Boozman, Daines Introduce Bill to Support Outdoor Recreation, Block Ban of Traditional Ammo & Tackle

WASHINGTON––U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Steve Daines (R-MT) introduced the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act to prohibit the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) from banning the use of lead ammunition or tackle on public lands unless such action is supported by the best available science.

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“Enjoying the outdoors through hunting and fishing is part of the fabric and culture of The Natural State,” said Boozman. “These cherished pastimes not only help Arkansans connect to the resources we are blessed to enjoy but also play an important role in wildlife management. I am proud to join my colleagues in working to ensure hunting and fishing can continue on public lands without unreasonable, unscientific restrictions.”

“The great outdoors is a staple of our Montana way of life. Montana hunters and anglers play an important role in wildlife management, and a ban on lead ammo and tackle would be unfair to our sportsmen. I’ll keep fighting with my colleagues to make sure decisions impacting outdoor recreation are guided by commonsense science, not anti-hunting groups,” said Daines.

Specifically, the legislation blocks a prohibition on the use of lead ammunition or tackle unless a decline in wildlife population in a specific unit of federal land or water is primarily caused by the use of lead in ammunition or tackle.

The Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act is cosponsored by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Risch (R-ID), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), John Barrasso (R-WY), Rick Scott (R-FL), James Lankford (R-OK), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Mike Lee (R-UT), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Katie Britt (R-AL), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Jim Justice (R-WV), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), John Hoeven (R-ND) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS).

Click here for full text of the legislation. 

Boozman, Tillis, Murray Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Support Purple Heart Families

WASHINGTON––U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) joined Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) to introduce the Purple Heart Veterans Education Act, legislation allowing veterans who received their Purple Heart after their service to transfer their educational benefits to one or more of their dependents

“I’m proud to support policies that honor the promises made to the brave men and women who have worn our nation’s uniform,” said Boozman. “Ensuring that veterans, and especially Purple Heart recipients, are able to access the benefits they have earned for themselves and their families is a duty that Congress should always prioritize.”

“Purple Heart veterans have made tremendous sacrifices to defend our freedoms, and we as a nation should do everything we can to support them and their families when they return—that includes ensuring all Purple Heart veterans have the full benefits they have earned,” said Murray. “As the daughter of a Purple Heart Veteran, this is personal to me—and I’m grateful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for joining me in this effort.”

“Purple Heart recipients are heroes who honorably served our country at great costs, and this oversight that prevents servicemembers who received this distinguished award after their service from transferring their GI bill benefits to their dependents needs to be corrected immediately,” said Tillis. “I am proud to co-introduce this commonsense legislation to close this loophole and ensure every Purple Heart recipient and dependents are able to further their education.”

 Specifically, the Purple Heart Veterans Education Act would:

• Permit an individual awarded the Purple Heart after their service in the Armed Forces to transfer their post-9/11 educational benefits to one or more of their dependents.

• Allow flexibility by permitting the veteran to allocate different amounts, totaling 36 months of benefits, to their dependents. For example, one dependent may be designated 20 months and the other 16 months. 

• Protect the veteran’s right to their benefits by prohibiting the use of their educational benefits to be treated as marital property or the asset of a marital estate. 

• Honor the veteran’s legacy by allowing their dependents to continue using the unused benefits after their death. 

The legislation is also cosponsored by Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Angus King (I-ME), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Steve Daines (R-MT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Michael Bennet (D-CO).

Congressmen Mike Levin (D-CA-49) and Greg Murphy (R-NC-03) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Purple Heart Veterans Education Act is endorsed by Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

Click here for full text of the legislation.

Boozman backs permanent small business tax cut

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) has cosponsored the Main Street Tax Certainty Act , legislation introduced by Senator Steve Daines (R-SD) and Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to make the 20 percent pass-through business tax deduction permanent. The expiration of this tax cut would require small businesses to face an immediate and insurmountable tax hike.

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“From main street storefronts to manufacturers, agriculture producers and more – small business is the backbone of our economy,” said Boozman. “I am proud to support policies that help Natural State small businesses thrive and stimulate growth and investment into our local communities.” 

“As the son of a contractor, I’ve seen firsthand the hard work it takes to keep a small business flourishing- especially as Americans are still grappling with the effects of Joe Biden’s inflation. It’s absolutely crucial that we pass this legislation to prevent a 20 percent tax increase for hardworking Montanans and I’ll keep fighting for ways to support Montana small businesses, which provide the majority of jobs in our state,” said Daines.

“Small businesses are the economic engine that drive growth and jobs in South Dakota and across our country. This legislation is critical to permanently extending a key provision from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and ensuring our small businesses and farms and ranches are not hit with a crippling tax hike at the end of 2025,” said Thune. 

The legislation is also cosponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), James Lankford (R-OK), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Tim Scott (R-SC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Katie Britt (R-AL), Jim Risch (R-ID), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Hoeven (R-ND), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Jim Justice (R-WV), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Ted Budd (R-NC), Rick Scott (R-FL), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Todd Young (R-IN), John Kennedy (R-LA) and Jim Banks (R-IN).  

The Main Street Tax Certainty Act is endorsed by multiple small businesses and advocacy groups. Here’s what they are saying about the bill. 

“Congress must preserve the pass-through deduction to protect the small and medium manufacturers that are the backbone of the American supply chain. Manufacturers strongly support the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, which will make permanent this crucial provision and ensure that our tax code supports manufacturers in America as they invest in their businesses, create jobs, and drive the economy,” said National Association of Manufacturers Managing Vice President of Policy Chris Netram.

“If Congress fails to act, more than 30 million small businesses will face a massive tax hike at the end of this year. The 20 percent Small Business Deduction allows nine out of 10 Main Street job creators to compete, grow their business, hire new employees, raise wages, and give back to their communities,” said National Federation of Independent Businesses President Brad Close. 

Over 230 trade associations also signed a letter in support of the Main Street Tax Certainty Act.

Click here to read the text of the legislation.

Boozman, Cramer, Capito and colleagues file bicameral amicus brief to overturn FHWA’s unlawful rmissions rule

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Committee on Environment and Public Works Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) led 27 of their colleagues in filing a bicameral amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit opposing a final rule from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) that requires state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on the highway system and set declining targets for those GHG emissions. The brief requests that the Court uphold the April 2024, U.S. District Court decision finding that Congress did not grant the FHWA the authority to issue the rule.

The brief argues Congress explicitly debated providing the FHWA the necessary authority to issue this rule, but decided against doing so in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The FHWA then intentionally misconstrued congressional intent and used unrelated statutory authorities to attempt to justify issuing its GHG performance measure rule. The lawmakers also contend the rulemaking is inconsistent with recent Supreme Court decisions paring back executive branch overreach, and that FHWA is ignoring principles of federalism at the expense of state governments to further its own policy agenda.

“Congress considered, and ultimately rejected, providing [FHWA] with the authority to issue a GHG performance measure regulation, but [FHWA] contorted ancillary existing authorities to impose one anyway,” the members argued. “In doing so, [FHWA] impermissibly usurped the Legislative Branch’s authority and promulgated the GHG performance measure without statutory authority delegated by Congress.” 

“Put simply, when [FHWA] established a GHG performance measure regulation, it exceeded the powers Congress authorized. And it did so both at the expense of separation of powers and in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act,” the members continued. 

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Mike Braun (R-IN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), John Thune (R-SD), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) – as well as U.S. Representatives Sam Graves (R-MO-06), Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Rick Crawford (R-AR-01), Chairman of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee – also cosigned the brief. 

Full text of the amicus brief is available here.

Background:

Shortly after the rule was finalized, 21 state attorneys general, including Arkansas, filed litigation challenging the regulation. The U.S. District Court found the Biden administration rule to be illegal, but FHWA appealed the decision to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and it remains under further consideration. 

In April of this year, the U.S. Senate approved a Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution of disapproval overturning the rule by a vote of 53-47. The bipartisan measure was led by Cramer and cosponsored by Boozman, Ranking Member Capito and dozens of their colleagues.

Cotton, Colleagues introduce bill to repeal tax on certain firearm purchases

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced the Repealing Illegal Freedom and Liberty Excises (RIFLE) Act, legislation that would remove a burdensome tax imposed on firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act.

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Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), and Rick Scott (R-Florida) are co-sponsors of the legislation. Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (Iowa-02) introduced companion legislation in the House.

“Law-abiding Americans who exercise their Second Amendment rights should not be subject to unnecessary taxes and restrictions preventing them from doing so. Passed into law in 1934, the National Firearms Act needs to be amended. Our legislation will remove the red tape that places an undue financial burden on would-be gun owners,” said Senator Cotton.

“The federal government should not be placing financial barriers on the inalienable rights of Americans. This unconstitutional tax on certain firearm purchases is a direct violation of the Second Amendment and must be repealed. As the Biden Administration and Democrats push proposals that unfairly target law-abiding gun owners, I will continue to stand up for Iowans’ right to keep and bear arms,” said Congresswoman Hinson.

Text of the legislation may be found here.

Background:

• The 1934 National Firearms Act (NFA) regulates short-barreled shotguns and rifles, fully automatic firearms, suppressors, and a catchall category of explosives. In addition to background checks and registration, NFA regulated items have a $200 tax.

• The ATF has acknowledged the tax was intended “to curtail, if not prohibit, transactions” of firearms. The $200 tax, unchanged since 1934, is equivalent to $4,648 in today’s dollars.

• Since 2018, ownership of NFA regulated items have grown by more than 250% as more sportsmen, shooters and firearm enthusiasts exercise their Second Amendment right.

• The RIFLE Act does not modify the current checks and registration; it solely removes the federally mandated financial burden on law-abiding gun owners.

• The legislation is endorsed by the National Rifle Association and the National Shooting Sports Foundation.