1st District Idaho Congressman Raul Labrador issued this statement on the Jeremy Hill grizzly bear shooting case in North Idaho:

"Only Jeremy knows the threat this bear posed to his family and property.  No one from D.C. or Boise was present to know the circumstances surrounding his actions, but the Endangered Species Act shouldn’t force us to second-guess these types of life or death decisions.  If the facts that have appeared in the media accounts are true and accurate, then the judgment call Jeremy made to protect his family and property appears to be justified.

"It is heartening though to see the great people of northern Idaho rallying around the Hill family during this difficult time.  Jeremy Hill deserves a fair trial and the moral and financial support he is receiving from his neighbors will help ensure that he does.  However, this situation clearly illustrates that the Endangered Species Act needs to be looked at with fresh eyes as animal populations recover while human populations increase in close proximity. I will work with my colleagues in the Idaho Congressional Delegation to address such concerns within that law."