Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act

Floor Speech

Mr. REID. Mr. President, it is no secret that the Senate, as of late, has been beset by partisan rancor and obstruction: one Republican filibuster and then another, and then another, and still more filibusters. That is why the legislation that is before us today represents a rare opportunity for the Senate to complete work on a bill that enjoys broad bipartisan support.

Senator Kay Hagan's sportsmen's bill is overwhelmingly popular with Democrats and Republicans around the country, and for good reason. Forty million Americans who hunt and fish stand to benefit from this legislation.

The sportsmen's package represents years of bipartisan work--years--combining some 20 bills important to the sportsmen's community. The bill expands opportunities for sportsmen, promoting an industry that contributes almost $200 billion annually to our Nation's economy. In Nevada, over 200,000 people hunt and fish every year. It is good for tourism. People come to Nevada to hunt for game, including antelope, elk, and bighorn desert sheep. We have wonderful fishing. We don't have a lot of lakes and rivers, but what we have is terrific. That is why fishermen come from around the country to fish in Nevada. To Nevada, it is a $1 billion industry.

I was talking to my friend Senator Bennet from Colorado and he said in Colorado it is a $4 billion industry. I would bet that even in a heavily populated State such as New Jersey there is a lot of hunting and fishing that goes on. It is good for the economy.

Senator Hagan's legislation promotes hunting, fishing, and recreation, all while fostering habitat conservation through voluntary programs. Because of her tireless efforts building bipartisan consensus, Senator Hagan's bill is cosponsored by 25 Republicans and 19 Democrats. This legislation also enjoys the support of more than 50 national sportsmen and conservation groups all over this country.

As Benjamin Disraeli, the famous statesman from Great Britain, said, ``The secret of success is to be ready when your opportunity comes.'' This bill is ready and the opportunity is now. After years of hard work by Senator Hagan and others, now is the time to consider and pass this legislation. But, as always, our success in moving this legislation will depend on the cooperation of all Senators in putting aside political games and petty disputes over amendments in order to pass a bill that will benefit millions of Americans.

This is a bill that is as much a Republican bill as it is a Democrat bill. So why should this bill be killed for procedural reasons? This is a bill they have worked on for many years.

I am hopeful that through bipartisan support we can get this bill over the finish line, as we were able to do with the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act earlier this year, and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act a few weeks ago.

I urge my colleagues to respect the hard work of those Senators who have put this measure before us and allow this matter to pass--and quickly.

Source