SCI’s Federal Advocacy team, based out of the Hunters’ Embassy in Washington, D.C., utilizes relationships and experience on Capitol Hill to educate and advocate for the freedom to hunt. Together with our champions in Congress, SCI’s Federal Team works daily to:
- Support a No-Net-Loss policy to maintain or increase hunting and fishing access nationwide, encompassing physical, economic, and informational access to foster responsible stewardship of natural resources.
- Reform the Endangered Species Act to better incorporate the vital role of state wildlife management and conservation as well as to allow for better implementation and recognition of successful international conservation efforts.
- Support sustainable conservation funding generated by proven strategies like the Pittman-Robertson model.
In the last months of the 118th Congress, SCI strongly supports passage of the following legislation:
H.R. 7408: The American’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act, introduced by House Resources Chair and former SCI Federal Legislator of the Year Bruce Westerman, would modernize the Endangered Species Act to promote recovery of listed species and invest in state-led wildlife management, empowering states to control management policy for the wildlife within their borders.
H.R. 764: The Trust the Science Act requires reissuance of regulations removing the gray wolf from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife under the Endangered Species Act, completing over 20 years of bipartisan efforts to delist recovery wolves. This bill has passed the House, and we encourage the Senate to take up and pass H.R. 764 as soon as possible.
H.R. 615/S. 1185: The Protecting Hunters and Anglers Act would prohibit the banning of lead ammunition on public lands without sufficient scientific justification. This bill protects hunter choice and recognizes the lack of scientific evidence to support a broad ban or phaseout of lead ammunition and tackle. This bill has passed the House, and we encourage the Senate to take up and pass S. 1185 as soon as possible.
H.R. 6727/S. 618: This bill would establish the U.S. Foundation for International Conservation, a public/private funded effort to drive $1 billion towards international conservation over the next five years. The funds are to be directed to nations who, among other stability requirements, direct the money towards improvement efforts such as sustainable use hunting conservation.
H.R. 6492/S. 873: The bipartisan Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act works to make it easier for disabled hunters to go afield, improve and build public shooting ranges, and reduce barriers for America’s hunters to access public land. This bill has passed the House, and we encourage the Senate to take up and pass its Senate companion, S.873, the America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA).
H.R. 8998 – Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act: The FY2025 Interior funding bill contains several pro-hunting provisions including prohibitions to lead ammunition bans, access to federal lands, and fixes ESA shortcomings by delisting the Greater Yellowstone grizzly bear and the grey wolf, both recovered species. While this bill has passed the House, the Senate is yet to pass an Interior appropriations bill. Their version does not contain these hunter-friendly provisions and we will continue to advocate for their inclusion in a final bill.
