🚀 go-pugleaf

It's time for one last push to get the California Desert bill out
of the House.

Please call your Representative and urge him/her to support final
passage of the California Desert Protection Act, HR 518, and to
oppose *all* further amendments to the bill.

The California Desert Protection Act is expected to be taken up by
the House either late tomorrow afternoon or Friday. Bill opponents
still have several amendments they are going to try to offer to
weaken and stall the bill, the worst of which is a complete
substitute by Rep. Jerry Lewis which would protect only a small
fraction of the land contained in H.R. 518. 

We cannot presume that this last round of weakening amendments will
be rejected without a fight.  Last week the House adopted two major
weakening amendments by sizable margins.  House members need to
continue to hear from you on this issue.

For the past 10 weeks the House has worked on the bill
sporadically, due primarily to the dilatory tactics of the
opposition. It is time to get it done and get the bill through
conference and on the President's desk.  HR 518 is the largest
public land protection bill in the lower 48 states ever considered
by Congress, in all some 7 million acres of the California Desert
will be protected as parks, preserves and wilderness.    

You can contact your representative through the Capitol switchboard
at (202) 224-3121.  Thanks for your efforts.  With a little more
effort we can all soon take pride in this great conservation
victory.