Thank you for your continued active support of the Conservation andReinvestment Act (CARA).
You may have read in the newspaper on October 1st about a compromise on major conservation legislation. While the latest deal is a good first step,it raises serious concerns about the allocation and benchmark levels of monies. In short, it omits CARA’s essence – the clearly defined and guaranteed funding levels.
*****WHAT DO YOU DO?*****
Contact your Representative and Senators TODAY. Convey to them that this compromise does not meet two key American Whitewater principles 1) guaranteeing funding or 2) providing significant dollars for state conservation programs.
Click hereCongress to quicklyidentify and contact your Congressmen. All you will need is to input yourzip code.
There is still an opportunity to affect a better solution before the end ofCongress – this is not a done deal yet. PLEASE ACT TODAY!
Americans for Our Heritage and Recreation sent us this update on 9/25/00. This action is so important that American Whitewater has decided to reprint the announcement. Please make a quick call, and help ensure that Congress provides adequate funding for conservation and recreation.
CARA Call-in and Fax Alert!
Thanks to the unprecedented coalition of more than 5,000 organizations nationwide, including the nation’s governors and mayors, major conservation organizations, civic groups, park and wildlife directors, sportsman’s groups, the sporting goods and outdoor recreation industries, historic preservationists, and the youth sports community, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA) has been elevated from an issue that was once a “non-starter” to one that is in the heart of the debate during last-minute negotiations in the 106th Congress.
In fact, because of the broad grassroots support for the bill, detractors on both sides of the political aisle are working behind the scenes on substitutions to CARA that would diminish the integrity of permanent, comprehensive conservation funding, including full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act (UPARR). They’re trying to create a watered-down version of CARA that would not adhere to our goal of making Congress keep their promise they made more than 30 years ago to protect parks and recreation. These negotiations are moving fast and it is imperative that we stand firm in our efforts to revitalize LWCF and UPARR.
What you can do:
1. Call your Senators today! You can reach them via the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. You can also find phone, fax and address for your Representatives and Senators at Congress.
Make the following points:
> CARA Reflects American Values: Four out of five Americans, 5,000+ organizations, 50 governors, 1,100 mayors, 315 representatives, 63 senators, and one president support comprehensive conservation funding through CARA. Follow America’s lead and pass CARA now!
> CARA is a Program that Returns Conservation Funds to States and Local Communities: Eighty percent of the money in the bill will be provided to states for conservation and restoration projects that reflect local concern and needs. This includes full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), including both the federal and stateside programs, and the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program (UPARR).
> CARA Can’t Wait: Do not leave Washington this year without passing legislation that would make timely investments in conservation that will pay great dividends for future generations. Indeed, CARA addresses the concern shared by 88 percent of the public that “we must act now or we will lose many special places, and if we wait, what is lost or destroyed cannot be replaced.”
2. Fill out the attached fax form and fax it to your senators after you make your call. You don’t need a cover sheet, just fill out the bottom portion of the fax form and send it immediately after your call. This will give your message twice the power of just one call. Also, please send the fax form to others so they can fax their senators, too. Visual reminders help keep Members of Congress and their staffs focused on the issue at hand.
3. Make two quick calls to Senate Majority leader Trent Lott (202-224-6253) and Minority Leader Tom Daschle (202-224-2321). Make the same points as you did with your senators, but also ask them to use their leadership positions to move CARA through Congress this year.
We don’t have much time. Congress will make their decision soon. Please act before that happens.