ATTENTION ATTENTION  ATTENTION

Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act – HR 669

Last year, PIJAC testified on behalf of the pet industry in opposition to HR 6311, the 2008 version of the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act. That bill died at the end of the 2007-2008legislative session. A new version – HR 669 – has been introduced. HR669 contains many of the problematic provisions found in last year’s bill, plus even more restrictive provisions. PIJAC urges people to remain calm while the bill works its way through the process. A PIJAC Pet Alert will be distributed with more information and updates will be posted here. In anticipation of this new bill, PIJAC organized a broad-based coalition which has been holding periodic telephone conferences. As expected, there has been strong reaction to the introduction of HR 669; PIJAC is working to quell any panic until specific and unified action needed.

In the mean time, please note:

• PIJAC has been working this issue since well before HR 669 was introduced and has been tracking this process for almost one year.
• PIJAC has been meeting with House of Representatives staff responsible for managing this process, and specifically working on HR 669.
• PIJAC has been meeting with senior US Fish and Wildlife Service officials responsible for policy as well as implementation of the invasive species laws.
• PIJAC has created a Coalition involving trade associations and others representing a wide variety of potentially affected industries (i.e. pet industry, food aquaculture, zoos/aquariums, and game ranches).
• The Coalition is critically analyzing the bill; developing messaging points; and planning to develop a policy position paper.
• People need to remain calm throughout the process and to recognize that this is only the beginning of a long process.
• IT IS PARAMOUNT THAT ALL SEGMENTS OF THE PET INDUSTRY ARE PERCEIVED AS HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THIS PROCESS. IF PERCEIVED OTHERWISE, WE WILL LOSE OUR CREDIBILITY AND WITHOUT OUR CREDIBILITY, OUR COLLECTIVE AND INDIVIDUAL VOICES WILL HAVE LITTLE TO NO IMPACT.

PIJAC HR-669 Pet Alert

http://www.pijac.org/files/public/US_HR_669.pdf

HR-669 Bill TEXT

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h669ih.txt.pdf

HR-669 Short Alert

http://www.pijac.org/files/public/669_Short_W_Comm.pdf

House Committee on Natural Resources

Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans & Wildlife

http://www.pijac.org/files/public/US_Nat_Res_Sub.pdf

Please take action to protect your hobby and passion 

This is very criteria. It is important to get this out.

   Here is some information.
       http://www.nohr669.com/

   Nice video. Explains everything.
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FPfL212CB8

   Here is how the reptile people are handling contacting the relevent
committee members: (Al Winstel)

   Reptile Nation,

   I know that we are facing dangerous and confusing times for the
Reptile Community. Our end is upon
   us if we don't take decisive action to save ourselves. We have the
power to decide our own future
   if we will only wake up and do what needs to be done!!

   Thank you to those of you who have taken it upon yourself to take
action.
   I know it has been frustrating. Congress is not set up to be reached
by email. We have experienced
   broken links, constituent filters, blocks and deletions. But our
opponents at HSUS lobbying for the
   bill have faced the same setbacks; although they have shown up in
much larger numbers. As for the groups opposing the bill, USARK has
generated the most contacts according to congressional staffers. But we
must do much better or we will fail.

   I just returned from a trip to Capitol Hill. Our lobbyist Tom Wolfe
set up meetings with both sides
   of the Congressional Subcommittee considering HR669. We also did drop
in visits to subcommittee
   member offices to make our case. Support was split down party lines.
The Republicans support us and
   the Democrats oppose us. The Democrat side can win with a straight
party line vote. The good news is
   that since meeting with USARK the Ranking Republican Rep Harry Brown,
SC contacted me and has made this bill a priority. He has given us
precise instructions on how to most effectively contact the subcommittee.

  The Reptile Community must wake up or all will be lost. This is a huge
mailing list. Yet only a few
  are taking action to contact the subcommittee. If everyone on this
list did their part we would
  avalanche the subcommittee and make our point. We could kill HR669. We
need to get off our lazy asses
  and start writing and calling the subcommittee members. The Hearing is
on the 23rd of this month. That is all the time we have to save
ourselves from being completely destroyed... and make no mistake, if
HR669 passes the Reptile Community will be decimated overnight.

  Rep Brown's office suggests we focus on direct contact with
subcommittee members. That means written
  letters followed up by phone calls. They are telling us that email and
fax are the least effective way to contact members... they get lost and
deleted. We need to call and write. They are also saying to send the
letters directly to our lobbyist and have him deliver them in mass to
the subcommittee members. If you are focusing on other activities STOP
until after you complete this important task. Start calling and writing.
The Key is IN MASS!!! It has greater impact that way. The time is now to
fight for your life. We must convince several Democrats to oppose HR669
to prevail.

  This is what we need to do:

  Write a letter to each member of the subcommittee.
  Click this link http://www.usark.org/uploads/hr669sample.pdf for the
sample letter from our archive
  and names and phone numbers for committee members.
    Label each envelope w/ the committee members name and your name and
return address.
  Put all these letters in a large manila envelope and
  send to: Tom Wolfe, 6246 Lee Hwy, Arlington, VA 22205
  Call each member of the subcommittee- you will be speaking with staff.
Let them know you Oppose HR669.
  Be civil, but tell them how this will effect you and your family.
    Check where members are from. If any of the members are your
district representatives, or are from
  your state, make sure they know you are their constituent.
    If we are not annihilated by HR669 be prepared to do this over and
over again. From now on political
  action will be needed regularly to maintain our rights. If you have
not joined USARK please click the link on the bottom of the page and
protect