H.R. 556 · 119th Congress

Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act

Introduced on Jan 16, 2025 by Robert J. Wittman (R-VA-1). 83 cosponsors, all from the sponsor's party. Latest action (Mar 19, 2026): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Stage
Passed one chamber
Introduced
Jan 16, 2025
Cosponsors
83
0 from the other party
Policy area
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Open in the Congress explorerCongress.govAlert me

Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. Reported by committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. 4Passed both chambers
  5. 5Sent to the President
  6. 6Became law

Official title

To prohibit the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture from prohibiting the use of lead ammunition or tackle on certain Federal land or water under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, and for other purposes.

Subjects

  • Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
  • Hunting and fishing
  • Land use and conservation
  • Metals
  • Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary

By the Congressional Research Service (Introduced in House, Jan 16, 2025). Public domain.

Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025

This bill bars the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the Forest Service from prohibiting or regulating the use of lead ammunition or tackle on federal land or water. The bill makes exceptions for specified existing regulations and where the FWS, the BLM, or the Forest Service determines that a decline in wildlife population at the specific unit of federal land or water is primarily caused by the use of lead in ammunition or tackle, based on the field data from such unit, and the state approves the regulations.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

Robert J. WittmanR-VA-1Sponsor

Republicans · 83

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

  1. On Motion to Recommit
    Mar 18, 2026· House· Procedural· Failed 206–209
  2. On Passage
    Mar 18, 2026· House· Passage· Passed 215–202

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. Jan 16, 2025Introduced in House
  2. Jan 16, 2025Introduced in House
  3. Jan 16, 2025 · HouseReferred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  4. Jan 16, 2025 · HouseReferred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  5. Feb 20, 2025 · HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.
  6. Jul 15, 2025 · HouseCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  7. Jul 15, 2025 · HouseOrdered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 17.
  8. Nov 25, 2025Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-385, Part I.
  9. Nov 25, 2025 · HouseReported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-385, Part I.
  10. Nov 25, 2025Committee on Agriculture discharged.
  11. Nov 25, 2025 · HouseCommittee on Agriculture discharged.
  12. Nov 25, 2025 · HousePlaced on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 335.
  13. Mar 16, 2026 · HouseRules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1115 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 556, H.R. 1958 and H.R. 4638. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 556, H.R. 1958, and H.R. 4638 under a closed rule. The resolution provides for one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each bill.
  14. Mar 18, 2026 · HouseConsidered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1115. (consideration: CR H2576-2580)
  15. Mar 18, 2026 · HouseRule provides for consideration of H.R. 556, H.R. 1958 and H.R. 4638. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 556, H.R. 1958, and H.R. 4638 under a closed rule. The resolution provides for one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each bill.
  16. Mar 18, 2026 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 556.
  17. Mar 18, 2026 · HouseThe previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  18. Mar 18, 2026 · HouseMrs. Dingell moved to recommit to the Committee on Natural Resources. (text: CR H2580)
  19. Mar 18, 2026 · HouseThe previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
  20. Mar 18, 2026 · HousePOSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 556, the Chair put the question on the motion to recommit and by voice vote, announced the noes had prevailed. Mrs. Dingell demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
  21. Mar 18, 2026 · HouseConsidered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2581-2582)
  22. Mar 18, 2026 · HouseOn motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 206 - 209 (Roll no. 92).House · Roll call 92
  23. Mar 18, 2026Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 215 - 202 (Roll no. 93). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H2576)House · Roll call 93
  24. Mar 18, 2026 · HouseOn passage Passed by recorded vote: 215 - 202 (Roll no. 93). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H2576)House · Roll call 93
  25. Mar 18, 2026 · HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  26. Mar 19, 2026 · SenateReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Who lobbied on it

Organizations whose lobbying reports (LD-2) name this measure. Spending is what they reported for those quarters on all issues, not on this measure alone.

  1. DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE6 reports
    $740K reported (all issues)
  2. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR GUN RIGHTS INC6 reports
    $1.5M reported (all issues)
  3. NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA6 reports
    $2.9M reported (all issues)
  4. NATIONAL SHOOTING SPORTS FOUNDATION, INC.6 reports
    $11.3M reported (all issues)
  5. Animal Welfare Institute fka Society for Animal Protective Legislation2 reports
    $80K reported (all issues)
  6. Backcountry Hunters & Anglers2 reports
    $20K reported (all issues)
  7. Earthjustice Action1 report
    $111.7K reported (all issues)
  8. HUMANE WORLD ACTION FUND1 report
    $280K reported (all issues)
  9. LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS, INC1 report
    $200K reported (all issues)

Reports filed in 2025, 2026.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 5, 2026 · loaded Oct 5, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.
  • Money and votes are shown side by side; neither explains the other.