Fast Update: The Budget Votes

By Laura Leigh on September 6, 2017

whe_poster3 We see a lot of “flurry” on social media and several readers are confused. Yes, the back and forth process of creating law (Legislative) is often confusing.

We will update this page as needed, bookmark if you like.

UPDATE 10/11: The Senate Interior Subcommittee hearing on the FY 2018 Interior Department spending bill has been scheduled for October 17 at 930 am ET. On October 19 at 10:30 am, the full Appropriations Committee will hold their hearing and vote.

There is a midterm election next year and a new spending bill. Please make your calls. KNOW who your reps are to prepare for “what comes next.” Please, even if you signed a petition, make the call. Your voice, your vote.

Final budget will be passed by December 8th. So keep calling.

Sept 6, 2017 7:30

Titus amendment blocked in House. House version goes to vote including language to kill wild horses. FOCUS all calls, FAX’s to the Senate. “I do not want any language that allows BLM to kill healthy wild horses in the DOI budget.” KEEP IT SIMPLE.

The number of calls received from people that live in the district is IMPORTANT. Signing a petition is not the same. PLEASE call or FAX (info, scroll down).

Sept. 6, 2017 5:20 pm PST.

Essentially we had two amendments in the House, Buchanan (horse slaughter plants) and Titus (wild horses) that would have overturned the “Yes” vote the House gave the budget on refunding horse meat inspections (Buchanan) and “the bullet in the head” to tens of thousands of wild horses (Titus).

Yesterday the House did not allow the Buchanan Amendment through. However the Senate committee still gave it a “no.” There is still a full floor vote in both House and Senate yet to come (and more committee chat because we have a “divided Congress” with a large margin on this “no” vote in Senate). So you still have to make that call or send that FAX saying “no” to funding horse meat inspections.

Today the Senate rules committee is making a determination on the Titus amendment. If they rule to move it forward and it passes, the version of the bill that would stop the BLM from killing tens of thousands of wild horses would move to the Senate for a vote. However it is expected that it will not move forward out of the House.

The Senate still must vote, both sub-committee and then the floor. So keep making those calls and sending Fax saying “no funding to be used to kill a healthy wild horse in the DOI (Department of Interior) budget.

Clear as mud? Simply remember there is always chaos and a lot of noise. YOUR task has not changed. When YOUR task changes we will let you know.

We can’t encourage you enough to MAKE CALLS AND SEND EMAILS TO YOUR REPS. The holiday weekend you can send a free fax (info at the bottom).

Find your reps. EVERY SINGLE rep in the House and Senate will be voting at one time or another. Subcommittee bills must go to a full floor vote.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members

Why not send a FAX?

Free Fax to YOUR Senators

Free Fax to House (Congress)

Call them directly. Call every office they have (most have at least 2 offices). Note who you’re talking to.
Make your comments. Be sure to keep it FRIENDLY AND SIMPLE.

POINTS TO MAKE:

- OUR WILD HORSES MUST BE PROTECTED FROM SALE TO SLAUGHTER AND NO FUNDS SHOULD BE USED TO KILL A HEALTHY, WILD HORSE, IN ANY FASHION.
- I DO NOT SUPPORT KILLING OF OUR WILD HORSES IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.
- BLM MUST CREATE COMPREHENSIVE CHANGES BASED ON THE ENTIRE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES REVIEW OF 2013, not just cherry pick.
- PUBLIC LAND AND PUBLIC RESOURCES — INCLUDING OUR WILD HORSES, MUST REMAIN IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, UNDER FEDERAL MANAGEMENT, NOT GIVEN TO STATES OR ANY OTHER ENTITY.
- THERE SHOULD BE NO TRANSFERS OF JURISDICTION OR CONTROL UNDER THE GUISE OF “COLLABORATION”.
THANK THEM for listening.
MAKE THE NEXT CALL… .

WHE is continuing to meet with members of the House Natural Resources Committee and the Senate committee(s). No, we are not delivering petitions, that is not what we do. We did deliver a support letter on the Interior probe and we will have more on that front soon.

We have expected YOU to make your calls. We will have a big midterm election next year. It is important for you to know who represents you, who listens and who to vote for.

We are delivering key information and testimony on multiple issues facing wild horses and public land. Our plate is very full.

We are doing what we do best, delivering the truth where it needs to be.

We could use your support.