H.R.556 — Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act
House Roll Call
H.R.556
| Bill | H.R.556 — Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act |
|---|---|
| Vote question | On Passage |
| Vote type | Recorded Vote |
| Result | Passed |
| Totals | Yea 215 / Nay 202 / Present 0 / Not Voting 15 |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 208 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| D | 7 | 201 | 0 | 6 |
| I | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Research Brief
On Passage
Bill Analysis
H.R. 556 – Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act (119th Congress)
H.R. 556 restricts federal agencies from banning the use of traditional lead ammunition and lead fishing tackle on most federal public lands and waters unless specific, science-based conditions are met. It primarily affects the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Core provision: The bill prohibits these agencies from implementing or enforcing any ban or phaseout of lead ammunition or tackle for hunting or fishing on lands and waters they administer unless the restriction is:
- Based on site-specific, peer-reviewed scientific data demonstrating a significant adverse impact on a wildlife population, and
- Limited in scope and duration to address that documented impact.
The bill applies to:
- National Wildlife Refuge System units
- BLM lands
- National Forest System lands
- Other federal lands/waters under these agencies’ jurisdiction where hunting or fishing is allowed.
Exemptions: The bill does not bar:
- Compliance with existing federal environmental or toxic substances laws (e.g., lead shot bans for waterfowl under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act).
- Restrictions required for human health or safety, or for national security.
- State-imposed regulations on lead ammunition or tackle.
Beneficiaries and regulated parties:
- Hunters and anglers gain protection against broad or preemptive federal bans on lead-based gear.
- Federal land management agencies face new procedural and evidentiary constraints before imposing lead restrictions.
- Wildlife and environmental groups are indirectly affected through limits on agency authority to regulate lead for conservation purposes.
Funding/authorities: The bill does not create new funding streams or grant programs. It modifies existing regulatory authority by conditioning when and how FWS, BLM, and USFS may regulate lead ammunition and tackle.
Timelines: The restrictions on agency action take effect upon enactment and apply to any new or pending agency actions. Existing bans remain unless specifically inconsistent with the bill’s standards, in which case agencies would need to revise them through normal rulemaking.
Yea (215)
K
Ken Calvert
S
Scott Franklin
J
John Mannion
L
Lisa McClain
J
John Rutherford
D
David Schweikert
P
Pete Sessions
Nay (202)
J
Jason Crow
L
Lloyd Doggett
J
John Garamendi
L
Lucy McBath
C
Christian Menefee
R
Rashida Tlaib
N
Nydia Velázquez
D
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
