Our team has been informed that the long overdue BLM Report to Congress is expected in 10-14 days, shortly after Congress returns from the Thanksgiving recess. This is an important document and, we have been informed, will be  exactly what we have expected: an effort (by BLM) to change the law (authorities) and increase funding to fulfill all the promises to special interest lobby groups including massive removals and sterilization.

Please continue to write your legislators. Increasing funding (or changing authorities) to the BLM Wild Horse and Burro program without appropriate scrutiny of the report, is irresponsible. BLM should be held to current authorities and spending until appropriate time is allotted to scrutinize the report. (Easy send letter HERE)

Public horses on public lands; the debate moves forward without responsibility to the public interest.

Preface

In April of 2018 the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a report to Congress. The report had been requested as part of the process of appropriations (spending) debates. The report was a 25 page wish list that included changes to authorities under law, not a report on the program. Congress rejected the report and asked for an expanded version. (Thank you to all of you that took action earlier this year!)

These budget debates are not used simply to address funding. Increasingly the process of approving federal spending has been used to change authorities under law; it is easier than trying to pass stand alone bills (within all programs, not just “wild horses”).

The changes in law created through these backdoor channels can be devastating.

One such maneuver resulted in “sale authority.” Sales of wild horses without limitation (slaughter) was not part of the original 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act and expressly forbidden. A rider in the 2004 Omnibus spending bill was slipped in by Conrad Burns (R-MT) changed the law. Bills to overturn the rider were introduced immediately yet died in committee, a committee Burns chaired. Since that day the provision has been defunded. (You will hear many claim “slaughter was allowed in the original law.” No, it was not.)

The new report was due in August of 2019. The Report has been delayed and the subject of allegations of multiple ethics violations.

WHE stand ready to address the BLM report, as we addressed the one released in 2018. 

Some of our readers want the FAST ACTION LETTER.  Some of our readers like to take time and craft longer letters (EXAMPLE).

As we all prepare to address the BLM Report, and the propaganda that will accompany it, we have created the “fast guide” below that touches on the most critical aspects of the report: what it is, what it is trying to accomplish and who is behind it. 

The last three years have seen betrayal after betrayal of public trust and responsibility to the public interest.

BLM Report 2018: https://wildhorseeducation.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/blm2018_report2congress.pdf

The BLM Report of 2018 incorporated the “Ten Years to AML” lobby document. In 2018 the organizations, even though mentioned by name, denied involvement. In 2019, however, they ran point on the changes proposed to the law. Sterilization, mass removals and gutting the NEPA process (analysis requirements) are the aim of the agenda. This is not a “fix” for the program, it runs it to collapse for private profiteers and cuts you out of process and limits potential to litigate wrongdoing.   https://wildhorseeducation.org/2019/04/28/blm-report-10-years-to-aml-part-two/

Multiple entities filed litigation against BLM attempting to force programmatic changes like killing wild horses en mass and resumption of sales to slaughter. Those entities include Nevada, Utah, Montana counties and stock growers associations. All of these cases lost in federal court. They lost because what they were asking for was illegal.

However, these entities have deep relationship with the men that have sat in the “musical chairs” of the Deputy Director position of the BLM under this administration. The deal making went behind closed doors and these agendas of former bosses and clients is carried forward. We will see it again in the 2019 report.

WHE filed a complaint against Brian Steed (subsequently left his position with BLM). More here: https://wildhorseeducation.org/2019/06/14/wild-horse-organization-accuses-blm-deputy-director-of-illegal-action-calls-for-investigation-by-oig/

Earlier this month WHE filed a complaint against William Perry Pendley, currently action BLM chief. More here: https://wildhorseeducation.org/2019/11/04/breaking-complaint-filed-against-pendley/

As we all prepare to address the report please keep in mind the root lies in deep corruption. That corruption must remain front and center. We can not allow this fact to be hidden under the wave of absurdities that will accompany the report.

We are preparing to address the report line-by-line. We will have to move fast.

You can help by asking your reps to deny any changes to funding or authorities in the fiscal 2020 budget. We must be given ample opportunity to address the content of the report as well as the corruption behind it.

You can use our fast click and send letter here. 

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Help us stay in the fight! All of our work is possible because of your support. Thank you!