Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Daines, Steve [R-MT]
Introduced
Summary
Protect the use of lead ammunition and tackle on federal lands and waters. This bill would bar the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Forest Service from banning or regulating lead ammunition or lead fishing tackle on federal land or water open for hunting or fishing, while allowing narrow, unit-specific restrictions only when local field data link lead to wildlife declines and the State approves or is consistent with State policy.
Show full summary
- Hunters and anglers: Keeps the ability to use lead ammo and lead tackle on most federal lands and waters that are open for hunting or fishing.
- Federal land managers: Limits agency authority to impose broad lead restrictions and allows unit‑specific rules only if tied to field data showing local wildlife declines.
- State fish and wildlife departments: Gains a formal role in approving or providing consistency for any unit‑level prohibitions or regulations.
- Wildlife and conservation interests: Restricts when lead can be regulated by requiring unit‑specific evidence that lead is the primary cause of a population decline.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Keep lead ammo and tackle access
If enacted, this bill would bar the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture from banning lead ammunition or lead fishing tackle on federal lands and waters open for hunting or fishing. It would also bar those agencies from issuing rules that set allowable lead levels in such ammunition or tackle. Existing rules in 50 C.F.R. §§20.21 and 20.108 and the bill's unit-specific exception would still apply.
Allow site bans only with local data
If enacted, this bill would allow a ban or rule on lead ammo or tackle at a specific federal site only when local field data show wildlife declines are primarily caused by lead. The agency must also show the rule matches state law or the state's fish and wildlife policy, or the state must approve it. The agency would need to explain how the rule meets these requirements in a Federal Register notice.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Daines, Steve [R-MT]
MT • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
KS • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Dan Sullivan
AK • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]
LA • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]
NC • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]
ID • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]
ID • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY]
WY • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
WY • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]
FL • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]
OK • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Tuberville, Tommy [R-AL]
AL • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
UT • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
John Boozman
AR • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS]
KS • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
TN • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Roger Wicker
MS • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE]
NE • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]
MT • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Mike Rounds
SD • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Katie Britt
AL • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]
ND • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
AR • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV]
WV • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Bill Hagerty
TN • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
John Hoeven
ND • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Cindy Hyde-Smith
MS • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
SD • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Shelley Capito
WV • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]
NC • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN]
IN • R
Sponsored 2/13/2025
Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE]
NE • R
Sponsored 4/9/2025
Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
TX • R
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
SC • R
Sponsored 4/29/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov