While recently introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate would protect sportsmen from a possible ban on traditional ammunition and fishing tackle, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives has introduced legislation squarely targeting America’s sportsmen by doing the opposite.

U.S. Representative Bobby Rush, (D- ILL), known for introducing anti-gun legislation such as H.R. 45 (Blair Holt’s Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act), has introduced new legislation that would open the door to ban all traditional ammunition. House Resolution 5820 would amend the Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976 (TSCA) by removing the exemption included in the law for traditional ammunition. It was that specific exemption that forced the EPA to deny the ammunition portion of a petition filed by several groups seeking to ban both traditional ammunition and fishing tackle.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) and other groups have repeatedly pointed out that scientific evidence connecting lead ammunition to the harm of most animal populations is inconclusive. However, there are real concerns that forcing sportsmen to purchase higher cost, non-lead ammunition will decrease the number of days spent in the field as it prices many out of the market. In turn, this will reduce the funding available for conservation efforts, as much of those dollars are from the taxes paid by sportsmen when they purchase firearms, ammunition and other hunting equipment.