New Jersey Congressman throws fishermen under the bus

[paulyfish]

New Jersey's marinas, tackle shops, charter boats and recreational fishing related infrastructure repairs will not be funded by the Sandy Bill currently in play if people dont speak up ASAP.

NJ's own Rep Frelinghuysen is proposing an amendment that would cut fishery disaster aid funding from $150M to $5M. The bill can be found at http://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20130114/FrelinghuysenAmendHR152.pdf.
Below is a template letter for individuals or organizations to sign and fax urging that he supports funding at a minimum of the Senate proposal of $150M.
As a vote will likely occur this week, maybe this Tuesday, I recommend faxing your comments to his office - (202) 225-3186 or cut and paste the below and email him at
http://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index...sectiontree=10
Please follow up with a phone call. His tel is (202) 225-5034

Letter as follows:
Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen
2306 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-3011
(202) 225-5034

We urge you to support New Jersey’s recreational fishing industry by appropriating adequate federal fishery disaster aid to restore New Jersey’s recreational fisheries from the impacts of Hurricane Sandy.
New Jersey’s recreational fisheries and the coastal infrastructure that supports these fisheries are essential to our coastal economy, generating $1.4 billion in annual sales and supporting 8,500 jobs. Recreational fisheries were especially hard hit by Hurricane Sandy due to a record storm surge that devastated hundreds of New Jersey’s docks and marinas and severely damaged other fishery-related infrastructure that provided sources of access to the shore.
As a result, recreational fishing basically stopped in New Jersey for a two month period that routinely is very active due to the fall striped bass fishery. Virtually all of New Jersey’s 200 tackle shops lost their stores of fresh bait due to loss of power and clients. Hundreds of party and charter boats had no place to launch and no clients to take out to fish. Shore fishermen lost their piers, boardwalks and favorite beach access locations. As a result, many of the small businesses involved in the recreational fishery were left reeling and are now struggling to make it through the winter and rebuild before the start of the Spring fisheries. Without adequate fishery disaster aid, that will likely not happen.
Your Sandy appropriations amendment – H.R. 152 – as drafted, would only provide $5 million dollars toward federal fishery disaster aid for all states affected by Hurricane Sandy. This amount is woefully inadequate and fails to reflect the unprecedented non-insured economic damages to the recreational fishery, which according to some estimates exceeds $160 million for New Jersey alone. We urge you to provide at least the amount recommended in the Senate appropriations bill passed in December 2012.
As New Jersey’s Congressional representative, New Jersey’s recreational fishermen are counting on you, and the New Jersey Congressional delegation, to support us in our time of need. Don’t let us down.
Sincerely,
Capt.Paul Eidman
Anglers Conservation Network

[Captain Rich]

Done, and a bump to the top

[tuna john]

done took 2 min

[TomKaye]

Thanks Capt. Rich. Copied and Pasted your letter.

Sent it to the Congressman here :

http://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=10&sectiontree=10

[TomKaye]

Thanks Capt.Paul.-------
Copied and Pasted your letter.

Sent it to the Congressman here :

http://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=10&sectiontree=10

[billfish16]

done

[Geetie]

Tried to send it to the email you posted but it got rejected. I think you have to use the link others posted.

http://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index...sectiontree=10

Just used the link and it worked.

[PaulNreel]

Done. Paul Arber

[Reel Class]

Done. Liked it so it would show up on facebook as well.

[joeya78]

Done

[Jay]

Done deal. Thanks for sharing.

[Down Deep Sportfishing]

Done.

[hammer4reel]

mine just came back that the address no longer exists ?????????????

[Prime Coat]

Done

["Reef Donkey"]

Done.. Thanks for the info

[Gerry Zagorski]

Done and thanks for posting it. Going to make this a sticky and hope everyone takes the time to write.

[paulyfish]

Done and thanks for posting it. Going to make this a sticky and hope everyone takes the time to write.


Thanks!
Corrected email linkage, hope this works better:
http://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index...sectiontree=10

[JBird]

Done.

Now, has anyone figured out why this jackass wants to cut relief funding?

Maybe because there are no shore communities in his district?

Maybe because he is a flaming j****ff?

Let's make some noise and get what we need to rebuild.

[Dollar Bill]

All done. Thanks for posting this.

[HDMarc]

Done

[paulyfish]

New Streamlined link to send your message... FYI they are on C-Span 2 right now all arguing over this $$$$

http://j.mp/TellFrelinghuysenSupportNJRecFishing

[Captain Rich]

I don't think it's me.....:rolleyes: ....none of these address links work for me, when I tried to send a personal message. This last address worked when I used the prepared format. Thanks

[HutchJr]

Your efforts to get funding included/increased in the disaster relief package are wonderful guys, but always pay attention to the big picture – send comments to your OWN HOUSE MEMBERS first and foremost. Call your own HOUSE member directly when you have an interest in seeing legislation addressed. If you’re NOT in Mr. Frelinghuysen’s district, he probably won’t pay much attention to your request.

Americans need to know that they should feel comfortable calling their own HOUSE members when there is something of interest to them – that’s what we should also be doing with our ongoing group efforts to fix the federal fisheries law as well!!! If you believe that fishing is a RIGHT as opposed to a PRIVILEGE (which can be rescinded or taken away at someone else’s discretion), then remember that you have a MEMBER OF CONGRESS who is there to represent you!

If you’re in Mr. LoBiondo’s district, or Mr. Runyan’s, or Mr. Pallone’s (even Mr. Sires) along the coastal district, your individual phone call always makes an impact. Feel free to email me directly if you need any information about your representative.

Please note that Mr. Pallone has put forth an amendment to H.R. 152 which is being debated right now in the House Rules Committee to increase funding for the federal fisheries disaster specifically for NY & NJ. Mr. Runyan and Mr. Bishop (NY) have also put forth amendments to H.R. 152 to ensure that funding for Sandy with regard to the federal fisheries disaster are included in the final package for NY/NJ.

It's 6:20 p.m. - if you want to watch the rules process, visit http://rules.house.gov/Legislation/hearings_details.aspx?NewsID=1003 (http://rules.house.gov/Legislation/hearings_details.aspx?NewsID=1003)

In terms of marinas, tackle shops, for-hire captains and many other recreational fishing business owners, we’re easily talking about ‘uninsurable’ losses resulting from physical and economic damage in excess of the $150 million damage figure originally included in the U.S. Senate legislation for disaster relief - $5 million divvied up between both NY/NJ comms and recs is a slap in the face, for sure (and the whole debate about ‘pork’ in terms of fisheries disasters nationwide was a lot of political grandstanding.)

My (our) thanks to Mr. Pallone for his amendment to increase the fisheries disaster funding to $50 million in his amendment…it’s a small figure, but certainly a better starting point than the figure included by Mr. Frelinghuysen for fisheries. I would also hope that the $150 million in regional ocean partnership grants for coastal states impacted by Hurricane Sandy can also be duly applied to disaster relief along the coast as opposed to any executive order ‘policy’ directives. Hard to imagine $150 million for bureaucracy and just $5 million for affected stakeholders – hope I’m reading that wrong.

PLEASE ALWAYS REMEMBER & DON’T EVER FORGET, get your House member’s phone number in Washington DC and feel free to use it - anytime!!! That's YOUR phone they're using in DC - you own it, you can certainly RING IT!!!!

By the way, for those who were curious, following Katrina, the Magnuson-Stevens Act authorized Congress to pay $17.5 million a year for FIVE years towards the afflicted fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico. It's a different economy and a different Congress for sure, but the precedent is there for our NY/NJ fishermen to hold some type of optimism.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Your efforts to get funding included/increased in the disaster relief package are wonderful guys, but always pay attention to the big picture – send comments to your OWN HOUSE MEMBERS first and foremost. Call your own HOUSE member directly when you have an interest in seeing legislation addressed. If you’re NOT in Mr. Frelinghuysen’s district, he probably won’t pay much attention to your request.

Americans need to know that they should feel comfortable calling their own HOUSE members when there is something of interest to them – that’s what we should also be doing with our ongoing group efforts to fix the federal fisheries law as well!!! If you believe that fishing is a RIGHT as opposed to a PRIVILEGE (which can be rescinded or taken away at someone else’s discretion), then remember that you have a MEMBER OF CONGRESS who is there to represent you!

If you’re in Mr. LoBiondo’s district, or Mr. Runyan’s, or Mr. Pallone’s (even Mr. Sires) along the coastal district, your individual phone call always makes an impact. Feel free to email me directly if you need any information about your representative.

Please note that Mr. Pallone has put forth an amendment to H.R. 152 which is being debated right now in the House Rules Committee to increase funding for the federal fisheries disaster specifically for NY & NJ. Mr. Runyan and Mr. Bishop (NY) have also put forth amendments to H.R. 152 to ensure that funding for Sandy with regard to the federal fisheries disaster are included in the final package for NY/NJ.

It's 6:20 p.m. - if you want to watch the rules process, visit http://rules.house.gov/Legislation/hearings_details.aspx?NewsID=1003 (http://rules.house.gov/Legislation/hearings_details.aspx?NewsID=1003)

In terms of marinas, tackle shops, for-hire captains and many other recreational fishing business owners, we’re easily talking about ‘uninsurable’ losses resulting from physical and economic damage in excess of the $150 million damage figure originally included in the U.S. Senate legislation for disaster relief - $5 million divvied up between both NY/NJ comms and recs is a slap in the face, for sure (and the whole debate about ‘pork’ in terms of fisheries disasters nationwide was a lot of political grandstanding.)

My (our) thanks to Mr. Pallone for his amendment to increase the fisheries disaster funding to $50 million in his amendment…it’s a small figure, but certainly a better starting point than the figure included by Mr. Frelinghuysen for fisheries. I would also hope that the $150 million in regional ocean partnership grants for coastal states impacted by Hurricane Sandy can also be duly applied to disaster relief along the coast as opposed to any executive order ‘policy’ directives. Hard to imagine $150 million for bureaucracy and just $5 million for affected stakeholders – hope I’m reading that wrong.

PLEASE ALWAYS REMEMBER & DON’T EVER FORGET, get your House member’s phone number in Washington DC and feel free to use it - anytime!!! That's YOUR phone they're using in DC - you own it, you can certainly RING IT!!!!

By the way, for those who were curious, following Katrina, the Magnuson-Stevens Act authorized Congress to pay $17.5 million a year for FIVE years towards the afflicted fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico. It's a different economy and a different Congress for sure, but the precedent is there for our NY/NJ fishermen to hold some type of optimism.

Great advice Hutch... Going to make my call today and here is a link that will give you their phone numbers http://www.house.gov/representatives/#state_ne

[Rick-D]

Done.

Now, has anyone figured out why this jackass wants to cut relief funding?

Maybe because there are no shore communities in his district?

Maybe because he is a flaming j****ff?

Let's make some noise and get what we need to rebuild.


Probably the $150 million Alaska was going to take::confused:

"Among the items removed were $150 million for fisheries in Alaska and Mississippi and $56 million for the West Coast to clean up debris from the 2011 tsunami in Japan. But while their removal was intended to mollify fiscal conservatives in the House, it might undermine support for the package in the Senate. "

From http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/14/nyregion/house-to-take-up-sandy-relief-bill-amid-battle-over-spending.html?_r=0

They need to put a little pork in it to get the other senators to vote for it.

[paulyfish]

Probably the $150 million Alaska was going to take::confused:

"Among the items removed were $150 million for fisheries in Alaska and Mississippi and $56 million for the West Coast to clean up debris from the 2011 tsunami in Japan. But while their removal was intended to mollify fiscal conservatives in the House, it might undermine support for the package in the Senate. "

From http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/14/nyregion/house-to-take-up-sandy-relief-bill-amid-battle-over-spending.html?_r=0

They need to put a little pork in it to get the other senators to vote for it.


Check this out:
http://www.app.com/article/20130114/NJSPORTS06/301140101/Fishery-disaster-relief-jeopardy?nclick_check=1

[JBird]

Well, everything does taste better with bacon...

[sportfishingusa]

I think it is a great idea to help the fishing industry out, i have tons of good friends in the fishing business so no one take this the wrong way cause i really do give a shit, but i lost almost a full month of work due to this hurricane, had no power for almost 3 weeks in my office and due to sandy they just about shut down my industry, but there is no government help for anyone in any other business.

I understand this is a fishing forum, but if they are not going to help everyone then why help anyone.. Thats my opinion.

[Zack Attack]

This government can waste billions yet cut $150M from those that really need it, and where it would actually be beneficial.....amazing!:confused:

Thanks for the heads up!

Jim

[Zack Attack]

Well, everything does taste better with bacon...

I would not call this bacon or pork fat; this is needed & justified disaster aid. Unfortunately there is several billion in pork already added squeezing out needed funding.

Jim

[hammerin hank]

Done, thank you...I am so sick of all the politicians and they the way they responded to us. I hope you all remember come election time, and whenever those fat cats need a fund raiser or free fishing trip..... I say throw em all out..

[paulyfish]

New Blog up.
Wreck Pond and Takanassee Inlets directly affected by this funding cut

http://anglersconservationnetwork.org/2013/01/17/the-oceans-talking-anybody-listening/

[jws111]

Thanks Capt. Paul for reminding me of my right to be heard and hopefully make a difference. Sent!