Bill > S537

This bill aims to prevent the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture from broadly prohibiting lead ammunition and tackle on federal lands and waters used for hunting and fishing. Specifically, the bill prohibits these federal agencies from implementing blanket bans on lead ammunition or tackle across their jurisdictions, with a narrow exception for specific land or water units where wildlife population decline can be directly attributed to lead use. If such an exception is made, the prohibition must align with state wildlife laws and policies, and must be based on field data demonstrating lead's impact on wildlife populations. The bill requires that any localized prohibitions be published in the Federal Register with a detailed explanation of how they meet the specified criteria. This legislation appears designed to protect hunters' and anglers' access to traditional equipment while leaving room for targeted environmental protections where scientifically justified. The bill's name, the "Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025," reflects its intent to preserve recreational hunting and fishing practices while allowing for limited environmental management.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/537/all-info