The BLADE Blog w/Steve Shackleford

While some might think Republicans taking control of Congress as a result of the Nov. 4 elections will be good for those fighting a pending legal ivory ban, such may not be the case.

Rob Mitchell of the Elephant Protection Association indicated that though the election results would seem to make a Republican majority in Congress more effective at challenging “out-of-control administrative agencies” that want to ban all legal ivory, including knives with handles of legal ivory, it could also have the opposite effect.

Since President Obama has indicated he will do what he thinks necessary to deal with aliens in the country illegally through executive order or administrative action by the end of the year at the latest, it also may mean he will take a similar approach to such issues as the ivory ban. “If so,” Mitchell writes, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) “may become more aggressive with regulations putting politics ahead of science-based conservation.”

Moreover, he added, such non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as the World Wildlife Fund, Africa Wildlife Foundation, Wildlife Conservation Society, international and American humane societies and others will “continue to spread misinformation in Congress to confuse issues and push an animal rights agenda in spite of the harm it will cause to legitimate conservation efforts and people who own legal ivory.”

As a result, Mitchell urges all those against the ban on legal ivory to either contact or to continue to contact their legislators and see where the legislators stand on House Resolution 5052 and Senate Bill 2587. In a nutshell, if approved, both measures would roll back the attempt by USFWS to ban legal ivory to the status quo of February 2014, “while allowing the government to pursue other means to combat elephant poaching and other wildlife trafficking.”

For more information on the ivory ban and related issues, visit elephantprotection.org.

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The battle to stop federal measures that punish law-abiding citizens and do little to address the issue of elephant ivory poaching has entered a new phase.

If you are a duly authorized representative of a company with “significant commercial operations and employees,” now is the time to present U.S. Fish & Wildlife with a letter to oppose the pending federal measures, the first round of which reportedly is due to be released sometime this month. However, if you act no later than April 14 and send the letter to FWS, you will be in time to have your voice heard by those who can amend or even stop those measures before they happen.

Simply email the following letter to Doug Ritter of Knife Rights at [email protected], and he will forward it with others to FWS officials expressing concern over the harm the new federal measure would cause, not only to worldwide elephant populations but also to law-abiding citizens who own ivory knives and other ivory products and have owned the very same ones for years, if not decades.

The letter is as follows:

Subject: Ivory Ban Knife Community Letter

My name is (insert your full name) and I am (insert your executive position in the organization or company) of (insert name of your organization or company). As its duly authorized representative, I request that you add our name to the Knife Community letter opposing U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposed ban on commercial trade in elephant ivory.

(Insert Official Address of your Organization or Company)

(Insert Organization of Company Website)

(Insert your phone number in case of questions)

Regards,

(Insert Your Name)

(Insert Your Title)

(Insert Your Company’s Name)

(Insert Your Mailing Address)

(Insert Your Website Address)

(Insert Your Email Address)

(Insert Your Phone Number)

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The U.S. House Appropriations Interior Subcommittee approved a bill July 9 that would protect legal ivory owners.

“This action is a significant step towards protecting all lawful ivory owners,” observed Rob Mitchell of the Elephant Protection Association. “As this bill progresses , we will continue to provide updates as developments occur.”

Called the FY15 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, the measure will be considered for approval by the U.S. House Appropriations Committee next week.

“This is great news!” exclaimed Sandra Brady, scrimshander and a member of the Elephant Protection Association. “Our efforts are paying off. As a direct result of the Oversight Committee Hearing held June 24, this bill, if approved, would not allow any funds to be used for changes in the ivory laws.

“However, this law is not passed yet and has to be voted on by the Senate, but the verbiage we had hoped for is there. We still have a fight on our hands, and we’ll keep you posted as to how and when and what to do to help this along.”

The bill is in response to the ban on the domestic sale and trade of legally owned ivory by the Obama Administration and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). It includes wording that would prohibit FWS from using any funds to restrict the domestic sale and trade of legally acquired ivory, as well as any further restrictions on its import and export.

The language does NOT prohibit the administration from trying to end poaching and illicit trade, but does protect legal ivory owners and their ivory.

For more information on how you can help fight the government’s attempt to ban the domestic sale and trade of legally acquired ivory, contact the Elephant Protection Association, 1035 W. Bristol Rd., Warminster, PA 18974.