43 



President Roosevelt of tlie Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act on September 2, 1937. 

 The Act is popularly kiiowii us the Piitman-Robcrtson Act (P-R Act) after its sponsors. 

 Senator Key Pitlmaii of Nevada and Representative A. Willis Robeilson of Virginia. It has 

 been amended several times to improve its effectiveness. The primary purpose of the law is 

 to provide a stable and secure funding source for States to manage and restore wildlife 

 resources. 



Tlie Act authorizes fuiids for the program to be derived from I'cderol excise taxes on sporting 

 arms and aininunitioii, pistols and revolvers aiid certnin archery equipment. The total amount 

 of the funds from sporting arms and ammunition and fifly percent of the funds from pistols 

 and revolvers are apportioned to tlic States based on the geographic area and number of 

 hunting license holders in each State. The remaining fifty percent of the funds from pistoi.s 

 and revolvers and archery equipment is apportioned to the Slates ba-scd (m the population, and 

 used by the Slates for hunter education projects. Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, 

 America Samoa, and the Northern Marian Islands each receive a fued-pcrccniage of the funds 

 upporlioned. 



Re.sponsibility for selection, planning, and execution of wildlife restoration projects rests with 

 tlie Stales through their designated wildlifie management agency. States may be reimbursed 

 hy the Federal Government for up to 75 percent of ilic total cost of approved projects. 



Project proposals are submitted by the designated State agencies to the Regional Directors of 

 the FW'S who have the authority to approve or disiipprovc a project. Projects may include 

 acquiring areas of land oi water for feeding, resting, or as breeding places for wildlife; 

 rehabilitating or improving land or waters for the benefit of wildlife management areas, 

 public hunting areas and public use facilities for the benefit of wildlife, such as wildlife 

 management areas, public hunting areas ajid public use facilities, regular maintenance of 

 completed projects; management of wildlife resources (exclusive of law enforcement or public 

 relations activities), wildlife management research; conducting hunter safety courses and 

 building target ranges; and coordinating projects necessary to efficiently administer wildlife 

 resources. 



■About 3i42 million was made available for fiscal year 19^6 to helji States fmance hunter 

 education programs. This program trains 700,000 new huniers in safety and sportsmanship 

 each year. The backbone of the hunter education program is the 45,000 volunteer instructors 

 from all walks of life who donate about S2S million woith in volunteer seiA'ice annually. 



In tlie more than 50 years since the Pittman-Robertson program was created, over $3 billion 

 in Federal excise taxes have been matched by more than SI billion in Slate funds (cliiefly 

 from hunting license fees) for wildlife restoration. Benefits to the economy have been 

 equally impressive. National surveys show that hunters now spend some $12 billion every 

 year on equipment and trips. Non-hunting nature lovers spend even larger sums to enjoy 

 wildlife on travel and on items that range from bird food to binoculars, from special footwear 

 to camera equipment Areas famous for their wildlife have directly benefited from this 



