[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 144 (Tuesday, November 13, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6728-S6729]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013--MOTION TO
PROCEED
Mr. REID. I now move to proceed to Calendar No. 419.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid] moves to proceed to
Calendar No. 419, S. 3254, a bill to authorize appropriations
for fiscal year 2013 for military activities of the
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribed
military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
On page S6728, November 13, 2012,
The Record reads: . . . Calendar No. 419, S. 2535 . . .
The online Record has been corrected to read: . . . Calendar No.
419, S. 3254 . . .
========================= END NOTE =========================
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, we are going to complete work on this bill,
that is the one we had prior to the clerk announcing the Defense
authorization bill. We are going to complete the work on the
sportsmen's bill before we go home for Thanksgiving. People are going
to have an opportunity to vote for that bill, either for it or against
it. As I indicated, it is a widely popular bill. If Republicans want to
drag it down and kill it as they have a lot of other things, they will
have that opportunity to do that. We have more than 20 bills that are
important to sportsmen around the country.
As I said a few minutes ago, I cannot imagine why we are still
fighting the battles of the last election. We are going to have a vote
on cyber security. I spoke to the chairman of the committee a short
time ago, Senator Lieberman. He is going to come over tomorrow and give
a speech about the importance of this legislation. He and Senator
Collins have worked so hard to come up with a bill. They have
compromised and compromised and compromised until the point where
people are going to have an opportunity to talk on this also. Senator
Lieberman is going to talk about how important this bill is to protect
our country.
I left the White House an hour or two ago. They believe, the
President of the United States believes the cyber security bill is one
of the most important issues facing this Congress now--not next
Congress, now. I have said on a number of occasions that the Pentagon
and the intelligence community believe this legislation is vitally
important to the safety and security of our country. So before
Thanksgiving we are going to finish the sportsmen's bill. The
Republicans can either kill the cyber security bill--they have been
following the lead of the Chamber of Commerce, which is an arm for the
Republican Party anymore. It is just a front for the Republican Party.
They spent huge amounts of money that they get from unknown sources to
defeat Democrats. They wasted their money this time. But that is the
way it is.
They are opposing this bill for not any logical reason, and then
Senators Levin and McCain have asked to go to Defense authorization. I
think, if this bill is as important as they say it is--and they say it
is important--I know how Senator Levin and Senator McCain feel about
it--it looks like they would clear up some of this stuff that is
standing in the way of getting that bill done.
I think it is a bridge too far to complete the Defense authorization
bill before we leave, but we need to get on that bill. We are not going
to stall around on this and spend weeks on the Defense authorization
bill. I have told the two managers of that bill, Senator McCain and
Senator Levin, that is the case, and that is what we are going to do
before Thanksgiving.
I would like to get out of here so we can go home to our States, our
families, for Thanksgiving early, but if we have to stay here until the
day before Thanksgiving, we are going to do it.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that
the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Sportsmen's Act of 2012
Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I rise in support of the
Sportsmen's Act of 2012, which is Senate bill No. 3525. This bill is a
set of bipartisan proposals that enjoys overwhelming support in the
sportsmen's community, and I was glad to see it clear another
procedural hurdle just a short time ago. As the majority leader did, I
urge my colleagues to give it final approval as quickly as we possibly
can.
I wish to share some of the reasons why I think it is so important to
get this bill to the President's desk. As the name implies, the
Sportsmen's Act is focused on helping the Nation's 88 million sports
men and women. They want, more than anything, responsible access to
Federal lands and the conservation of critical habitat and species and
that is exactly what this bill does.
By dedicating 1.5 percent of Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars
to improve access for hunting, fishing, and other recreational
purposes, sportsmen will be able to make better use of our public
lands. By giving the States greater flexibility over the use of Federal
dollars to build shooting ranges, sportsmen will have more places to
safely sharpen their marksmanship skills and sighting their rifles for
the hunting season.
By reauthorizing many critical habitat investment programs--for
example, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the Federal
Land Transaction Facilitation Act--we are ensuring that sportsmen will
have places to continue our proud hunting and fishing heritage.
The benefits of the Sportsmen's Act of 2012 will fall most directly
on America's hunters and anglers, but outdoor enthusiasts of all
stripes will reap the rewards. By improving the outdoor experience of
all Americans, I am hoping future generations will more readily take up
our outdoor traditions.
I know my colleague from Colorado will join me in commending Senator
Tester for putting this package together. He has taken ideas from both
Democrats and Republicans to create the greatest legislative boon for
sportsmen in a generation, and that is why over 50 of the leading
sportsmen's groups in our country support his bill.
I am particularly grateful to Senator Tester for including a
bipartisan provision I authored--the Target Practice and Marksmanship
Training Support Act. This act will encourage the development of high-
quality public shooting ranges by giving the States greater flexibility
over Federal dollars they already receive for certain wildlife
restoration and hunter education programs.
Since these funds come from an existing excise tax on shooting and
archery equipment, this bipartisan proposal doesn't cost our taxpayers
a dime and instead simply helps those paying into the system--which are
primarily sportsmen--to get a better return on their investment.
Earlier this year, I asked our fellow Coloradans to tell me why they
support my efforts and why they would like to see more high-quality
shooting ranges, and I wish to close with some of their words.
Donald, from Pagosa Springs, CO, said:
We desperately need a range facility in our area to be able
to continue teaching our kids and those who are new to
hunting how to safely handle firearms.
From Gary, in Aurora, CO:
[[Page S6729]]
These ranges are not just a place to shoot. I cannot stress
this enough as we are seeing more and more clubs closing
down: We need more places to teach, enjoy and relax with
fellow shooters.
So in the spirit of those Coloradans, I urge my colleagues to support
the Sportsmen's Act of 2012 and put these bipartisan, commonsense
proposals to work for America's sportsmen as soon as possible.
I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that
the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________