The National Rifle Association applauds the passage of HR2406, the Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act last week, on Friday, February 26, 2016. Introduced by Congressional Representative Robert Wittman, the SHARE Act provides enhanced access to public lands and will strengthen America’s hunting, fishing, and sport shooting heritage now and in the future,” said Chris Cox, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “There will be more resources available for public ranges, more hunter access to public lands, and more opportunities for Americans to enjoy the great outdoors.”
In addition to allowing law-abiding gun owners increased access to carry firearms on land managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, the SHARE Act also protects the use of traditional ammunition and requires that U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management plans to facilitate hunting, fishing, and shooting. Finally, the bill would more comprehensively address the interstate transportation of firearms and ammunition for hunters and law-abiding gun owners.
The bill also would authorize the appropriation of $5 million a year to enforce laws related to the illegal trading of ivory. Based on information provided by the affected agencies, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that implementing the legislation would cost $24 million over the 2016-2020 period and $1 million after 2020, assuming appropriation of the authorized and necessary amounts.
Because CBO estimates that enacting the bill would affect direct spending, pay-as-you-go procedures apply, however, CBO estimates that the net effect on direct spending would be negligible over the 2016-2025 period. Enacting H.R. 2406 would not affect revenues. CBO also estimates that enacting H.R. 2406 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2026.
HR2406 contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would benefit state agencies by lowering the matching requirement for federal grants that support public shooting ranges. Any costs incurred by those entities would be incurred voluntarily.
HR2406 would impose a private-sector mandate, as defined in UMRA, by eliminating an individual’s existing right to seek compensation for damages occurring at some public target ranges. Based on information from the Department of the Interior, CBO estimates that the cost of the mandate would be small and fall well below the annual threshold established in UMRA for private-sector mandates ($154 million in 2015, adjusted annually for inflation).
The bill now heads to the U.S. Senate, where a similar package (the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015) has already advanced from the Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and Environment and Public Works.
~NRA~
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. More than five million members strong, NRA continues to uphold the Second Amendment and advocates enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the armed services. Follow the NRA on social at Facebook.com/National Rifle Association and Twitter @NRA