134 



I l-lt NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION 

 or AMERICA 



WHEREAS, Over Ihe past 58 years hunters and shooters have contributed nearly $2.5 billion for the 

 conservation and restoration of game and non-game wildlife populations through the purchase of firearms, ammunition, 

 bows and arrows upon which manufacturers' excise taxes are levied by the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act 

 (Pittman-Robertson); and 



WHEREAS, These contributions are further enhanced by revenue from Ihe sale of hunting licenses and game 

 lags which is used by the stales to match the Federal revenue generated by Ihe Pittman-Robertson excise taxes; and 



WHEREAS, In spile of the hundreds of millions of dollars in Federal revenue collected esif h year from Ihe 

 excise taxes imposed by Pittman-Robertson as well as the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act, Ihe states find 

 that sufficient monies are not available to fund the conservation and habitat restoration necessary for all wildlife and 

 fish species, especially non-game species; and 



WHEREAS, The objective of the WDI, initiated by the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 

 (lAFWA), is to generate new funding sources for stale conservation efforts by reaching those who do not now 

 contnbute into the two conservation excise tax accounts; and 



WHEREAS, The URA continues to be resolute in maintaining Ihe leadership role of Ihe sporting community in 

 wildlife conservation; and 



WHEREAS, The Nf^ Board of Directors adopted a resolution in January, 1989 opposing any attempt to limit, 

 eliminate or misapply the Pittman-Robertson funds contrary to the original purposes of its enactment; now, therefore, 

 be it 



RESOLVED, That the I^RA acknowledges Ihe need for a new source of funding for wildlife conservation and 

 restoration, but thai it cannot consider supporting the WDI unless enabling legislation contains specific language that 

 incorporates all of the Association's requirements including, but not limited to, Ihe following: 



Requirement 1. Although the NF?A is in agreement wilh lAFWA that WDI funds should be managed in a 

 separate account, it will nonetheless be necessary to amend Pittman-Robertson so that the expenditure of its funds 

 is directed to plans or projects that "primarily benefit game species." The WDI is designed to "primarily benefit non- 

 game species," but Pillman-Rbbertson was enacted to fund restoration projects for ajl 'jvildlife, including projects that 

 benefit non-game species. If Ihe WDI targets non-game species. Pittman-Robertson should be amended to target 

 game species. 



Requirement 2. Enabling legislation must allow WDI funds to be spent on projects that benefit state- and 

 Federal-listed threatened and endangered species. Funding for such species should not be solely dependent upon 

 Congressionally-appropriated dollars under the Endangered Species Act nor that portion of Pittman-Robertson that can 

 be spent lor non-game species (see Requirement 1). 



Requirement 3. The Federal-State match for the WDI must be the same as for Pillman-Robertson, otherwise 

 Pittman-Robertson must be amended to reflect the WDI match. The Federal-State match for Pillman-Robertson is 

 75%-25%. II has been suggested that Ihe WDI match be 90%-10%. 



Requirement 4. The WDI enabling legislation must prohibit any portion of a stale's revenue from Ihe sale of 

 hunting licenses, lags and stamps to be used as all or part of the stale's matching funds for Ihe WDI. Stales should 

 be compelled to find new sources of matching funds to compliment the WDI. Without such a prohibition, expenditure 

 of Pittman-Robertson funds would be jeopardized by a failure of the slate to provide Ihe necessary matching funds 

 which otherwise the stale could, and likely would, use for its matching share of WDI funds. 



Requirement 5. The WDI enabling legislation must provide an exemption from the WDI tax or user fee for 

 those who have proof of previous contribution(s) to Pillman-Robertson by means of a valid hunting license, or proof 

 of purchase of a handgun, rifle, shotgun (including a copy of Form 4473), bow, arrows, ammunition, or other items 

 subject to taxation under Pittman-Robertson. Unlike Pillman-Robertscn, it is not possible for the WDI to impose a lax 

 on items that would be purchased exclusively by a distincl group of consumers, i.e. the non-sporting community. 

 Hunters, shooters and other firearms owners should not be subject to double taxation, but should be recognized for 

 their existing contributions. 



Requirement 6. Pillman-Robertson must be amended to require the U.S. Department of the Interior to provide 

 an annual accounting of the monies expended from the Pittman-Robertson and WDI accounts with a brief description 

 of the projects for which funding was approved under both programs. Presently, the only published Departmental report 

 lists the Federal excise lax revenue apportioned to Ihe states, but not how the funds are spent. 



Requirement 7. Hunting must be permitted on lands acquired with WDI funds except when special public 

 safety and wildlife protection considerations disallow such access and use. Such a requirement will ensure that 

 acquisition of land under the WDI is not designed to foreclose hunting opportunities. 



Attest: 



On this 



ky day of JOyy^U^i^^^ . 19 oj^ 



