Highlights:
Why it matters: The Department of the Interior (DOI) is the single most important federal agency to sportsmen and women. DOI is responsible for access and conservation on federal lands including National Wildlife Refuges, National Fish Hatcheries, Bureau of Land Management, and the National Park Service, among others. Collectively, DOI manages more than 450 million acres of public land. Additionally, DOI houses the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is focused on conserving; protecting; and restoring fish, wildlife, plants, and their associated habitats.
On April 14, President Biden announced his intention to nominate Tommy Beaudreau to serve as Deputy Secretary of the Interior. On April 29, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a non-contentious, bipartisan hearing for Mr. Beaudreau. Exactly two weeks after his confirmation hearing, the Committee voted to advance Mr. Beaudreau’s nomination on a vote of 18-1, a clear sign of the strong bipartisan support Mr. Beaudreau maintains.
Through his work experiences at the Department of the Interior, Mr. Beaudreau has demonstrated his commitment to advancing Department of the Interior policies, including those important to sportsmen and women, in a balanced and thoughtful manner. During his time as Chief of Staff at the Department, Mr. Beaudreau consistently sought the input of sportsmen and women to guide policy decisions of importance to our community. Prior to his confirmation hearing, CSF and partners in the sporting-conservation community sent a letter to the Committee in strong support of his nomination.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation applauds the Committee for quickly advancing the nomination of Mr. Beaudreau and urges the full Senate to swiftly schedule a final confirmation vote.
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?
