NC-7] - 9/27/2005
Rep McKeon, Howard P. (Buck) [CA-25] - 9/27/2005
Rep McMorris, Cathy [WA-5] - 9/19/2005
Rep Melancon, Charlie [LA-3] - 9/27/2005
Rep Miller, Gary G. [CA-42] - 9/27/2005
Rep Musgrave, Marilyn N. [CO-4] - 9/27/2005
Rep Neugebauer, Randy [TX-19] - 9/27/2005
Rep Norwood, Charlie [GA-9] - 9/27/2005
Rep Nunes, Devin [CA-21] - 9/27/2005
Rep Ortiz, Solomon P. [TX-27] - 9/27/2005
Rep Osborne, Tom [NE-3] - 9/27/2005
Rep Otter, C. L. (Butch) [ID-1] - 9/22/2005
Rep Pearce, Stevan [NM-2] - 9/27/2005
Rep Peterson, Collin C. [MN-7] - 9/22/2005
Rep Peterson, John E. [PA-5] - 9/22/2005
Rep Pickering, Charles W. (Chip) [MS-3] - 9/27/2005
Rep Radanovich, George [CA-19] - 9/19/2005
Rep Rehberg, Dennis R. [MT] - 9/22/2005
Rep Renzi, Rick [AZ-1] - 9/27/2005
Rep Rogers, Mike D. [AL-3] - 9/27/2005
Rep Rohrabacher, Dana [CA-46] - 9/27/2005
Rep Ross, Mike [AR-4] - 9/19/2005
Rep Ryun, Jim [KS-2] - 9/27/2005
Rep Scott, David [GA-13] - 9/27/2005
Rep Shadegg, John B. [AZ-3] - 9/27/2005
Rep Sherwood, Don [PA-10] - 9/27/2005
Rep Shuster, Bill [PA-9] - 9/27/2005
Rep Simpson, Michael K. [ID-2] - 9/27/2005
Rep Smith, Lamar [TX-21] - 9/27/2005
Rep Souder, Mark E. [IN-3] - 9/27/2005
Rep Sullivan, John [OK-1] - 9/27/2005
Rep Tancredo, Thomas G. [CO-6] - 9/27/2005
Rep Thomas, William M. [CA-22] - 9/27/2005
Rep Thompson, Bennie G. [MS-2] - 9/19/2005
Rep Thornberry, Mac [TX-13] - 9/27/2005
Rep Walden, Greg [OR-2] - 9/19/2005
Rep Weldon, Dave [FL-15] - 9/27/2005
Rep Young, Don [AK] - 9/27/2005
Rep Owens, Major R. [NY-11] - 9/22/2005(withdrawn - 9/27/2005)
thanks and cheers --
UPDATE
The Pombo bill passed.
http://www.earthjustice.org/news/display.html?ID=1051
Washington, DC-- The U.S. House of Representatives took a dangerous and short-sighted step today in passing legislation seeking to cut the heart out of the Endangered Species Act. The bill, H.R. 3824, not only threatens to eviscerate the Act; it could also set a precedent for the undermining of other vital environmental laws. The bill passed with 158 Democrats and 34 Republicans opposing.
“Today’s vote represents a rejection of the values held by the vast majority Americans: that we have a responsibility to protect all species and the special places they call home,” said Susan Holmes, senior legislative representative at Earthjustice. “This bill does so much damage to the Endangered Species Act that our grandchildren may never be able to experience much of the unique wildlife that defines America. If the President signs this bill into law, he will be sealing the death warrant for treasured American wildlife like the Florida panther, the California condor, and some Pacific salmon stocks.”
For more than 30 years, the Endangered Species Act has served as a safety net for wildlife, fish, and plants that are on the brink of extinction. H.R. 3824, sponsored by long-time enemy of the Act Representative Richard Pombo (R-CA). The Act has successfully protected hundreds of species from extinction, including the bald eagle, the Florida manatee, and the grey wolf.
According to a recent study in the scientific journal Natural History, just 22 of the 1,370 species listed under the Act have gone extinct. That’s less than one-tenth of the 227 species that would have gone extinct without the Act, the authors said.
“Rep. Pombo’s bill cuts huge holes in this safety net,” Holmes said. “If the Senate fails to do the right thing and reject this bill, America stands to lose hundreds of species of rare plants and animals. I don’t want to have to someday explain to my daughter why we let animals like the whooping crane and the southern sea otter vanish, and I’m sure most Americans would feel the same way.”
“The bill would create an unlimited new entitlement that would force hardworking taxpayers to write blank checks to big developers and corporations simply for obeying the law that prevents them from unreasonably wiping out species,” said Glenn Sugameli, Earthjustice’s Senior Legislative Counsel.
