{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-austin-scott-bill-modernize-wildlife-conservation-funding-get-more-1", "Rep. Austin Scott Bill to Modernize Wildlife Conservation Funding, Get More Americans Outdoors Passes Out of Committee", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Austin Scott", "S001189", "austinscott.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC CongressmanAustinScott(GA-08), House Co-Chairmanofthe Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus (CSC), today released the following statement upon the HouseCommitteeon Natural Resources favorably passing his bipartisan legislationtomodernizethe Pittman-RobertsonWildlifeRestoration Act (PR):\nAs the number of hunters in our country continues to decline, we are losing primary funders of America's conservation efforts. Pittman-Robertson funds are shrinking, and our state and local habitats are suffering, which is why I am pushing this legislationtogive state wildlife agenciesmoreflexibility in how they use their PR funds in order to get moreAmericansoutdoors,saidRep.Scott.I am pleased theCommitteefavorably passed my PR modernizationbill, and I will keep pressing until our decades-oldwildlifeconservationfundingsystem receives the critical updates it deserves.\nEnacted in 1937, the Pittman-RobertsonWildlifeRestoration Act provides federal aidtostates for management and restorationofwildlifeareas. Specifically, through a systemofuser pay/public benefits, Pittman-Robertson uses proceeds from an existing federal excise tax on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipmenttofundwildlifeconservationand hunter education grants for state and territorial fish andwildlifeagencies. However, decadesofmigrationtourban and suburban centers have made itmoredifficult for the publictoparticipate in sportsmen's activities. As the baseofsportsmen and women declines, so do PRwildlifeconservationfunds.\nRep.Scott'sbill, Modernizing the Pittman-Robertson Fund for Tomorrow's Needs Act(H.R. 877), would remove the existing prohibition on PR funds being used for public relations and permit fish andwildlifeagenciestouse these funds for the construction, operation, and maintenanceofpublic ranges. By expanding the ways in which PR funds can be used, sportsmen and women will see their tax dollars at work as state fish andwildlifeagencies will be permittedtouse modern formsoftechnology, such as social media and television spots,torecruit and retain both hunters and recreational shooters.\nIn additiontoproviding new avenues for whichtoapportion Pittman-Robertson funds, this legislation would establish new hunter recruitment and recreational shooter recruitment grants that promote a national hunting and shooting sport recruitment program availabletostates under PR, further conserving the user-payfundingofwildlifeconservation.\nJoiningRep.Scottas original cosponsorsofthebillare fellow CSC House Co-ChairRep. Marc Veasey (TX-33) and CSC Vice-Chairs Reps. Richard Hudson (NC-08) and Debbie Dingell (MI-12). Additional cosponsors include Reps. Greg Gianforte (MT-AL), Alexander Mooney (WV-02), Roger Williams (TX-25), French Hill (AR-02), Tim Walberg (MI-07), Robert Latta (OH-05), Daniel Webster (FL-11), Paul Mitchell (MI-10), Liz Cheney (WY-AL), Tom Cole (OK-04), Robert Wittman (VA-01), Jody Hice (GA-10), Jefferson Van Drew (NJ-02), Ken Calvert (CA-42), Fred Upton (MI-06), David Kustoff (TN-08), Scott DesJarlais (TN-04), Bruce Westerman (AR-04), Xochitl Torres Small (NM-02), Kendra Horn (OK-05), TJ Cox (CA-21), Joe Cunningham (SC-01), Steven Palazzo (MS-04), Ron Kind (WI-03), Collin Peterson (MN-07), and Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03).\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-austin-scott-bill-modernize-wildlife-conservation-funding-get-more-1"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5543659683316946, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}