# 119-hr-556: Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act

119-hr-556, Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1] (R-VA); status passed_house (as of 2026-09-10).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-556
- As of: 2026-09-10
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-556
- Congress: 119
- Title: Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act
- Status: passed_house
- Introduced: 2025-01-16
- Sponsor: Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1] (R-VA)
- Cosponsors: 83
- Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-10

## Summary

**Protects hunters' and anglers' ability to use lead ammunition and tackle on most Federal land and water.** It would stop the Interior and Agriculture Departments from imposing broad bans or setting lead-level rules across federal hunting and fishing areas, while allowing narrowly targeted restrictions in specific units when local field data show wildlife declines and the restriction aligns with state law or is approved by the state fish and wildlife department. - Hunters and anglers: Keeps lead ammo and tackle legal across most federal lands and waters used for hunting or fishing, reducing the chance of broad federal bans. - Federal land managers: Limits the Secretaries' power to set national rules on lead in ammunition or tackle but allows unit-level prohibitions when unit-specific field data link declines to lead and state requirements are met. - State wildlife agencies: Requires unit restrictions to be consistent with state law or policy or to have the state fish and wildlife department's approval, giving states a decisive role in local limits. - Wildlife conservation: Permits targeted limits where field data show lead-related population declines and requires a Federal Register notice explaining how the unit meets the criteria.

## Cosponsors (83)

- Rep. McGuire, John J. [R-VA-5] (R-VA), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14] (R-TX), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Scott, Austin [R-GA-8] (R-GA), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. De La Cruz, Monica [R-TX-15] (R-TX), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wagner, Ann [R-MO-2] (R-MO), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bean, Aaron [R-FL-4] (R-FL), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24] (R-NY), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41] (R-CA), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-1] (R-MT), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Stauber, Pete [R-MN-8] (R-MN), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Edwards, Chuck [R-NC-11] (R-NC), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Norman, Ralph [R-SC-5] (R-SC), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McClintock, Tom [R-CA-5] (R-CA), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Guest, Michael [R-MS-3] (R-MS), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15] (R-PA), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moolenaar, John R. [R-MI-2] (R-MI), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Rogers, Mike D. [R-AL-3] (R-AL), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Webster, Daniel [R-FL-11] (R-FL), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1] (R-MN), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Murphy, Gregory F. [R-NC-3] (R-NC), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4] (R-WA), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Walberg, Tim [R-MI-5] (R-MI), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1] (R-AL), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5] (R-AZ), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2] (R-VA), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fulcher, Russ [R-ID-1] (R-ID), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bost, Mike [R-IL-12] (R-IL), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-9] (R-NC), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hageman, Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large] (R-WY), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Boebert, Lauren [R-CO-4] (R-CO), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6] (R-VA), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1] (R-GA), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7] (R-WI), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Williams, Roger [R-TX-25] (R-TX), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bergman, Jack [R-MI-1] (R-MI), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Balderson, Troy [R-OH-12] (R-OH), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Messmer, Mark B. [R-IN-8] (R-IN), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fischbach, Michelle [R-MN-7] (R-MN), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fitzgerald, Scott [R-WI-5] (R-WI), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Letlow, Julia [R-LA-5] (R-LA), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fleischmann, Charles J. "Chuck" [R-TN-3] (R-TN), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-9] (R-AZ), 2025-01-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Owens, Burgess [R-UT-4] (R-UT), 2025-01-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3] (R-TX), 2025-01-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carter, John R. [R-TX-31] (R-TX), 2025-01-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6] (R-WI), 2025-01-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Biggs, Sheri [R-SC-3] (R-SC), 2025-01-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fallon, Pat [R-TX-4] (R-TX), 2025-01-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3] (R-CO), 2025-01-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Langworthy, Nicholas A. [R-NY-23] (R-NY), 2025-01-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Babin, Brian [R-TX-36] (R-TX), 2025-01-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moore, Tim [R-NC-14] (R-NC), 2025-01-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Womack, Steve [R-AR-3] (R-AR), 2025-01-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McDowell, Addison P. [R-NC-6] (R-NC), 2025-01-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Estes, Ron [R-KS-4] (R-KS), 2025-01-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Rutherford, John H. [R-FL-5] (R-FL), 2025-01-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7] (R-SC), 2025-01-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Dusty [R-SD-At Large] (R-SD), 2025-02-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kustoff, David [R-TN-8] (R-TN), 2025-02-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Rulli, Michael A. [R-OH-6] (R-OH), 2025-02-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Donalds, Byron [R-FL-19] (R-FL), 2025-02-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1] (R-KS), 2025-02-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hinson, Ashley [R-IA-2] (R-IA), 2025-02-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17] (R-TX), 2025-03-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10] (R-NC), 2025-04-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21] (R-NY), 2025-04-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wied, Tony [R-WI-8] (R-WI), 2025-05-06T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Downing, Troy [R-MT-2] (R-MT), 2025-05-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham J. [R-AZ-8] (R-AZ), 2025-05-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Crank, Jeff [R-CO-5] (R-CO), 2025-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Latta, Robert E. [R-OH-5] (R-OH), 2025-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Crenshaw, Dan [R-TX-2] (R-TX), 2025-06-03T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24] (R-TX), 2025-06-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pfluger, August [R-TX-11] (R-TX), 2025-06-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17] (R-FL), 2025-06-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1] (R-IA), 2025-08-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Harris, Mark [R-NC-8] (R-NC), 2025-08-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DesJarlais, Scott [R-TN-4] (R-TN), 2025-08-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Evans, Gabe [R-CO-8] (R-CO), 2025-08-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jackson, Ronny [R-TX-13] (R-TX), 2025-09-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Miller, Max L. [R-OH-7] (R-OH), 2025-09-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Roy, Chip [R-TX-21] (R-TX), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Nehls, Troy E. [R-TX-22] (R-TX), 2025-10-06T00:00:00.000Z

## Votes

| Date | Chamber | Question | Result | Yea | Nay |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-18T00:00:00.000Z | house | On Motion to Recommit | Failed | 206 | 209 |
| 2026-03-18T00:00:00.000Z | house | On Passage | Passed | 215 | 202 |

## Provisions PRIA read

- Limits lead ammo and tackle bans on federal areas: mixed, low. If enacted, this bill would stop the Interior Department (Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management) and the Agriculture Department’s Forest Service from banning lead ammo or lead fishing tackle on federal land or water that is open to hunting or fishing. It would also block new feder…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-38: Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025
- 119-hr-425: Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act
- 119-hres-719: Honoring the life and legacy of Charles Charlie James Kirk.
- 119-hr-452: Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act
- 119-hr-703: Main Street Tax Certainty Act
- 119-hr-1628: 761st Tank Battalion Congressional Gold Medal Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-556 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/556)

## Related
- [119-hr-38: Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-38)
- [119-hr-425: Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-425)
- [119-hres-719: Honoring the life and legacy of Charles Charlie James Kirk.](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hres-719)
- [119-hr-452: Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-452)
- [119-hr-703: Main Street Tax Certainty Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-703)
- [119-hr-1628: 761st Tank Battalion Congressional Gold Medal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1628)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-556 (as of 2026-09-10).