DU 75th Ann. in D.C. - CSF breakfast

Congressman Robert Latta

DU CEO Dale Hall and CSF Pres. Jeff Crane

Congressman Rob Wittman

When asked about traveling to our nation's capital to attend the 75th Anniversary events for Ducks Unlimited, I replied that I was deeply honored to do so. The joint breakfast meeting held with the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF) gathered elected officials and staffers, from hunting and conservation groups. for a briefing on current legislation. DU is joining CSF to lead the charge for the reauthorization of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) which has a sunset clause in 2012. The meeting was held in a conference room in the Cannon office building on Capital Hill, and with NAWCA funding down 26-percent over the last two years, sportsmen have reason to be concerned. But consider that federal and non-federal funding, have resulted in the conservation of over 26 million acres of wetlands and uplands since the inception of NAWCA grants. Dale Hall is the CEO of DU and he said that the nation is losing wetlands faster now than we were just five years ago. USFWS Director Dan Ashe said that all sportsman need to work with energy and enthusiasm to promote our outdoors and that NAWCA is very important to that ethic. Congressman Robert E. Latta from Ohio, who told me about his fondness for muzzleloaders and turkey hunting (not to mention BBQ sauce from the Carolinas), spoke of concerns for NAWCA and questions involving the EPA and the use of lead in bullets and fishing tackle. Congressman Rob Wittman of Virginia said that these few public dollars from NAWCA go a very long way towards the conservation of habitat, and that he wants H.R. 1960 to be passed by the 112th Congress. For more insight on the struggle in Washington to extend NAWCA, look for my feature article in the Charleston Mercury on May 3.

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