Wetlands (HR 2421) Bill Gives Corps Control Over Your Property
New Wetlands Land Grab Hearing Set For Thursday, Dec. 6, 2007
Wetlands Testimony Deadline Thursday, Dec. 6, 2007 -- HR 2421
Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972 expansion of power.
Congress considering expanding the power of the Clean Water Act of 1972 to include all waters of the United States and not limit it to navigable waters as is currently the law under two Supreme Court Decisions.
This is a massive threat to all private property in America. It also threatens the use of Federal land.
Besides private property, it threatens grazing, forestry, mining and many other uses on Federal land.
You can watch the hearing on the Internet web cast at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, December 6th by going to:
http://transportation.house.gov - http://republicans.transportation.house.gov
If you have trouble with the web cast, call the Committee at: (202) 225-4472
You should send testimony again if you sent testimony for the previous hearing.
Below is the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. You must check to see if your Congressman is on this list. If he or she is, you need to be all over your Representative with white hot intensity as we said before. Call, Call and call again. Get your friends and neighbors to call.
HR 2421 is the biggest threat to private property since CARA and
actually affects far more land and people.
We call HR 2421 the National Wetlands - Land Grab Bill.
Its real name is the Clean Water Restoration Act but it has very little to do with clean water or restoration. It is mostly about land use control and expanding the power and reach of the Clean Water Act of 1972. )
What it really does is give the Corps of Engineers control over nearly all private property in America by changing the definition of "wetlands" under the Clean Water Act of 1972 vastly expanding the regulatory reach of the Corps of Engineers over private property.
Take the Testimony Questionnaire below, save it to your word processor, edit it to say how you feel, and then e-mail it back to the Members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee listed below.
Also e-mail it to your own Congressman.
This Testimony is for the new hearing now set to take place Thursday, Dec. 6, 2007. (Testimony is allowed for two weeks after the hearing.)
Your testimony will count for the official record if you e-mail or fax it in by Thursday, December 20th but please try to get it in by the Dec. 6th date. The location is room 2167, Rayburn House Office Building at 10:00 a.m. on Dec. 6th.
You may print out a formatted version of the Testimony Questionnaire that is below by going to www.landrights.org.
Urgent Action Required
Below we have created a Testimony Questionnaire for you to fill out and send to every e-mail address for Congress we have listed below for the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Be sure and send it to your own Congressman as well. You can call any Congressman at (202) 225-3121 to get the e-mail of a Member of his or her staff.
It is designed so you can simply save it into your word processing file, edit it with your comments, and then send it to the Congressmen listed on the Committee using your e-mail program. Be sure to edit out or cut off the parts that are not part of the testimony. We've marked them so read it carefully.
We agree with all the statements on the Testimony Questionnaire, but you don't have to. You can mark it Agree, Disagree or No opinion.
What is most important is that you fill out the blank space below the Statements with your own personal comments. You may get ideas and draw from the statements we have provided or preferably write your own.
The Testimony Questionnaire is rated at a much higher value by your Congressman if you write your own personal thoughts in the space provided after the section with the statements with Agree, Disagree, or No opinion.
So please, take the time to either borrow from our statements at the upper part of the Questionnaire or write your own. But write something in that blank space above where we have made a place for you to write your name and address toward the bottom of the Testimony Questionnaire.
Please send a copy of your Testimony, no matter how you feel about the issue, to American Land Rights at ccushman@pacifier.com.
Write in the Subject line: Copy of Testimony Sent to Congress. Otherwise we won't know whether you sent it to Congress or not. And we would like to know how you feel about the issues. You do not have to send a copy to us.
You have two weeks or 10 working days after the date of the original hearing on December 6th to get testimony in to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on HR 2421. Your deadline is Thursday, December 20th but please send it in earlier, by the 6th of December if possible.
If you receive this message late, send it anyway, as the Committee will often accept testimony late.
Testimony Questionnaire - Please be sure to edit the Testimony Questionnaire so our e-mail information and instructions are removed.
Committee Vote on the National Wetlands Land Grab Bill, HR 2421, could come in January or February. The official name is the Clean Water Restoration Act but it does virtually nothing for clean water and is mostly about land use control. It would greatly expand the power of and the amount of land affected by Clean Water Act
See Action Items Below.
Updated -- Committee Staff Members do change and we have corrected several additional committee e-mail addresses below. If you find an e-mail does not work, call the Congressman's office at (202) 225-3121 and ask for the staff person. Then ask for the correct e-mail.
Edit out all above this line before e-mailing this message.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Fax, and E-mail Deadline Thursday, December 20th, 2007.
Congressional Testimony Questionnaire
Testimony For Original Hearing Date December 6, 2007
(Please try to send by Thursday, December 6th.)
___________________________________________________________________________________
Testimony For The Record
HR 2421 -- Clean Water Restoration Act (National Wetlands Land Use Control Bill)
Honorable __________________
US House of Representatives
HR 2421, The Clean Water Restoration Act, is really a massive Federal land and water power grab. It will use "wetlands" to take control over every farm, ranch, and piece of private property with any water on it or even if the landowner only engage in activities that might affect water.
It expands the authority of the Federal government under the Clean Water Act of 1972 to include all waters of the U.S. and activities affecting these waters.
It will give the Corps of Engineers control over most private property.
In the words of Reed Hopper of Pacific Legal Foundation, lead attorney in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court victory, "...this bill pushes the limits of federal power to an extreme not matched by any other law, probably in the history of this country."
Below are my concerns and testimony regarding HR 2421, the inappropriately named Clean Water Restoration Act. It has little to do with clean water and is mostly about land use control.
Please allow this Testimony to be submitted for the record for any additional hearings to be held on HR 2421, the Clean Water Restoration Act.
Please consider a photocopy of this document as valid as the original and include my testimony for the official record.
Signature ________________________________
Print Your Name ______________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Private Property and Multiple-Use Advocate:
You must send your testimony in immediately. H.R. 2421 may come up for a vote in the House in January or February. It is imperative that you act now. The Clean Water Restoration Act may be the biggest threat to property rights and local control yet.
The bill would overturn two U.S. Supreme Court decisions that favored landowners and local government. It would give federal agencies and the Corps of Engineers in particular almost unlimited control over land, water and people.
Reed Hopper, lead attorney in the latest Supreme Court victory for landowners said "...this bill pushes the limit of federal power to an extreme not matched by any other law, probably in the history of this country. Jim Burling, senior attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation, said "If our constitutional system of limited federal powers means anything, we have to win on this issue."
It is important that you fill out the following testimony questionnaire and send it to your Congressman and all those Congressmen on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee listed below. It must be submitted by e-mail or fax by Thursday, December 20, 2007 to be considered as testimony for the record for the hearing taking place December 6, 2007. You have two weeks, 10 working days from December 6, 2007 to get your testimony in for the record.
You must try to get your testimony submitted by the date of the hearing -Thursday, December 6, 2007.
Please act on this as soon as you get this e-mail message. Do not put it off until tomorrow. Tomorrow may be too late. Supporters of this bill are trying to ram HR 2421 through before people like you know how dangerous it is.
Below is a Testimony Questionnaire for you to fill out and e-mail or fax back to your Congressman and the Members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the US House of Representatives.
Be sure to check to see if your Congressman is on the Transportation Committee. This makes your Testimony even more valuable.
Alert -- Be aware of the legal concept called "laches" or "sleeping on your rights." You may lose legal rights later if you fail to comment or testify on HR 2421. So at least send this Testimony Questionnaire and possibly a letter opposing HR 2421. It can be as short as one page or longer.
In the next section you will see a series of statements about HR 2421 that American Land Rights agrees with but you don't have to.
This Testimony Questionnaire is about helping you get your testimony to Congress. Your Congressman and the Members of the Committee want to know what you think. It is critical that you write your responses to the statements with your opinion and not what you think we would want you to write. You are free to disagree with us.
You can add comments to each statement or change the statements to fit your preference.
You have a chance to change the course of history on the whole "wetlands" or Clean Water Act issue by filling out this Testimony Questionnaire, writing your Congressman's name in the appropriate place, and e-mailing it to all the Members of Congress listed below.
We would appreciate it if you would send a copy to American Land Rights with the words "copy sent to Members of Congress in the subject line.
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-----Please edit this document in your word processor and e-mail it or print it out and fax it to your Congressman and the other Members of the Transportation Committee listed below. Your personal comments make this document more valuable. So be sure to fill in the blank space with your own personal comments or concerns below where the section is with the Agree-Disagree statements are listed.
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--1. The jurisdiction of federal agencies under the Clean Water Act of 1972 should remain limited to navigable waters and not expanded to include all waters of the U.S., such as wetlands, sloughs, meadows, intermittent streams, prairie potholes, ponds, playa lakes, mudflats and sandflats.
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--2. The definition of wetlands under federal jurisdiction should be limited to those areas that are permanently wet or free flowing.
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--3. The Clean Water Act 1972 should not be used as a tool for national land use controls.
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--4. The Clean Water Act of 1972 should not be expanded to include activities affecting waters.
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--5. The U. S. Supreme Court decisions of 2001 and 2006 that ruled in favor of local government and landowners should not be overturned by the proposed Clean Water Restoration Act (HR 2421).
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--6. Mostly dry land and isolated wetlands should be excluded from federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act of 1972.
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--7. The definition of pollutants under the Clean Water Act of 1972 should not include clean fill or natural material of any kind.
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--8. The term 'discharge' should not apply to the disturbance of soils or natural materials.
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--9. Citizens cited for violation of regulations under the Clean Water Act of 1972 should not face criminal penalties.
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--10. National Water Quality goals should be achieved without violating constitutionally protected property rights.
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--11. National Water Quality goals are best achieved by local and state governments, rather than by federal agencies.
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--12. National Water Quality goals should consider priorities and costs
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--13. National Water Quality goals should consider regional differences in landscapes and other ecological characteristics.
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--14. 'Regulatory Takings' that devalue private property should be compensated under provisions of the 5th Amendment.
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--15. Access to and use and enjoyment of public lands and waters should be guaranteed under provisions of the Clean Water Act.
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--16. 'Environmental' organizations have become too radical and have too much power and influence over federal legislation.
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--17. The Clean Water Restoration Act and other environmental legislation is often not about environmental protection, but about control over land, water, and people.
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
--18. Please do not give the Corps of Engineers increased power to regulate more private land.
Agree...Disagree...No opinion
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(Your written comments here are essential if you want Members of Congress to really pay attention to this document. You are free to use as much space as you need. But please write some comments below before sending this important document to Congress.)
(If needed, use additional sheets or attach a personal letter)
To validate your comments please fill in completely (PRINT or TYPE) and be sure to sign.
Signature_________________________________ Name____________________________________________
E-Mail___________________________________ Fax ___________________ Phone ____________________
Address_______________________________ Town______________________ State_____ Zip____________
Please do not fail to send this testimony questionnaire even if you receive it late.
Deadline for Fax, E-mail Thursday, December 20th. However, it is better if you send it by Thursday, December 6th, the day of the actual hearing.
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Please edit out or cut below this line before sending to your Congressmen and others on the Transportation Committee.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
HR 2421, The Clean Water Restoration Act, what we call the National Wetlands Land Grab Act, is really a massive Federal land and water power grab. It will use the Corps of Engineers regulation of "wetlands" as the pretext to take control over every farm, ranch, and piece of private property with any water on it or even if you only engage in activities that might affect water.
HR 2421 expands the authority of the Federal government under the Clean Water Act of 1972 to include all waters of the U.S. and activities affecting these waters.
In the words of Reed Hopper of Pacific Legal Foundation, lead attorney in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court victory, "...this bill pushes the limits of federal power to an extreme not matched by any other law, probably in the history of this country."
Original Hearing Date Thursday, December 6, 2007
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
James Oberstar (D-MN), Chairman
Your E-mail and Fax Testimony Deadline is Thurs., December 6th.
Please try to get your testimony in by the hearing date, Dec. 6, 2007.
The chief author of HR 2421, titled the Clean Water Restoration Act, is Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN). By Oberstar's own admission, the bill is intended to overturn two U.S. Supreme Court decisions that recently ruled in favor of local government and local landowners on Wetlands issues.
In both cases, the high court ruled that the federal government exceeded the authority granted under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, what is commonly called on Wetlands issues the Clean Water Act of 1972.
In the latest case, a Michigan landowner faced steep fines and a recommended 5-year jail sentence for moving gravel on his property, located some 20 miles from the nearest navigable water.
Reasons To Oppose Oberstar's Wetlands Land Grab Bill (HR 2421):
-----A. HR 2421 replaces the word 'navigable' waters under the 1972 Clean Water Act with 'waters of the U.S.,' including wetlands, sloughs, ponds, meadows, prairie potholes, sandflats, mudflats, playa lakes, and intermittent streams. This change vastly increases the land area covered by this Wetlands--land use control legislation.
-----B. Adds the new language 'activities affecting these waters,' essentially a thinly-disguised attempt at national land use control;
-----C. This bill is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Rep. Oberstar is attempting to get his way by using the popular political appeal of the nice sounding term 'clean water' and by using his newly gained power as chairman of a major 'pork committee' to intimidate the bill's opponents, including elected officials in his own state;
-----D. The bill is intended to overturn two U.S. Supreme Court wetlands cases (SWANCC, 2001 and Rapanos, 2006) that ruled in favor of landowners and local government;
-----E. In the later case, a Michigan landowner faced stiff fines and a possible 5 year prison sentence for moving gravel on his land located 20 miles from the nearest navigable waterway. If you do anything on your land without permission, you could be facing criminal penalties;
-----F. The bill is an attempt to control 'non-point sources' of water pollution, essentially any type of significant uses--farming, logging, mining, development of any kind, and even atmospheric deposition;
-----G. The bill will be also be used by environmental groups to restrict and prohibit uses of Federal lands and waters, including and especially motorized recreational uses;
-----H. The bill will result in endless litigation, unacceptable permitting delays, and will be a severe blow to property rights and local control;
-----I. There are serious constitutional concerns with the bill, and states should not relinquish control of natural resources to the federal government;
-----J. Many of the 17O co-sponsors of the bill have supported it because of the political appeal of the term "clean water", and because Oberstar's position as chairman of a powerful pork committee to intimidate the bill's opponents by depriving them of funding for projects in their home districts; and
-----K. This could be the biggest threat to freedom and property rights ever!! As Jim Burling, senior attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation said recently, "If our constitutional system of limited federal powers means anything, we have to win on this issue."
Action Items:
-----1. Check to see if your Congressperson is on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee listed below. If so, you need to call, fax and e-mail him or her with white hot intensity over the next two weeks.
-----2. Please call, e-mail and fax your member of Congress and ask him or her to oppose HR 2421, this new Federal power grab. You may call any Congressperson at (202) 225-3121. Ask them to write Members of the Transportation Committee to oppose HR 2421 and send you a copy of their letter.
-----3. The deadline for testimony for the record is Thursday, December 20th. You should try to get it in by Thursday, December 6th, the actual date of the hearing. You must deluge your Member of Congress with calls immediately. Get your friends, neighbors and business associates to call.
-----4. Call, fax and e-mail each Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in opposition to HR 2421. We have provided an updated and corrected staff and e-mail list below. Staff is always changing. If an e-mail does not work, call the staff member to get the current e-mail. Any Congressman can be called at (202) 225-3121. This is a little work and you don't have much time. Failure to defeat HR 2421 would be a disaster for private property rights and you.
-----5. Ask any organizations or groups you are part of to fax or e-mail a letter opposing HR 2421. Make sure they send you a copy and if you would, send us a copy too.
-----6. You can send testimony for the record to the following addresses. Hearing date: Dec. 6, 2007. This is the best date to get your testimony in. The deadline for the Committee to receive testimony for the official record is Thursday, December 20, 2007. Send your Testimony to both the Majority (Democrats) and Minority (Republicans).
-----Reminder -- Be aware of the legal concept called "laches" or "sleeping on your rights." You may lose legal rights later if you fail to comment or testify on HR 2421. So at least send a letter opposing HR 2421. It can be as short as one page or longer.
Address your testimony: (Committee Address)
Honorable James Oberstar (D-MN)
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
US House of Representatives
2165 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515.
(202) 225-4472
Because of the Anthrax postal inspections, mail to Congress can be slowed by several weeks. Mailed testimony will not get there in time. You are safer to fax or e-mail your testimony. The Committee fax number is (202) 226-1270. E-mail: transcomm@mail.house.gov
Be sure to e-mail it to the staff people listed below to make sure they get it in case any e-mail does not work. Call (202) 225-4472 if that e-mail address fails to work.
-----7. Call, fax and e-mail James Oberstar, Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee at his personal office. Honorable James Oberstar, House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515. Fax: (202) 225-0699. Send e-mail to Rep. Oberstar care of the following staff persons: bill.richard@mail.house.gov - john.schadl@mail.house.gov; chip.gardiner@mail.house.gov; meloday.hamoud@mail.house.gov; kipp.johnson@mail.house.gov; jonathan.rucks@mail.house.gov.
-----8. Call, Fax and e-mail John Mica (R-FL), Ranking Minority
Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Because the Committee Chairman, James Oberstar, is also the author of HR 2421 you may not receive favorable treatment of your testimony from him. Also send Rep. Mica a copy of your testimony.
Address it: Honorable John Mica (R-FL), Ranking Minority Member, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, 2165 Rayburn House Office Building, House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515. Minority Phone: (202) 225-9446. Minority Fax: (202) 225-6782. Send e-mail to John Mica and Don Young (R-AK) at the Committee care of: jon.pawlow@mail.house.gov; geoff.bowman@mail.house.gov; john.anderson1@mail.house.gov
-----9. Send a copy of your testimony to both your Senators. The Senate version is S 1870 and is worded exactly like the HR 2421. It is sponsored by Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI). By wording both bills the same, they are looking to ram through this bill fast before you get a chance to get organized. You must forward this e-mail to as many friends and business associates as possible.
-----10. Ask organizations or groups in your State to send letters by fax or e-mail opposing HR 2421. Especially those involved in farming, ranching, and anyone who owns private land. Get copies of all the letters or resolutions to all the Members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee listed below. Send them to ALRA as well.
-----11. Call your local representative of the American Farm Bureau to urge them to go all out against HR 2421. Ask to be put on any special mailing lists the Farm Bureau may be sending out. Send us the contact information, phone number and e-mail of your local American Farm Bureau Representative. Ask for a copy of a letter from the Farm Bureau to Mr. Oberstar opposing HR 2421.
-----12. No matter where you live, but especially if you live in Minnesota or better still, in Rep. Oberstar's district, it is critical that you notify organizational leaders as well as average citizens to have them send letters and pass resolutions to Reps. Oberstar and John Mica opposing HR 2421.
Also notify your state legislators and local elected officials. You should hold local public meetings and get as many people in your area as possible informed about HR 2421. This is especially true in Minnesota. Of course you should do this in other states as well.
There are 300 green groups supporting the HR 2421 and 171 Congressmen are co-sponsoring HR 2421 so far. Oberstar has said publicly that the House will pass the bill. You must help prove him wrong. He is twisting arms by threatening to withhold pork money for local projects, which he controls, from each Members district unless they support his bill.
American Land Rights Association is working as a team with the American Property Coalition in Minnesota and many other organizations across America to defeat HR 2421. You can reach the American Property Coalition at donp@americanpropertycoalition.org or mail:
American Property Coalition
161 St. Anthony Ave., Ste. 935
St. Paul, MN 55103
(651) 224-6219
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
Below is the fax and e-mail list of most of the Members of the Committee. You need to send your e-mail care of one of their staff that we have listed. You may call any Congressman at (202) 225-3121
Chair: Oberstar (D-MN) 42 Democrats
Ranking Minority: Mica (R-FL) 33 Republicans
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Minority (Republican) Direct Line: (202) 225-9446
Chief of Minority Staff - James Coon, (202) 225-9446
jim.coon@mail.house.gov--or ryan.boyce@mail.house.gov
Minority (Republicans) Fax: (202) 226-5435
Republicans:
John L Mica (R-FL) Fax (202) 226-0821 Contact: Brian Waldrip - brian.waldrip@mail.house.gov
Don Young (R-AK) Fax (202) 225-0425 Contact:Pamela Day - pamela.day@mail.house.gov
Thomas Petri (R-WI) Fax (202) 225-2356 Contact: Lindsay Bowers - lindsay.bowers@mail.house.gov
Howard Coble (R-NC) Fax (202) 225-8611 Contact: John Mautz - john.mautz@mail.house.gov
John J Duncan Jr. (R-TN) Fax (202) 225-6440 Contact: Ryan Temme - ryan.temme@mail.house.gov
Vernon J Ehlers (R-MI) Fax (202) 225-5144 Contact: Matthew Reiffer -matt.reiffer@mail.house.gov
Steven C La Tourette (R-OH) Fax (202) 225-3307 Contact: Tim Lundquist - tim.lundquist@mail.house.gov
Richard Baker (R-LA) Fax (202) 225-7313 Contact: Paul Sawyer - paul.sawyer@mail.house.gov
Frank A LoBiondo (R-NJ) Fax (202) 225-3318 Contact: Geoff Gosselin -Send to: jacob.sciandra@mail.house.gov
Jerry Moran (R-KS) Fax (202) 225-5124 Contact: Alex Richard - alex.richard@mail.house.gov
Gary G Miller (R-CA) Fax (202) 226-6962 Contact: Sandra Breitengross - sandra.breitengross@mail.house.gov
Robin Hayes (R-NC) Fax (202) 225-4036 Contact: Tommy Sevier - tommy.sevier@mail.house.gov
Henry E Brown Jr. (R-SC) Fax (202) 225-3407 Contact: Chris Berardini - chris.berardini@mail.house.gov
Timothy V Johnson (R-IL) Fax (202) 226-0791 Contact: Stephen Borg - stephen.borg@mail.house.gov
Todd Platts (R-PA) Fax (202) 226-1000 Contact: Joe Thomas - joe.thomas@mail.house.gov
Sam Graves (R-Mo) Fax (202) 225-8221 Contact: Paul Sass - paul.sass@mail.house.gov
Bill Shuster (R-PA) Fax (202) 225-2486 Contact: Stephen Martinko - stephen.martinko@mail.house.gov
John Boozman (R-AR) Fax (202) 225-5713 Contact: Kathee Facchiano - kathee.facchiano@mail.house.gov
Jim Gerlach (R-PA) Fax (202) 225-8440 Contact: Bill Tighe - bill.tighe@mail.house.gov
Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) Fax (202) 226-0346 Contact: Lauren Robitaille - lauren.robitaille@mail.house.gov
Kenny E Marchant (R-TX) Fax (202) 225-0074 Contact: Ryan Young - ryan.young@mail.house.gov
Charles W Dent (R-PA) Fax (202) 226-0778 Contact: Pete Richards - pete.Richards@mail.house.gov
Ted Poe (R-TX) Fax (202) 225-5547 Contact: Alan Knapp - alan.knapp@mail.house.gov
Dave Reichert (R-WA) Fax (202) 225-4282 Contact: Chris Miller - chris.miller@mail.house.gov
Connie Mack (R-FL) Fax (202) 226-0439 Contact: Francis Gibbs - francis.gibbs@mail.house.gov
John R "Randy" Kuhl Jr. (R-NY) Fax (202) 226-6599 Contact: Meredith Bircher - meredith.bircher@mail.house.gov
Lynn A Westmoreland (R-GA) Fax (202) 225-2515 Contact: Joe Lillis - joe.lillis@mail.house.gov
Charles W Boustany Jr. (R-LA) Fax (202) 225-5724 Contact:Terri Fish - terri.fish@mail.house.gov
Jean Schmidt (R-OH) Fax (202) 225-1992 Contact: Joe Jansen - joe.jansen@mail.house.gov
Candice S Miller (R-MI) Fax (202) 226-1169 Contact: Sean Moran - sean.moran@mail.house.gov
Thelma Drake (R-VA) Fax (202) 225-4218 Contact: Dena Kozanas - dena.kozanas@mail.house.gov
Mary Fallin (R-OK) Fax (202) 226-1463 Contact: Jeff Ringer - jeff.ringer@mail.house.gov
Vern Buchanan (R-FL) Fax (202) 226-0828 Contact: Max Goodman - max.goodman@mail.house.gov
Democrat Committee Members (We've listed only those we hope may be open minded.)
Direct line for Majority (Democrats) (202) 225-4472 Fax: (202) 226-1270
Gene Taylor (D-MS) Fax (202) 225-7074 Contact:Courtney Littig - courtney.littig@mail.house.gov
Ellen O Tauscher (D-CA) Fax (202) 225-5914 Contact: Paul Kidwell - paul.kidwell@mail.house.gov
Leonard L Boswell (D-IA) Fax (202) 225-5608 Contact: Susan McAvoy - susan.mcavoy@mail.house.gov
Tim Holden (D-PA) Fax (202) 226-0996 Contact: Keith J Pemrick - keith.pemrick@mail.house.gov
Brian Baird (D-WA) Fax (202) 225-3478 Contact:Hilary Cain - hilary.cain@mail.house.gov
Mike Michaud (D-ME) Fax (202) 225-2943 Contact: Kim Thompson - kim.thompson@mail.house.gov
Russ Carnahan (D-MO) Fax (202) 225-7452 Contact: Jeremy Haldeman - jeremy.haldeman@mail.house.gov
John T Salazar (D-CO) Fax (202) 226-9669 Contact: Eric Wortman - eric.wortman@mail.house.gov
Nicholas V Lampson (D-TX) Fax (202) 225-5241 Contact: Dan Easley - dan.easley@mail.house.gov
Zachary T Space (D-OH) Fax (202) 225-3394 Contact: Aaron Schmidt - aaron.schmidt@mail.house.gov
Bruce Braley (D-IA) Fax (202) 225-6666 Contact: Mike Goodman - mike.goodman@mail.house.gov
Jason Altmire (D-PA) Fax (202) 226-2274 Contact: Erik Komendant - erik.komendant@mail.house.gov
Timothy J Walz (DFL-MN) Fax (202) 225-3433 Contact: Meredith Salsbery - meredith.salsbery@mail.house.gov
Heath Shuler (D-NC) Fax (202) 226-6422 Contact:Sean O'Brien - sean.obrien@mail.house.gov
Nick J Rahall (D-WV) Fax (202) 225-3452 Contact: erika.young@mail.house.gov
Jerry F Costello (D-IL) Fax (202) 225-0285 Contact: christa.fornarotto@mail.house.gov
Harry E Mitchell (D-AZ) Fax (202) 225-3263 Contact: matthew.weisman@mail.house.gov
Christopher P Carney (D-PA) Fax (202) 225-9594 Contact: jeffrey.gabriel@mail.house.gov
Steve Kagen (D-WI) Fax (202) 225-5729 Contact: casey.frary@mail.house.gov
Steve Cohen (D-TN) Fax (202) 225-5663 Contact: marilyn.dillihay@mail.house.gov
Jerry McNerney (D-CA) Fax (202) 225-4060 Contact: nick.holder@mail.house.gov
Laura Richardson (D-CA) Fax (202) 225-7924 Contact: matt.chiller@mail.house.gov
You must take urgent action to help stop HR 2421. This bill will have a huge impact on rural America, farming, ranching and private lands. No one who owns private land is safe.
You can Join American Land Rights or donate to help the cause:
-----You can help the Land Rights Network and American Land Rights send more letters, faxes and e-mails to more people by joining or making a contribution online. Go to www.landrights.org and go to the homepage.
There you will find a secure link marked >Join< and also one marked >Donate< where you can either join or make a contribution to support American Land Rights. Thank you in advance for your support.
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To other organizations - You may edit out our request for funds if you feel you must in order to forward this message to your members.
We always urge members of other organizations to support their own organization first. If you are in a financial position, then please send support to American Land Rights to help defeat HR 2421.
It is very expensive to send letters, faxes and e-mails to the number of people we communicate with. So we can use all the financial support we can get.
The key issue is to get this Testimony Questionnaire in hands of as many people as possible by Thursday, December 6th. Please do your best to forward this message as widely as possible as quickly as possible.
Your help is greatly appreciated.
Chuck Cushman
Executive Director
American Land Rights Association
(360) 687-3087 ccushman@pacifier.com
Please forward this message as widely as possible. This is a historic issue.
It is incredibly important for you to forward this message. By forwarding the message, you can help get millions of copies of this critically important e-mail distributed. Thank you in advance for your help.
Land Rights Network
American Land Rights Association
PO Box 400 - Battle Ground, WA 98604
Phone: 360-687-3087 - Fax: 360-687-2973
E-mail: alra@pacifier.com
Web Address: http://www.landrights.org
Legislative Office: 507 Seward Square SE - Washington, DC 20003
The following was sent in confidence - so we skewed the names.
Point for forwarding: This is a perfect example of the many "Buddy's" out there.
Good Neighbor Committee
Good Neighbor,The following is the response from the Eco-Terrorist dude in the Texas Gov. who has a great deal of influence in all of the water issues.
Friend
Hi Friend,I am actually working on how this new bill affects water development projects that my agency funds. The characterization that this person gives to the new bill is the opposite of the actual occurrence. I note below that there is no evidence supporting the statement that this is a move that gives the Corps more private property. Actually, it further limits what will be considered jurisdictional wetlands, and removes a great deal of what has been considered waters of the U.S. My understanding is that it is a political hot potato, and if administrations change, as expected, new legislation may replace the existing legislation.
Take care, Buddy
Subject: Wetlands vs Private Property rights.
Buddy,
The following concerns pending Wetlands legislation and it's impact upon Private Property. What is your perspective on this issue?
Friend
yadda, yadda, yadda......bfd.......look at what happened to all the Sawgrass Rebellion effort and folks affected down south, then try to tell me nothing is going to happen here....the Corps STILL bypassed the SC Chicago water case and got the gov't. to change the definition of "Waters of the United States" as well as the definition of "Navigable Waters" by tweaking the regulations without legislative input..........and STILL took control over the private citizens' land and water system down there.......I had a front row seat on that effort and watched them do it as if we were behind a glass screen without any say...........r