I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5281 

To require the Secretary of the Interior to prohibit the use of lead ammunition 

on United States Fish and Wildlife Service lands, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 25, 2023 

Mr. LIEU (for himself and Ms. BARRAGA ́N) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of the Interior to prohibit the 

use of lead ammunition on United States Fish and Wildlife Service lands, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Lead Endangers Ani5 mals Daily Act of 2023’’ or the ‘‘LEAD Act of 2023’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) In 1991, the United States Fish and Wild9 life Service required the use of nontoxic ammunition 

10 for all waterfowl hunting. 


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1 (2) Research has shown that the presence of 

2 lead in the environment poses a threat to human 

3 and wildlife health. 

4 (3) The Environmental Protection Agency has 

5 determined that lead is toxic to both humans and 

6 animals, and can negatively affect nearly every 

7 organ and system in the human body, including the 

8 heart, bones, intestines, kidneys, and reproductive 

9 and nervous systems. Lead exposure interferes with 

10 the development of the nervous system and is there11 fore particularly toxic to children, causing potentially 

12 permanent learning and behavioral disorders. 

13 (4) Lead is a potent neurotoxin, for which no 

14 safe exposure level exists for humans. The use of 

15 lead has been outlawed in and removed from paint, 

16 gasoline, children’s toys, and many other items to 

17 protect human health and wildlife. 

18 (5) Wildlife, including federally listed threat19 ened and endangered species, is at risk of lead toxi20 cosis through the ingestion of lead ammunition, ei21 ther directly by ingesting lead from spent ballistic 

22 materials while foraging, or indirectly by scavenging 

23 carcasses and viscera left by hunters. Lead may also 

24 pollute soil and water around outdoor shooting 

25 ranges. 


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1 (6) Lead ammunition also endangers human 

2 food supplies. Dairy and beef cattle have developed 

3 lead poisoning after feeding in areas where spent 

4 lead ammunition has accumulated. Spent lead am5 munition can also contaminate crops, vegetation, 

6 and waterways. 

7 (7) Humans are at risk of lead toxicosis 

8 through the consumption of game meat harvested 

9 with lead ammunition. 

10 (8) Alternatives to lead ammunition are readily 

11 available, and studies have shown that nonlead am12 munition performs just as well as lead-based ammu13 nition. 

14 (9) In January 2017, the outgoing Director of 

15 the United States Fish and Wildlife Service issued 

16 Director’s Order 219. In March 2017, the Principal 

17 Deputy Director of the United States Fish and 

18 Wildlife Service repealed this Order. 

19 SEC. 3. NONTOXIC AMMUNITION. 

20 (a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 

21 (c), and not later than 1 year after enactment, the Sec22 retary, acting through the Director, shall issue final regu23 lations prohibiting the discharge of any firearm using am24 munition other than nonlead ammunition certified under 

25 subsection (b) on all lands and waters under the jurisdicVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:01 Aug 26, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5281.IH H5281

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1 tion and control of the United States Fish and Wildlife 

2 Service. 

3 (b) CERTIFICATION.—The Director shall, for the pur4 poses of enforcing this section and in consultation with 

5 State and Tribal governments, establish and annually up6 date a list of nonlead ammunition. 

7 (c) EXCEPTIONS.—The prohibition under subsection 

8 (a) shall not apply to— 

9 (1) a Government official or agent carrying out 

10 a statutory duty unrelated to the management of 

11 wildlife; 

12 (2) a State, local, Tribal, or Federal law en13 forcement officer or the agent of such officer when 

14 carrying out a statutory duty; and 

15 (3) an active member of the United States mili16 tary when carrying out official duties. 

17 (d) PENALTIES.—A person that knowingly violates 

18 subsection (a) may be assessed a civil penalty by the Sec19 retary of no more than $500 for the first violation. A sec20 ond or subsequent violation shall be punishable by a fine 

21 of not less than $1,000 or more than $5,000. 

22 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

23 (1) AMMUNITION.—The term ‘‘ammunition’’ 

24 means any bullet, ball, sabot, slug, buckshot, shot, 


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1 pellet, or other projectile that is expelled from a fire2 arm through a barrel by force. 

3 (2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 

4 the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife 

5 Service. 

6 (3) EXPLOSIVE.—The term ‘‘explosive’’ has the 

7 meaning given such term in section 844 of title 18, 

8 United States Code. 

9 (4) FIREARM.—The term ‘‘firearm’’ means any 

10 weapon which expels ammunition by the action of an 

11 explosive or compressed air. 

12 (5) NONLEAD AMMUNITION.—The term 

13 ‘‘nonlead ammunition’’ means ammunition in which 

14 there is no lead content, excluding the presence of 

15 trace amounts of lead. 

16 (6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

17 the Secretary of the Interior. 

18 (7) TRACE AMOUNTS.—The term ‘‘trace 

19 amounts’’ means one percent or less by weight of the 

20 total weight of the ammunition. 

Æ 


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