Russ visits Park Falls, Wisconsin.

Sportsmen

ENJOYING WISCONSIN'S WETLANDS AND WILDERNESS

"Fighting for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts has always been a priority for me. That is why as a Wisconsin State Senator, I co-sponsored and helped write an amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution to protect gun-owner's rights and have always fought vigorously to protect Wisconsin wetlands and public lands."

ACHIEVEMENTS

Recipient of the 2004 Conservation Service Citation:

The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, which consists of 84 hunting and trapping organizations in the state, and the National Wildlife Federation presented Senator Feingold this award for his efforts to protect water quality and fight for wetlands protections.

Defending the Second Amendment:

-Senator Feingold believes that the United States Constitution guarantees American citizens the right to keep and bear arms. As a Wisconsin State Senator, Senator Feingold co-sponsored and helped to write a constitutional amendment to ensure this right.

-Senator Feingold has consistently opposed proposals to ban handguns.

-In 1993, Senator Feingold voted to stop a licensing fee increase for people who sell guns.

-In 1998, Senator Feingold voted to prevent back door gun licensing and to prevent the creation of a government master list of gun owners.

-In Summer of 2002, Senator Feingold voted to allow airline pilots to carry firearms in the cockpits of airplanes.

-In Fall of 2002, Senator Feingold voted to let off-duty and retired police officers carry a gun outside their jurisdiction.

-In the April 2003 election, Senator Feingold was pleased to vote for a statewide referendum, which guaranteed Wisconsinites the right to hunt, fish and trap.

Recognition of Senate Voting Record: For his conservation efforts, Senator Feingold has consistently been recognized by the League of Conservation Voters, which represents groups such as Trout Unlimited and the Isaac Walton League, as having the hightest conservation voting record of any seated U.S. Senator.

Preserving Wetlands: Senator Feingold has consistently opposed efforts to roll back the Clean Water Act and undo protection for wetlands, which provide critical habitat for our nation’s waterfowl. Senator Feingold fought provisions in the 1996 Clean Water Act that threatened the classification and protection of over 60% of Wisconsin wetlands, and authored a clean water bill that would clarify that streams, ponds, and lakes are subject to federal Clean Water Act protections. He led the Senate effort to successfully urge the Administration to abandon a proposed rulemaking that would leave 20 million acres of wetlands unprotected by federal law. He has authored legislation to reform the Army Corps of Engineers, which would require that the government meet the same environmental standards as private developers when a proposed Corps project would destroy or impact wetlands. Senator Feingold has also worked to reauthorize the Conservation Reserve Program, protecting 36 million acres of land from soil erosion and creating wildlife habitats and wetlands.

Keeping Wisconsin's Waters Clean and Mercury-Free: Mercury contamination has resulted in fish consumption advisories on Wisconsin’s over 15,000 lakes. Senator Feingold believes that anglers should be able to eat the fish they catch without worrying about the health impacts of the fish on their families. He has cosponsored legislation that would regulate mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants, and he successfully urged the Administration to scrap it proposed mercury regulation rule and present a more protective rule. He has urged the Senate to conduct hearings on the important issue of mercury contamination of our lakes and waterways.

Cleaning Up the Great Lakes: Senator Feingold cosponsored the Great Lakes Amendment, passed by the Senate in July of 2001, which will prevent both onshore and offshore drilling for oil and gas in the Great Lakes until Congress has clear information about the specific dangers that drilling could pose to the Lakes. In 2004, he urged the Senate to extend this moratorium. Senator Feingold has also cosponsored several pieces of legislation to clean up Great Lake harbors, prevent non-native species like the Asian carp, zebra mussels, and sea lampreys from wreaking havoc on the Great Lakes, and has worked on efforts to clean up the Fox River and prevent tons of PCBs from flowing into Lake Michigan.

Conserving Public Lands and Wilderness: Senator Feingold authored legislation that effectively turned the La Farge Dam into state parkland. It has now been transformed into a natural reserve for everyone to enjoy-including hunters. He successfully appropriated over $2 million for necessary restoration and renovations and for a wilderness study of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The Apostle Islands are a popular vacation area for many Wisconsin families, as well as home to wildlife such as black bear, deer, and bald eagles. On September 2, 2004, the Administration completed this wilderness study and recommended federal wilderness protection for the Apostle Islands. Senator Feingold is also the founder of the Senate Wilderness and Public Land Caucus. This bipartisan caucus, which now has 10 members in the Senate, defends existing wilderness areas and provides a forum for members seeking to designate new areas. One such beautiful but endangered part of the country that Senator Feingold has defended in Congress is a 9 million acre area of redrock wilderness in Utah.

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Read more about Senator Feingold's work on conserving Wisconsin's natural resources and protecting the environment.