Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus

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The Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus (CWRC) is a large bi-partisan Congressional Member Organization in the U.S. House of Representatives formed to support the National Wildlife Refuge System through legislation, funding, and education.

Contents

History

CWRC Membership Map 2008 CWRC-110th.jpg
CWRC Membership Map 2008

The Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus was established in September 2006 by Congressmen Ron Kind (D-WI) and Jim Saxton (R-NJ) along with vice co-chairs Michael Castle (R-DE) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) with a call to manage the National Wildlife Refuge System in the tradition of President Theodore Roosevelt, who established the first National Wildlife Refuge in 1903 . The formation of the CWRC was largely a response to budget shortfalls that resulted in multi-billion dollar maintenance backlogs and staff shortages that, many agreed, was preventing the Refuge System from fulfilling its basic mission.

Guiding Principles

Mission

The mission of the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus is to fortify, protect and preserve the National Wildlife Refuge System by supporting adequate Refuge funding, working for the strategic growth of the Refuge System through easements and targeted land acquisition and by promoting legislation to improve the Refuge System. The CWRC also aims to educate members of Congress about the increasing number of challenges facing the System through briefings and other forms of outreach.

Purpose

The purpose of the CWRC is to:

Caucus Activity

Legislation

The Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus co-chairs have introduced the Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance & Immediate Response (REPAIR) Act, a bill aimed at reducing harmful non-native (invasive) species on land in and adjacent to National Wildlife Refuges. The REPAIR Act is intended to provide a cost-effective approach to maximize invasive species eradication efforts by establishing a grant program and codifying in law the highly successful Volunteer Invasives Monitoring Program (VIMP).

House Action

The Caucus also submits letters to federal appropriators and administration officials calling for specific dollar amounts in Refuge System appropriations that help drive the Refuge funding discussion in Congress. The co-chairs also author op-ed pieces magazines and newspapers to educate the public on the challenges facing the Refuge System. Caucus members also play an active role in committee hearings concerning the National Wildlife Refuge System, primarily in the House Natural Resources Committee, to collect testimony from managers and experts on legislation concerning the Refuge System.

Members

Leadership

The CWRC is currently led by Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA), Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI), Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), and Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA). Past co-chairs include Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) and Rep. Michael Castle (R-DE).

The CWRC launched with 100 founding members and had grown to 139 members representing 41 States and 182 Wildlife Refuges as of November, 2009 .

Current and former Congressional Wildlife Refuge Members

(in alphabetical order)

MemberStateDate Joined
Rep. Neil Abercrombie HIMarch 15, 2007
Rep. Rodney Alexander LAMarch 5, 2009
Rep. Rob Andrews NJDecember 6, 2006
Rep. Michael Arcuri NYMarch 15, 2007
Rep. Michele Bachmann MNApril 30, 2008
Rep. Spencer Bachus ALJune 26, 2006
Rep. Brian Baird WAJuly 29, 2006
Rep. Tammy Baldwin WIJune 14, 2006
Rep. Tim Bishop NYAugust 1, 2006
Rep. Marsha Blackburn TNSeptember 8, 2006
Rep. Earl Blumenauer ORDecember 5, 2006
Rep. Jo Bonner ALMarch 15, 2007
Rep. John Boozman ARMarch 15, 2007
Rep. Madeleine Bordallo GUJanuary 15, 2008
Rep. Dan Boren OKSeptember 7, 2006
Rep. Leonard Boswell IASeptember 12, 2006
Rep. Rick Boucher VASeptember 5, 2006
Rep. Allen Boyd FLSeptember 18, 2006
Rep. Bruce Braley IAJanuary 22, 2007
Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite FLJuly 14, 2006
Rep. David Camp MIJanuary 31, 2007
Rep. Lois Capps CAMarch 15, 2007
Rep. Michael Capuano MASeptember 12, 2006
Rep. Dennis Cardoza CAAugust 31, 2006
Rep. Matt Cartwright PA2013
Rep. Bill Cassidy LAAugust 6, 2009
Rep. Mike Castle DEMarch 14, 2006
Rep. Ben Chandler KYAugust 29, 2006
Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay MOAugust 2, 2006
Rep. Howard Coble NCJuly 13, 2006
Rep. Gerry Connolly VAJuly 26, 2010
Rep. John Conyers MIJanuary 12, 2007
Rep. Tom Cotton AR2013
Rep. Lincoln Davis TNAugust 29, 2006
Rep. Susan Davis CAJanuary 31, 2007
Rep. Peter DeFazio ORJuly 27, 2006
Rep. Norm Dicks WAJuly 31, 2006
Rep. Debbie Dingell MI2013
Rep. John Dingell MIMay 22, 2006
Rep. Lloyd Doggett TXApril 26, 2006
Rep. Mike Doyle PAJanuary 12, 2007
Rep. Vernon Ehlers MIAugust 7, 2006
Rep. Keith Ellison MNJuly 24, 2008
Rep. Anna Eshoo CAJuly 28, 2006
Rep. Sam Farr CAJuly 28, 2006
Rep. Bob Filner CASeptember 11, 2006
Rep. Randy Forbes VAFebruary 18, 2007
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen NJOctober 18, 2006
Rep. Scott Garrett NJSeptember 26, 2006
Rep. Jim Gerlach PAJuly 11, 2006
Rep. Bart Gordon TNAugust 10, 2006
Rep. Gene Green TXFebruary 19, 2007
Rep. Raul Grijalva AZMay 10, 2006
Rep. Phil Hare ILNovember 15, 2007
Rep. Alcee Hastings FLJuly 11, 2006
Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin SDDecember 11, 2006
Rep. Brian Higgins NYAugust 22, 2006
Rep. Baron Hill INJune 9, 2009
Rep. Maurice Hinchey NYSeptember 12, 2006
Rep. Mazie Hirono HIAugust 6, 2007
Rep. Tim Holden PASeptember 6, 2006
Rep. Rush Holt NJJune 6, 2006
Rep. Michael Honda CASeptember 19, 2006
Rep. Steve Israel NYAugust 4, 2006
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee TXJuly 31, 2006
Rep. Walter Jones NCJuly 28, 2006
Rep. Paul Kanjorski PASeptember 9, 2006
Rep. Patrick Kennedy RIApril 2, 2008
Rep. Dale Kildee MIMay 2, 2006
Rep. Ron Kind WIMarch 10, 2006
Rep. John Kline MNJuly 25, 2006
Rep. Dennis Kucinich OHJanuary 12, 2007
Rep. Leonard Lance NJMarch 3, 2009
Rep. Rick Larsen WAOctober 18, 2006
Rep. John Larson CTJuly 31, 2006
Rep. Barbara Lee CAJanuary 31, 2007
Rep. Dan Lipinski ILJanuary 9, 2007
Rep. Frank LoBiondo NJMay 4, 2006
Rep. Zoe Lofgren CASeptember 18, 2006
Rep. Ben Ray Luján NMOctober 3, 2009
Rep. Stephen Lynch MAAugust 3, 2006
Rep. Carolyn Maloney NYAugust 23, 2006
Rep. Donald Manzullo ILSeptember 9, 2006
Rep. Edward Markey MAAugust 22, 2006
Rep. Jim Marshall GAJuly 25, 2006
Rep. Doris Matsui CAAugust 29, 2006
Rep. Betty McCollum MNAugust 31, 2006
Rep. Thaddeus McCotter MIFebruary 16, 2007
Rep. Jim McDermott WAJuly 31, 2006
Rep. Michael Michaud MEMay 16, 2006
Rep. Brad Miller NCSeptember 25, 2006
Rep. George Miller CAMay 17, 2006
Rep. Alan Mollohan WVJuly 28, 2006
Rep. Dennis Moore KSJuly 26, 2006
Rep. Jim Moran VAAugust 28, 2006
Rep. Patrick Murphy PAJune 22, 2008
Rep. Grace Napolitano CASeptember 22, 2006
Rep. James Oberstar MNAugust 10, 2006
Rep. John W. Olver MAFebruary 18, 2007
Rep. Solomon Ortiz TXAugust 28, 2006
Rep. Frank Pallone NJMay 31, 2006
Rep. Bill Pascrell NJSeptember 15, 2006
Rep. Ron Paul TXSeptember 15, 2006
Rep. Erik Paulsen MNFebruary 18, 2009
Rep. Donald Payne NJJune 7, 2006
Rep. Ed Perlmutter COMarch 15, 2007
Rep. Collin Peterson MNNovember 25, 2007
Rep. Thomas Petri WIJuly 28, 2006
Rep. Chellie Pingree ME2013
Rep. Todd Platts PASeptember 6, 2006
Rep. Earl Pomeroy NDJuly 28, 2006
Rep. David Price NCSeptember 14, 2006
Rep. Steve Rothman NJAugust 31, 2006
Rep. Gregorio Sablan CNMIOctober 19, 2009
Rep. Linda Sánchez CA2013
Rep. Loretta Sánchez CAMay 1, 2007
Rep. Jan Schakowsky ILMay 30, 2007
Rep. Allyson Schwartz PASeptember 13, 2006
Rep. Jose Serrano NYAugust 25, 2006
Rep. Joe Sestak PAJuly 14, 2008
Rep. Carol Shea-Porter NHJanuary 22, 2007
Rep. Adam Smith WAJuly 20, 2006
Rep. Vic Snyder ARSeptember 6, 2006
Rep. Mark Souder INOctober 2, 2006
Rep. John M. Spratt SCSeptember 12, 2006
Rep. Pete Stark CAJune 26, 2006
Rep. Cliff Stearns FLSeptember 5, 2006
Rep. John Tanner TNJuly 20, 2006
Rep. Ellen Tauscher CAOctober 5, 2006
Rep. Mike Thompson CAMarch 14, 2006
Rep. John Tierney MAAugust 25, 2006
Rep. Chris Van Hollen MDJanuary 8, 2007
Rep. Pete Visclosky INOctober 18, 2006
Rep. Tim Walz MNJune 21, 2008
Rep. Diane Watson CASeptember 21, 2006
Rep. Henry Waxman CASeptember 25, 2006
Rep. Peter Welch VTJune 12, 2008
Rep. Anthony Weiner NYAugust 9, 2006
Rep. Robert Wexler FLMay 25, 2006
Rep. Joe Wilson SCAugust 29, 2006
Rep. Rob Wittman VAMay 1, 2008
Rep. Frank Wolf VANovember 20, 2006
Rep. Lynn Woolsey CAAugust 16, 2006
Rep. David Wu OROctober 18, 2006
Rep. Bill Young FLSeptember 19, 2006

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