Letter to Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Leader, and Rob Bishop, Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources - Bring the Gray Wolf State Management Act to a Vote on the House Floor

Letter

Dear Mr. Speaker,

We write you today in support of the earliest possible floor consideration of H.R. 424, the Gray Wolf State Management Act of 2017, before calving season begins in late winter. This bill will assist farmers and ranchers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Wyoming.

Calving season is a critical period when cows and calves are most vulnerable to gray wolf attacks. That season could start as early as late January in the upper Midwest. As you know, cows and their calves can easily be worth several thousand dollars, so each instance of a wolf attack has devastating economic impacts on ranchers and their families. Currently, ranchers and farmers have no legal actions available to deal with gray wolf attacks because these predators are federally protected.

The Gray Wolf State Management Act would delist gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes states and Wyoming from federal protections and return their management to the states, which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had originally intended. Our bill is supported by 15 bipartisan, original cosponsors and 21 agriculture and conservation organizations including the American Farm Bureau Federation and National Farmers Union.

We believe this bill can lead as a prime example of bipartisanship working in Congress. We hope you will consider bringing H.R. 424 to the floor as soon as possible to provide relief during calving season. This would bring peace of mind to ranchers who are concerned about protecting their animals and businesses from devastating losses associated with gray wolves.