Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Westerman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 556, the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act. This legislation safeguards the rights of sportsmen and -women who play such a critical role in the conservation of our lands and resources across our Nation.
As a lifelong hunter and recreational fisherman, I know firsthand how important access to our public lands and waters is for America's sportsmen and -women.
Hunters and anglers are some of the Nation's most dedicated conservationists. They care deeply about the lands, and they demonstrate that. Through the license fees that they pay, the excise taxes that they pay, and on-the-ground stewardship, they have helped fund wildlife management and habitat conservation for generations and have been responsible stewards of the land.
Unfortunately, in recent years, we have seen efforts to restrict the use of traditional lead ammunition and fishing tackle on Federal lands and waters, policies that would have placed unnecessary burdens on sportsmen and -women and limited the access to these outdoor traditions that are so fundamental to what Americans cherish.
I appreciate the Trump administration and Secretary Burgum for taking action through a Secretarial order to address this issue and protect access for hunters and anglers, those true stewards of the great resources that are part of this Nation.
This legislation builds on that effort by codifying these protections in law, ensuring that future administrations cannot impose sweeping restrictions that are not grounded in science or consistent with State wildlife management authority.
The Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act ensures that any future restrictions on lead ammunition or tackle on Federal lands and waters must be supported by sound science and aligned with State law. Let me repeat that again. Counter to the gentleman from California's statement, this requires a demonstration of sound science in coordination with State management agencies.
State wildlife management agencies have primacy in managing the resources in their States, and Congress should make sure that we honor the regulations and requirements that they put in place to make sure that hunters and anglers have access to the resources that belong to them. These resources belong to the citizens of the United States of America, everyone, not just a group that says, no, we want to restrict access, or we want to use pseudoscience to say that there is a threat here, or we want to state that a species that is actually on the road to recovery is somehow threatened or endangered.
My colleagues can mislead, but the American people aren't going to fall for that. The American people understand what this is about, and that is allowing them to have access to the lands that they own and to the resources that belong to all of us. That is what makes this Nation great.
States have long been the primary managers of fish and wildlife. That is their responsibility, and they are best positioned to make decisions that balance conservation with continued access for hunters and anglers. Congress should respect the States. The 10th Amendment tells us to do so.
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Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, this legislation will also help ensure that participation in these outdoor traditions remains affordable, which means they will be accessible.
Republicans want to reduce barriers that could prevent the next generation of sportsmen and -women from getting involved. The young folks of today want to be a part of the outdoors. Let's make sure we don't stop that.
I was proud to see this bill pass the House last Congress, and I remain committed to advancing it once again so that it can be sent to the Senate and, ultimately, to President Trump's desk.
Protecting access for hunters and anglers means protecting the conservation model that has sustained America's wildlife and public lands for decades.
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