Letter to Members of the United States Congress regarding the Marine Mammal Commission

On 13 June 2017, a Society Presidential Letter was sent to members of the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Subcommittees of the Appropriation Committees of the United States Congress.  The letter stated our Society’s support for the US Marine Mammal Commission, recently targeted for elimination from the US federal budget. The Marine Mammal Commission is charged by the US Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 with oversight of marine mammal science, management, and conservation both within the US and internationally. Twelve past Presidents also signed the letter, which can be read and downloaded here.

The U.S. Congress has the final word on this matter. If you are a U.S. citizen and wish to share your concern regarding the defunding of the Marine Mammal Commission, please consider sending your state’s Congressional delegation an email supporting continued funding of the Commission at least at its current level ($3.43 M). Please also consider contacting the four members of Congress listed below, who are responsible for the Commission’s budget. If you are not a U.S. citizen but share this concern, you also can contact the offices of the four members of Congress listed below. Contact them first by email, then follow up with a phone call to make sure the message is received. You can generally find phone numbers and a link to send email on each of the individual members’ websites.

The key Congressional contacts are:

Senator Richard Shelby, Chair
Senate Appropriations Committee
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
https://www.shelby.senate.gov/public/

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Ranking Member
Senate Appropriations Committee
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/

Representative John Culberson, Chair
House Appropriations Committee
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
https://culberson.house.gov/

Representative José Serrano, Ranking Member
House Appropriations Committee
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
https://serrano.house.gov/