Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

EXPLORE Act Heads to Joe Biden’s Desk with Strong Bipartisan Support

Monday, December 23, 2024

EXPLORE Act Heads to Joe Biden’s Desk with Strong Bipartisan Support

The U.S. government manages approximately 28% of the nation’s landmass for purposes that include preservation and development of natural resources and outdoor recreation. Last week the Senate passed a sprawling package of legislation known as the “Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act” (EXPLORE Act) that would enhance the accessibility of these lands to recreational shooters, hunters, and other outdoorsmen. The bipartisan bill now heads to Joe Biden’s desk, where it will hopefully be signed into law.

The bill makes clear “it is the policy of the Federal Government to foster and encourage recreation on Federal recreational lands and waters” and facilitates this through a wide range of mechanisms to remove barriers to recreational access and to promote this use. The Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior would be required to conduct an inventory and assessment of recreation resources on federal lands and to identify underutilized locations suitable for developing or expanding recreation opportunities. A Federal Interagency Council on Recreation would be established with representation from the agencies responsible for administering these lands, as well as state and local partners. Its mandate would be to coordinate on improving access to federal lands and waters.

One of the most promising of the EXPLORE Act’s provisions for gun owners is its inclusion of the Range Access Act. This legislation would direct the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to identify and maintain, or establish, within five years, at least one target shooting range on every national forest and Bureau of Land Management unit that they determined to be suitable for that purpose. Ranges would be required to accommodate rifle and pistol shooting and could further include infrastructure for skeet, trap, sporting clay, and archery uses. The ranges would have to remain open to the public, unless in the case of an emergency closure. The Secretaries would also have to maintain lists of those ranges and to make them available to the public. The act would allow these ranges to be administered and maintained in partnership with state and local governments, as well as with nongovernmental organizations, including shooting clubs and nonprofit organizations.

Other provisions of the EXPLORE Act would require the reopening and modernization of overnight camping facilities and the development of programs aimed at increasing reactional land use by veterans and youth. The act would furthermore streamline access to permits and remove bureaucratic barriers to the use of federal lands for recreation.

Overall, the EXPLORE Act promises to significantly contribute to America’s rich heritage of outdoor recreation on federal lands and waters.

TRENDING NOW
One Big Beautiful Bill Clears Senate, and Heads Back to House

News  

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

One Big Beautiful Bill Clears Senate, and Heads Back to House

Earlier today the U.S. Senate passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” This bill contained a provision that would, among other things, eliminate the burdensome $200 excise tax imposed by federal law on suppressors, short-barreled firearms, and “any ...

Congress Passes the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Now Headed to President Trump

News  

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Congress Passes the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Now Headed to President Trump

Earlier today the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” This bill contained a provision that would, among other things, eliminate the burdensome $200 excise tax imposed by federal law on suppressors, short-barreled firearms, ...

U.S. House Sends Reconciliation Bill to President Trump

News  

Second Amendment  

Thursday, July 3, 2025

U.S. House Sends Reconciliation Bill to President Trump

NFA Tax on Suppressors, Short-Barreled Firearms, and Other Arms Reduced to $0

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

News  

Second Amendment  

Thursday, May 22, 2025

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.1 the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included Section 2 of the Hearing Protection Act, completely removing suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA).

U.S. Senate Adds Pro-Gun Tax Relief Language Back into Reconciliation Bill

News  

Saturday, June 28, 2025

U.S. Senate Adds Pro-Gun Tax Relief Language Back into Reconciliation Bill

Overnight, the U.S. Senate added pro-gun tax relief language back into the Reconciliation bill after the Senate Parliamentarian struck out an earlier provision.  While this new provision is not as expansive as the language we advocated for which ...

Armed Churchgoers Prevent Mass Attack as State Lawmakers Plot More Gun Control

News  

Monday, June 30, 2025

Armed Churchgoers Prevent Mass Attack as State Lawmakers Plot More Gun Control

Just over an hour away from the state capitol in Lansing, Michigan – even as lawmakers worked feverishly to pass various gun control measures, including expansion of “gun free” zones – a chilling reminder unfolded of the ...

Canada’s Big Ugly Gun Grab: An Update

News  

Monday, June 30, 2025

Canada’s Big Ugly Gun Grab: An Update

Canada’s Liberal government is pressing on with its harebrained gun ban and confiscation program for “assault style weapons,” but, true to form and precedents, it has been far from smooth sailing.

North Carolina: Update on Gun Bills Moving through the General Assembly

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

North Carolina: Update on Gun Bills Moving through the General Assembly

Recently, House Bill 193 (H193) was reported favorably out of both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Rules Committee, with amendments.

Urge the U.S. Senate to Pass the One Big Beautiful Bill – Contact Your U.S. Senators Today!

News  

Monday, June 30, 2025

Urge the U.S. Senate to Pass the One Big Beautiful Bill – Contact Your U.S. Senators Today!

The U.S. Senate has cleared a number of procedural hurdles and is preparing to vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill. This vote will likely come within the next day. The One Big Beautiful Bill includes ...

President Trump Signs the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into Law

News  

Friday, July 4, 2025

President Trump Signs the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into Law

Earlier today, on the 4th of July, a day on which our Founding Fathers declared their intent for a free nation, the President of the United State of America, Donald Trump, signed the “One Big ...

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.