January 11, 1999
Republicans Giving Away the Store
Certain members in the 106th Congress are currently preparing to re-introduce bills that would provide over $1 billion a year for government purchase of privately-owned lands. The Land and Water Conservation Fund is used by state and federal agencies to purchase lands they have targeted as environmentally important, usually those rich in natural resources. In the past, Congress has allocated $200-$400 million dollars a year, but under the new bills $1.5 billion would be automatic and not subject to annual congressional appropriation. Most surprising about the proposals are the people supporting them. In the House, it’s Resource Committee Chairman Don Young (R-AK) and in the Senate the original bill was filed by Mary Landrieu (R-LA) with co-sponsors Trent Lott, Frank Murkowski and Jeff Sessions. The fund has been highly criticized for its role in facilitating the removal of private lands into federal control and off the tax rolls. With more than 30% of the nation’s land mass already in federal control, many question the governments’ need for more. Also in question is the power the fund gives to federal and state agencies to "strong arm" landowners whose land has been targeted. For a list of co-sponsors order Faxback documents 367, 368. 368A 368B 368C HR 4717 To stop this proposal before it is re-filed in the 106th Congress contact Don Young immediately at 202-225-5765 and your Congressman and Senators. Tell them to oppose increased funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Global Warming Hot Air
In a report released by NASA earlier this week, and trumpeted by ENN (Environmental News Network), the space agency claims once more that Global Warming is occurring, further stating that 1998 was the "warmest on record." However, NASA’s hot air guru James Hansen, the man who started the hysteria in 1988, admitted in October of last year that, "The forces that drive long-term climate change are not known with an accuracy sufficient to define future climate changes." His statement was given in the 10/27/98 issue of the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Faxback Doc. 369
Arizona Ranchers Win ESA Case
In a stunning victory December 8th, U.S. District Court Judge Alan Ezra ruled in favor of the Arizona Cattle Growers’ Association, in a lawsuit over a Biological Opinion (BO) which prohibited grazing near streams on federal lands claiming it would "take potential endangered species habitat." Judge Ezra found no evidence that grazing would harm any endangered species and stated that he had never seen a "thinner case" of government proof of an endangered species on any property. He further stated that "this case shows that biased speculation is not what was intended when the ESA was passed by Congress…And I don’t believe they intended to have good people who are trying to make a decent living for themselves and their families, in a hard business, put out of business based on mere speculation." With a little perseverance, the good guys do win. Faxback Doc. 370
EO 13107: Clinton’s "Imperial Order?"
Some are saying that President Clinton’s latest Executive Order is one of his most egregious abuses of power to date, even compared to that for which he has been impeached. EO 13107, the Implementation of Human Rights Treaties, was signed by the president on December 10, 1998. Dubbed the "Mother of all Executive Orders," it lays the foundation to implement the objectives of 81 other Human Rights Treaties never ratified by the U.S. Senate, makes the UN doctrine the ultimate legal standard which all U.S. policy and legislation must meet and creates a powerful new federal oversight agency empowered to monitor state and federal laws to ensure their compliance with these unratified treaties. "Human Rights" as defined in Article 29 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that freedom of thought, conscience, religion, opinion and expression are authorized, but "…may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations." Emperor Clinton strikes again. Faxback Docs. 372, 373 Overview