Federal Affairs
SCI is the only pro-hunting organization with an office in Washington, D.C. that has full-time policy experts, in-house legal counsel and on-staff dedicated to protecting hunting everywhere.
SCI monitors, evaluates and lobbies on federal legislation impacting hunting, hunters and wildlife conservation. SCI ensures that hunting interests are at the forefront when important bills come up by building relationships with Congressional leaders as well as staying current on the issues.
Each year in May, SCI hosts Lobby Day where SCI members from all around the country come to Washington, D.C. for personal meetings with Senators, Representatives and their staffs. During these important lobbying opportunities, SCI members share SCI’s positions on key pieces of legislation. These visits also provide SCI members with an opportunity to highlight the organization, its achievements and assets. SCI’s Washington, D.C. hunter advocacy staff provide federal legislators with information about SCI’s concerns and interests throughout the year.
On The Issues
Recent Federal Affairs Articles
SCI Supports the Congressional Western Caucus: A Blueprint for Real Conservation
Recently, the Congressional Western Caucus, chaired by Representative Dan Newhouse and Senator Steve Daines, created the Western Conservation Principles in response to the Biden Administrations 30×30 initiative. The 30×30 initiative is the goal of conserving 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 but unfortunately, the administration has still failed to even define conservation.
Read MoreThreat to No-Net-Loss Looms
Last week, the Biden Administration reversed massive Trump-era conservation decisions in key protected areas. In 2017, the Trump administration restructured the boundaries of Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah, opening up millions of acres for conservation-tourism. This did not lessen protection for the areas, but rather adopted
Read MoreCourt Ruling Is a Mixed Bag in Elk Feedgrounds Case
Each year, thousands of elk and hundreds of bison rely on feedgrounds throughout much of Wyoming to survive when other forage is otherwise unavailable. The State of Wyoming first provided supplemental feed to elk in the early 1900s to prevent large-scale die-offs during harsh winters. More than 100 years later, the State
Read MoreSCI Celebrates Withdrawal of David Chipman’s Nomination
Thanks to the efforts of Safari Club International (SCI) and other Second Amendment advocates, sportsmen and women across the country are celebrating the news that the Biden Administration has withdrawn David Chipman’s nomination to serve as the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Despite attempts
Read MoreFWS to Resume Processing of Sport-Hunted Elephant Import Permits
SCI welcomes the news that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has reached an agreement to begin processing elephant import permit applications again. Since 2017, the FWS has not made any decisions regarding scores of applications seeking permits to import elephant hunting trophies from southern Africa. The FWS signed
Read MoreSCI Joins Letter Opposing Petition to Ban Legal Trade in Wildlife
Last week, Safari Club International (SCI) joined 35 other organizations representing millions of sportsmen and women across the country in a letter to both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is in strong opposition to the recent petition by the Center for Biological
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