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Thanks again to everyone out there using the hashtag and transporting us to all the gorgeous places you’ve experienced on public lands for the latest round of our contest devoted to photos of beautiful scenery. Our guest judge Johnny LeCoq, founder of Fishpond and a pretty awesome photographer himself, considered all your shots of craggy landscapes and scenic vistas and selected a winner who will receive a brand new pair of Costa sunglasses—all the better to see with, as he frames up his next shot—and a Fishpond Summit Sling pack where he can stash photography AND fishing gear. Not too shabby.
And the winner is…
Eric Fisher (yep, that’s his real name) from Washington, D.C. with his “waterscape” image of Kokanee salmon swimming up Taylor Creek near Lake Tahoe, California! Fisher is an amateur photographer who grew up hunting, fishing, and camping, and says he’s never without his camera (or a fly rod.) He hopes to capture his enthusiasm for the outdoors and all of the beauty nature has to offer through his photos. Well, our judge was captivated by this shot, which proves that an unconventional angle can really change the scene. Way to go, Eric!
The TRCP’s scouting report on sportsmen’s issues in Congress.
The Senate and House are not in session this week.
The week off marks an uncomfortable interlude. Last week ended with turmoil in the House of Representatives when Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) withdrew from the Speaker of the House candidacy pool. As a result, Speaker Boehner has indicated he will now stay on until a replacement has been found. Until then, it’s back to the drawing board for GOP members, since Congressmen Paul Ryan and Trey Gowdy continue to refuse the promotion, despite their party’s encouragement. Rep. Ryan, in particular, is under intense pressure to reconsider his decision and run for the speakership.
The turmoil in the House significantly complicates efforts from Senate Majority Leader McConnell and the President to reach a budget deal that would set funding levels through 2016, maintain the solvency of the highway trust fund, and raise the debt ceiling before November 5. With Boehner’s lame-duck status and no agreed-upon successor, it is unclear whether or not Boehner can corral his restive caucus into supporting a budget deal in the time remaining. It certainly looks like McCarthy’s withdrawal from the Speaker’s race slightly increases the odds of a government shutdown when the current CR expires on December 11.
Let’s hope everyone’s brainstorming budget solutions (preferable ones that include reauthorization of LWCF and a healthy investment in conservation) back home in their districts.
This morning, a federal appeals court temporarily put implementation of the clean water rule on hold in all 50 states. Here’s our take.
“The court’s decision is obviously disappointing,” said Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “It sends us back to the confused implementation of the Clean Water Act that existed before the rule. What’s more, putting the rule on hold nationwide ignores the wishes of the seven states, and the District of Columbia, that have asked the court to support the new rule and the clean water protections it affords. Regardless, today’s ruling is only preliminary, and the court acknowledges the need for a new rule and the rigorous, science-based process the EPA and the Corps has used to write one. Sportsmen and women across the nation remain steadfast in our support of better clean water protections and are confident that, when the dust settles in the courts, the clean water rule will withstand challengers claiming that it protects our water too much.”
The House Committee on Natural Resources has passed the “Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act of 2015,” or SHARE Act (H.R. 2406), comprised of several provisions aimed at increasing opportunities for hunters, anglers, and recreational shooters. The legislation was introduced earlier this year by the bipartisan leadership of the House Sportsmen’s Caucus: Rep. Robert Wittman (R-Va.), Tim Walz (D-Minn.), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), and Gene Green (D-Texas).
“At a time when lack of access is one of the greatest barriers for hunter and angler recruitment and retention, we’re anxious to see a comprehensive and bipartisan sportsmen’s package advance to the President’s desk. Today’s action by the Natural Resources Committee is an important first step in that process,” said Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “It is critical to support improvements to public access, while also working to strengthen our investment in conservation—because access means nothing without healthy fish, wildlife, and habitat.”
Theodore Roosevelt’s experiences hunting and fishing certainly fueled his passion for conservation, but it seems that a passion for coffee may have powered his mornings. In fact, Roosevelt’s son once said that his father’s coffee cup was “more in the nature of a bathtub.” TRCP has partnered with Afuera Coffee Co. to bring together his two loves: a strong morning brew and a dedication to conservation. With your purchase, you’ll not only enjoy waking up to the rich aroma of this bolder roast—you’ll be supporting the important work of preserving hunting and fishing opportunities for all.
$4 from each bag is donated to the TRCP, to help continue their efforts of safeguarding critical habitats, productive hunting grounds, and favorite fishing holes for future generations.
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