House rejects all Dem amendments to gun rights bill

Before the late series of roll-call votes, members approved two Republican amendments by voice vote. One, from Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), made technical changes and clarified the definition of “wilderness areas.” The other was from Rep. John Fleming (R-La.), to prohibit the Forest Service from banning hunters using dogs in deer hunting activities in Kisatchie National Forest unless these restrictions apply to small portions of the National Forest.

{mosads}Members also approved an amendment from Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), which would require presidential monument designations to be approved by state legislatures and governors where the proposed monument is located. The House approved that language 223-198.

But the remaining amendments failed, including those from:

• Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.), to provide that all units of the National Park System are exempt from language requiring federal land management officials to encourage hunting, shooting and fishing activities. Failed, 152-260.

• Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), to only encourage shooting and fishing on federal lands if less than 75 percent of federal land is open for these activities. Failed, 138-279.

• Rep. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), to strike language allowing the import of polar bear trophies. Failed, 155-262.

• Rep. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), to specify that nothing in the bill would allow oil-and-gas development, mining, logging or motorized activity in wilderness areas. Failed, 176-244.

• Rep. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.), which would have prohibited the secretary of the Interior from banning or limiting fishing for Atlantic Striped Bass in the Block Island Sound transit zone.

— This story was updated Wednesday at 10:12 a.m. to clarify that Heinrich’s amendment applied to wilderness areas.