The Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2014 () is a bill related to hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation in the United States. The bill was introduced into the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

during the

113th United States Congress The 113th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, from January 3, 2013, to January 3, 2015, during the fifth and sixth years of Presidency of Barack Obama, Barack Obama's presiden ...

Background

Thirteen different bills were identified as "related bills" to the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2014, including the

Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013 The Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013 () is a bill that was introduced into the United States House of Representatives during the 113th United States Congress. The bill would authorize the United States Department of the Interior to iss ...

(passed in the House on June 3, 2013) and the

Sportsmen’s Heritage And Recreational Enhancement Act of 2013 (H.R. 3590; 113th Congress) The Sportsmen’s Heritage And Recreational Enhancement Act of 2013 () is an omnibus bill that covers several firearms, fishing, hunting, and federal land laws. H.R. 3590 would establish or amend certain laws related to the use of firearms and oth ...

(passed in the House on February 5, 2014).

Provisions

*The bill would "exempt ammunition and fishing tackle that contain lead from being regulated by the

Toxic Substances Control Act The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is a United States law, passed by the 94th United States Congress in 1976 and administered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), that regulates chemicals not regulated by other U.S. ...

. *The bill would allow states to issue electronic

duck stamps The Federal Duck Stamp, formally known as the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, is an adhesive stamp issued by the United States federal government that must be purchased prior to hunting for migratory waterfowl such as ducks and gee ...

, instead of forcing hunters to wait for physical stamps. *The bill would provide grants for

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

conservation.

Procedural history

The Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2014 was introduced into the

on May 20, 2014 by Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC). The bill was not referred to any Senate committees.

Debate and discussion

The

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) is a conservation and pro-hunting organization, founded in the United States in 1984 by four hunters from Troy, Montana (Bob Munson, Bill Munson, Dan Bull and Charlie Decker). Its mission is to ensure the fu ...

urged members to support the bill, saying that it considers the bill "to be of vital importance for conservation, wildlife, and sportsmen and women." The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation said that they supported the bill because it "protects the use of traditional ammunition, allows more flexibility for federal funds to be used to build and maintain ranges on public lands and ensures access to federal lands for hunting, shooting and other outdoor activities." Senator

Roger Wicker Roger Frederick Wicker (born July 5, 1951) is an American attorney and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Mississippi, in office since 2007. A member of the Republican Party, Wicker previously served as a member of the ...

(R-MS) supported the bill, saying that "Mississippians know the importance of efforts to preserve our natural resources for future generations." Senator

Thad Cochran William Thad Cochran (; December 7, 1937 – May 30, 2019) was an American attorney and politician who served as a United States Senator for Mississippi from 1978 until his resignation due to health issues in 2018. A Republican, he previously s ...

(R-MS) also supported the bill, arguing that the bill "deserves broad support for its policies and reforms that will protect and enhance opportunities to hunt, fish and enjoy the outdoors." The

National Shooting Sports Foundation The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is an American national trade association for the firearms industry that is based in Newtown, Connecticut. Formed in 1961, the organization has more than 8,000 members: firearms manufacturers, distri ...

(NSSF) supported the bill and thanked Cochran for his support, saying that "Senator Cochran's advocacy will help in the fight to promote, preserve, and protect our cherished outdoor heritage and defend against the radical anti-hunting activists determined to derail this important legislation." The

Animal Welfare Institute The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) is an American non-profit charitable organization founded by Christine Stevens in 1951 with the goal of reducing suffering inflicted on animals by humans. It is one of the oldest animal welfare organizations in ...

opposed the bill, calling it "an attack on our nation's wild animals and habitat." According to the organization, the bill would "eliminate the

Environmental Protection Agency A biophysical environment is a biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism or population, and consequently includes the factors that have an influence in their survival, development, and evolution. A biophysical environment can vary in scale f ...

's authority under the Toxic Substances Control Act to regulate hazardous substances - including lead, a dangerous neurotoxin - released by ammunition and sport fishing waste."

References

External links