Dear Friend, The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote early this week on a reckless, dangerous bill — H.R. 556. The measure would bar the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and other federal land management agencies from taking action to limit lead poisoning of wildlife caused by hunters dispersing lead ammunition on hundreds of millions of acres of our public lands. We urgently need your help to defeat H.R. 556 on the House floor. This is a priority bill for the NRA and other extreme hunting groups that disregard overwhelming evidence that spent lead ammunition is poisoning and killing 20 million wild animals a year across American lands and putting 60 million people who consume wild game meat at risk of cognitive impairment. Just two weeks ago, newspapers across Virginia reported alarming news from the Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro: bald eagles are being admitted in record numbers for lead poisoning. In 2025 alone, 76 bald eagles were admitted to the center — and 53 of them (70%) tested positive for lead poisoning. Eagles deaths are happening like this all over the country — from Alaska to Florida. Wildlife experts say the primary source is lead ammunition. Lead’s Uniquely Dangerous Properties as Hunting Ammo When a hunter shoots a deer or other game animal with a lead bullet, the projectile fragments into dozens of tiny pieces, spreading through the meat as far as 18 inches from the wound. Those fragments are then eaten by scavenging wildlife like eagles feeding on gut piles or carcasses — and sometimes by hunting families eating the harvested meat. The science on this issue is overwhelming. More than 500 scientific studies have documented the risk from lead ammunition to over 130 species of wildlife — and to people. Lead is a potent neurotoxin, and there is no safe level of exposure for humans. Yet H.R. 556 would tie the hands of federal wildlife managers, preventing them from taking reasonable steps to reduce this avoidable source of poisoning on public lands. This is especially troubling because we already know that transitioning away from lead ammunition works. In 1991, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service banned lead ammunition for waterfowl hunting nationwide. That policy has become one of the great conservation success stories, sparing 1.4 to 3.9 million ducks and geese from poisoning every year, while waterfowl hunting continues to thrive. More recently, the state of California successfully transitioned to non-lead ammunition for all hunting, with no negative effect on participation. Today, affordable non-lead ammunition made from copper, bismuth, tungsten, and other materials is widely available in stores and online. Despite the known risks, lead ammunition remains the largest source of unregulated lead intentionally released into the environment in the United States, with tens of thousands of tons dispersed across public lands each year. Congress should not categorically impede commonsense efforts to reduce documented and irrefutable poisoning of wildlife and people.Please take action today! Send a message to your U.S. Representative through our Action Alert urging them to vote NO on H.R. 556. Then call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-225-3121. Ask to be connected to your U.S. Representative’s office and leave this message: “I am a constituent and I urge you to vote NO on H.R. 556. Lead ammunition is toxic and deadly for wildlife and people.” This bill could move quickly, so your voice right now can make the difference. America’s wildlife — from bald eagles to countless other species — should not suffer from a preventable toxic threat when non-toxic alternatives already exist. Sincerely, President Animal Wellness Action |
Exposing the Big Game
Forget Hunters' Feeble Rationalizations and Trust Your Gut Feelings: Making Sport of Killing Is Not Healthy Human Behavior
Exposing the Big Game 