Last week the House passed H.R. 2218, the Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act, which expands and streamlines funding authorization for charter schools.  The House also passed H.R. 2587, the Protecting Jobs from Government Interference Act, which repeals the authority of the National Labor Relations Board to prevent companies from relocating their businesses where they deem fit.  The House also voted to disapprove of the President’s ability to increase the debt limit.  A similar resolution failed in the Senate.

Wolf Issue Underscores Need for ESA Reform
By Congressman Mike Simpson
“As the debate about the Endangered Species Act rages in Congress and around the country, the one thing everyone seems to agree on is that a decision to list or delist a species should be based on science, not on politics.  I couldn’t agree more. Unfortunately, the ESA, which was originally enacted in a successful effort to save the iconic bald eagle from extinction, has been hijacked by those whose goal is not to recover species but to control public land and water. As a result, wildlife and land management decisions that should be made by biologists at the Department of Interior have instead been forced into the courts where judges are making public land management policies. The Endangered Species Act has become so highly contentious, political, and litigious that it has become a policy failure.

“If we want the ESA to work, wildlife managers need to be able to delist recovered species. Hunters, fishermen, ranchers, and landowners play an integral role in conservation, but they don’t feel empowered to participate when advocates force decisions to be made in court. 

“Wolves are a case in point. The Northern Rocky Mountain (NRM) wolf population has, by all reasonable counts, fully recovered, vastly surpassing even the most optimistic recovery goals. The population has grown so large it has spilled out of its original recovery area, with wolf packs showing up in Oregon, Washington, and Utah.  Recognizing a recovered species when they saw one, the Fish and Wildlife Service delisted the NRM wolf population in states with approved management plans in 2009. Yet in spite of it being clear that wolves would continue to flourish, activitists went to court to force them back onto the list in 2010.

“Keeping a strongly recovered wolf population on the endangered species list is in no one’s best interest except those who benefit from ongoing litigation. On the other hand, providing a long-term solution to the management of these animals serves the interest of the states, the federal agencies, ranchers and hunters, and those whose true goal is sustainable wildlife populations in the Rocky Mountain West. I included language in the fiscal year 2011 budget bill instructing the Fish and Wildlife Service to reissue their delisting rule in an effort to bring the ESA back in line with what Congress originally intended.

“The recovery of the gray wolf should be considered a success under the ESA. What the debate about wolf delisting has revealed is that some groups will persist in keeping species like wolves listed in spite of all the evidence that they are recovered, proving that their end goal is not to recover species but to usurp the public process by forcing land and water management decisions to be made in court, not by Congress. 

“Hunters and fishermen are strong advocates for protecting our public lands and preserving wildlife, but they are not fooled by groups that claim to share their interests but instead make a living suing the government in an effort to keep fully-recovered species listed. We desperately need to reform the Endangered Species Act so that it encourages key partners to participate in the work of preserving and recovering species and making reasonable, science-based decisions regarding wildlife management. As hunting season gets underway in Idaho and the wolf hunt is finally reinstated, Idahoans know that the state is more than prepared to manage our wolf population.”

Floor Schedule

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
On Monday, the House will meet at 12:00 p.m. in Pro Forma session.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH
On Tuesday, the House will meet at 12:00 p.m. for morning hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:
1) H.R. 2005 - Combating Autism Reauthorization Act of 2011 (Sponsored Rep. Chris Smith / Energy and Commerce Committee)

2) H.R. 1852 - Children's Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2011 (Sponsored by Rep. Joseph Pitts / Energy and Commerce Committee)

3) H.R. 2646 - Veterans Health Care Facilities Capital Improvement Act of 2011, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Bill Johnson / Veterans’ Affairs Committee)

4) H.R. 2944 - U.S. Parole Commission Reauthorization (Sponsored by Rep. Lamar Smith / Judiciary Committee)

5) H.R. 2189 - Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2011 (Sponsored by Rep. Bobby Scott / Judiciary Committee)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST, AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK
On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.

On Friday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes for the week are expected no later than 3:00 p.m.

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:
1) S.Con.Res. 28 - A concurrent resolution authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for an event to award the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service, United States Army, in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II (Sponsored by Sen. Daniel Inouye / House Administration Committee)

2) H.R. 2943 - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Extension (Sponsored by Rep. Geoff Davis / Ways and Means Committee)

3) H.R. 2883 - Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act (Sponsored by Rep. Geoff Davis / Ways and Means Committee)

 H.J.Res. 79- Further Continuing Appropriations Amendments, 2012 (Closed Rule, One Hour of Debate) (Sponsored by Rep. Hal Rogers / Appropriations Committee)

H.R. 2401 - The Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation Act of 2011 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. John Sullivan / Energy and Commerce Committee)

In the News

Northwest Dairy Association Supports Draft Dairy Reform Legislation Based on Foundation for the Future Program
Marketwatch.com, September 12, 2011

SEATTLE, Sep 12, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Northwest Dairy Association (NDA), a dairy farmer-owned cooperative, and Darigold, Inc., its wholly owned milk processing subsidiary, recently pledged support for the draft dairy reform legislation released by House Agriculture Committee ranking democratic member Collin Peterson (D-MN) earlier this summer. Peterson, who plans to introduce the legislation this fall, will be joined by Congressman Mike Simpson (R-ID) as a co-sponsor. The proposal is based on Foundation for the Future (FFTF), a comprehensive dairy reform proposal authored by dairy leaders across the country.

"Our decision to support the Peterson/Simpson proposal is not one taken lightly," according to Jim Werkhoven, Chairman of the Northwest Dairy Association and Darigold boards of directors and a dairy farmer in Monroe, Washington. "We began our evaluation of the proposal more than a year ago, by presenting it to the membership at our annual meeting. Since then, we have discussed the plan in many forums, including area producer meetings. There is an industry consensus building around Foundation for the Future that promises improved economic stability for dairy farmers and ensures food security for the nation."

The impetus for redirection in federal dairy policy was the precipitous drop in milk prices in 2009 that forced thousands of dairy farmers out of business and resulted in virtually all producers selling their milk far below the cost of production. By all accounts, dairy famers' equity was decimated by prolonged low milk prices, which were exacerbated by historically high feed prices - the largest milk production cost - during the same time.

"Given Northwest Dairy Association's and Darigold's position in the marketplace as a farmer-owned cooperative and global processor of a full range of dairy products, we are uniquely situated to evaluate and appreciate the positive aspects of Foundation for the Future," according to Jim Wegner, President and CEO of the NDA/Darigold organizations. "We have been part of the national conversation that helped formulate FFTF, and we support its multiple provisions as a package deal. Should changes to the program be contemplated, we will be fully engaged in the conversation to assure that our member-owners' interests are well served and that the dairy industry is positioned for future success."

Initiated by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), of which Northwest Dairy Association/Darigold is a member, FFTF proposes elimination of the federal dairy support program that removes excess dairy products from the market in favor of a risk-management program that insures producers against extremely low margins between milk and feed prices. The result is less milk price volatility and a reasonable opportunity for producers to cover their costs of production. The program includes elements that send immediate, but temporary, market signals to producers to curtail production when supply and demand fall out of balance. It also sets in motion comprehensive reform of the Federal Milk Marketing Order system, a USDA program that ensures orderly marketing of producers' milk within given geographic areas.

Upon release of the draft legislation, NMPF's President and CEO, Jerry Kozak, said, "This is a long-anticipated and very welcome next step in the process of upgrading dairy policy to better provide farmers with protection, stability, and the opportunity for growth." In the coming weeks, NMPF will continue to work with Peterson and Simpson to build support for the legislative draft, seeking additional co-sponsors from both political parties, in order that Congress can take it up for consideration as soon as possible.

"NDA and Darigold join with Congressmen Peterson and Simpson, National Milk Producers Federation, and dairy farmers across the country in seeking sponsorship for, and early consideration of, the draft legislative changes necessary to implement Foundation for the Future," said Wegner.

Northwest Dairy Association is a farmer-owned cooperative with 550 members, providing an estimated 5,000 on-farm jobs, across six Western states. NDA members produce more than 7.0 billion pounds of milk annually. Darigold, Inc. is a leading dairy company in the nation and the world, with annual sales in excess of $2.0 billion. Darigold, Inc. employs 1,500 people across the region.