The Return Act Isn’t What We Think It Is
The Appalachian Trial…Bald Mountain, North Carolina - Credit Jasveer Sandhu
“The Return Act”…Perhaps you’ve heard of it?
“The Return Act”, H.R. 8167, is a bill that has been presented to the U.S House of Representatives as a way to protect the American People’s 2nd Amendment Right to keep and bear arms by repealing the Pittman-Robertson excise tax on firearms, archery gear, and fishing equipment. Sounds good, right? Wrong. It tears at the fabric of what it means to be an American outdoors person and your right to enjoy the responsible ownership and use of these very things.
The Pittman-Robertson Excise Tax is a tax that was originally requested by the American People in the 1950’s. Surprising, right? Well, the truth is that congress was not actually providing funding for conservation, so our wild places and species were suffering. Conservationists called for an excise tax to provide protected cash for conservation issues and thus the Pittman-Robertson Act was born. The proceeds of this excise tax are 100% earmarked for conservation. That means that it must be spent on efforts such as the preservation and rehabilitation of species, creation, and maintenance of state and federal shooting ranges, the acquisition and protection for access of public land, and management of habitat for all of North America’s beautiful Game and Non-Game Species as well as many other things that support use and enjoyment of the very things that are covered by this excise tax! So, if you like to hike, fish, camp, photograph or video wildlife, go picnicking, hunt, or just generally explore and enjoy the public land afforded to you as an American you will be directly impacted by this bill.
Imagine a world where this bill passes. Now imagine that in that world you have saved up your hard-earned money and you go to your local sporting goods store where you purchase that new hunting rifle, rod and reel, or bow that you’ve had your eye on. This new legislation allowed you to save a few measly bucks as an individual. How exciting, your representative saved you a few dollars at the register, what a nice change of pace. Think again! Now you want to sight in your shiny new rifle or bow but there’s a problem… There is no state shooting range to shoot at. There is no campsite to set up at for deer season. There is no access road maintained to get to the federal land you want to hunt this year. You want to fish but there are no public boat slips or docks to get on the river. You find out that the wildlife production area nearby your home has been privatized and turned into a private hunting lease that costs $1,500 dollars a season to join. When you do get out to hunt and fish you discover that there aren’t as many fish as there used to be. That honey hole for doves is now not what it once was. Your favorite deer kill spot is no longer producing. Pretty grim, huh?
Far be it from me to use scare tactics to enact change, but at this point in our country’s history, we are approaching precarious times for our wildlife and wild places. As more and more people grow up without experiences in the outdoors, we are seeing people actively devalue conservation. It’s our responsibility as citizens and benefactors of conservation to be aware of the issues that impact our country. We must get involved when something threatens our way of life or the ecology of our wild places. Especially things as wholesome and significant as our experience in the great outdoors.
Hunting, fishing, and exploring the outdoors is something that is integral in the fabric of the American story. It goes back to our deepest roots. These pastimes give us opportunity to test and define ourselves and to grow closer with the land we live on. Our passion for the outdoors brings us closer together and helps us become better, healthier versions of ourselves. Don’t allow that to be torn from your hands. Don’t resign yourself to feeling that you can’t make a difference. Get involved. Write or call your representatives and let them know you want to keep pursuing your passions.
You CAN make a difference by letting your congress people know how you want to be represented and by sharing information about it with your friends, family, and colleagues.
Below is a short email or letter you can sign and send to your representative’s office or email address, so that they know how you feel about it. Call them and tell them you would like them to vote against it. There is a link to the directory of all U.S. House representatives below. Just open it in your browser and click on each of your representatives to find their contact information. You can also use your zip code in the “Find your Representative” search bar near the top right corner of the page.
On H.R. 8167…
Dear Representative [Fill in their name here],
I would like to voice my opposition to H.R. 8167 which will repeal the excise tax allowed for in the Pittman-Robertson Act. I believe that this is not a partisan issue but rather an issue that impacts all American's regardless of their political beliefs. As a citizen that enjoys the outdoors and with the knowledge that the North American conservation model is an integral part of our nation’s greatness and power, I implore you to vote against H.R. 8167.
Not only does this bill misrepresent its impact on the American people but it serves to benefit private interest groups over the citizens of the United States in the future by defunding our federal land. The benefits of conservation to our mental health and wholesomeness as a nation as well as the strength of our ecological health and diversity is paramount and is put at risk by this legislation. Surely you can understand and consider that without access to healthy and well managed public land, Americans will lose far more than just the opportunity to hike, explore, hunt, or fish our nation’s healthy public land. They will also lose a defining weight in their voice to defend their 2nd Amendment Rights, their right to Life, Liberty, and Happiness, and they will be endangered by the commercialization of wild places in the future.
Thank you for taking the time to consider this. We appreciate your representation in the matter.
God Bless,
[Sign Your Name
FIll in your Address
Fill in your Phone Number]
Want to learn more? Ryan Callahan at MeatEater has an excellent article on the subject as does the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. Check them out at the links below.
