September 25, 2023 (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – This week, it is expected that the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on the bipartisan Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act (H.R. 5110). Led by Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Members Representatives Mark Green and Richard Hudson, H.R. 5110 will resolve the issues caused by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and its limitation on certain federal funds for archery in schools, hunter education, school sponsored shooting teams, wilderness classes, and other critical enrichment programs. Two weeks ago, the House Education and Workforce Committee passed H.R. 5110 on a unanimous vote, and the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF) will be working in the coming days to ensure a strong vote on the House Floor. In June 2022, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) was signed into law, which included language that prohibited training school personnel in the use of a “dangerous weapon”. Unfortunately, because of the plain language of “dangerous weapon”, the BSCA prohibits Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) funds, a large federal funding program for schools, from being used for many important enrichment programs. When the BSCA was developed, the legislative intent for the “dangerous weapon” language was to prohibit ESEA funds from being used for training school resource officers and security personnel. However, the BSCA is having the unintended consequence of prohibiting ESEA funds for hunter education, school sponsored shooting teams, wilderness courses, and other important educational programs for students, even potentially culinary classes. H.R. 5110 will amend the BSCA to make it clear that the intent of Congress was not to prohibit ESEA funds for the programs of interest to CSF. Specifically, the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act will amend the BSCA by including language that the prohibition of ESEA funds shall not apply to “programs and that provide students with educational instruction or educational enrichment activities, such as archery, hunting, other shooting sports, or culinary arts”. The language in Rep. Green and Hudson’s bill is important because it explicitly states a number of programs and includes broader “educational enrichment activities” language that will capture the programs of interest to CSF. “The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation thanks Reps. Green and Hudson for their effort in leading the bipartisan Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act to ensure that important enrichment programs remain available to millions of students across the country that participate in sporting and outdoor education programs,” said CSF President and CEO Jeff Crane. “We are glad to see the House moving quickly on this important bill, and we look forward to a successful vote.” Prior to the House vote, CSF will be working with Members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus to encourage support of H.R. 5110. CSF will keep the community updated as this legislation progresses. |
