IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 362
Recognizing the importance and contributions of sportsmen to American soci-
ety, supporting the traditions and values of sportsmen, and recognizing 
the many economic benefits associated with outdoor sporting activities. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 9, 2003
Mr. WALSH (for himself, Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr. HAYES, Mr. THOMPSON of Cali-
fornia, Mr. GIBBONS, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. ROGERS of Michigan, Mr. 
ROSS, Mr. KIND, Mr. JOHN, Mr. SIMMONS, Mr. WICKER, Mr. FEENEY, 
Mr. JEFFERSON, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. JANKLOW, Mr. UDALL 
of Colorado, Mr. CASE, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. BERRY, Mr. RYAN of Wis-
consin, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mr. GOODE, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr. SPRATT, Mr. 
OSBORNE, Mr. SNYDER, Mr. POMEROY, Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky, Ms. 
GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida, Mr. ISTOOK, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, 
Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. CARSON of Oklahoma, 
Ms. HARRIS, Mr. SESSIONS, and Mr. GREEN of Texas) submitted the fol-
lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Resources 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the importance and contributions of sportsmen 
to American society, supporting the traditions and values 
of sportsmen, and recognizing the many economic bene-
fits associated with outdoor sporting activities.
Whereas there are more than 38 million sportsmen in the 
United States; 
Whereas these sportsmen, who come from all walks of life, 
engage in a sport they love, while helping to stimulate the
•HRES 362 IH 
economy, especially in small, rural communities, and con-
tributing to conservation efforts; 
Whereas sportsmen demonstrate values of conservation, ap-
preciation of the outdoors, and love of the natural beauty 
of the United States; 
Whereas sporting activities have both physical and mental 
health benefits that allow Americans to escape from the 
fast pace of their lives and to spend time with their fami-
lies and friends; 
Whereas sportsmen pass down their love of the outdoors from 
generation to generation; 
Whereas many sportsmen consider hunting, trapping, and 
fishing of tremendous importance to the American way of 
life; 
Whereas sportsmen have a passion for learning about nature 
and have a tremendous respect for the game pursued, 
other sportsmen, the non-hunting populace, and the nat-
ural resources upon which they depend; 
Whereas the total economic contribution of sportsmen 
amounts to $70 billion annually, with a ripple effect 
amounting to $179 billion; 
Whereas sportsmen contribute $1.7 billion every year for con-
servation programs, and these funds constitute a signifi-
cant portion of on-the-ground wildlife conservation fund-
ing; 
Whereas anglers support one million jobs and small busi-
nesses in communities in every part of the United States, 
and they purchase $3.2 billion in basic fishing equipment 
every year;
•HRES 362 IH 
Whereas tens of millions of Americans hunt and are a sub-
stantial economic force, spending $21 billion every year; 
Whereas a sportsman President, Theodore Roosevelt, estab-
lished America’s first National Wildlife Refuge 100 years 
ago, and with the committed support of sportsmen over 
the last century, this system includes more than 540 ref-
uges spanning 95 million acres throughout all 50 States; 
Whereas the funds raised from sportsmen through their pur-
chase of Federal migratory bird hunting and conservation 
stamps under the Act of March 16, 1934, (commonly 
known as the Duck Stamp Act, 16 U.S.C. 718a et seq.), 
are used to purchase and restore vital wetlands in the 
refuge system; 
Whereas the sale of such stamps has raised more than 500 
million dollars which has been used to acquire approxi-
mately 5 million acres of refuge lands so far; 
Whereas, in 1937, Congress passed the Pittman-Robertson 
Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669 et seq.), whereby 
sportsmen and the firearms and ammunition industries 
agreed to a self-imposed 10 percent excise tax on ammu-
nition and firearms, the proceeds of which are distributed 
to the States for wildlife restoration; 
Whereas the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act has 
created a source of permanent funding for State wildlife 
agencies that has been used to rebuild and expand the 
ranges of numerous species, including wild turkey, white-
tailed deer, pronghorn antelope, wood duck, beaver, black 
bear, American elk, bison, desert bighorn sheep, bobcat, 
and mountain lion, and several non-game species, includ-
ing bald eagles, sea otters, and numerous song birds;
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Whereas, in 1950, Congress passed the Dingell-Johnson 
Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777 et seq.) 
whereby recreational anglers and the fishing and tackle 
manufacturing industries agreed to a self-imposed 10 
percent excise tax on sport fishing equipment (including 
fishing rods, reels, lines, and hooks, artificial lures, baits 
and flies, and other fishing supplies and accessories), the 
proceeds of which are used for the purposes of con-
structing fish hatcheries, building boat access facilities, 
promoting fishing, and educating children about aquatic 
resources and fishing; and 
Whereas the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act was 
amended in 1984 to extend the excise tax to previously 
untaxed items of sport fishing equipment and to dedicate 
a portion of the existing Federal tax on motorboat fuels 
to such purposes, such that now approximately one-third 
of all the funds expended by State fish and wildlife agen-
cies for maintenance and development of sports fisheries 
are collected through the use of this excise tax: Now, 
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) recognizes the importance and contributions 
of sportsmen to American society; 
(2) supports the traditions and values of sports-
men; 
(3) supports the many conservation programs 
implemented by sportsmen; 
(4) recognizes the many economic benefits asso-
ciated with outdoor sporting activities; and
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(5) recognizes the importance of encouraging 
the recruitment of, and teaching the traditions of 
hunting, trapping, and fishing to, future sportsmen.
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