Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus


The Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus is a large bi-partisan Congressional Member Organization in the U.S. House of Representatives formed to support the National Wildlife Refuge System through legislation, funding, and education.

History

The Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus was established in September 2006 by Congressmen Ron Kind and Jim Saxton along with vice co-chairs Michael Castle and Mike Thompson with a call to manage the National Wildlife Refuge System in the tradition of President Theodore Roosevelt, who established the first National Wildlife Refuge in 1903 . The formation of the CWRC was largely a response to budget shortfalls that resulted in multi-billion dollar maintenance backlogs and staff shortages that, many agreed, was preventing the Refuge System from fulfilling its basic mission.

Guiding Principles

Mission

The mission of the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus is to fortify, protect and preserve the National Wildlife Refuge System by supporting adequate Refuge funding, working for the strategic growth of the Refuge System through easements and targeted land acquisition and by promoting legislation to improve the Refuge System. The CWRC also aims to educate members of Congress about the increasing number of challenges facing the System through briefings and other forms of outreach.

Purpose

The purpose of the CWRC is to:

Legislation

The Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus co-chairs have introduced the Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance & Immediate Response Act, a bill aimed at reducing harmful non-native species on land in and adjacent to National Wildlife Refuges. The REPAIR Act is intended to provide a cost-effective approach to maximize invasive species eradication efforts by establishing a grant program and codifying in law the highly successful Volunteer Invasives Monitoring Program.

House Action

The Caucus also submits letters to federal appropriators and administration officials calling for specific dollar amounts in Refuge System appropriations that help drive the Refuge funding discussion in Congress. The co-chairs also author op-ed pieces magazines and newspapers to educate the public on the challenges facing the Refuge System. Caucus members also play an active role in committee hearings concerning the National Wildlife Refuge System, primarily in the House Natural Resources Committee, to collect testimony from managers and experts on legislation concerning the Refuge System.

Members

Leadership

The CWRC is currently led by Rep. Rob Wittman, Rep. Ron Kind, Rep. Frank LoBiondo, and Rep. Mike Thompson. Past co-chairs include Rep. Ed Perlmutter and Rep. Michael Castle.
The CWRC launched with 100 founding members and had grown to 139 members representing 41 States and 182 Wildlife Refuges as of November, 2009 .

Current and Former Congressional Wildlife Refuge Members

MemberStateDate Joined
Rep. Neil AbercrombieHIMarch 15, 2007
Rep. Rodney AlexanderLAMarch 5, 2009
Rep. Rob AndrewsNJDecember 6, 2006
Rep. Michael ArcuriNYMarch 15, 2007
Rep. Michele BachmannMNApril 30, 2008
Rep. Spencer BachusALJune 26, 2006
Rep. Brian BairdWAJuly 29, 2006
Rep. Tammy BaldwinWIJune 14, 2006
Rep. Tim BishopNYAugust 1, 2006
Rep. Marsha BlackburnTNSeptember 8, 2006
Rep. Earl BlumenauerORDecember 5, 2006
Rep. Jo BonnerALMarch 15, 2007
Rep. John BoozmanARMarch 15, 2007
Rep. Madeleine BordalloGUJanuary 15, 2008
Rep. Dan BorenOKSeptember 7, 2006
Rep. Leonard BoswellIASeptember 12, 2006
Rep. Rick BoucherVASeptember 5, 2006
Rep. Allen BoydFLSeptember 18, 2006
Rep. Bruce BraleyIAJanuary 22, 2007
Rep. Ginny Brown-WaiteFLJuly 14, 2006
Rep. David CampMIJanuary 31, 2007
Rep. Lois CappsCAMarch 15, 2007
Rep. Michael CapuanoMASeptember 12, 2006
Rep. Dennis CardozaCAAugust 31, 2006
Rep. Matt CartwrightPA2013
Rep. Bill CassidyLAAugust 6, 2009
Rep. Mike CastleDEMarch 14, 2006
Rep. Ben ChandlerKYAugust 29, 2006
Rep. Wm. Lacy ClayMOAugust 2, 2006
Rep. Howard CobleNCJuly 13, 2006
Rep. Gerry ConnollyVAJuly 26, 2010
Rep. John ConyersMIJanuary 12, 2007
Rep. Tom CottonAR2013
Rep. Lincoln DavisTNAugust 29, 2006
Rep. Susan DavisCAJanuary 31, 2007
Rep. Peter DeFazioORJuly 27, 2006
Rep. Norm DicksWAJuly 31, 2006
Rep. Debbie DingellMI2013
Rep. John DingellMIMay 22, 2006
Rep. Lloyd DoggettTXApril 26, 2006
Rep. Mike DoylePAJanuary 12, 2007
Rep. Vernon EhlersMIAugust 7, 2006
Rep. Keith EllisonMNJuly 24, 2008
Rep. Anna EshooCAJuly 28, 2006
Rep. Sam FarrCAJuly 28, 2006
Rep. Bob FilnerCASeptember 11, 2006
Rep. Randy ForbesVAFebruary 18, 2007
Rep. Rodney FrelinghuysenNJOctober 18, 2006
Rep. Scott GarrettNJSeptember 26, 2006
Rep. Jim GerlachPAJuly 11, 2006
Rep. Bart GordonTNAugust 10, 2006
Rep. Gene GreenTXFebruary 19, 2007
Rep. Raul GrijalvaAZMay 10, 2006
Rep. Phil HareILNovember 15, 2007
Rep. Alcee HastingsFLJuly 11, 2006
Rep. Stephanie Herseth SandlinSDDecember 11, 2006
Rep. Brian HigginsNYAugust 22, 2006
Rep. Baron HillINJune 9, 2009
Rep. Maurice HincheyNYSeptember 12, 2006
Rep. Mazie HironoHIAugust 6, 2007
Rep. Tim HoldenPASeptember 6, 2006
Rep. Rush HoltNJJune 6, 2006
Rep. Michael HondaCASeptember 19, 2006
Rep. Steve IsraelNYAugust 4, 2006
Rep. Sheila Jackson LeeTXJuly 31, 2006
Rep. Walter JonesNCJuly 28, 2006
Rep. Paul KanjorskiPASeptember 9, 2006
Rep. Patrick KennedyRIApril 2, 2008
Rep. Dale KildeeMIMay 2, 2006
Rep. Ron KindWIMarch 10, 2006
Rep. John KlineMNJuly 25, 2006
Rep. Dennis KucinichOHJanuary 12, 2007
Rep. Leonard LanceNJMarch 3, 2009
Rep. Rick LarsenWAOctober 18, 2006
Rep. John LarsonCTJuly 31, 2006
Rep. Barbara LeeCAJanuary 31, 2007
Rep. Dan LipinskiILJanuary 9, 2007
Rep. Frank LoBiondoNJMay 4, 2006
Rep. Zoe LofgrenCASeptember 18, 2006
Rep. Ben Ray LujánNMOctober 3, 2009
Rep. Stephen LynchMAAugust 3, 2006
Rep. Carolyn MaloneyNYAugust 23, 2006
Rep. Donald ManzulloILSeptember 9, 2006
Rep. Edward MarkeyMAAugust 22, 2006
Rep. Jim MarshallGAJuly 25, 2006
Rep. Doris MatsuiCAAugust 29, 2006
Rep. Betty McCollumMNAugust 31, 2006
Rep. Thaddeus McCotterMIFebruary 16, 2007
Rep. Jim McDermottWAJuly 31, 2006
Rep. Michael MichaudMEMay 16, 2006
Rep. Brad MillerNCSeptember 25, 2006
Rep. George MillerCAMay 17, 2006
Rep. Alan MollohanWVJuly 28, 2006
Rep. Dennis MooreKSJuly 26, 2006
Rep. Jim MoranVAAugust 28, 2006
Rep. Patrick MurphyPAJune 22, 2008
Rep. Grace NapolitanoCASeptember 22, 2006
Rep. James OberstarMNAugust 10, 2006
Rep. John W. OlverMAFebruary 18, 2007
Rep. Solomon OrtizTXAugust 28, 2006
Rep. Frank PalloneNJMay 31, 2006
Rep. Bill PascrellNJSeptember 15, 2006
Rep. Ron PaulTXSeptember 15, 2006
Rep. Erik PaulsenMNFebruary 18, 2009
Rep. Donald PayneNJJune 7, 2006
Rep. Ed PerlmutterCOMarch 15, 2007
Rep. Collin PetersonMNNovember 25, 2007
Rep. Thomas PetriWIJuly 28, 2006
Rep. Chellie PingreeME2013
Rep. Todd PlattsPASeptember 6, 2006
Rep. Earl PomeroyNDJuly 28, 2006
Rep. David PriceNCSeptember 14, 2006
Rep. Steve RothmanNJAugust 31, 2006
Rep. Gregorio SablanCNMIOctober 19, 2009
Rep. Linda SánchezCA2013
Rep. Loretta SánchezCAMay 1, 2007
Rep. Jan SchakowskyILMay 30, 2007
Rep. Allyson SchwartzPASeptember 13, 2006
Rep. Jose SerranoNYAugust 25, 2006
Rep. Joe SestakPAJuly 14, 2008
Rep. Carol Shea-PorterNHJanuary 22, 2007
Rep. Adam SmithWAJuly 20, 2006
Rep. Vic SnyderARSeptember 6, 2006
Rep. Mark SouderINOctober 2, 2006
Rep. John M. SprattSCSeptember 12, 2006
Rep. Pete StarkCAJune 26, 2006
Rep. Cliff StearnsFLSeptember 5, 2006
Rep. John TannerTNJuly 20, 2006
Rep. Ellen TauscherCAOctober 5, 2006
Rep. Mike ThompsonCAMarch 14, 2006
Rep. John TierneyMAAugust 25, 2006
Rep. Chris Van HollenMDJanuary 8, 2007
Rep. Pete ViscloskyINOctober 18, 2006
Rep. Tim WalzMNJune 21, 2008
Rep. Diane WatsonCASeptember 21, 2006
Rep. Henry WaxmanCASeptember 25, 2006
Rep. Peter WelchVTJune 12, 2008
Rep. Anthony WeinerNYAugust 9, 2006
Rep. Robert WexlerFLMay 25, 2006
Rep. Joe WilsonSCAugust 29, 2006
Rep. Rob WittmanVAMay 1, 2008
Rep. Frank WolfVANovember 20, 2006
Rep. Lynn WoolseyCAAugust 16, 2006
Rep. David WuOROctober 18, 2006
Rep. Bill YoungFLSeptember 19, 2006