Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

Recreational Lands Self-Defense Act Introduced

Friday, January 30, 2015

Recreational Lands Self-Defense Act Introduced

U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and U.S. Representative Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio) recently introduced S. 263 and H.R. 578, which are designed to protect the rights of gun owners on lands owned or managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps).  This legislation would help end the patchwork of firearm laws and regulations that govern different federal lands managed by different federal agencies.

On May 12, 2009, legislation was passed that greatly reduced restrictions on the possession of firearms for self-defense on National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System lands. Under this legislation, rules governing carry on those federal lands incorporate the laws of the state in which the lands are located. This greatly expanded the places where law-abiding Americans can legally carry firearms for self-defense. However, that change in the law did not include millions of acres of recreational land managed by the Corps. The Corps owns or manages over 11.7 million acres, including 400 lakes and river projects, 90,000 campsites and 4,000 miles of trails. This legislation would reverse the Corps' policy and restore the right of law-abiding Americans to possess firearms on Corps lands.

The NRA fully supports S. 263 and H.R. 578 and appreciates Sen. Crapo and Rep. Gibbs’ leadership on this important issue.

Please sign Senators Crapo’s petition in support of S. 263.  The petition can be found here.

In addition, please contact your U.S. Senators and ask them to cosponsor and support S. 263, and please contact your U.S. Representative and ask him or her to cosponsor and support H.R. 578.

You can contact your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representative about this important legislation by using the "Write Your Lawmakers" tool at www.NRAILA.org, or by phone at (202) 225-3121.

TRENDING NOW
FBI Releases Final Crime Report for 2025 to the Dismay of Firearm Prohibitionists

News  

Monday, August 24, 2026

FBI Releases Final Crime Report for 2025 to the Dismay of Firearm Prohibitionists

There has been a certain amount of anticipation while the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) analyzed the available crime data for last year. The speculation among many was that the report would be, not just ...

Questions and Answers About the Texas NFA Case

News  

Monday, August 17, 2026

Questions and Answers About the Texas NFA Case

On August 12, we reported on an important development in the ongoing litigation over the National Firearms Act (NFA) filed by multiple plaintiffs in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. These included, ...

DOJ Relaunches Federal Firearms Rights Restoration with New Final Rule

News  

Monday, August 24, 2026

DOJ Relaunches Federal Firearms Rights Restoration with New Final Rule

On August 20, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) published a final rule in the Federal Register that establishes application standards for those seeking relief from federal firearm disabilities under the Gun Control Act of ...

SCOTUS Statutory Ruling Not the Final Word on Biden-Era “Frame or Receiver” Rule

News  

Monday, August 24, 2026

SCOTUS Statutory Ruling Not the Final Word on Biden-Era “Frame or Receiver” Rule

For years, NRA-ILA has closely followed and reported on the legal and regulatory saga surrounding the Biden-Harris administration’s so-called “Frame or Receiver” rule. 

ATF Director Corrects Gun Control Advocates on Regulatory Reform

News  

Monday, August 17, 2026

ATF Director Corrects Gun Control Advocates on Regulatory Reform

In a stark departure from the last administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is taking gun control advocates to task for their sensationalist rhetoric and questionable legal claims. 

Federal Court Strikes Down NFA Registration Requirements for Suppressors, Short-Barreled Rifles, and Short-Barreled Shotguns in NRA Case

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Federal Court Strikes Down NFA Registration Requirements for Suppressors, Short-Barreled Rifles, and Short-Barreled Shotguns in NRA Case

In another major victory for the National Rifle Association and law-abiding gun owners, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas today held that the National Firearms Act’s registration and approval requirements for ...

DOJ’s Post Office Directive Marks Another Second Amendment Milestone

News  

Monday, August 17, 2026

DOJ’s Post Office Directive Marks Another Second Amendment Milestone

For decades, federal law and United States Postal Service regulations turned one of the most ordinary stops in American life, your local post office, into a federal “gun free zone.”  That changed on August 12 with ...

California: Multiple Anti-Gun Bills Still Alive as Legislature Enters Final Week

Friday, August 21, 2026

California: Multiple Anti-Gun Bills Still Alive as Legislature Enters Final Week

The California Legislature enters its final full week of the 2026 Legislative Session on Monday, with several anti-gun bills eligible for floor votes. The most egregious bills include AB 2047, which further restricts the use ...

What Does the Texas NFA Decision Mean for You?

News  

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

What Does the Texas NFA Decision Mean for You?

On August 5, 2026, Judge Wesley Hendrix of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas held that the National Firearms Act’s registration and approval requirements for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns ...

Meet the New Far Left; Same as the Establishment Left on Guns

News  

Monday, August 17, 2026

Meet the New Far Left; Same as the Establishment Left on Guns

Primary election season is winding down, and the final slates of candidates in most states have emerged ahead of the 2026 fall elections. Second Amendment issues may or may not have been front in center ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.