Portman Co-Sponsors Comprehensive Sportsmen's Package

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio), a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, today cosponsored bipartisan legislation introduced by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), entitled the Sportsmen’s Act, to recognize and ensure the rightful place of hunting and fishing on our nation’s public lands.

“Many Ohioans enjoy hunting and fishing, and I’m glad to support this common-sense bill that addresses some issues from the sportsmen community while opening more federal land for hunters and anglers in Ohio and around the country to enjoy,” said Portman.

“This legislative package includes a broad array of bipartisan measures that will improve access for sportsmen and women across our nation,” Murkowski said. “This bill strikes a careful balance in order to give this bill the best possible chance of being signed into law. I am very hopeful that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join me in advancing the Sportsmen’s Act.”

Access to public lands is the number one issue for America’s sportsmen and women. Loss of access is the primary reason people stop hunting and fishing. In 2003, a Department of the Interior report to Congress found that 35 million acres of public land had inadequate access for sportsmen and women.

“Ohio sportsmen and women are grateful that Senator Portman understands how critical public land access is to the future of hunting and fishing,” said Nick Pinizzotto, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) President and CEO. “It is our hope that Senator Portman’s co-sponsorship of the Sportsmen’s Act will convince others to join the effort to pass these important provisions.”

Among the provisions in the package:

• The Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act, which protects the public’s right to engage in recreational hunting, fishing and shooting on federal land.
• The Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act, which enables the Secretary of the Interior to authorize any state to issue electronic duck stamps.
• The Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Protection Act, which excludes ammunition and fishing tackle from the Toxic Substances Control Act and leaves decisions about tackle to state fish and game agencies and the USFWS.
• Bows Transported through National Parks, which allows bows to be transported across national park lands. Currently, firearms can be legally transported, but not bows.
• The Making Public Lands Public Act, which will use existing revenues to help provide increased access to public lands for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes.

A full list of the measures in the Sportsmen’s Act is available on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s website, as is the full text of the bill.