tkwalker
05-21-2014, 09:16 PM
The actual release is at the bottom of the page ... Here is Rick Duty's comments ... <'TK><
Yesterday, the latest critical vote was actually a motion to suspend the rules, and formally agree to the Conference Committee Report that irons out the differences between the House (H.R. 3080) and Senate (S. 601) versions of the same bill. The House passed the Conference Committee’s recommendation to align with the Senate by a vote of 412 yeas to 4 nays.
Assuming a complete victory, and the President signs the bill into law within days; as stewards of our resources, we’ll need to maintain a watchful eye on the Corps, and make sure that the language of section 2058, of the Water Resources Development Act, remains intact when the nation’s water resources are reviewed by Congress again in 2017.
I for one, remain dubious regarding the Corps’ true intentions behind their initial efforts to close off the tail-waters. Their intense resistance to the civil authorities against such closures, suggests a rationale that lies much deeper than the ridiculously flimsy statistics they waved as their attack pennant. Even when faced with a Senate Subcommittee hearing, the Corps leadership, at Secretary level, pushed back. Let’s be cautious in our celebration...
Rick Duty
From: Knight, Katherine (Alexander)
Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2014 11:21 AM
To: Knight, Katherine (Alexander)
Subject: *Alexander: Agreement to Extend Ban on Restricted Areas Below Dams a "Victory for Tennessee Fishermen"
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jim Jeffries, (202) 224-8816
Brian Reisinger, (202) 224-8848
Alexander: Agreement to Extend Ban on Restricted Areas Below Dams a "Victory for Tennessee Fishermen"
Legislation continues permanent ban on physical barriers and delegation of enforcement to state wildlife agencies
***
“We don’t need Big Brother holding the hands of fishermen in Tennessee and Kentucky, and this legislation is a victory for generations who have enjoyed the right to fish below publicly owned dams on the Cumberland River.”– Lamar Alexander
WASHINGTON, May 20 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced that his plan to stop the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from implementing “unreasonable restrictions” below dams on the Cumberland River is part of an agreement between the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives on the final version of the Water Resources Development Act.
The legislation would extend a ban on the Corps creating “restricted areas” beneath the dams from two years to four years. It also keeps Alexander’s permanent ban on the use of physical barriers beneath the dams, and the delegation of enforcement of safety regulations to state wildlife agencies in Tennessee and Kentucky in place – both provisions that were part of his “Freedom to Fish” legislation that became law in June of 2013.
“We don’t need Big Brother holding the hands of fishermen in Tennessee and Kentucky, and this legislation is a victory for generations who have enjoyed the right to fish below publicly owned dams on the Cumberland River,” Alexander said. “This legislation extends the ban on the Corps’ unreasonable plan to create restricted areas below these dams from two years to four years, and makes clear yet again that physical barriers and state enforcement of safety restrictions are the law of the land.”
Last year, both the House and Senate previously passed their own versions of the Water Resources Development Act. This legislation is the result of successful conference negotiations and is expected to become law after final passage by the House and Senate and a signature by the president. This legislation follows passage into law of Alexander’s “Freedom to Fish Act,” which he introduced with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senators Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.).
The Water Resources Development Act extends the two year ban on restricted areas from two years to four. Previously, the Corps proceeded with its plan to restrict access to these tailwaters, despite the Senate’s unanimous support for an amendment to its budget resolution last year, as well as repeated requests for compromise from Alexander, numerous other elected officials, and the state agencies that enforce boater safety requirements.
__________________
http://www.fishingtn.com/sigpic.jpg
Yesterday, the latest critical vote was actually a motion to suspend the rules, and formally agree to the Conference Committee Report that irons out the differences between the House (H.R. 3080) and Senate (S. 601) versions of the same bill. The House passed the Conference Committee’s recommendation to align with the Senate by a vote of 412 yeas to 4 nays.
Assuming a complete victory, and the President signs the bill into law within days; as stewards of our resources, we’ll need to maintain a watchful eye on the Corps, and make sure that the language of section 2058, of the Water Resources Development Act, remains intact when the nation’s water resources are reviewed by Congress again in 2017.
I for one, remain dubious regarding the Corps’ true intentions behind their initial efforts to close off the tail-waters. Their intense resistance to the civil authorities against such closures, suggests a rationale that lies much deeper than the ridiculously flimsy statistics they waved as their attack pennant. Even when faced with a Senate Subcommittee hearing, the Corps leadership, at Secretary level, pushed back. Let’s be cautious in our celebration...
Rick Duty
From: Knight, Katherine (Alexander)
Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2014 11:21 AM
To: Knight, Katherine (Alexander)
Subject: *Alexander: Agreement to Extend Ban on Restricted Areas Below Dams a "Victory for Tennessee Fishermen"
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jim Jeffries, (202) 224-8816
Brian Reisinger, (202) 224-8848
Alexander: Agreement to Extend Ban on Restricted Areas Below Dams a "Victory for Tennessee Fishermen"
Legislation continues permanent ban on physical barriers and delegation of enforcement to state wildlife agencies
***
“We don’t need Big Brother holding the hands of fishermen in Tennessee and Kentucky, and this legislation is a victory for generations who have enjoyed the right to fish below publicly owned dams on the Cumberland River.”– Lamar Alexander
WASHINGTON, May 20 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced that his plan to stop the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from implementing “unreasonable restrictions” below dams on the Cumberland River is part of an agreement between the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives on the final version of the Water Resources Development Act.
The legislation would extend a ban on the Corps creating “restricted areas” beneath the dams from two years to four years. It also keeps Alexander’s permanent ban on the use of physical barriers beneath the dams, and the delegation of enforcement of safety regulations to state wildlife agencies in Tennessee and Kentucky in place – both provisions that were part of his “Freedom to Fish” legislation that became law in June of 2013.
“We don’t need Big Brother holding the hands of fishermen in Tennessee and Kentucky, and this legislation is a victory for generations who have enjoyed the right to fish below publicly owned dams on the Cumberland River,” Alexander said. “This legislation extends the ban on the Corps’ unreasonable plan to create restricted areas below these dams from two years to four years, and makes clear yet again that physical barriers and state enforcement of safety restrictions are the law of the land.”
Last year, both the House and Senate previously passed their own versions of the Water Resources Development Act. This legislation is the result of successful conference negotiations and is expected to become law after final passage by the House and Senate and a signature by the president. This legislation follows passage into law of Alexander’s “Freedom to Fish Act,” which he introduced with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senators Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.).
The Water Resources Development Act extends the two year ban on restricted areas from two years to four. Previously, the Corps proceeded with its plan to restrict access to these tailwaters, despite the Senate’s unanimous support for an amendment to its budget resolution last year, as well as repeated requests for compromise from Alexander, numerous other elected officials, and the state agencies that enforce boater safety requirements.
__________________
http://www.fishingtn.com/sigpic.jpg