National Bison Legacy Act E-Kit CONTENTS I. Welcome to the Coalition! II. III. IV. Who We Are Why Vote Bison How We Plan to Make the Bison the Official USA National Mammal V. What You Can Do VI. VII. Where To Get Information and Help What s On Our Website For You VIII. Resources for You [attached separately] Talking Points Fact Sheet FAQs Bill text Draft Email to friends and families Draft script for phone calls to Congress Draft letter to the editor
I. Welcome to the Coalition! Thank you for joining the coalition to designate bison as the National Mammal of the United States. Bison once numbered in the tens of millions across the United States, played a central role in defining the economic and physical development of the American West and were integral to the sustenance of Native American life and culture. Bison are a symbol of our nation s cultural and ecological heritage; a part of today s physical landscape; and an economic driver for many Americans. As an American icon, bison are profiled on coins, designated as the state mammal of Wyoming, Oklahoma, and Kansas, depicted on the Department of Interior s seal, and featured on logos of sports teams, businesses, and academic institutions. As part of the coalition, you will be integral in helping pass the National Bison Legacy Act, which would designate the American bison as the National Mammal of the United States, commemorate the animal s unique standing in our national heritage, and celebrate the contribution of this species to the American landscape and its society, both in the past, and for centuries to come. The attached e-kit contains resources you may wish to use in helping promote the bill amongst your constituents and your representatives in the U.S. Senate. Once again, thank you for your interest in joining the campaign to officially commemorate the iconic American bison. Sincerely, Jim Stone Executive Director InterTribal Buffalo Council Keith Aune Senior Conservationist and Bison Coordinator Dave Carter Executive Director National Bison Association John F. Calvelli Executive Vice President, Public Affairs
II. Who We Are The coalition s Steering Committee is comprised of the Inter-Tribal Buffalo Council, National Bison Association, and. You may find contact information for each organization below. Inter-Tribal Buffalo Council Executive Dir. Jim Stone 605-394-9730 jstone@itbcbison.com National Bison Association Executive Dir. Dave Carter 303-292-2833 david@bisoncentral.com Senior Conservationist and Bison Coordinator Keith Aune 406-600-0047 kaune@wcs.org Executive VP of Public Affairs John F. Calvelli 718-220-7139 jcalvelli@wcs.org III. Why Vote Bison Designating the bison as the National Mammal would celebrate the animal s special place in our national heritage, as well as the contributions bison make to American life now and will for centuries to come. The designation recognizes a time when people from diverse backgrounds and political leanings united to save something precious and uniquely American, and provides a platform for stakeholders to again come together in a common cause. IV. How We Plan to Make the Bison the Official USA National Mammal Coalition partners will spread the word to their existing membership and throughout their communities encouraging the public to vote bison. Constituents should contact their members of Congress requesting that they support the National Bison Legacy Act.
V. What You Can Do Organize: o Send emails to friends, colleagues and families asking for their support and directing them to www.votebison.org; o Send emails to Members of Congress via the Vote Bison website; o Make telephone calls to Members of Congress; o Place window posters in store windows in your community; o Ask others to join the coalition. Publicize: o Send news releases to your local media; o Write letters to the editor or post comments on media websites; o Submit an op-ed column to your local newspaper; o Do television and radio interviews; o Hold a community event. Report Back: o Send an email to Vote Bison Steering Committee on any organizing or publicizing activities you undertake VI. Where To Get Information and Help Please feel free to contact the following staff that can provide facts and other assistance. Policy, Facts and Information about the campaign: Kelly Keenan Aylward, WCS Washington Office Director 202-624-8195 kaylward@wcs.org Stacia Stanek, WCS Federal Affairs Policy Analyst 202-624-8465 sstanek@wcs.org Media Engagement: Scott Smith, WCS North America Program Communications Manager 718-220-3698 ssmith@wcs.org Chip Weiskotten, WCS Federal Affairs Communications Manager 202-624-8172 cweiskotten@wcs.org
VII. What s On Our Website (www.votebison.org) For You Web Form to vote bison by emailing your Senator and Representative The Official Bill Text Background on the campaign Fact Sheet on Bison Frequently Asked Questions about Bison and the Campaign E-Kit for Coalition Members News about the campaign Web Form for other interested organizations and businesses to join the coalition