DANGER: Python Ban Moving Fast!!!
The Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works (EPW), Subcommittee on Water & Wildlife held a Hearing on S373 aka the Python Ban today at 2 PM. Senator Ben Cardin, Chairman, presided. Senator Bond and Senator Levine were the only presenters. Senator Bill Nelsen, the Bill sponsor, was not in attendance to present on S373. The Hearing was brief and more of a formality in order to move 9 different bills forward quickly.

Some of you that are following USARK on Twitter got the blow by blow during the hearing. Dan Ashe, Deputy Secretary of US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), testified on S373 recommending that the Bill be amended to include all 9 snakes addressed in the recent US Geologic Survey (USGS) Report on large constrictors. Chairman Cardin indicated that USFWS should approach Senator Nelson regarding amendment. Robert Bendick of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), while acknowledging problems with the science in the USGS Report, also recommended amending S373 to include the 9 snakes.

The representative of the Humane Society of the United States was seen urging USFWS to ask Senator Nelson to amend S373 to include 45 species of Boa and Python.

‘The Burmese Python is being used by politicians and special interests to railroad the Reptile Nation!’

S373 as written would add ALL 40 species of python to the Injurious Wildlife List of the Lacey Act; the entire python genre. If amended as recommended by USFWS and TNC it would add all 4 species of anaconda and Boa Constrictor to the list. That would be 45 species in all. Although the Bill Sponsor is from Florida this is not a Florida Bill. This is federal legislation that would affect the entire country…. Including, but not limited to, Ball Pythons, Chondros, Blood Pythons, Carpet Pythons and Boa Constrictors. If passed S373 will destroy the Reptile Nation!

It is time for a gut check. Have you done everything you can to keep this nightmare scenario from happening? If you have we greatly appreciate your support!! If you have been sitting on the sidelines hoping others will take care of this for you please stand up and help now. We need members and money to fight this legislation. You can make excuses or you can take action! There is Strength in Numbers… Protect Your Rights! In the coming days USARK will ask a lot from the Reptile Nation. This is it. It is now or never. Live or die. This industry and hobby has NEVER been so close to annihilation. Please don’t go quietly into the night.

Next Thursday, December 10, 2009 S373 will go to ‘Mark Up’ before the Senate EPW Committee. This is where the Bill can be amended. USARK has submitted several amendment proposals. We have one week to have an impact! Get involved and get ready to take massive action. We have worked too hard and come too far to let it all go now! ONE WEEK!… Don’t Sit This One Out!!!



‘Get ready for a MASSIVE Grass Roots Campaign Against S373!’

Join the Reptile Nation!

1. Click the 'Donate Button' at the top of the page to donate to USARK. Your donation will be matched dollar for dollar by Zoo Med.

2. Click the 'Become a Member' link at the bottom of the page to Join the Reptile Nation. These battles are costly we need your support!

3. Click the 'Twitter Button' at the top of the page to follow USARK for fast breaking updates.

***Stay Tuned For Detailed Instructions on How To Take Massive Grass Roots Action***

DANGER: Python Ban Moving Fast!!!

The Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works (EPW), Subcommittee on Water & Wildlife held a Hearing on S373 aka the Python Ban today at 2 PM. Senator Ben Cardin, Chairman, presided. Senator Bond and Senator Levine were the only presenters. Senator Bill Nelsen, the Bill sponsor, was not in attendance to present on S373. The Hearing was brief and more of a formality in order to move 9 different bills forward quickly.

Some of you that are following USARK on Twitter got the blow by blow during the hearing. Dan Ashe, Deputy Secretary of US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), testified on S373 recommending that the Bill be amended to include all 9 snakes addressed in the recent US Geologic Survey (USGS) Report on large constrictors. Chairman Cardin indicated that USFWS should approach Senator Nelson regarding amendment. Robert Bendick of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), while acknowledging problems with the science in the USGS Report, also recommended amending S373 to include the 9 snakes.

The representative of the Humane Society of the United States was seen urging USFWS to ask Senator Nelson to amend S373 to include 45 species of Boa and Python.



‘The Burmese Python is being used by politicians and special interests to railroad the Reptile Nation!’

S373 as written would add ALL 40 species of python to the Injurious Wildlife List of the Lacey Act; the entire python genre. If amended as recommended by USFWS and TNC it would add all 4 species of anaconda and Boa Constrictor to the list. That would be 45 species in all. Although the Bill Sponsor is from Florida this is not a Florida Bill. This is federal legislation that would affect the entire country…. Including, but not limited to, Ball Pythons, Chondros, Blood Pythons, Carpet Pythons and Boa Constrictors. If passed S373 will destroy the Reptile Nation!

It is time for a gut check. Have you done everything you can to keep this nightmare scenario from happening? If you have we greatly appreciate your support!! If you have been sitting on the sidelines hoping others will take care of this for you please stand up and help now. We need members and money to fight this legislation. You can make excuses or you can take action! There is Strength in Numbers… Protect Your Rights! In the coming days USARK will ask a lot from the Reptile Nation. This is it. It is now or never. Live or die. This industry and hobby has NEVER been so close to annihilation. Please don’t go quietly into the night.

Next Thursday, December 10, 2009 S373 will go to ‘Mark Up’ before the Senate EPW Committee. This is where the Bill can be amended. USARK has submitted several amendment proposals. We have one week to have an impact! Get involved and get ready to take massive action. We have worked too hard and come too far to let it all go now! ONE WEEK!… Don’t Sit This One Out!!!







‘Get ready for a MASSIVE Grass Roots Campaign Against S373!’

Join the Reptile Nation!

1. Click the 'Donate Button' at the top of the page to donate to USARK. Your donation will be matched dollar for dollar by Zoo Med.

2. Click the 'Become a Member' link at the bottom of the page to Join the Reptile Nation. These battles are costly we need your support!

3. Click the 'Twitter Button' at the top of the page to follow USARK for fast breaking updates.

***Stay Tuned For Detailed Instructions on How To Take Massive Grass Roots Action***

This is BS. What happened to PJAC helping us with this. Thought they were in the mix????? Haven't heard them help in any of these other bill, only 669!!! WTF

I hope everyone has been involved these last few months, as well as going to get involved in this seemingly last hoorah.

I'll tell you what, it's pretty scary.

Thanks for posting this fellas. Andrew will be on this Saturday with an updated..

I urge everyone to dig into their pockets and help USARK. If you haven't joined yet - please join. If your membership is close to expiring, please renew (this alert just gave me even more urgency to to ahead and renew today). If you're a member already, and you can make another donation, please do!

Now more than ever, USARK needs us - financially as well as manually. In the meantime, until we get further direction, I'm planning to continue to call in daily to oppose this bill.

I know its not much but just donated $20 to USARK If everybody could do that on every forum about our hobby It would help our cause DONATE PLEASE even if its $5.

I mentioned this before, but I think I'm going to have to do it. Go out and buy 3 copies of Reptiles magazine and send 2 to YOUR Senators and 1 to Senator Ben Cardin, chairman of the EPW subcommittee. Most importantly, attach a letter to the magazine outlining how many companies advertise in Reptiles magazine and the lost of jobs, income, and TAX REVENUE if a python ban is enacted. Maybe if these morons see an actual magazine dedicated to reptile keeping they MIGHT get a grasp as to what impact a ban will cause to the country.

Good idea Scott, but I think Reptile magazine should do it send a 100 copies!! somebody should put a bug in their ear!

Good idea Scott, but I think Reptile magazine should do it send a 100 copies!! somebody should put a bug in their ear!

Letter to the editor! Good idea! I think a call to the editor might be faster in this instance, though.

I take it knowone knows why pjac isn't helping us anymore?

It seems like they're involved?

http://www.pijac.org/governmentaffairs/s373forum.asp

It seems like they're involved?

http://www.pijac.org/governmentaffairs/s373forum.asp

GOOD!, its just i havent heard anything from them helping in the last couple of bill hearings, might be good to get them on the air agian also, the more the marrier....

I think thats a great idea!





GOOD!, its just i havent heard anything from them helping in the last couple of bill hearings, might be good to get them on the air agian also, the more the marrier....

Maybe if we as a huge group did a mass contact the media campaign e-mail your own local newspaper about the destruction of a 3 billion dollar industry based on media hype. Maybe if we were able to get the message out to wall street after all there are a lot of small public companies ( stock market ) with market capital of less than 100 million dollars . We are a reptile nation with sales of 3 billion dollars that needs to get noticed . Just a thought to get the word out there you never know where you can find help.
E-mail CNBC who knows might get a mention then who knows.

tHEY WONT LISTEN TO THE COMMON FOLKS YOU NEED MONEY ! OR A NAME TO GO WITH IT! IF OBOMA HAD A PET SNAKE THIS WOULD BE A NON ISSUE LOL!!

tHEY WONT LISTEN TO THE COMMON FOLKS YOU NEED MONEY ! OR A NAME TO GO WITH IT! IF OBOMA HAD A PET SNAKE THIS WOULD BE A NON ISSUE LOL!!

I'll give him one just to get the word out.......:yessir: