The Senate Environment and Public Works subcommittee will hold a hearing April 24 on several bills important to sportsmen and sportswomen. S. 1249, the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act, introduced by Senator Mark Udall (D-CO), would allow states to expand their use of Pittman-Robertson funds to develop or expand public target shooting facilities. Amending the restrictions on Pittman-Robertson funds for this purpose is long overdue. More public shooting ranges are needed throughout the country to accommodate the rapidly growing number of target shooters who contribute to P-R funding through purchases of firearms and ammunition. Learn more about this bill and contact your senators to support it. Among other bills being reviewed is S. 2282, the North American Wetlands Conservation Extension Act (NAWCA) of 2012, introduced by James Inhofe (R-OK). The firearms industry, through the National Shooting Sports Foundation, announced last week at its Congressional Fly-In that it will donate $150,000 to supplement congressional funding of this grant program that supports the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Unless the program is renewed by Congress, it will expire in October. Learn more about NAWCA and contact your senators to support it. Dan Ashe, the director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and other witnesses will attend the hearing in support of bills that will benefit conservation.—courtesy National Shooting Sports Foundation
