From: alra@governance.net Subject: Call Congress - Property Rights, Access Threatened!! 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@landrights.org Web Address: http://www.landrights.org Legislative Office: 507 Seward Square SE – Washington, DC 20003 Phone: 202-210-2357 – Fax: 202-543-7126 – E-mail: landrightsnet@aol.com Call Congress - Property Rights, Access Threatened!! TODAY, Thursday July 17, the House of Representatives will vote on the bill that appropriates money for the four major land management agencies - the Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management. It is numbered HR 2691, called the Interior Appropriations bill. This is VERY GOOD legislation that dramatically reduces land acquisition funding. It also allows the Bush Administration to carry out several initiatives that will benefit private property rights and recreational and commercial access to the public lands that belong to the people. HOWEVER - this good bill is being THREATENED by several amendments which will damage private property inholders, farmers, property owners in public lands states, and snowmobilers among others. YOU ARE NEEDED to DEFEAT the bad amendments and get the bill approved!!!! Two of our best property rights Champions, Congressmen Charlie Taylor of North Carolina and Richard Pombo of California, will be leading the way in support of the bill and against the damaging amendments. If you care about ANY of the following four issues - CALL your member of the House of Representatives and tell him or her to vote NO on that amendment. Call about all four amendments if you can. VOTE NO: 1. The "Blumenauer Amendment," this is the "Wreck the Klamath farmers amendment." This proposes to place so many new demands on the leases of farmers in the Klamath Basin that it will be impossible for them to continue farming there. The farmers in this area have been raising crops for decades, and also providing feed for migrating birds, which is a win-win situation. But the environmentalists don't care about that. They just want to kick the people out. This amendment exposes the fundamental meanness and elitism of the environmental movement. Like a bunch of schoolyard bullies, the enviros - Big Green - are running a multimillion dollar hysteria campaign against about two dozen farming families whose leases expire this year. Support the families - let them know you are with them - fight for their rights and against the Schoolyard Bullies!!! VOTE NO: 2. The "Mark Udall Amendment," this can be called the "Shut Down Access Amendment." It would prevent the Bush Administration from allowing counties to claim jurisdiction over dirt roads and old roadbeds on public lands, called "RS 2477" roads. RS 2477 is a triple play, benefiting private property rights, multiple use of federal lands and counties with significant public land ownership. Revised Statutes 2477 - RS 2477 - is not an opening up of new roads across untracked wilderness, as is claimed by preservationist hysteria. It carries out a provision of the Federal Land Policy Management Act of 1976 which allows local governments to claim rights of way to existing roads, but prohibits establishment of new roads. These "roads" are unpaved travelways established over the previous hundred years by stagecoaches, mining operations and even dog sleds in Alaska. They provide access to private property parcels that are surrounded by government land, called "inholdings." They also provide recreational access to federal lands, so the general public can enjoy their public lands by camping, off roading, horse riding, snowmobiling or other recreational activities. And this benefits local government by making provision of government services easier, from emergency rescue to traveling to school. Vote NO on the Mark Udall Shut Down Access Amendment!!! VOTE NO: 3. The "Boehlert Amendment," also known as the "Land Grab Amendment." Boehlert, a leading left-wing extremist, proposes to dramatically increase funds for federal land grabs - tens of millions of new dollars for the feds to spend on land acquisition. Does the federal government ALREADY own enough land, and not take of it properly??? The feds own 33% of America - how much is enough??? VOTE NO! VOTE NO: 4. The "Holt/Shays Amendment" which is the "No Yellowstone Snowmobile" amendment. This would shut down one of the most popular winter sports in America in one of our most popular national parks, Yellowstone. It's YOUR public land - keep it open!! VOTE NO!! TELL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE: - That you SUPPORT private property rights, access to public lands and you SUPPORT HR 2691. - You OPPOSE amendments that will increase funds for land grabs, attack farmers and decrease access to public lands. - Tell them that the League of Private Property Voters will score these four votes on it's annual scorecard, which is available on www.landrights.org. CALL and FAX NOW - the land you save may be your own! Call any Congressman at the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 225-3121 or the temporary FREE NUMBER (800) 648-3516. Ask for your Congressman. Then ask for the staff person who handles the Interior Appropriations Bill. If he or she is not available, ask that a written message be delivered with your comments. After leaving your message, ask for his FAX number. Send a fax on no more than one page. THIS IS AN ALL OUT CALL TO ACTION!!! Call your friends. Call your neighbors. Your Congressman’s phone must not stop ringing all day Thursday, July 17th. This is your chance to really make a difference in Congress. DON’T MISS IT. PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE AS WIDELY AS YOU CAN. -- To unsubscribe from this mailing list; please visit http://governance.net and enter your email address.