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WASHINGTON – Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., today voted in favor of legislation that revises a number of existing programs to expand access to, and opportunities for, hunting, fishing and recreational shooting on federal lands. 

H.R. 2406, the Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act of 2015, also eliminates red tape, safeguards against new regulations impeding outdoor sporting activities on public lands and protects Second Amendment rights. It passed the House by a vote of 242-161.

“Federal agencies frequently place burdensome regulations on the American public,” said Foxx. “This legislation ensures that future generations will have the opportunity to safely access federally-controlled land and waters for recreation.”

Among its provisions, H.R. 2406 requires the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service to open federal lands for recreational hunting, fishing and shooting and report any closures to Congress. The bill also encourages federal land management agencies to cooperate with state and local governments to maintain recreational shooting ranges. 

The legislation protects Second Amendment rights by allowing individuals to carry firearms on land owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and to transport crossbows across National Park Service lands. Additionally it limits the authority of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to regulate ammunition, angling lures and other hunting equipment. 

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U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx represents North Carolina’s 5th Congressional District and is the elected Republican Conference Secretary. Dr. Foxx is the chair of the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and serves as Vice Chair of the House Rules Committee.