WASHINGTON – Congressman Rick Crawford voted for H.R. 4089, the Sportsmen’s Heritage Act of 2012 to protect the rights of American sportsmen to hunt and fish. The legislation will remove roadblocks for hunters and fishermen on public lands and will guard against new regulations that could block or limit access to hunting and fishing. H.R. 4089 passed with a bipartisan vote of 274 to 146 in the House of Representatives.

“In Arkansas, hunting and fishing are a way of life. For generations families have hunted and fished together. The federal government should not be a roadblock to tradition,” said Crawford. “Also, we must recognize the contributions that sportsmen make to protect our nation’s resources. Hunting and fishing are a central part of our rural heritage and my experience has always been that people who live off the land are the best stewards of our natural resources.”
 
Specifically, H.R. 4089 includes language that:
• Requires hunting and recreational shooting and fishing to be recognized activities on all Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands
• Protects recreational shooting on National Monuments under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management
• Clarifies that the Environmental Protection Agency does not have the jurisdiction to regulate lead components found in either traditional ammunition or fishing tackle

Click here to view the full text of H.R. 4089, the Sportsmen’s Heritage Act of 2012.