For more information on this aspect of Defenders of Wildlife http://www.defenders.org/, visit Rural Defenders http://www.familyfarmer.org/sections/sponsors.html . Best, Ericka ---------- From: "SCOTTY JOHNSON" <[log in to unmask]> Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 To: "Defenders Rural UPdates!" Subject: Immediate Action Needed - Stop Zero Funding of Farm Programs URGENT ACTION ALERT ***Please Act Now to Save WRP, WHIP and FPP*** The U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee has zero- funded three important conservation programs, the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), the Farmland Protection Program (FPP), and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). You action is needed urgently. We must protect these programs that preserve hundreds of thousands of acres of habitat and provide incentives to producers to be good stewards. The appropriations bill that zero-funds these essential programs will reach the House floor for a vote soon possibly by this Monday, June 25. Please act quickly and forward this message far and wide. Worse, these important programs are being cut simply to provide income for President Bush's tax cut that benefits the wealthiest Americans. With WRP payments that can be up to $50,000 per year these programs are clearly more beneficial to farmers than the $600 maximum tax refund that they may receive this year! These programs protect critical habitats and imperiled species and are very popular with farmers. In 2002 existing demand for WRP is more than $300 million, FPP more than $200 million, and WHIP more than $150 million. There is still a chance to fund these programs for 2002. To do this, we must put pressure on the Senate to correct the mistake made by the House. We will begin that next week. In the meantime, we must get all Representatives who do support farm conservation programs to speak out against the zero-funding of WRP, WHIP, and FPP. CALL TODAY! Please call your representative immediately and ask him or her to speak on the public record during the vote on this issue. Ask them to support funding for the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, the Wetlands Reserve Program and the Farmland Protection Program. A groundswell of support now in the House will help these programs when the Senate and House resolve the differences in their appropriations bills. It will also help ensure that WHIP, WRP and FPP are included in the 2002 Farm Bill, which will be debated in the House and Senate later this year. The following is the list of Representatives we believe might stand up on the House Floor to support conservation measures, if they hear from you. If you are a constituent of one of these Representatives, it is especially important that you call. E-mail addresses have been provided where available. Rep. John Baldacci (D-ME) 202-225-6306 [log in to unmask] Rep. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) 202-225-6531 [log in to unmask] Rep. Eva Clayton (D-NC) 202-225-3101 [log in to unmask] Rep. Gary Condit (D-CA) 202-225-6131 [log in to unmask] Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) 202-225-6416 [log in to unmask] Rep. William Delahunt (D-MA) 202-225-3111 [log in to unmask] Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) 202-225-5792 [log in to unmask] Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) 202-225-5931 Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) 202-225-5311 Rep. Porter Goss (R-FL) 202-225-2536 [log in to unmask] Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN) 202-225-2472 [log in to unmask] Rep. Tim Holden (D-PA) 202-225-5546 Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT) 202-225-4476 Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) 202-225-3106 Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) 202-225-1605 [log in to unmask] Rep. James McGovern (D-MA) 202-225-6101 Rep. George Miller (D-CA) 202-225-2095 [log in to unmask] Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Mn) 202-225-2165 [log in to unmask] Rep. Charles "Chip" Pickering, Jr. (R-MS) 202-225-5031 Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) 202-225-4831 [log in to unmask] Rep. Bob Schaffer (R-CO) 202-225-4676 Rep. Louise McIntosh Slaughter (D-NY) 202-225-3615 [log in to unmask] Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) 202-225-3311 [log in to unmask] Rep. John Thune (R-SD) 202-225-2801 [log in to unmask] Rep. Mark Udall (D-Co) 202-225-2161 Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM) 202-225-6190 [log in to unmask] Thank you for taking action! ### - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]