Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5110) to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to clarify that the prohibition on the use of Federal education funds for certain weapons does not apply to the use of such weapons for training in archery, hunting, or other shooting sports, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 5110

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act''. SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF PROHIBITION ON USE OF FEDERAL EDUCATION FUNDS FOR CERTAIN WEAPONS AND RELATED TRAINING.

Section 8526(7) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7906(7)) is amended by inserting ``, except that this paragraph shall not apply to the use of funds under this Act for activities carried out under programs authorized by this Act that are otherwise permissible under such programs and that provide students with educational instruction or educational enrichment activities, such as archery, hunting, other shooting sports, or culinary arts'' before the period at the end.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GROTHMAN. 5110, as amended.

I rise today in strong support of the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act, H.R. 5110.

Last year, Congress passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. While most Republicans weren't in favor of its provisions, the few that eventually voted for the bill voted with the assumption that the Biden administration would not try to misconstrue the language to end the vital hunter and archery classes in our K-12 schools.

Now, due to the overly antigun Department of Education, the law is being used to pressure schools rather than enhance their security. Republican negotiators feel frustrated by the Department's actions. Democrats feel let down by the Department. Above all, the American people feel wronged by the Department and scared that at a Federal level it would take such actions.

This is because the Department has taken the funding ban for the provision of or training in the use of a dangerous weapon and misinterpreted it as a funding ban on archery, shooting, and hunter safety programs--some even speculate culinary programs.

How do I know that this anger is widespread? Look no further than the commentary from Democrats over the past few weeks. Without explicitly naming names, Democrats have called the administration overly ambitious, simply mistaken, and with a blatant disregard for the law. Too many people on the other side of the aisle are looking for any pretext to prevent American citizens from using firearms, even if the purpose is to increase safety.

Archery and hunting safety programs are not dangerous. They instill core values in schoolchildren--values like responsibility, patience, and discipline. In fact, our society could use more of these values and more of these programs.

Moreover, education programs such as hunting and archery foster a sense of connection and belonging among classmates. They are a win-win for our schools and communities. In Wisconsin alone, we have 272 schools offering archery programs, 37 of which are located in my district.

What we have here is yet another example of Federal bureaucrats who are out of touch with the American people. I know my constituents back home support these programs, and so do I. Therefore, I urge passage of H.R.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GROTHMAN. Foxx).

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GROTHMAN.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GROTHMAN.

Mr. Speaker, overturning the funding ban on hunting and archery programs is a no-brainer. I was glad, as a member of the Committee on Education, to see that when this bill passed, it came out of committee unanimously 42-0. That is because the value of these programs is universally recognized. They are certainly not unsafe. In fact, the best thing we could do would be to expand them, offer more of them, and teach more children how to handle recreational tools appropriately.

Furthermore, just like when the effort was made by the Governor of New Mexico, there is a bipartisan consensus that the people who were trying to restrict ownership or restrict acquainting themselves with firearms were shot down on a bipartisan basis.

Because of this administration's actions, however, many schools were proactively nixing hunting and archery programs to comply with the Department's wrongheaded and heavy-handed reading of the law. That is already going too far.

Congress should respond quickly with swift action and pass the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source