Sportsmen’s organizations all over the United States are criticizing the Biden Administration following a report from Fox News Digital that President Biden and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona intend to remove federal funding for hunter education and archery programs in all public schools.

The de-funding from the Biden Administration’s interpretation of language in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a law pasted by congress and signed by Biden in 2022 following mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas. The Act includes language prohibiting funding from providing training in the use of a dangerous weapon. Funding for such programs was previously earmarked under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, which provides funds for schools with hunting and archery programs. The Act provides federal aid for both Elementary and Secondary schools with an additional $1 billion dollars now coming from the 2022 legislation. 

The National Shooting Sports Vice President Larry Keane said, “While we were neutral on the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, there were several provisions we did support including enhancing school security. We have become increasingly concerned by the Biden Administration’s implementation of the law.”

Larry continued to say, “The Department of Education and Secretary Cardona are blatantly misconstruing the law to withhold funding from schools that choose to teach beneficial courses like hunter safety and archery. Congress must hold Secretary Cardona and the department accountable for violating the letter and spirit of the law to unilaterally deny America’s students access to these valuable programs as part of the Administration’s attack on the Second Amendment. Stopping hunter education courses that teach safe and responsible firearms handling makes our communities less, not more, safe and dismisses our ability of passing on to the next generation our nation’s cherished hunting and shooting sports heritage.”

The National Archery in Schools President Tommy Floyd sounded off with his disapproval of the Biden’s Administration decision.

The Columbus, Ohio-based Sportsmen’s Alliance claimed in a press release that it is considering legal action and that United States Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis recently wrote Secretary Cardona to register their grave disapproval of the Biden Administration decision.

Statistics show that as of 2022, 38 states have basic hunter education programs in schools and over 600,000 students completed the basic hunter education programs in 2021.  

Youth Outdoor Expo

Don’t forget next Saturday, September 9th the Kay Danchak Memorial Youth Outdoor Expo Day will be held at the Grahamsville Fairgrounds from 11 am to 3 pm. All children, accompanied by an adult are welcomed to attend.

For further information call 845-798-4612.