SCI Leaders Press ‘First for Hunters’ Priorities In DC
SCI President Jeff Meyerl and Past President Sven K. Lindquist visited Washington, D.C., to meet with several policymakers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to present SCI’s “First for Hunters” priorities.
Senior Litigation Counsel Regina Lennox, Litigation Counsel and International Affairs Liaison Jeremy Clare and Federal Liaison Nick Uberti accompanied Meyerl and Lindquist to meet with House Agriculture Committee Chair G.T. Thompson (R-PA) to discuss SCI’s priorities and ways that SCI can be helpful to the Committee. Among other things, SCI highlighted areas of Forest Service oversight important to hunters and outfitters. We hope to see an oversight hearing scheduled, which would be the direct result of this meeting.
President Meyerl and SCI staff also attended a press conference announcing the results of a multi-year study on the scope, conservation impact and typologies of poaching in the United States. Conducted by the Boone & Crockett Club “Poach and Pay” program, the study’s results shed light on an underestimated problem. Its recommendations will drive change and improve enforcement of anti-poaching laws.
SCI has proudly sponsored the “Poach and Pay” program for many years and remains committed to combatting poaching at home and abroad, and to collaborating further with the Boone & Crockett Club on implementing the study recommendations.
On Sept. 10, President Meyerl, Past President Lindquist, Vice President for Government Affairs Chris Tymeson, Chief Operating Officer Louie Cole and other SCI staff met with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik and Senior Advisor to the Director Josh Coursey.
After discussing SCI’s top priorities for the Service, Director Nesvik provided an update on several areas of interest for SCI. He pledged to continue collaborating with SCI on issues of importance for hunters.
The meeting emphasized the willingness of this Administration to listen to hunters and to support science-based wildlife management. Further, it reinforced the collaboration between SCI and the Department of the Interior.
Also, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation presented an award to Safari Club International for its long-standing support of the Foundation. SCI is one of the Foundation’s first supporters.
Foundation President Jeff Crane said that SCI may have written the very first check to get Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation off the ground.
President Meyerl accepted the award on behalf of SCI at an event co-headlined by Deputy Secretary of the Interior Kate Macgregor, Johnny Morris of Bass Pro Shops and Richard Childress of Richard Childress Racing.