Max Baucus: “I support H.R. 3671, the Wildlife Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act of 2000, and the substitute amendment…”

“I support H.R. 3671, the Wildlife Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act of 2000, and the substitute amendment proposed by the chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, Senator Smith. The Federal aid program, embodied in the Pittman-Robertson Act and the Wallop-Breaux Act, uses the revenue derived from the excise taxes on firearms and fishing equipment to support state efforts to promote wildlife conservation, sport fish conservation, hunter education, and related activities. It's a good program. It has provided more than $7 billion to support state wildlife conservation and sport fish projects. To give you a more specific idea about the benefits of the program, in 1999 Montana received almost $5 million dollars under these programs, for activities ranging from our hunter education program, to improving habitat for white tail deer, waterfowl, and upland birds, to acquisition of access rights to private land, to our program to reduce conflicts between grizzly bears and people. A few years ago, the program helped us complete the Gallatin land exchange. Over the years, problems developed in the administration of the program. In particular, the General Accounting Office and others found that money that was set aside, by statute, for administration of the program was being used for unrelated activities. There also were considerable problems with budgeting and overall management. The bill is designed to address these problems.”