In 1971, when the Wild Horse and Burro Act was passed, it was to stop the rounding up of wild horses and burros by helicopter and any other means. It was to protect our horses and burros, and the responsibility of protecting them was put into the hands of the Bureau of Land Management. The spirit of that law was to protect--not to "manage" them into extinction while unwilling taxpayers foot the bill. The people of this country made it clear in 1971, and they are still voicing their wishes, loud and clear--the wild horses and burros have the right to live peacefully on our public lands--that's what we, the people want. Notice I say OUR public lands. Public land belongs to the American people, not the Bureau of Land Management. So, it seems logical, that when we voice our opinions, those that work for us, would heed it. In business, when an employee disregards his employers voice, he or she gets fired.

So what does a country do when a government agency runs wild? We get together and contact our representatives--our senators and congress men and women. We email, we phone, we write articles. Organizations schedule protests and we yell again, loud and clear. Some file lawsuits, and recently,  in one case a federal judge from Colorado decided against the BLM and the Secretary of the Interior, reinforcing the protection of the wild horse and burros.

And now, in the dead of winter the BLM continues to harass the very species they are mandated to protect. Running horses over ice and snow, mares in foal, pushing them into corrals where they stand cold and dejected. Their families torn apart, their freedom taken, and all for their "own good." There  are no scientific facts or evidence to support the roundups--the horses are neither starving, dying or over populated. There is scientific fact to support that the horses and burros do just fine on their own, without BLM interference. These are native animals living just exactly where they are meant to live. Suffice to say, if we all managed our businesses or homes like the BLM, we would all be homeless.

Now we have yet another bill, S 1579 in what we call "committee." What does that actually mean? It means we have what is called the Roam Act (S 1579) that has been written to restore the original meaning of the Wild Horse & Burro Act of 1971. It means the roundups and cruelty would stop, it means the role of the BLM would need to be evaluated, and that our native species would be allowed to live where they have lived for hundreds of years. Scientific evidence proves (by carbon dated fossils) that horses are native to North America. They are where they belong and where they flourish--when left alone. A great by-product of the Roam Act is the savings of hundreds of thousands of wasted taxpayer dollars--those roundups, besides being cruel, really cost money.

There is more at stake here, than the horses and burros. Whether you care about horses and burros or not, as a citizen of this country, you should be concerned about where taxpayer moneys goes--especially when times are rough. You should also be concerned about any government agency that defies the wishes of the American people. There is great political strategy in a government agency doing whatever they wish as fast as they can because they know a bill sits in committee.

The Roam Act was introduced by Senator William Byrd on August 5, 2009. It has been heard twice and referred to the National Energy and Resources Committee. It has sat there ever since--despite the urgency of the situation--despite the money being spent. The BLM is well aware of this--their tactic is to move faster than our elected officials--so that when the bill is voted on, it will be too late--no matter what the outcome. When a bill goes to committee, the assigned committee, in this case 23 representatives, will look at it and make recommendations. The Roam Act, like other bills that go into committee, could never come out.

So what are our options? We can and should, absolutely contact our representatives and as their constituents, ask them to co-sponsor the bill and push for the bill to come out of committee--and when it does vote for it. But beyond that, we should make ourselves heard by the 23 people responsible for whether or not the bill even makes it to the floor. We should ask them to honor the spirit of the 1971 Wild Horse & Burro Act, and to get the bill to the floor with a positive note. It is a fact that whatever a committee recommends, usually happens.

Below are the email addresses of those on the Senate Committee for Energy & Natural Resources Committee, as well as those on the Sub-Committee for Public Lands & Forests. I hope you will take the time to make your voices heard and send a message to our representatives that we care about our native species, we care that this is a government of the people, by the people, for the people--and not a country where government agencies can do whatever they wish. The BLM is breaking federal law, and as such, they should be held accountable. There should never, ever be a situation in this country where a government agency can break a law just because they are moving faster than our elected officials. The voice of the American people should outweigh a government agency, and should behoove our elected officials to take action--but we do need to speak out, again and again, to be noticed.

Step 1. Call President Obama and tell him you are against the roundup of our wild horses and burros, ask him to call an immediate halt to the roundup going on right now in Nevada, and a moratorium on all roundups until Congress conducts a full review of BLM activities.  White House SWB: 202-456-1414; White House Comments Line: 202-456-1111.

Step 2. Email the sample letter to the representatives on the Senate Committee for Energy & Natural Resources Committee and the sub-Committee for Public Lands & Forests.

Step 3. Email your representatives and use this sample letter. Add your own comments, and email it. If you are not sure who your representative is, use these links. Write your House Representatives    Write your Senator!

Need more facts? Visit: 
http://www.thecloudfoundation.org/index.php/news-events-a-media/events
http://thecloudfoundation.wordpress.com/
Attend a Wild Horse Rally
www.AnimalLawCoalition.com
Horse Wars
Wild Horses

 

Sen. Jeff Bingaman [D-NM]
U.S. Senator, New Mexico
Email Sen. Bingaman

Sen. Lisa Murkowski [R-AK]
U.S. Senator, Alaska
Email Senator Murkowski

Sen. John Barrasso [R-WY]
U.S. Senator, Wyoming
Email Senator Barrasso

Sen. Evan Bayh [D-IN]
U.S. Senator, Indiana
Email Senator Bayh

Sen. Robert Bennett [R-UT]
U.S. Senator, Utah
Email Senator Bennett

Sen. Samuel (Sam) Brownback [R-KS]
U.S. Senator, Kansas
Email Senator Brownback

Sen. Jim Bunning [R-KY]
U.S. Senator, Kentucky
Email Senator Bunning

Sen. Richard Burr [R-NC]
U.S. Senator, North Carolina
Email Senator Burr

Sen. Maria Cantwell [D-WA]
U.S. Senator, Washington
Email Senator Cantwell

Sen. Bob Corker [R-TN]
U.S. Senator, Tennessee
Email Senator Corker

Sen. Byron Dorgan [D-ND]
U.S. Senator, North Dakota
Email Senator Dorgan

Sen. Tim Johnson [D-SD]
U.S. Senator, South Dakota
Email Senator Johnson

Sen. Mary Landrieu [D-LA]
U.S. Senator, Louisiana
Email Senator Landrieu

Sen. Bernard (Bernie) Sanders [I-VT]
U.S. Senator, Vermont
Email Senator Sanders

Sen. Debbie Ann Stabenow [D-MI]
U.S. Senator, Michigan
Email Senator Stabenow

Sen. Mark Udall [D-CO]
U.S. Senator, Colorado
Email Senator Udall

Sen. Ron Wyden [D-OR]
U.S. Senator, Oregon
Email Senator Wyden

Sen. Blanche Lincoln [D-AR]
U.S. Senator, Arkansas
Email Senator Lincoln

Sen. John McCain [R-AZ]
U.S. Senator, Arizona
Email Senator McCain

Sen. Robert (Bob) Menéndez [D-NJ]
U.S. Senator, New Jersey
Email Senator Menendez

Sen. James Risch [R-ID]
U.S. Senator, Idaho
Email Senator Risch

Sen. Jefferson (Jeff) Sessions [R-AL]
U.S. Senator, Alabama
Email Senator Sessions

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen [D-NH]
U.S. Senator, New Hampshire
Email Senator Shaheen

Sen. [Name]
[Address]
Washington DC [Zip]

Re: Wild Horses and Burros: Co-Sponsor and Vote Yes for S. 1579

Dear Sen. [Name]

Our wild horses are a symbol of American freedom and spirit. They are an integral, irreplaceable part of our national heritage who are disappearing at an alarming rate. Without quick intervention, our wild horses and burros are in danger of becoming extinct.

I ask you to co-sponsor S. 1579, call for a quick vote and vote "yes."

Introduced by Senator Robert Byrd, S. 1579 will, among other things:

1. to the extent practical, make available as much land as was set aside in the original Wild Horse and Burro Act for wild horses

2. provide an annual inventory of our wild horses and make public that information

3. provide a fair and thriving ecological balance for wild horses on our public lands

4. assist in establishing sanctuaries on private lands

5. develop a policy standard to assess the Appropriate Management Levels of wild horses on our public lands

I also ask you to call for:

1. an independent census of our wild horses herds,

2. a full and comprehensive review of the BLM's management of the wild horse and burro program

3. an immediate halt to all roundups pending this review

Please respond to this letter/email stating what action you are taking. Thank you.

Respectfully yours,

[Name]
[Address]
[Phone No.]
[Email Address]

Committee Member [Name]

Re: Wild Horses and Burros, S. 1579

Dear (committee member). [Name]

Our wild horses are a symbol of American freedom and spirit. They are an integral, irreplaceable part of our national heritage who are disappearing at an alarming rate. Without quick intervention, our wild horses and burros are in danger of becoming extinct.

Introduced by Senator Robert Byrd, S. 1579 will, among other things:

1. to the extent practical, make available as much land as was set aside in the original Wild Horse and Burro Act for wild horses

2. provide an annual inventory of our wild horses and make public that information

3. provide a fair and thriving ecological balance for wild horses on our public lands

4. assist in establishing sanctuaries on private lands

5. develop a policy standard to assess the Appropriate Management Levels of wild horses on our public lands

I ask you to co-sponsor S. 1579 and move it out of committee urgently and support

1. an independent census of our wild horses herds,

2. a full and comprehensive review of the BLM's management of the wild horse and burro program

3. an immediate halt to all roundups pending this review

Please respond to this letter/email stating what action you are taking. Thank you.

Respectfully yours,

[Name]
[Address]
[Phone No.]
[Email Address]

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