[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 5, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E165]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SPORTSMEN'S HERITAGE AND RECREATIONAL ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2013

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                               speech of

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 4, 2014

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3590) to 
     protect and enhance opportunities for recreational hunting, 
     fishing, and shooting, and for other purposes:
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, our nation's public lands have always 
required balanced management for a variety of uses for the American 
people. And while I am pleased to see a public lands bill on the Floor 
of this House that acknowledges uses beyond oil and gas drilling, I 
regret that it once again fails to meet the balance necessary to 
responsibly manage our lands for generations to come.
  I don't think there is any disagreement in the House over the 
importance of outdoor recreation on public lands. More than 75 percent 
of federal lands are open to hunting, fishing, and recreational 
shooting. However, in order to ensure that these areas are available 
for the future, all uses must be balanced with conservation. And 
today's bill would override critical environmental protections while 
depriving hunters and fisherman from offering input on land use 
decisions.
  The bill also replaces the only federal advisory committee with a 
voice for the hunting community with a new council, removing 
representation from hunting outreach and education groups and sportsmen 
and sportswomen at-large in favor of representatives from the firearms, 
ranching, and agriculture industries. Finally, it would allow for guns 
at certain Army Corps facilities, without exemption for public safety 
or national security concerns.
  I have joined with Mr. Holt and members of the House Sustainable 
Energy and Environment Caucus to offer an amendment to this bill to 
clarify that the Secretary of Interior has the authority to plan for a 
changing climate, which poses a real threat to outdoor recreation 
through sea level rise, drought, and wildfire. It will also lead to 
changes in hunting seasons, migratory patterns, and invasive species 
populations. While we should be taking action here in Congress to 
address climate change and its impacts on recreational hunting and 
fishing, this amendment ensures that we don't limit the Secretary's 
ability to plan for these developments. I urge my colleagues to support 
it.
  While there are parts of this bill that would get unanimous support 
from the House, it contains deeply flawed provisions that jeopardize 
the condition of public lands. I urge my colleagues to reject it and 
work on a consensus bill that guarantees recreational opportunities for 
generations of American sportsmen and women.

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