{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.countable.us/bill/photo/hjres69-115/featured_providing-for-congressional-disapproval-under-chapter-8-of-title-5-united-states-code-of-the-final-rule-of-the--1487133917.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.countable.us/bill/photo/hjres69-115/featured_large_providing-for-congressional-disapproval-under-chapter-8-of-title-5-united-states-code-of-the-final-rule-of-the--1487133917.jpg","shareable":"https://n.countable.us/share-images/bills/hjres69-115.png"},"introduced_on":"2017-02-07","title_override":"Should a Rule Restricting Alaskans From Hunting Predators in Wildlife Refuges be Repealed?","summary_override":"

This resolution would repeal a Dept. of the Interior (DOI) regulation that prohibits the hunting of predators such as bears and wolves on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska. The rule was finalized in the final months of the Obama administration, and permits “predator control” hunts only under certain circumstances after several environmental reviews have taken place and limits the ways that wildlife can be killed.

Specifically, the rule looks to promote “natural diversity” by by avoiding emphasis of management activities that favor some species to the detriment of others in order to avoid artificially maintained habitat diversity. Predator control would be prohibited on Alaskan refuges unless deemed necessary for conservation (not to provide more wildlife for human harvest). If predator control becomes necessary, the regulation imposes the following prohibitions on taking:

Black or brown bear cubs or sows with cubs (unless resident hunters take them in compliance with state law);
Brown bears over bait;
Bears using traps or snares;
Wolves and coyotes during denning season between May 1 and August 9;
Bears from an aircraft or on the same day as air travel has occurred (the taking of wolves or wolverines under the same circumstances is already prohibited).

The DOI regulation also places limits on subsistence hunting — meaning hunting done to provide food and economic security — such that it has to be carried out in a manner consistent with the needs of conservation and U.S. compliance with international wildlife treaties. It also states that under the federal Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), the federal Fish and Wildlife Service has primacy over the state in managing fish and wildlife, and uses ANILCA as justification

Under the Congressional Review Act, Congress is able to overturn regulations finalized within the last 60 legislative days with simple majority votes on a joint resolution of disapproval in both chambers and the president’s signature. CRA resolutions also prevent the federal agency that created the regulation from issuing a similar rule without being directed to do so by Congress.

","official_title":"Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the final rule of the Department of the Interior relating to \"Non-Subsistence Take of Wildlife, and Public Participation and Closure Procedures, on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska\".","short_title":null,"popular_title":null,"short_summary":"(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)\n\nThis joint resolution nullifies the rule finalized by the Department of the Interior on August 5, 2016, relating to non-subsistence takings of wildlife and public participation and closure procedures on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska.","summarized":true,"cost":null,"cost_commentary":"A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.","impact":"Hunters and Alaskans, particularly those who rely on subsistence hunting; the state of Alaska; FWS; and the DOI.","argument_for":"This rule violates the intent of the agreement reached between Alaska and the federal government in managing fish and wildlife populations. The regulation should be repealed so that the people of Alaska can manage their own land and wildlife resources in line with previous agreements with the federal government.","argument_against":"The federal government has an interest in promoting “natural diversity” in Alaska’s national wildlife refuges and is justified in imposing regulations on the state of Alaska to meet that end. Federal law has precedence over state law, and that applies to wildlife conservation as well. Subsistence hunting should only occur if it complies with conservation needs.","bill_type":"hjres","published":true,"type":"FederalBill","id":"hjres69-115","bill_id":"hjres69-115","formal_id":"H. 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Why would you want to indiscriminately decide that Alaska (the last refuge for large mammals in the United States) should decide what clearly is an issue that belongs to ALL of the American people--whom I might add are resolutely in FAVOR of retaining this regulation.","show_argument_for":false,"show_argument_against":true,"upvote_count":0,"upvotes_for_count":null,"upvotes_against_count":0,"has_upvoted":false,"endorsement_count":0,"links":{"self":"https://www.countable.us/positions/ff4165df-c494-437b-b2ff-529266a3e32f"},"body":"The question is always Why? 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Should a Rule Restricting Alaskans From Hunting Predators in Wildlife Refuges be Repealed?