In The News

The ability of sportsmen to hunt, fish, and shoot on public land is under constant threat from the Obama Administration and overzealous environmental groups. Many of their proposals will block access to public land, prohibit many popular recreational activities and ban certain types of ammunition.

Some recent examples include; the Environmental Protection Agency considering banning lead ammunition and tackle, the Bureau of Land Management proposing the elimination of recreational shooting on public lands, and the Forest Service spending significant resources examining a ban on hunting and snowmobiling in our own Huron-Manistee National Forest.

This week, my colleagues and I took action by voting on H.R. 4089, the Sportsmen's Heritage Act of 2012, a bipartisan bill supported by groups such as the National Rifle Association, Ducks Unlimited, and Safari Club International. I am pleased to report that it passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 274-146.

The Sportsmen's Heritage Act, written by Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), is a three-part, common sense fix to the Obama Administration's bureaucratic restrictions and regulations. First, this bill protects the traditional right of sportsmen to fish and hunt by removing government roadblocks to these activities on certain public lands and guards against new threats. H.R. 4089 will also defend American jobs by supporting recreational opportunities on these federal lands. Finally, it reaffirms existing law barring the EPA from banning certain types of ammunition and fishing tackle.

Rest assured, I will continue to work in Congress to ensure the West Michigan traditions of hunting, fishing, and shooting are around for future generations.