[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 69 (Thursday, May 22, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1014]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     THE SPORTSMEN'S BILL OF RIGHTS

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                          HON. SAXBY CHAMBLISS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 22, 1997

  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. Speaker, as vice chairman of the Congressional 
Sportsmen's Caucus, it is my pleasure to join in introducing the 
sportsmen's bill of rights in the House of Representatives. Our goal is 
to assure the same kind of access to Federal public lands and waters 
for tomorrow's hunters and anglers, that present and past generations 
of hunters and anglers have known.
  From a young age, I learned to value and treasure the outdoors. I 
have also had the enjoyment of passing this love of the outdoors onto 
my son and hope one day to pass it along to my grandson. I am an 
original sponsor of the sportsmen's bill of rights because I want to 
ensure that future generations will not be denied the opportunity to 
enjoy similar experiences with their families and friends.
  Government's involvement with promoting America's outdoor heritage 
dates back to the days of Teddy Roosevelt, and the sportsmen's bill of 
rights is a continuation of that relationship. This proconservation and 
prooutdoorsman legislation will strengthen hunters' and anglers' 
ability to hunt and fish on Federal public lands, while requiring 
Federal agencies to defer to State management authorities in most 
instances. Not only does the legislation encourage local stewardship, 
but it also maintains all current land management mandates and 
priorities established by law, so not to disturb current and successful 
conservation practices.
  The primary focus of the sportsmen's bill of rights is to restore 
equity to public land use by providing reasonable access to America's 
outdoorsmen and women. In fact, this common-sense measure will give 
hunters and anglers the ability to utilize public lands that all 
taxpayers should have the ability to enjoy. After all, it is our tax 
dollars that pay for the maintenance and upkeep of public lands--with 
much of that tax revenue being generated from sportsmen's activities. 
In my home State of Georgia alone, the expenditures of sportsmen 
account for $88 million in State and Federal tax revenues.
  By passing the sportsmen's bill of rights, Congress can send a 
message to the American public that the environment is too important to 
be left to extreme special interest groups or big government 
bureaucrats. This measure will unlock America's beautiful lands for all 
to enjoy, whether it is the type of folks who enjoy fishing with their 
children on a cool Saturday morning or those who can only go out once a 
year with their old hunting buddies.

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