Some of my earliest and favorite memories are on top of a mountain hunting or on a lake fishing in Arkansas with my family and friends. I know I am not alone in that. Hunting and fishing are two of the oldest and most valued pastimes for millions of Americans.
This is why it’s such a shame that the Biden Administration has continued to implement rules that broadly attack sportsmen and women’s ability to participate in the sports they love. On June 22nd, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced a rule to ban costeffective lead ammunition and tackle in eight national wildlife refuges. This is arguably a broad attack on hunting and fishing.
The USFWS rule, which lacks scientific backing, increases costs for sportsmen and women for traditional U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman ammo and tackle that would otherwise be cost-effective. As such, we can expect a decrease in the number of people who can afford to enjoy the great outdoors if we do not act.
Hunters and anglers are excellent stewards of the environment and, without question, are the Americans with the greatest interest in conservation. They contribute millions of dollars to conservation each year, and rules like this lead ammo and fishing tackle ban will directly impact those efforts.
This week, I led over 50 House Republicans in sending a letter to USFWS Director Martha Williams to express our deep concern for the rule. In the letter, I expressed my disappointment in the effort to phase out lead ammunition and tackle in several national wildlife refuges without any scientific backing and called on the USFWS to withdraw the burdensome rule.
In addition, I chaired a full committee markup at the Natural Resources Committee a few weeks ago, where we favorably passed the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2023. This legislation would require that any proposed lead ban at a national wildlife refuge be compatible with state laws and be based on scientific evidence rather than politics.
As a hunter and fisherman, myself, and as co-chair of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, I will remain committed to protecting Americans’ access to our nation’s lands and waters and stand up to attacks against hunting and fishing. After all, sportsmen and women are some of our country’s greatest conservationists.
