July 1, 2022 (Budget)

As the debate for the funding bill for the federal governments fiscal year 2023 moves to a full floor vote in the House, we ask you consider taking the following action to amend the existing language.

You can learn more and see side-by-side with last years budget HERE. 

You can take the fast “click and send” that will go directly to your House Representative HERE.

We also ask that you consider finding your reps contact info and sending an email and/or making a call. If you do not already have your reps contact info you can find it at http://govtrack.us

Suggested text, you can amend as you desire:

I am writing to you today to request that you propose the following amendment to the House FY23 Interior budget for the BLM wild horse and burro program. By adding three words and striking a fourth, long overdue reform can actually become more than an assertion.
The BLM skips the HMAP management planning document for wild horses and has not reported progress to Congress on creation of these foundational plans (codified in the CFR) since 1988. A “Gather plan” is a removal plan that does not include management goals or strategies. Please help rectify this foundational NEPA deficiency.

Add the words “Herd Management Area” to this sentence: The Committee directs the Bureau to develop plans that ensure they can administer fertility control, conduct targeted removals from the most heavily and impacted population areas, expand long-term off range holding and any alternatives, and increase adoptions.

Change to: The Committee directs the Bureau to develop Herd Management Area plans that ensure.. 

BLM has designated 42 million acres of public lands for horse and burro use, but no longer managed for their use. This acreage is called Herd Area (HA). Acreage managed today for horse and burro use is called Herd Management Areas (HMA) and consists of 26 million acres.

If the goal is to assess moving wild horses from one HMA into an area of the public lands designated for their use to decrease the burden of the cost of holding facilities, the area that needs to be assed is a “Herd Area.” Please propose the following change to rectify the error.

Strike the word “Management” from this sentence: The Bureau is directed to provide quarterly updates to the Committee on the allocation of resources, achievement of performance metrics, input from the Departmental task force, efficacy of identifying and relocating horses to different Herd Management Areas, and to discuss any proposed changes to the current course of action.

Change to: … Departmental task force, efficacy of identifying and relocating horses to different Herd Areas … 

Thank you.

(your name)

You can learn more about the current bill (and read the associated text) by clicking HERE.