Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation Hosts Policy Reception at NWTF Show
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation meeting featured distinguished speakers, including Fred Bird, CSF manager for Northeast states; Rob Keck, former NWTF CEO; Will Primos of Primos Hunting Calls; and Tom Spezze, NWTF national director of conservation programs.
Bird gave the legislative update, highlighting three federal policy successes of 2024.
The Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act, which is a bipartisan U.S. law enacted in January 2025 to enhance outdoor recreation opportunities on federal public lands. The legislation aims to improve access, modernize infrastructure, and support various outdoor activities.
He also discussed the America’s Conservation Enhancement Act (ACE Act), which was signed into law in December 2024. This bipartisan legislation reauthorizes funding for programs aimed at conserving wetlands and bird habitats across the United States.
The “Good Samaritan” environmental remediation laws encourage organizations like the NWTF and other NGOs to rehabilitate abandoned mine lands and restore habitats.
Keck spoke about how conservation is a part of the NWTF and CSF’s DNA. He recited a quote from Theodore Roosevelt: “The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired, in value.”
Keck went on to say that we have got to continue to be active in the political arena to make sure we do everything in our power to protect our resources.
The reception that followed provided an opportunity for NWTF staff, members and volunteers to ask questions and further converse about legislation and policy critical to the NWTF’s
