Legislative Affairs

by Greg Schildwachter

WSF Lobbyist

SHEEP BUSINESS AS BUSINESS GETS BACK TO USUAL

Congress and the administration are returning to more usual courses of business. The Capital is not there yet, but more like it.

The subsiding pandemic is no longer all-consuming. Ukraine is a defining foreign policy issue but not precluding debate on fuel prices. Even the broader economic issues, some of which are frightening, and threatening, have risen to priority without waylaying other business. The Senate is back to voting on judges and executive branch nominations—and many bills to name post offices (yes, every Congress spends significant time on this).

WSF sustained its efforts through the worst of the pandemic crises, getting some things done and others moving, and we are carrying on the race—along with everyone else—for more.

We do our thing by working a broad agenda, building alliances, and telling our compelling story.

As stewards of a public trust asset, we face public policy issues and programs in nearly every aspect of our work.

The bill we opposed to designate the DNWR as Wilderness—which would have needlessly further complicated our management struggles there—has been defeated (note: it could come back in the next Congress).

Our attempts to re-mission the US Sheep Experiment Station have progressed: we helped secure a new range ecologist position there and are working now on a second position to oversee disease research.

In management removals such as mountain goats in the Teton National Park, we have engaged on the Qualified Volunteers policy of the Park Service. The bill we support to improve that program is moving through Congress now.

We rely on photography and filmmaking on public lands to tell our story. The bill we support for eliminating fees and permits for small crews is moving through Congress now.

Budgets for our state wildlife agency partners are stretched by demands for more non-game conservation. The bill we support to add money to the Pittman-Robertson program is moving through Congress now.

People’s ability to visit wild lands and live the mountain conservation life generate the passion that fuels our mission. The bill we support for easing that access for the most deserving— veterans and Gold Star families—has become law.

All of these and other active issues advance sheep conservation and build our strength to handle the bigger issues of disease management and climate effects on water. Some issues are more directly mission-relevant than others, but they all move the ball and build our strength for other and future issues.

Strength begins with ideas and actions—we are strong in both. Because we know what we’re doing in the field, and because we are supported by the most generous members and supporters in conservation, we know what needs to be done in public policy. Water hauls and projects, translocations, test-andremove projects, and the vital work of monitoring herds bring to the surface the problems and the better ways of doing things. Solutions and opportunities are what issues are all about. Most of what it takes to move an issue is beyond anyone’s control, which is why it’s vital to do all that we can on the requirements within our control. Our program of technical conferences builds our expertise. Our projects and issue advocacy build working relationships and alliances. Our communications tell our compelling story.

Sheep conservationists have long been experts on the technicalities, and our storytelling is now coming on strong. Our films like Wild and Wool and the new Transmission demonstrate our sincerity and skill in working out solutions. Sadly, these are not the strengths that reliably move issues on their own, but they are necessities.

An example of how this works is the other disease priority of the American Wildlife Conservation Partners alongside pneumonia. Chronic Wasting Disease in deer and elk has a wider urgency in our community and a more direct cost, but even those factors have not been enough to move the issue. What has moved the issue is the coordinated teamwork of several partners who are working with agencies and broadcasting a compelling message just as we are doing with pneumonia. After three years of winning small, but growing appropriations from Congress, the CWD partners during this Congress have rallied behind a bill that formalizes a program. The bill passed the House quickly on strong votes and is now introduced with bipartisan support in the Senate. The ingredients of success are the same for issues on every scale. It begins with the sort of work the WSF family does every day, channeled through partners and communication. We’ve got a steeper hill to climb than others, but we’re doing everything necessary to get to the top. WS

SUMMER 2022 ~ WILDSHEEP® 25 X