Rep. Bruce Westerman on Banning Lead Ammunition and Wildlife Conservation

Black Vulture Attacks on Livestock

• ⚠️ Black vulture attacks are causing urgent and costly problems for livestock producers.
• 🎯 The current permit program allowing farmers to take only 10 black vultures per year is insufficient to manage large flocks.
• 💡 Allowing farmers to protect their livestock with reporting at year-end offers a common-sense solution and aids in managing the black vulture population.

Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers

• 🏛️ HR 556, the "Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025," aims to preserve the use of cost-effective lead ammunition and fishing equipment on public lands.
• 🔬 The bill allows federal agencies flexibility for targeted prohibitions based on sound science and in coordination with state wildlife agencies.
• 💰 Sportsmen and women are crucial to wildlife conservation, contributing millions annually through fees and excise taxes on hunting and fishing gear.
• 📈 In fiscal year 2025, excise taxes generated nearly $1 billion for wildlife and fish conservation, with significant portions allocated to wildlife restoration and fish conservation.

Lead Ammunition Bans and Conservation Funding

• 🚫 A widespread ban on lead ammunition and tackle would limit access for sportsmen and women.
• 💸 Lead-free hunting ammunition is approximately 25% more expensive than lead products, potentially decreasing participation in hunting and fishing.
• 📉 A decrease in participation would lead to a reduction in wildlife conservation and restoration funding.
• 🎯 While addressing harm to wildlife where scientifically proven is necessary, far-reaching bans without scientific links undermine conservation efforts.