U.S. Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) recently reintroduced H.R. 556, the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act. This bill would prohibit the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture from arbitrarily banning the use of traditional ammunition on federal land or water under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture.
“As a lifelong hunter and recreational fisherman, I was appalled by the Biden-Harris administration’s quest to restrict access for our nation’s sportsmen and women who use traditional lead fishing tackle and ammunition on federal lands and waters,” said Congressman Wittman. “We cannot allow a ridiculous ban like this to happen again. Effective environmental stewardship and wildlife conservation rely on the valuable contributions of our hunters and anglers, and affordable lead ammunition and tackle are crucial to reducing financial barriers that limit accessibility for sportsmen and women. I was proud to see this legislation pass the House last year, and I’m committed to securing its passage once again to advance it through the Senate and to the president’s desk.”
This NRA-supported legislation is in response to the former administration’s repeated attempts to limit Americans’ access to hunt and shoot on our federal lands. While Biden’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced a continuation of policies initiated under the Trump administration to expand opportunities on national wildlife refuges, the expansions under Biden would phase-out the use of traditional ammunition.
The push to ban lead ammo on various public lands is a contentious one for several reasons, and NRA-ILA has been involved in the fight against such a decision for decades. A ban on traditional ammunition would make hunting more difficult and more expensive for those who want to access these public lands. Additionally, those pushing lead ammunition bans are doing so without scientific data to back their claims, lacking the proof that shows lead ammunition is harming wildlife populations on public lands, including national wildlife refuges.
While the threat from the Biden Administration is in the rearview mirror, anti-hunting groups and gun control supporters continue to push for lead ammunition bans. Rep. Wittman’s legislation would prevent future administrations from banning lead ammo with the stroke of a pen.
Alert Update:
On February 12, 2025, Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) introduced the Senate companion bill to H.R. 556, which would prohibit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) from banning the use of lead ammunition or tackle on public lands.
“The great outdoors is a staple of our Montana way of life. Montana hunters and anglers play an important role in wildlife management, and a ban on lead ammo and tackle would be unfair to our sportsmen. I’ll keep fighting with my colleagues to make sure decisions impacting outdoor recreation are guided by commonsense science, not anti-hunting groups,” said Senator Daines.
Senator Daines' bill has drawn wide support with 27 Senators signing on as original co-sponsors. Your NRA-ILA will continue to update you as this legislation works its way through the legislative process.
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