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Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act (HR-556) · Congress.wiki

Recorded Votes

Recorded roll calls only

0 recorded

No recorded votes yet

Text Versions

Reported in House

November 25, 2025•6 pages

Introduced in House

January 16, 2025•4 pages

What do you think?

Committee Meetings (1)

Committee on Natural Resources Full Committee Markup of: • H.R. 281 (Rep. Hageman), “Grizzly Bear State Management Act of 2025” (Amendments to H.R. 281 must be drafted to the amendment in the nature of a substitute, attached to this notice) • H.R. 435 (Rep. Issa), “Direct Hire To Fight Fires” • H.R. 556 (Rep. Wittman), “Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025” (Amendments to H.R. 556 must be drafted to the amendment in the nature of a substitute, attached to this notice) • H.R. 831 (Rep. Calvert), “Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program Amendment Act of 2025” • H.R. 1676 (Rep. Donalds), “Make SWAPs Efficient Act of 2025” • H.R. 1809 (Rep. Quigley), “Great Lakes Fishery Research Reauthorization Act” • H.R. 2293 (Rep. Ezell), “Cormorant Relief Act of 2025” • H.R. 2405 (Rep. Barr), “The White Oak Resilience Act” • H.R. 2462 (Rep. Rose), “Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025” (Amendments to H.R. 2462 must be drafted to the amendment in the nature of a substitute, attached to this notice) • H.R. 2860 (Rep. Larsen) “Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2025” • H.R. 3187 (Rep. Hill), To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a parcel of property of the Forest Service to Perry County, Arkansas, and for other purposes • H.R. 3858 (Rep. Dingell), “Sport Fish Restoration, Recreational Boating Safety, and Wildlife Restoration Act of 2025”

Committee on Natural ResourcesLongworth House Office Building, 1324HRJul 15, 2025 at 2:15 PM

AI Summary

This bill blocks the Interior and Agriculture Departments from banning the use of lead ammunition or fishing tackle on federal lands and waters that are open to hunting or fishing, and it stops them from setting lead-level rules for that gear on those areas. Two existing federal rules remain in place as they are on the date the bill becomes law.

There is a narrow exception: a ban or limit can apply to a specific refuge, forest, or lake only if field data from that exact place show wildlife are declining mainly because of lead from ammo or tackle, and the action matches state law or policy or is approved by the state’s fish and wildlife agency. If that happens, the agency must publish a notice explaining how the decision meets these requirements.

Who is affected: Hunters and anglers on federal lands and waters; the Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Forest Service.
What changes: No blanket federal bans or new lead-content rules for ammo or tackle on open federal hunting and fishing areas, unless a site-specific, data-based case is made and the state is on board.
When: If enacted, the policy would apply going forward; the two listed existing rules stay as they are on the date of enactment.

Amendments

No Amendments

Related Legislation

Sponsors (84)

House Votes

Pending Committee

January 16, 2025

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Senate Votes

Vote Data Not Available

Presidential Signature

Signature Data Not Available

All LegislationHouse Bill 556HR 556

Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act

Public Lands and Natural Resources

6 pages

house
senate
president

Introduced January 16, 2025 by Robert J. Wittman · Last progress January 16, 2025

Montanasenator·Steve Daines

Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025

senate

Bill

Public Lands and Natural Resources

house

president

33 cosponsors·Updated 3/7/2026·Last progress February 12, 2025

Action History

CalendarsNovember 25, 2025
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 335.
DischargeNovember 25, 2025
Committee on Agriculture discharged.
CommitteeNovember 25, 2025
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-385, Part I.
CommitteeJuly 15, 2025
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 17.