On Monday, December 3, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) hosted a reception on Capitol Hill to celebrate the holidays and thank the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC), sponsors and partners for their commitment to CSF in 2012. Members of Congress, congressional staff, outdoor industry-allies and sportsmen-organization leaders brought their holiday cheer and enjoyed cigars and holiday beverages while discussing successes and priorities moving into the 113th Congress.
CSF President Jeff Crane opened the evening and introduced Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Co-Chair Senator Jon Tester and commended him on his recent work on sponsoring the Sportsman’s Act of 2012. “We thank the CSC for their continued bipartisan work in the House and the Senate. At this particular juncture, there is no one working as hard for the interests of sportsmen and women as Senator Jon Tester.”
Senator Tester highlighted the last priority for the 112th Congress, the passage of the Sportsmen’s Heritage Act of 2012 (S.3525). “First of all, I want to say how much of an honor it has been to be a Co-Chair of the Congressional Sportsman’s Caucus. We have some challenges left and need to continue to protect our access to the great outdoors and the ability to go fishing and hunting. That is what the bipartisan Sportsman’s Act of 2012 is about.”
Also making remarks was Congressman Dan Beneshiek, CSC member and supporter of H.R. 4089, the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012. “It’s been a privilege to be a part of the CSC. Growing up hunting and fishing in Northern Michigan, protecting the outdoor heritage we enjoy comes natural to me. It is foreign for me to see a person trying to keep us out of the woods, which is why I will continue to support pro-sportsmen’s legislation.”
The evening’s holiday cocktails were provided by the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America and cigars were provided by the Cigar Association of America.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
