USSA Provides Breakdown on Congressional Vote to Ban Polar Bear Hunting

(Columbus) – The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance has compiled a summary of how congressmen voted on a measure introduced in Congress earlier this week that sought to ban polar bear hunting.

Congress rejected an amendment in the Interior Appropriations Bill that would have prohibited American hunters from pursuing polar bears from healthy populations in Canada. The vote was 188-242. Seven lawmakers did not vote.

Breaking the vote down by party, 165 Democrats supported the amendment, while 68 opposed it. Two did not vote. At the same time, 23 Republicans voted for the amendment while 174 Republicans voted no. Five did not vote.

There are 228 members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives. Forty-four voted to ban polar bear hunting, while 180 voted no. Four members of the caucus did not vote.

“It is critical to the future of hunting for sportsmen to know how their legislators vote on key issues like this one,” said U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Senior Vice President Rick Story. “Many legislators claim to be supportive of hunting, but we find out who our friends really are when the votes are counted.”

Wondering how your congressman voted?

Click here for vote results organized by state.

Click here for vote results organized by congressman’s last name.

Click here for vote results organized by ayes and noes.

Click here for Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus member vote results.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance encourages sportsmen to contact their congressmen offering thanks to those who voted for sportsmen’s rights and polar bear conservation. They should contact those who voted against hunting to make sure that congressmen understand the conservation and political facts behind the vote. Sportsmen should phone (202) 224-3121 and ask to be transferred to their U.S. representative’s office. Or, they may get direct contact information by using the Legislative Action Center at www.ussportsmen.org.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organization that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website, www.ussportsmen.org.