Aug. 02, 2023
HARRISBURG – Rep. Dane Watro (R-Luzerne/Schuylkill) issued the following statement regarding the Biden administration’s decision to withhold funding for schools with hunting and archery programs based on its interpretation of a new law. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) was signed by the president last year after a string of mass shootings.
“I am strongly opposed to this misguided decision by the administration. The U.S. Department of Education could not be more wrong in its interpretation of the BSCA. Now, many school districts have no choice but to drop their hunting and archery programs or lose out on federal funding.
“We all know how popular hunting is in parts of Pennsylvania and how important school hunter safety programs in those areas are in teaching students about the proper use of a firearm. Many schools also have shooting and archery squads where students compete, build self-esteem and learn about teamwork. Now, those opportunities are going to disappear.
“Even though the president has said he has no issue with the rights of law-abiding sportsmen and sportswomen under the Second Amendment, it seems the administration is twisting the new law to suit its purposes, and that’s simply not fair.”
Representative Dane Watro
116th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Andy Briggs
717-260-6474
abriggs@pahousegop.com
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