2016: Schweikert Voted To Allow The Importation Of Legally Possessed Ivory As Part Of A Hunting And Fishing Bill. In February 2016, Schweikert voted for a bill which expanded hunting and fishing on federal lands which also allowed for the legal importation of legally possessed ivory. According to Congressional Quarterly, the legislation would have "allow[ed] importation of legally-possessed ivory." The underlying bill would have, according to The Hill, "expand[ed] public access to recreational shooting and hunting on federal lands." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 242 to 161. The Senate took no substantive action on the bill. [House Vote 101, 2/26/16; Congressional Quarterly, 2/26/16; The Hill, 2/26/16; Congressional Actions, H.R. 2406]
2015: Schweikert Voted Against An Amendment That Would Ban The Sale Of Ivory That Was Legally Imported Into The United States. In July 2015, Schweikert voted against an amendment that would have banned the sale of ivory that was legally imported. According to Congressional Quarterly, the amendment would, "remove the bill's prohibition on rulemaking for ivory sales that were lawfully imported into the United States." The underlying bill made FY 2016 appropriations for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and other related agencies. The vote was on the amendment. The House rejected the amendment 183 to 244. [House Vote 405, 7/8/15; Congressional Quarterly, 7/8/15; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 584; Congressional Actions, H.R. 2822]
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D- AZ): Amendment Would Eliminate Commercial Trade Of All Ivory In The United States. According to a floor speech by Representative Raul Grijalva, "Mr. Chairman, at the inception of the debate and discussion regarding this appropriations bill, I indicated I would offer an amendment to prevent language in the bill from driving the extinction of the African elephants. [...] The only way to keep U.S. citizens from being involved in this elephant poaching and trafficking crisis is to eliminate the commercial import, export, and trade of African elephant ivory in our country. Ending the commercial ivory trade will set an example for China and other countries to follow, but they will not act until we do. Ending the trade will not take away personal possessions, nor will it bar the movement of musical instruments or museum pieces; but to save elephants, we have to eliminate the value of ivory. Sadly, this rider is just another example of House Republicans driving the extinction of wildlife one species at a time. Please join me in voting 'yes' on this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time." [Congressional Record, 7/7/15]
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CO): Underlying Bill Allowed The Trade Of Legally Imported Ivory To Continue. According to a floor speech by Rep. Calvert, "They are united in support for elephants, but they are also united in their opposition to new Federal restrictions on products that contain ivory legally obtained. The reality is family heirlooms and rare musical instruments didn't cause the problem, and the Fish and Wildlife Service should be acknowledging as much. This bill keeps the status quo, allowing for continued legal trade and transport so that collectors, musicians, and others can get on with their lives until the Fish and Wildlife Service writes a rule that reflects the legitimate concerns of law-abiding U.S. citizens." [Congressional Record, 7/7/15]
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D- AZ): Underlying Bill Was "Driving The Extinction Of The African Elephants." According to a floor speech by Rep. Grijalva, "Mr. Chairman, at the inception of the debate and discussion regarding this appropriations bill, I indicated I would offer an amendment to prevent language in the bill from driving the extinction of the African elephants. [...] The only way to keep U.S. citizens from being involved in this elephant poaching and trafficking crisis is to eliminate the commercial import, export, and trade of African elephant ivory in our country. Ending the commercial ivory trade will set an example for China and other countries to follow, but they will not act until we do. Ending the trade will not take away personal possessions, nor will it bar the movement of musical instruments or museum pieces; but to save elephants, we have to eliminate the value of ivory. Sadly, this rider is just another example of House Republicans driving the extinction of wildlife one species at a time. Please join me in voting 'yes' on this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time." [Congressional Record, 7/7/15]
2014: About 100 Elephants Are Killed For Their Ivory Each Day. According to The Guardian, "Globally, up to 100 elephants a day are thought to be poached for their tusks in a worse slaughter than that of the 1980s, according to conservationist Allan Thornton, president of the Environmental Investigation Agency, the international organisation that provided much of the evidence on which the original ban was based." [The Guardian, 2/8/14]
2016: Schweikert Voted To Expand Public Access To Recreational Hunting On Federal Lands. In February 2016, Schweikert voted for a bill which expanded hunting and fishing on federal lands. According to The Hill, "expand[ed] public access to recreational shooting and hunting on federal lands." The bill did this by, according to Congressional Quarterly, "require[ing] public lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service to be considered open for hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting unless the managing agency closes the land to such activities." The underlying bill also "prohibit[ed] the Army secretary from issuing or enforcing regulations that prohibit individuals from carrying firearms at water resources development projects." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 242 to 161. The Senate took no substantive action on the bill. [House Vote 101, 2/26/16; Congressional Quarterly, 2/26/16; The Hill, 2/26/16; Congressional Actions, H.R. 2406]
2016: Schweikert Voted For Allowing The Importation Of Polar Bear Trophies From Canada If Collected Before Polar Bears Were Listed As A Threatened Species. In February 2016, Schweikert voted against an amendment that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, "remove[d] the bill's provisions that would direct the Interior secretary to issue permits for the importation of polar bear trophies from Canada that were harvested and that had permit applications submitted before polar bears were listed as a threatened species." The underlying legislation was a bill that, according to AP would have "expand[ed] access to hunting and fishing areas on public lands, extend[ed] protections for the use of lead bullets in hunting and strip[ped] wolves of federal protections in four states." The vote was on the amendment. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 159 to 242. [House Vote 93, 2/26/16; Congressional Quarterly, 2/26/16; AP Via US News & World Report, 2/26/16; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 948; Congressional Actions, H.R. 2406]