News for Immediate Release
July 1, 2022
Contact: Katie McKalip, 406-240-9262, [email protected]
The shortsighted legislation is drawing widespread condemnation from hunting industry and groups, would eliminate historical source of funds for wildlife conservation
MISSOULA, Mont. – Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is joining a firestorm of opposition to legislation introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), the RETURN our Constitutional Rights Act, which would eliminate the excise tax on firearms and ammunition. That money, under the Pittman-Robertson Act, is used for wildlife-related purposes and plays a major role in funding conservation in the U.S.
BHA Conservation Director John Gale offered the following response to the misguided bill:
“The RETURN our Constitutional Rights Act would recklessly unravel Pittman-Robertson funding as we know it,” said Gale. “Its passage would have devastating consequences for our fish and wildlife agencies and would limit the role of sportsmen and women in funding conservation, diminishing our effectiveness as a constituency. We ask Congressman Clyde to reconsider his decision to introduce this wrongheaded bill, and we likewise urge his House colleagues who cosponsored it to disavow it.
“For 85 years, the Pittman-Robertson Act has played a critical role in fostering responsive management of wildlife populations in the United States,” Gale continued, “with American hunters and industry members alike willingly stepping up to contribute to the conservation of this irreplaceable resource. This is a legacy of which we’re justifiably proud – and which we’re committed to continuing in perpetuity.”
Last month, 43 members of the American Wildlife Conservation Partners, including BHA, sent a letter to congressional leaders reiterating their support of the Pittman-Robertson Act and opposing changes to excise taxes on guns and ammunition.
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About Katie McKalip