NRA Victory on Lead Ammunition

In December 2014, Congress approved the Fiscal Year 2015 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act. Included in the act were a number of pro-gun provisions pushed by NRA-ILA that prevent the Obama administration from implementing its anti-gun agenda.

Importantly, the act contains a new provision to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or any other federal agency, from regulating traditional ammunition and fishing tackle.

"This provision will stop a traditional ammunition ban and protect not just hunters, but millions of American gun owners" said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox.

"NRA-ILA staff worked closely with the House of Representatives and our pro-gun allies in the Senate to accomplish this victory." NRA-ILA would like to thank U.S. Reps. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) and Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) for their leadership and hard work securing this language in the bill.

For years, radical environmentalists and animal-rights activists have been trying to ban lead ammunition. In 2013, these groups were successful in California when a bill was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown that would ban the use of lead ammunition for any hunting in any part of the state. The Center for Biological Diversity also recently sued the EPA, stating that the agency must regulate lead in ammunition under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). To date, however, this litigation has not been successful.

In the meantime, the NRA-ILA has been working quietly behind the scenes to block these efforts and protect the millions of Americans who use traditional ammunition. A ban on traditional ammunition would affect hunters, sportsmen, law enforcement, military and target shooters—regardless whether they hunt. There are currently no comparable alternatives to lead ammunition in terms of cost, ballistics and availability.

While this is a major victory for hunters and shooters across the country, it would not stop statewide bans (such as the California ban). NRA-ILA is working on the state and local level to prevent any further statewide bans on traditional ammunition and fishing tackle.