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I am a reptile enthusiast, and those of us who keep reptiles as pets are well aware of the false science that USFWS is using to attack anyone who isn't an environmental or animal rights extremist. Those of us in the pet reptile hobby have seen USFWS attack our hobby on the basis of bad science. I appreciate lizards and believe in preserving them as much as reasonably possible, but I'm certain that this whole issue is bogus.

We are calling on the House Natural Resources Committee to exercise oversight on USFWS. We are asking them to stop using bad science to issue politically-motivated rulings. I urge everyone to contact their members of the House and ask that the House Natural Resources Committee exercise its oversight authority over USFWS for the use of false information on all kinds of issues. Speaking to members of the committee is particularly important. The members are

Doc Hastings, WA-04 Chairman
Don Young, AK-at large
John Duncan, TN-02
Louie Gohmert, TX-01
Rob Bishop, UT-01
Doug Lamborn, CO-05
Robert Wittman, VA-01
Paul Broun, GA-10
John Fleming, LA-04
Mike Coffman, CO-06
Tom McClintock, CA-04
Glenn Thompson, PA-5
Jeff Denham, CA-19
Dan Benishek, MI-01
David Rivera, FL-25
Jeff Duncan, SC-03
Scott Tipton, CO-03
Paul Gosar, AZ-01
Raúl Labrador, ID-01
Kristi Noem, SD-at large
Steve Southerland, FL-02
Bill Flores, TX-17
Andy Harris, MD-01
Jeff Landry, LA-03
Chuck Fleischmann, TN-03
Jon Runyan, NJ-03
Bill Johnson, OH-06

Edward Markey, MA-07 Ranking Minority Member
Dale Kildee, MI-05
Peter DeFazio, OR-04
Eni Faleomavaega, AS-at-large
Frank Pallone, Jr. NJ-06
Grace Napolitano, CA-38
Rush Holt, NJ-12
Raúl Grijalva, AZ-07
Madeleine Bordallo, GU-at-large
Jim Costa, CA-20
Dan Boren, OK-02
Gregorio Sablan, MP-at-large
Martin Heinrich, NM-01
Ben Luján, NM-03
John Sarbanes, MD-03
Betty Sutton, OH-13
Niki Tsongas, MA-05
Pedro Pierluisi, PR-at-large
John Garamendi, CA-10
Colleen Hanabusa, HI-01

The subcommittee that has the most direct authority over USFWS is the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs. Contacting these members of Congress is particularly important. They are:

John Fleming, LA-04 Chairman
Don Young, AK-at large
Robert Wittman, VA-01
Jeff Duncan, SC-03
Steve Southerland, FL-02
Bill Flores, TX-17
Andy Harris, MD-01
Jeff Landry, LA-03
Jon Runyan, NJ-03
Doc Hastings, WA-04 (ex-officio)

Gregorio Sablan, NMI-at-large Ranking Minority Member
Eni Faleomavaega, AS-at-large
Frank Pallone, Jr. NJ-06
Madeleine Bordallo, GU-at-large
Pedro Pierluisi, PR-at-large
Colleen Hanabusa, HI-01
Edward Markey, MA-07 (ex-officio)

I believe that Don Young and Robert Wittman will be strong allies in this battle. Don Young is very familiar with the ugly tactics of the extremists. Madeleine Bordallo is likely to be very bad news.

I have a pet lizard, and I think reptiles are neat animals and cool pets. However, I don't believe in destroying two or three industries on false "science" for the fun of the extremists.

The fact that the USFWS worked with New Mexico but is attacking Texas is another example of the Obama administration punishing states that voted against him in 2008. He's doing the same thing in suing Boeing for building a major plant in South Carolina. Ken Salazar, the Interior Secretary, once said that he'd be happy with $10 a gallon gasoline. Attacking the Permian Basin is another way to reach that goal. (USFWS is under the Interior Department.)

Again, we need to have the House Natural Resources Committee exercise oversight of the USFWS to stop the use of false information pretending to be science in making decisions. We need this oversight in the case of the Dunes Sagebrush Lizards and we need this oversight on a constrictor ban that USFWS is trying to pass.

One advantage of conservatives uniting with the reptile pet hobby on this issue is the possibility of swinging up to half a million votes in 2012. About a million or so voters could be hurt by the constrictor ban. A little over half of these supported Obama. I told everyone who would listen (and some who tried to refuse) that Obama would be a danger to our hobby, but about half still supported him. The current danger to our hobby could scare some of them into abandoning him next time. In swing states, those votes could be important. Some are stupid enough to continue supporting him, but many are learning.