[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15106-15107]
[From the U.S. 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.

  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,

[[Page 15107]]

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:

       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.

                          ____________________