127 



STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD 



of the 



NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA 



on the 



HEARING BEFORE THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES 



FISHERIES, WILDLIFE AND OCEANS SUBCOMMITTEE 



on the 



WILDLIFE DIVERSITY INITIATIVE 



June 6, 1996 



The National Rifle Association of American appreciates the opportunity to comment on 

 the Wildlife Diversity (or Teaming With Wildlife) Initiative (WDI). WDI is designed by its 

 proponents to generate new funding sources for state conservation efforts by reaching those who 

 do not now contribute into the Federal Aid in Wildlife (PR) and Sport Fish (DJ) Restoration 

 excise tax accounts. We are in agreement with the states' perspective that the hundreds of 

 millions of dollars generated by the sporting community each year through the excise taxes 

 imposed on firearms, ammunition and sporting equipment are not sufficient to fund the states' 

 conservation and habitat restoration needs for non-game species. Finding a way to relieve the 

 sporting community's burden in this regard is a goal all of us should be striving for. At the same 

 time, the NRA must acknowledge and protect the vital role that the sporting community occupies 

 in the conservation of this nation's fish and wildlife resources. With these broad philosophical 

 goals as a backdrop, the NRA has reviewed WDI draft legislation over the past 18 months and 

 has the following comments to offer. 



Our initial response to the WDI draft legislation is that a needs assessment of non-game 

 funding requirements should be conducted at the state level. Information published about the WDI 

 estimates that the initiative could generate $350 million a year. That figure certainly represents 

 a respectable sum of money for conservation. However, it doesn't tell us how it relates to the 

 conservation needs of state fish and wildlife agencies. Rather than determining how much can 

 be raised based on the array of products which potentially could be taxed, a needs assessment 

 would be helpful in more clearly establishing the rationale for the new tax. In essence, the WDI 

 should start with what is needed, rather than how much can be raised. 



The WDI envisions the establishment of a new excise tax account, patterned after PR and 

 DJ, which would reach that segment of the public who enjoy the benefits of wildlife management 

 through outdoor recreation, but who do not pay into either the PR or DJ excise tax accounts. 

 While the intended goal is to broaden the constituency supporting fish and wildlife restoration 

 projects, WDI draft legislation indicates that those currently paying excise taxes - the sporting 

 community - will be caught up in the new tax as well. Several years ago, our Board of Directors 

 adopted a resolution opposing any attempt to limit, eliminate, or misapply the PR funds contrary 

 to the original purposes of its enactment. Thus, we have a stake in this issue since the provisions 

 of WDI legislation will affect our membership and PR. 



