H.R. 556 · Where this bill is now
In the Senate
Passed the House Mar 18, 2026. Received Mar 19, 2026; no Senate vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryRestricts federal limits on lead ammunition and tackle
This bill prevents federal agencies—the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Forest Service—from banning or controlling the use of lead ammunition and tackle on federal lands and waters. There are two exceptions: the agencies can keep rules that already exist, and they can create new restrictions if they have field data showing that lead is directly causing wildlife populations to decline at a specific location, and the state agrees.
How it affects you
Hunters and anglers who use federal lands and waters would retain the ability to use lead ammunition and tackle without federal restrictions in most cases. State wildlife agencies would maintain a role in approving any new lead restrictions, giving states more say in how their hunters and anglers can operate on federal property within their borders.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Jan 16, 2025)
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.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 556
AN ACT
Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act
Sponsor: Rep. Robert J. Wittman (R-VA-1) · Introduced Jan 16, 2025 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · 4 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 19, 2026: “Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.”
How Congress voted
Official roll callsHouse · On Passage · Mar 18, 2026
Passage Passed 215–202
| Party | Yes | No | Didn’t vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 7 | 201 | 6 |
| Republicans | 208 | 1 | 9 |
8 members voted against most of their party: 7 Democrats voted Yes and 1 Republicans voted No.
Congress votes on whole bills and amendments, not on single sections.