The Virginia legislature's legendary frenetic pace is in full force with subcommittees beginning at 7:00 a.m. and business being executed well into the night. To date, almost 2500 bills or resolutions have been introduced for consideration by the House and the Senate during the next 6 weeks. The media will be covering much of the controversial and significant legislation and the public will no doubt hear of blustering debate, underhanded tactics and angry rhetoric as legislators wrestle with tough budget choices. I thought instead of adding to the din of voices, I would pause to emphasize two events from my legislative week that address cooperation and coming together.

The House of Delegates this week took time to recognize Dr. Peter Eyre, former dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. I was honored to carry legislation that brought recognition of Dr. Eyre's triumphant leadership with the Vet School, to the floor of the House of Delegates where he received a standing ovation with a commemorative resolution unanimously passed by the House of Delegates and the Senate.

Dr. Eyre worked tirelessly and successfully to take the huge but initially precarious idea of a school of veterinary medicine and transform it into a model of regional cooperation and distinction. The House of Delegates presentation provided a way to thank him for his stellar work. During his 18-year tenure as dean of the Vet school there were moments when the grand concept appeared to be on the brink of demise. The fragile relationship between Maryland and Virginia was, in the beginning, occasionally shaky; the General Assembly in the 1980's was not always open to a brand new endeavor, thus funding was initially threatened, and the untested newness of the school made stable enrollments uncertain.

Dr. Eyre met every challenge thoughtfully and with determination and dedication. With his retirement as dean he leaves a fully accredited College of Veterinary Medicine that boasts a two-state, three-campus professional school with a national and international reputation for excellence, enrollment of only the top applicants throughout the state and nation, a $32 million dollar budget, 360,000 square foot physical plant, 350 employees and almost 1600 alumni who are practicing in communities across the globe.

His work is a reminder to me, as I face tough legislative issues and disagreements, that just because an idea is a good one and a right one, it may not happen without hard work, the right timing, dedication of purpose, and the cooperation of many diverse people. As we begin the arduous task of balancing budget proposals and legislative initiatives, it will be essential to incorporate the larger picture and teamwork of colleagues.

A very different, but equally satisfying event also took place this past week. I am pleased to be a co-founder and co-chair of the newly organized Sportsman's Caucus which brings together a bi-partisan mix of House and Senate members, along with citizens and lobbying organizations, to focus attention and action on outdoor sports and activities. Our mission incorporates preserving and promoting the traditional rights of Virginia hunting, fishing and outdoor activities, along with creating greater awareness of the economic impact of outdoor related industries and activities, and supporting their growth. The Caucus will work to ensure that Virginia sportsmen have reasonable access to public lands and sustain multiple use habitat management for wildlife and fisheries.

At our weekly meetings we share information about current legislative topics in order to create greater understanding and provide strategies for passage of bills. Among the bills before the Sportsman's Caucus are several dealing with wild fowl hunting. I am sponsoring a bill to open the access for duck hunters in waters of Eastern Virginia. We are also monitoring bills on fishing, hunting and trapping licenses, Sunday hunting, deer baiting legislation and a study by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries on non-migratory Canadian Geese.

In the past, legislation affecting outdoor sporting activities has relied on the individual efforts of participants in a specific outdoor sport. The Sportsman's Caucus provides a cooperative and comprehensive approach to outdoor activities that I am confident will result in better understanding and appreciation of outdoor sports, and better laws and regulations affecting related issues. It is another reminder of the power and effectiveness that comes with cooperation.
 

As usual, I hope if you have questions or concerns about legislation mentioned in this column, or any legislative matter, you will not hesitate to contact me at any of the following addresses. And again, I invite you to visit me in Richmond to discuss local or legislative issues of importance to you.