[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 12 (Thursday, January 21, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       BIPARTISAN SPORTSMEN'S ACT

  Mrs. FISCHER. Madam President, I rise to thank and congratulate my 
Environmental and Public Works Committee colleagues on the Bipartisan 
Sportsmen's Act. This legislation will now join the Senate Energy and 
Natural Resources Committee's sportsmen's package that was approved 
last fall. I hope this legislation can now swiftly advance to the 
Senate floor for consideration and approval.
  As a member of the EPW Committee and vice chair of the Congressional 
Sportsmen's Caucus, I am grateful for the opportunity to work with my 
colleagues on legislation to promote our country's hunting, fishing, 
and conservation heritage. The Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act includes a 
broad array of bipartisan measures that enhance opportunities for 
hunters, anglers, and outdoor recreation enthusiasts by preserving our 
Nation's rich outdoor heritage.
  This bill also expands and enhances hunting and fishing opportunities 
on Federal lands by establishing a more open policy for recreational 
activities to gain access on public lands. The bill also provides 
States with more flexibility to build and maintain public shooting 
ranges, allowing greater opportunities for more Americans to engage in 
recreational and competitive shooting activities.
  It prevents groups from restricting ammunition choices, which would 
unnecessarily drive up costs, hurt participation in shooting sports, 
and consequently decrease important conservation funding. I am 
especially encouraged by the fact that this bill includes a bipartisan 
amendment which is identical to the Sensible Environmental Protection 
Act that I promoted with Senators Carper and Crapo. It targets the 
duplicative permitting of pesticides under FIFRA and the Clean Water 
Act.
  This duplicative process has created unnecessary burdens on resources 
for pesticide users such as private homeowners, businesses, golf 
courses, local water, and natural resource authorities, and of course 
the sportsmen's community.
  All across the country sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts utilize 
pesticides for critical habitat management by suppressing harmful pests 
and vector-borne diseases, which threaten outdoor activities of all 
kinds. Eliminating harmful and invasive pests is crucial to vegetation 
and ecosystem management.
  This legislation clarifies that the NPDES permits should not be 
required for the application of pesticides that are already approved by 
the EPA authorized for sale, distribution or use under FIFRA. These 
products benefit outdoor recreation enthusiasts by protecting and 
maintaining natural habitats.
  Another priority that I championed increases transparency for the 
Judgment Fund. This provision will help our efforts to track taxpayer-
funded litigation that impacts public lands policies. As my colleagues 
may know, the Judgment Fund is administered by the Treasury Department 
and is used to pay certain court judgments and settlements against the 
Federal Government. Essentially, this fund is an unlimited amount of 
taxpayer dollars which is set aside for Federal Government liability.
  The Judgment Fund is not subject to the annual appropriations 
process, and even more remarkably, the Treasury Department has no 
reporting requirements so these funds are paid out with very little 
oversight or scrutiny. This is no small matter, as the Judgment Fund 
disburses billions of dollars in payments every year. Since the 
Treasury Department is not bound by reporting requirements, few public 
details exist about where the funds are going and why.
  The Public Lands Council has denounced the lack of oversight of the 
Judgment Fund, stating that ``certain groups continuously sue the 
Federal Government and Treasury simply writes a check to foot the bill 
without providing Members of Congress and American taxpayers basic 
information about the payment.'' This kind of litigation can have a 
major impact on sportsmen and others who enjoy multiple uses of Federal 
lands. A GAO report regarding cases filed against the EPA showed a 
disturbing pattern where groups and big law firms are suing under the 
same statutes to push a political agenda through the courts. The 
legislation I introduced with Senator Gardner, known as the Judgment 
Fund Transparency Act, has been included as a provision in ENR's 
Sportmen's Act. It will bring these cases to light. Simply put, more 
transparency leads to greater accountability.
  Members of Congress have worked hard on the Bipartisan Sportmen's Act 
for the last 6 years. It is time for the Senate to take action. We have 
the opportunity to provide the sportsmen's community with the certainty 
that they need to allow important conservation work to thrive without 
fear of destructive Federal redtape.
  I am proud to be the vice chair of the Sportsmen's Caucus, and I look 
forward to continuing our work to advance these important legislative 
measures.
  I thank the Presiding Officer.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Will the Senator withhold her suggestion?
  Mrs. FISCHER. I will. I see Senator Blumenthal on the floor.
  I thank the Chair.
  Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Madam President, I thank my colleague from Nebraska, 
and I thank the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Connecticut.

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