Secretary Kempthorne addresses the White House Conference on North American Wildlife Policy in Reno, Nevada on Oct. 2, emphasizing Interior initiatives to preserve America's sports hunting heritage.
[Photo Credit: Tami Heilemann, DOI-NBC] Hi-Res

Kempthorne: Preserving
America's Sports Hunting Heritage

Addressing a White House Conference on North American Wildlife Policy, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne detailed on-going Interior initiatives and future plans to help preserve the heritage of sport hunting in America. Describing the importance of our hunting heritage, Kempthorne said, "Hunting allows us to travel to places we never would have traveled, meet people we never would have met and connect with nature in a unique and intimate way. While technology improves, the fundamentals of hunting remain unchanged which also allows us to connect with our past and those who came before us". The White House conference focused on how federal agencies are working with state, and local governments and non-profit conservation groups to develop a comprehensive 10-year Recreational Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Plan that will set forth an agenda for meeting the goal of supporting our nation’s hunting heritage so that conservation in America will continue to be strong. more

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Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne and senior-level federal health officials have signed an agreement at the Insular Areas Health Summit to establish a task force to help island leaders prioritize their critical health care system needs. From left, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness David S.C. Chu; Secretary of Veterans Affairs James B. Peake, M.D.; Secretary Kempthorne; and Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Health Joxel Garcia, M.D.
[Photo by Tami Heilemann, DOI-NBC] Hi-Res

Secretary Kempthorne Launches
Insular Areas Health Care Initiative

Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne assured leaders of U.S. territories and freely associated states that the federal government is committed to working with them to improve and expand their public health care systems, underscoring that commitment with a federal task force to prioritize their critical needs and multi-million dollar funding to support on-going efforts. "We – your federal partners – are here today to listen and learn and explore strategies for helping you to advance your health care sector.” To demonstrate the federal commitment, Kempthorne announced several funding initiatives to bolster the islands public health care systems, including $834,000 to strengthen the Guam Memorial Hospital’s exterior walls and expand its medical supply warehouse; and $100,000 to the American Pacific Nursing Leaders Council, which serves the Pacific insular areas, to establish an administrative office at the University of Guam. more

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About the Department of the interior
The Department of the Interior (DOI) is the nation’s principal conservation agency. Interior is a large, decentralized agency with over 80,000 employees and 180,000 volunteers located at approximately 2,400 operating locations across the United States, Puerto Rico, U.S. territories, and freely associated states. more
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