[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 89 (Thursday, June 20, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S4796]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. UDALL of Colorado (for himself, Mr. Risch, Mr. Bennet, 
        Mrs. Hagan, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Tester, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Crapo, 
        Mr. Thune, Mr. Begich, Mr. Pryor, Mr. Enzi, and Mr. Heller):
  S. 1212. A bill to amend the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration 
Act to facilitate the establishment of additional or expanded public 
target ranges in certain States; to the Committee on Environment and 
Public Works.
  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I rise today to re-introduce 
the bipartisan Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act 
with my friend Senator Risch of the great state of Idaho. We are proud 
to be joined by a long list of original co-sponsors including Senators 
Bennet, Hagan, Klobuchar, Tester, Barrasso, Crapo, Thune, Begich, 
Pryor, Enzi, and Heller. I thank my colleagues for joining me in this 
bipartisan effort.
  This bill would amend the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act 
to adjust certain funding limitations and provide states with greater 
flexibility over the use of funds available for the creation and 
maintenance of public shooting ranges--designated public lands where 
people can both safely engage in sport shooting and responsibly sharpen 
their marksmanship skills.
  The Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act established an excise 
tax on sporting equipment and ammunition, which provides each state 
with funds for a variety of wildlife restoration and hunter education 
and safety programs. Pittman-Robertson funds can also be used for the 
development and maintenance of shooting ranges. Unfortunately, however, 
current restrictions in the Pittman-Robertson Act disproportionately 
underfund the creation and maintenance of shooting range opportunities 
in comparison with other programs funded by the Act. In addition, 
opportunities for American sportsmen and women to safely engage in 
recreational shooting on public lands have significantly declined in 
recent years.
  In an effort to reverse this trend and establish, maintain and 
promote safe spaces for target practice and sport shooting, this 
legislation would allow states to allocate a greater proportion of 
their federal wildlife funds for these purposes.
  To be clear, the bill would not allocate any new funding, it would 
not raise any fees or taxes, nor would it require states to apply their 
allocated Pittman-Robertson funds to shooting ranges. Rather, this bill 
gives states the flexibility to allocate their existing Pittman-
Robertson funds in the manner they deem most beneficial by reducing the 
amount of other matching dollars States would have to raise and permits 
states to ``bank'' Pittman-Robertson funds for 5 years so that they can 
save enough money to build new shooting ranges.
  Hunting and recreational shooting are an integral part of the 
Colorado way of life. The Target Practice and Marksmanship Training 
Support Act is designed to promote our western way of life, 
acknowledging not only the need for safe places for hunters and 
sportsmen to responsibly practice their sport, but also the jobs and 
economic growth supported by sport shooters in Colorado and throughout 
the nation. Hunting and outdoor sports generate billions of dollars 
each year and support countless American jobs. In addition to the 
improvements this bill contains, it is my hope that the public land 
management agencies will continue to work with the states, sportsmen 
and women, recreational shooting interests, local communities, and 
others so that these opportunities are safe and available.

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