Thanks for the important update, David!
As David notes, it is important to write to any Senator at this point. And
important to draft your own letter--even a very short one.
Here (and attached) is an example of a longish version from the American Bird
Conservancy:
"Dear [Senator],
As a bird enthusiast, I urge you to vote NO on any amendments offered on the
Senate Fiscal Year 2016 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Appropriations bill that would prohibit the use of funds to prosecute or hold
liable any person or corporation for violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act
(MBTA).
Gutting the MBTA could potentially deal a lethal blow to many of the birds that
Americans love and which are already in decline, like the Golden-winged
Warbler. It could also affect common species that you might see in your
backyard, like the Baltimore Oriole. Migratory birds play a key role in the
U.S. economy, supporting recreational opportunities that create jobs and
generate billions of dollars in revenue. They are good indicators of
environmental health and safety and also provide environmental benefits,
including pollination, insect and rodent control, and seed dispersal.
I urge you to stand up for the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and vote NO on any
provisions that would allow birds to be threatened, harmed, or killed freely.
Thank you for considering this request and helping to protect the millions of
birds across our country."
Dev JoslinMonteverde, CR
From: David-Aborn@xxxxxxx
To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [TN-Bird] Migratory Bird Treaty Act amendment
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2015 16:02:36 +0000
16 June 2015
This was just posted by someone in the ornithological community,
"I was just told by Hill staff that the Senate CJS appropriations bill that
came out of the full appropriations committee on 6/11 does not contain any
provisions pertinent to the MBTA or MBTA enforcement but that Duncan's staff is
pushing for the provision
to be included in a manager's amendment. That means that when it goes to the
full Senate for a floor vote, the person who manages the bill during floor
debate could propose it. A manager's amendment is usually a package of smaller
amendments so if any one amendment is important, they usually all go through.
They usually negotiate the manager's amendment in advance so it is almost
certain to go through.
Since this is an election year, there is a big push to get appropriations done
before the August recess so this could move extremely fast. It is therefore
very important to get everyone to voice opposition to their Senators.
FYI, the wind industry has not yet come out publicly against this bill; it has
not even denied responsibility for it.”
Note that while form letters are fine, they may get glossed over since the
people reading them get inundated with the same wording and talking points. It
may be more effective to draft your own letter, just keep it brief, stay on
point, and be polite.
David Aborn
Chattanooga, TN
Attachment:
Migratory Bird TA--ABC_letter_example.docx
Description: MS-Word 2007 document
