Hear from U.S. Senate Candidate Natisha Brooks
With the retirement of Senator Alexander, the race is on to become Tennessee’s next senator.
It’s up to sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts to let candidates know that the great outdoors is an important voting issue. So, Tennessee Wildlife Federation asked every candidate to share their views on conservation, and below are the responses we received.
>>WATCH: Major-Party General Election Candidates Talk Conservation
>>READ MORE: See all of the responses from the primary candidates
Below are the views of candidate Natisha Brooks. All answers, information, and images are unedited and appear as they were provided by the campaign.
Primary voting ends August 6. Find your polling location here.
Natisha Brooks
Federation: Do you have a favorite public land in Tennessee? What do you enjoy doing there?
Brooks: My favorite public land is Percy Warner park because I enjoy hiking there.
Federation: There are a lot of issues facing our natural resources and the Tennesseans who depend on them for recreation and their livelihood. Please rank these issues in the order they are most important to you and please explain the reason for your number one pick.
- Support for private land management for wildlife
- Federal funding and other support to combat Chronic Wasting Disease in deer
- Fund adequate responses to non-native invasive species, like Asian carp
- Implement high-impact aquatic habitat projects to improve our waters
- Invest in wildlife management to prevent endangered and threatened species
- Strategic public lands growth and access for conservation and recreation
Brooks:
- Growth
- Asian carp
- Habits projects
- Federal funding
- investments
- Private land management
Recreation is a vital important part for our humanity. It is very important to me that people have good clean access to our types of recreation, and we must preserve and conserve public area for the health for the community.
Federation: Last fall, a Tennessee Wildlife Federation-led effort successfully secured $25 million of federal funding to fight Asian carp. It is a one-time appropriation that is split among several states. If you are elected, how would you support similar efforts?
Brooks: Because I am a present fisher the Asian carp is important to me. I would be an advocate for more funding to fight this problem. I would like to increase funding from 25 million to an estimate about 40 million without taking from the social security funds.
Federation: As a senator, what would you do for our natural resources, from public lands to wildlife and water, that are held in the public trust—that are collectively owned by all Americans?
Brooks: As a senator I would advocate and insure that are natural resources and wildlife will be continuous with the public trust however, will like to seek additional funding to increase the public trust fund.
Federation: Tennessee Wildlife Federation operates a number of programs to improve the great outdoors and Tennesseans’ lives, including habitat restoration work, Hunters for the Hungry, and even creating new sportsmen through Hunting and Fishing Academy. What support would you look to provide as a senator?
Brooks: As a home school owner and director, this is extremely important to me. Our homeschool session are 80% done outside. I would seek the help from the governor and state legislature for state funding to support and keep these activities and any additional activities groups flute in our states.
Federation: A significant number of Tennessee streams, rivers, and lakes are unable to support healthy aquatic life. What would you do as Senator to heal this backbone of our environment and many local economies in the state?
Brooks: As a senator I would like to have more money into research and development to help keep an understanding to our community and state of how important it is to keep clean areas.
Federation: What did we not ask you today that you’d tell Tennessee’s outdoor enthusiasts?
Brooks: As a pro second amendment advocate as your next senator safety firearms while hunting is extremely Important. I would like to have free seminars for understanding firearms while hunting.
