With ATA support and the help of ATA members and partners, the Senate passed the “Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act” (H.R. 5110) Wednesday morning after it passed the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Sept. 26. The bill is headed to the President’s desk for signature and will amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, allowing schools to use federal funds for archery and hunter education programs.
“It’s absolutely astonishing that Congress was able to move something so quickly through the legislative system,” said Dan Forster, ATA’s vice president and chief conservation officer. “The speed and prioritization of this bill speaks volumes to the solidarity of the issue. It’s apparent people see the value of archery and hunter education in school programs. We look forward to seeing funding restored for these valuable programs.”
H.R. 5110 was introduced on Aug. 1 in the House of Representatives by Rep. Mark Green to counteract the U.S. Department of Education’s misinterpretation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which passed in June 2022, and inaccurately deemed archery and other education programs ineligible for federal education funding.
Over the past two months, the ATA and its partners worked to elevate and push back on the unintended impact from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The ATA also assembled its members through its Action Alert System and encouraged them to take action. Our cumulative efforts helped congressmen and women overwhelmingly pass the bill with a 424-1 vote in the House. The ATA thanks its members and partners for their support.
If you have questions, please contact Dan Forster, ATA’s vice president and chief conservation officer, at (507) 233-8143 or danforster@archerytrade.org.
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