Legislation Search

H.R. 556: Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025

This bill, known as the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025, aims to regulate the use of lead ammunition and tackle on federal lands and waters that are available for hunting and fishing. Here are the key points of the bill:

Prohibitions on Regulations

The bill prohibits the following actions by the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture:

  1. They cannot ban the use of lead ammunition or tackle on federal lands or waters that are:

    • Under the jurisdiction of either Secretary.

    • Designated for hunting or fishing activities.

  2. They cannot set regulations concerning the permissible levels of lead in ammunition or tackle used in those areas.

Exceptions to the Prohibition

There are exceptions to these prohibitions:

  • If a specific area of federal land or water is experiencing a decline in wildlife populations that is linked to lead ammunition or tackle, the applicable Secretary may implement bans or regulations. However, this is contingent on:

    • Field data showing that the decline in wildlife population is primarily due to the use of lead.

    • The prohibition or regulations must be:

      1. Consistent with state law.

      2. In accordance with applicable state fish and wildlife department policies.

      3. Approved by the relevant state fish and wildlife department.

Federal Register Requirement

If any prohibitions or regulations are implemented under the exceptions stated above, the applicable Secretary is required to provide an explanation in a Federal Register notice detailing how these actions meet the outlined requirements.

Impact on Hunters and Anglers

The aim of this legislation is to ensure that hunters and anglers have continued access to use lead ammunition and tackle on federal lands and waters unless there is clear evidence that it is harming wildlife populations in a specific area. This could potentially affect wildlife management strategies and hunting practices across federal land.

Relevant Companies

  • None found

This is an AI-generated summary of the bill text. There may be mistakes.

Show More

Sponsors

76 bill sponsors

Actions

5 actions

Date Action
Jul. 15, 2025 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Jul. 15, 2025 Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 17.
Feb. 20, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.
Jan. 16, 2025 Introduced in House
Jan. 16, 2025 Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Corporate Lobbying

0 companies lobbying

None found.

* Note that there can be significant delays in lobbying disclosures, and our data may be incomplete.

Potentially Relevant Congressional Stock Trades

No relevant congressional stock trades found.