| 

Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act takes a major step forward

 Dec 7th, 2015 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified Dec 7th, 2015 at 12:00 AM

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee advanced a major portion of the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015 during a committee markup hearing on November 19.

 Originally sponsored by Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015 contains provisions that will benefit our nation’s sportsmen and women by providing increased access to our public lands and waters and improving fish and wildlife management.

Of particular interest to the sportfishing community are approved measures that would expand and enhance recreational fishing, hunting and recreational shooting opportunities on federal lands. In the Senate, the Sportsmen’s Act has been split between two committees, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Environment and Public Works Committee, which plans to hold a hearing at a later date. On October 8, the House Natural Resources Committee passed companion Sportsmen’s Act legislation that now awaits action on the House floor.