Dear Friends:
Arkansas is known nationwide for its natural beauty. Our state possesses some of the most beautiful lakes, mountains, wetlands and forests in the country. As an avid outdoorsman and hunter, this time of year is one of my favorites.
Hunting season presents a great opportunity to spend time with friends and family and truly experience some of our state’s most beautiful lands. It is a treasured tradition for many Arkansans that dates back for generations and something I believe should continue to be passed down to future generations.
I believe this important tradition must be preserved and promoted, especially in our nation’s capital. I have fought hard for the rights of hunters, anglers and outdoorsmen in our nation’s capital since I first came to Congress. I am proud to serve as Co-Chair of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus – a bipartisan group of House members and Senators that actively promotes, protects and advances the rights of hunters and anglers in the U.S. Congress. With bipartisan leadership in both the House and the Senate, the Caucus is the sportsmen’s ally and first line of defense.
While hunting is an important tradition that must be preserved, it’s also an important part of our overall economy. America’s 34 million hunters and anglers generate $25 billion a year in federal, state and local taxes and billions more on licenses, stamps, tags and permits. All in all, hunters and anglers directly support 1.6 million jobs, according to the Congressional Sportsmen Foundation.
If a single corporation brought in as much as hunters and anglers spend, it would be among America’s 20 largest corporations. And, their impact stretches much further by creating an economic “ripple effect” of $192 billion a year across all sectors of the economy and all regions of the country.
In the latest National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, it found that over 350,000 people hunted in Arkansas every year – that’s about one in six adults. It’s clear that hunting is important to our state and, as an avid hunter and outdoorsman myself, it’s a very important part of my work in Congress.
In addition to leading the Sportsmen’s Caucus, I’m also proud to serve as Co-Chair of the Second Amendment Task Force, standing up and fighting for our Second Amendment rights. As your Congressman and as a life member of the National Rifle Association, I am leading the fight to oppose any and all efforts in Washington that restrict our right to own and bear arms.
As a leader in the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, I will continue working on behalf of sportsmen everywhere and will continue the fight to protect our Second Amendment rights in Congress. I also hope that each of you has a safe and enjoyable hunting season. And, as the U.S. Representative for Arkansas’s Fourth Congressional District, I will do all I can to ensure the important tradition of hunting is preserved and passed down to future generations.
Sincerely,
Mike Ross
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HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK ROTARY
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October 17, 2012 - Mike speaks to the Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club about the many challenges facing Congress and how to fix them.
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