FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 17, 2025
AHA to Anti-Public Lands Politicians: HELL NO!
Hunters and anglers go after members of Congress who support weaker public lands protections
American Hunters and Anglers is delivering a short and sweet new message for anti-public lands members of Congress who support weaker public lands protections: HELL NO!
AHA is sponsoring two nonpartisan messages that appear this week in the hometowns of U.S. Representatives Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) and Vince Fong (R-Calif.), calling on both lawmakers to drop their support of House Resolution 521.
The controversial bill, sponsored by Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-Utah) and currently supported by Amodei, Fong and a dozen other Republican cosponsors, would prohibit American presidents from establishing national monuments. If enacted into law, HR 521 would stymie new public land protections by tying them up in the dysfunction of Congress, making it easier for anti-public lands politicians and special interests to ultimately sell publicly owned land managed by the federal government.
“Theodore Roosevelt, and the overwhelming majority of Republican and Democratic presidents ever since, have used this tool to protect public lands and wildlife, to solidify public access, and to strengthen what is now a trillion-dollar outdoor recreation economy,” said AHA Co-chair Land Tawney. “Congressmen Amodei and Fong know that the bill they support is an affront to hunting, fishing, and our outdoor heritage.”
In a recent social media post, Tawney said the presidential power to establish national monuments “protects our amazing opportunities to hunt and fish, and habitat, while at the same time allows for existing uses, like grazing.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 14, 2025
AHA: "$#!T Just Got Real"
National public lands organization muscles up to protect public lands from politics as 3,400 Forest Service employees fired
With America’s public lands, water and wildlife squarely in the crosshairs of politicians, the American Hunters and Anglers (AHA) is coming out swinging against this week’s firing of 3,400 U.S. Forest Service Employees.
“Shit just got real,” said AHA Co-Chair Land Tawney. “These folks were public servants on the front lines of wildlife management and public access—and they’ve just been sent to the soup line. Now the remaining folks we trust to manage the land we all own are looking over their shoulders as DC politicians keep taking shots at the cornerstone of America’s trillion-dollar outdoor economy.”
AHA, a nonpartisan 501(c)(4) organization, is marshaling supporters across the nation as it muscles up and takes to social media with a vow to take on anti-public lands policies and proposals, while holding all elected officeholders—and their allies—accountable to public land, water and wildlife.
Armed with deep knowledge of and experience with issues affecting America’s outdoor heritage and lucrative recreation economy, AHA serves as a “muscular, proactive, populist check” on anti-public lands policies expected from Congress and the new administration.
AHA staunchly opposes the divestiture of federally owned public lands, the removal of public land protections, budget cuts that weaken the management of public lands, water and wildlife, and efforts to gut conversation or access to public land.
“Our public lands, waters and wildlife are under threat like never before,” Tawney said. “Our message back: keep your hands off ‘em. The last thing we need is politicians screwing up our forests, rivers, wetlands, mountains, deserts and prairies.”
Ready to “play hardball and break some eggs,” AHA is focused on a simple mission:
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To educate, engage and activate Americans across the nation who value hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation about the dire threats to public land, water and wildlife; and
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To deliver actionable accountability to all elected and unelected policymakers—and the interests that support them.
ABOUT AHA:
BARRETT KAISER, Co-Chair: Kaiser is a 20-year veteran of politics, activist and outdoorsman who managed a successful multiyear campaign to designate Maine’s Katahdin Woods and Waters as a national Monument, and he played an influential national role in Congress’ permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. In 2016 Kaiser made national headlines after commandeering a news conference from Ammon and Ryan Bundy during their armed standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
LAND TAWNEY, Co-Chair: Tawney served as president and CEO of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers from 2013 to 2023. Under Tawney’s leadership, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers expanded to 48 states and into Canada, garnering 40,000 members for public land advocacy. Tawney is a nationally known advocate of public land and wildlife who has testified before Congress and has served on multiple hunting and fishing advisory councils. He previously worked with the National Wildlife Federation and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.