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Karen Batra, (202) 347-0228, kbatra@beef.org

Tanya Augustson, (202) 347-0228, taugustson@beef.org

Senate Supports Wild Horse and Burro Sale Authority

Cattlemen Applaud Senate Passage of Interior Appropriations Package

Washington, D.C. (June 30, 2005) – The U.S. Senate approved its fiscal year 2006 Appropriations package (H.R. 2361) for the Department of the Interior, environment, and related agencies by a 94–0 vote late yesterday.  The Senate showed its support for the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) wild horse and burro sale authority by not including an amendment barring funding for BLM to sell unadoptable horses and burros as required under section 142 of P.L. 108-447 that was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this Spring. 

For ranchers and land managers, this action by the Senate keeps intact an important management tool for the federal government to balance the multiple uses of America’s public lands.  The Department of Interior and BLM use this authority to sell horses to citizens who want to provide homes for them. 

“We seek only balanced use of the public lands, including reasonable management of wild horse populations,” says Jeff Eisenberg, NCBA Federal Lands Director and Executive Director, Public Lands Council (PLC).

NCBA and PLC applaud the efforts of Senator Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) for his dedication to achieving more balanced management of federal lands and for his efforts to provide the BLM with this much needed management tool.  Without the support of Senator Burns, Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), the fate of this important resource management authority may have been decided by the most extreme animal rights activist groups.

Having passed the House and Senate in different forms, the FY 2006 Interior, environment and related agencies Appropriations bill will be reviewed by a conference of Senate and House members for final approval and resolution of differences. 

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