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Hinchey-Bass Buffalo Protection Amendment Fails by Narrow
Vote
On June 17, 2004, U.S. Representatives Maurice Hinchey (D)
and Charles Bass (R) introduced a bipartisan amendment to
the 2005 Department of Interior Appropriations Bill to "prohibit
the use of funds to kill bison, or assist in the killing of
bison, in the Yellowstone National Park herd." Despite
the hard work of buffalo protection advocates and hundreds
of concerned citizens, the measure failed to pass by an incredibly
close 202-215 margin.
The National Park Service (NPS), whose insignia features a
buffalo, has slaughtered 498 buffalo in the past 16 months.
The Hinchey-Bass Amendment would have saved millions of tax
dollars while forcing the National Park Service to uphold
its mandate "to protect the resources unimpaired for
present and future generations." .
This was the second straight year that an amendment to prohibit
the park from slaughtering buffalo was offered. Representative
Nick Rahall (D) introduced a similar measure in 2003 that
failed by a 199-220 margin. The very close votes and the fact
that this year's effort garnered more support than last year's
show that the buffalo have a significant level of support
in Congress and that momentum is building for a Congressional
solution to the unjust slaughter of the Yellowstone buffalo.
See
News Article- 6/23/04-
Cubin backs bison slaughter by Jim Stanford, jhZone
Read
the Hinchey-Bass Amendment Floor Debate
View
the Hinchey-Bass
Amendment Final Vote Results- see if your Representative
voted for or against the Amendment. Give them a call
to voice your support or opinion. |
