Safari Club International (SCI) commends the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act (H.R. 556), introduced by Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) and backed by 83 co-sponsors. This important legislation prohibits federal agencies from banning the use of traditional lead ammunition and tackle on federal public lands without sufficient scientific justification. The bill protects hunter and angler choice and acknowledges that overly broad restrictions on traditional lead ammunition and tackle can reduce hunter and angler participation, particularly among new, novice, and rural hunters. Alternative ammunition remains less widely available and more expensive than traditional lead ammunition, and there are certain calibers and bullet weights for which no feasible lead alternative exists, including commonly used .22 rifles.
SCI has strongly advocated for H.R. 556 and against overly broad lead restrictions untethered to science. Fish and wildlife are generally managed at the population level and, except in rare cases, credible science has not linked use of lead ammunition and tackle to declines in wildlife populations. Where needed, state agencies already have the authority to regulate ammunition or tackle to achieve conservation objectives while minimizing impacts on hunters and anglers.
"SCI thanks the U.S. House of Representatives for passing H.R. 556 with a bipartisan vote. Hunting and fishing are time-honored traditions in this country, important to families, and essential to states for wildlife management and conservation funding. Overly broad bans reduce hunter and angler participation and state conservation funding, without demonstrated benefits for wildlife. H.R. 556 strikes the proper balance," said SCI CEO W. Laird Hamberlin. "SCI urges the Senate to take swift action to pass this bill."
SCI further applauds the passage of H.R. 556 for aligning with the recent Department of the Interior Secretarial Order 3447. This crucial directive from the Trump Administration promotes access for hunters and anglers, furthers President Trump's goal of "Making America Beautiful Again," and expands and protects access for sportsmen and women across the country.
Background:
For over 50 years, SCI has been the leader in defending the freedom to hunt and promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI is unique in the scope of its ability to defend and advance the freedom to hunt. SCI is the only hunting rights organization with a Washington, D.C.-based national and international advocacy team and an all-species focus. SCI also mobilizes more than 150 chapters and affiliate networks representing millions of hunters around the world.