Hello and Happy Tuesday!
North Dakota Senate Concurrent Resolution SCR 4014 goes before the North Dakota House for testimony this FRIDAY March 10th at 9 am CST in front of the Agriculture Committee!
Hasn’t it been exciting to watch this move from a conversation with North Dakota legislators to a UNANIMOUS vote in the ND Senate and now over to the House!
Some of you have expressed concerns over the wording in SCR 4014:
“A concurrent resolution urging the Secretary of the Interior and the Director of the National Park Service to modify its proposed livestock management plan, to recognize the benefits of livestock grazing, and to continue to allow for interpretative, cultural, and historical purposes a herd of longhorn steers in the North Unit of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the presence of a wild horse herd in the South Unit of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.”
Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates does not like the wild horses of Theodore Roosevelt National Park being classified as “livestock”, BUT the reality is that the management plan from TRNP that includes the horses IS called their “Livestock Management Plan”. The state of North Dakota also recognizes horses (and longhorns) as livestock. The resolution also clearly states that they are asking for “the presence of a wild horse herd in the South Unit of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.”
This resolution was also amended in the Senate as requested by members of the North Dakota Livestock Assn. We appreciate their support and that they shared the benefits of livestock grazing with the committee.
Our North Dakota legislators will be voting on almost 1000 pieces of legislation this session. Of those, ONLY about 300-400 are expected to pass. SCR 4014 is expected to be one of those 300-400!
We appreciate the work of our North Dakota legislators. We will be asking that this resolution be passed as amended in the ND Senate. CHWHA does not see any reason to prolong a final vote on this by sending an amended version back to the ND Senate. There was opportunity to discuss the proposed amendment before it was voted on in the Senate.
The bigger picture is that once this passes, the Secretary of State will forward copies of this resolution to the United States Secretary of the Interior, the Director of the National Park Service, and each member of the North Dakota Congressional Delegation – THAT means Senator Cramer, Senator Hoeven and Congressman Armstrong. We are hoping that this helps to get Congressman Armstrong’s support!
Focus on the bigger picture! This is one small (but important) part of that picture!
We spoke with ND House Minority Leader Josh Boschee yesterday. He said that the documents from the Senate Committee ARE visible to the House Committee, BUT we should encourage our followers to submit their testimony online, especially those who did not testify in the ND Senate version.
Please make sure that you submit your testimony online by 8 am CST Friday! You DO NOT have to be a North Dakota resident to submit your testimony!
What should your comment look like?
Here are some GREAT talking points to get you started by our friends at American Wild Horse Campaign:
- Wild horses are integral to the scenery, native wildlife, and wilderness qualities of the Park – the landscape that inspired President Theodore Roosevelt and still inspires visitors today.
- The horses in the Park are descendants of the original Badland horses with historical lineages that trace all the way back to the horses surrendered by Sitting Bull in the late 1800s.
- The Teddy Roosevelt horses are North Dakota’s only wild horse herd and should be protected as such.
- The Teddy Roosevelt herd must be kept at a minimum of 150 horses in order to ensure a genetically viable herd.
- SCR 4014 will help support ecotourism and business development in North Dakota by protecting the horses.
- SCR 4014 is consistent with the wishes of 80 percent of Americans who want wild horses protected.
- If the horses are removed, I will not spend tourism dollars in the state.
- Vote YES on SCR 4014 to support humane, scientifically recommended methods of managing these wild horses on the public lands they call home.
We ask that you also include that you would like SCR 4014 passed as amended by the ND Senate.
Here is how to submit your testimony:
- Go to the North Dakota state legislative website https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/68-2023/regular/bill-hearings/bh4014.html?bill_year=2023&bill_number=4014 please click on the “Submit Testimony” link
- Open a Word document and type out your comments. Save the file or print it as a pdf file and the upload it to the website above.
- Where it asks for the testimony type, please select “In support of.”
If you are able to testify in person, please let the committee know when you submit your testimony.
You can also submit your comments to Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates: https://secure.everyaction.com/UjcKwEYRSkO-TDc6OfAXMQ2
We are collecting comments to be submitted as part of our testimony and also to send to Congressman Armstrong as we work to gain his support for the wild horses of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Thank you for your support! We will continue to keep you updated on the progression of SCR 4014!
Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates is committed to advocating for a wild horse management plan and protection for these unique wild horses that call Theodore Roosevelt National Park home! We are fighting for a management plan that is guided by science especially when it comes to decisions regarding the removal of horses and the administration of birth control. Many other wild horse management plans have proven to be successful with their science-based plans. We are asking for the same for this amazing group of wild horses that call Theodore Roosevelt National Park home.
