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Comprehensive Conservation Enhancement Act passes

Comprehensive Conservation Enhancement Act passes

By Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation

On Jan. 9, the Senate passed Senate Bill 3051, America's Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act, by amending the bill into House Resolution 925, the North American Wetlands Conservation Extension Act, which passed the House in late November 2019.

The language contained in the ACE Act was offered as a floor amendment to H.R. 925, where it passed the chamber on a bipartisan voice vote. Prior to the bill passing the Committee, the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation sent a statement for the record to Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus Members who serve on EPW in strong support of the bill.

The bill as passed out of the Senate contains a number of long-standing priorities for CSF including:
Sec. 102—Losses of livestock due to depredation by federally protected species: Establishment of a grant program to compensate livestock producers for loss of livestock due to federally protected species such as wolves and grizzly bears as the cost of losses that occur threaten the margins that keep producers in business. $15 million is authorized for Fiscal Years 2021 - 2025 for the grant program.

Sec. 104—Chronic Wasting Disease Task Force: Establishing a task force within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help combat Chronic Wasting Disease.

Sec. 106—North American Wetlands Conservation Act: Authorizes $60 million annually through Fiscal Years 2021-2025 for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.

Sec 108—Modification of definition of sport fishing equipment under Toxic Substances Control Act: Exempts lead fishing tackle from the unwarranted purview of the Toxic Substances Control Act and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Title II - National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnerships: Congressionally authorizes the National Fish Habitat Partnership and authorizes $7.2 million annually through Fiscal Year 2021-2025 for on-the-ground, fish and aquatic habitat conservation under Title III.

H.R. 925 now awaits to be scheduled by House Leadership for a floor vote.

Modernizing the Pittman-Robertson Fund for Tomorrow's Needs Act, another top priority for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, was included in the ACE Act as introduced and passed out of EPW, but this provision was removed after it was signed into law as part of FY20 funding agreement.

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