Sportsmen's Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to speak on
the Sportmen's Act of 2015, and I will start out by acknowledging the great
work by the chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee,
Senator Murkowski of Alaska, who has been a great partner in quickly
moving this legislation forward.

The Sportsmen's Act of 2015 is gaining new momentum and earning
widespread bipartisan support from both sides of the aisle, from the
east coast to the west coast and, frankly, everywhere in between.
Improving access for hunters and anglers, restoring wildlife habitat,
and protecting the way of life that so many of us cherish are things we
can all agree on because as Americans we all have a unique and deep
connection to the outdoors.

The Sportmen's Act of 2015 includes a broad array of bipartisan
measures to enhance opportunities for hunters, anglers, and outdoor
recreation enthusiasts. It reauthorizes key conservation programs,
improves access to our public lands, and helps boost the outdoor
recreation economy. Hunting is a way of life for me and for many
families across this great Nation,

Similar to many New Mexicans, my 11-year-old son and I went out
hunting on public land last fall. The bull elk we brought home will
feed our family for most of the coming year, but more importantly the
experience of backpacking into the Sangre de Cristos and Carson
National Forest, sleeping on the ground, and hearing the elk bugle all
around us will feed my son's imagination for decades to come.

The Sportmen's Act will help ensure that American families can pass
on these outdoor traditions year after year and for generations to
come.

When I travel around New Mexico and talk with sportsmen and
sportswomen, their No. 1 issue is access, and that is why I am so
pleased that a provision I have been championing to unlock countless
public lands is included in this package. Public lands, such as the
Gila Wilderness, Valles Caldera National Preserve, and the Rio Grande
del Norte National Monument are some of the most special places to hunt
and fish left on the planet.

The HUNT Act directs all Federal public land management agencies to
identify our shared lands where hunting and fishing and outdoor
recreation are permitted but where access is nonexistent or
significantly restricted and develop plans to provide that access.

Additionally, a provision led by my colleague, Montana Senator Jon
Tester, is also included in this bill to require a percentage of our
annual Land and Water Conservation Funds to be made available to
improve recreational access to difficult-to-reach public lands.

Among many other bipartisan, pragmatic efforts to enhance
opportunities for hunters and anglers, the Sportsmen's Act would
reauthorize NAWCA, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the Federal Land Transaction
Facilitation Act.

It is clear these efforts increase and reaffirm our country's
commitment to the conservation of fish and wildlife habitat, but they
are just as important for the future of our economy across the West.

Nationally, according to the Outdoor Industry Association, more than
140 million Americans either make their living off the outdoors or make
outdoor activity a priority in their daily lives. When they do that,
they end up spending $646 billion on outdoor recreation, resulting in
quality jobs for another 6.1 million Americans.

In my home State of New Mexico--a small State with just 2 million
people--outdoor recreation generates more than $6 billion a year. It
provides 68,000 jobs and $1.7 billion in wages and annual salaries.

A survey done recently by New Mexico Game and Fish found that
sportsmen alone spend more than $613 million per year in our State.
This boost to our economy is felt by business owners, outfitter guides,
hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and the entire local community--
especially in our rural communities. The truth is our deep connection
to the outdoors is part of the American experience and it is part of
our heritage and culture in the West. It is something we learn from our
mothers and fathers and pass down to our sons and our daughters.

The Sportmen's Act will help protect that heritage and ensure it
continues for generations to come.

I thank the Presiding Officer for indulging me, and I suggest the
absence of a quorum.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source