CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

Steve Daines (R-MT)

Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025

S. 537 · Senate bill Public Lands and Natural Resources

A Republican bill with 37 Republican cosponsors · See all 37 cosponsors

Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

In committee

Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.

The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.

Its path through Congress

  1. Introduced
  2. In Committee

What this bill would do

This bill is called the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025. It stops the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture from banning the use of lead ammunition or tackle on certain federal lands and waters. It also stops these officials from making new rules about the level of lead in ammunition or tackle used on those lands. There is an exception if a specific unit of land has a wildlife population decline primarily caused by lead, as proven by field data. Any such exception must also be consistent with state law, consistent with state wildlife policy, or approved by the state fish and wildlife department. Finally, the applicable Secretary must publish a notice in the Federal Register explaining how any enacted prohibition or regulation meets these requirements.

Yes· 3 of 4

  • Scored +5

    Would gun owners be better off under this?

    The bill protects the use of traditional lead ammunition for hunting and fishing activities.

  • Scored +3

    Would people in rural areas be better off under this?

    The bill preserves traditional hunting and fishing practices often central to rural lifestyles.

  • Scored +3

    Does this leave more decisions to the states?

    The bill requires that any lead prohibitions be consistent with State wildlife policies and laws.

The opposite

  • Scored -4

    Does this give the federal government more power?

    The bill restricts the authority of federal Secretaries to implement broad ammunition regulations.

  • Scored -3

    Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?

    By restricting federal authority to ban lead ammunition, the bill may reduce protections for wildlife and ecosystems.

  • Scored -2

    Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests?

    The bill limits the ability of agencies to manage federal lands through lead-based ammunition restrictions.