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H.R. 4959: Hunting Heritage and Fishing Preservation Act of 2004

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H.R. 4959: Hunting Heritage and Fishing Preservation Act of 2004

108th Congress · introduced 2004-07-22 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Executive Comment Requested from Interior.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2004-07-22 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. John, Christopher [D-LA-7] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Executive Comment Requested from Interior. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Hunting Heritage and Fishing Preservation Act of 2004

Plain summary

Hunting Heritage and Fishing Preservation Act of 2004 - Hunting Heritage Protection Act - Requires that Federal public lands be open to access and use for recreational hunting with certain exceptions. Directs the head of each relevant Federal agency to support, promote, and enhance recreational hunting opportunities. Declares that Federal land management decisions and actions should, to the extent practicable, result in no net loss of land area available for hunting opportunities on Federal public lands. Prohibits a withdrawal, change of classification, or change of management status that effectively closes 5,000 or more acres of Federal public land for use for recreational hunting from occurring unless the head of the Federal agency with authority to manage the land has submitted written notice of the action to specified congressional committees. Freedom to Fish Act - Amends the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to require that any fishery management plan, which is prepared by any Council or by the Secretary of Commerce, not establish geographic areas where recreational fishing is prohibited unless: (1) clear indication exists that recreational fishing in such area is the cause of a specific conservation problem; (2) no alternative conservation measures will adequately provide for conservation and management of the fishery; (3) the management plan provides for specific measurable criteria to assess whether the prohibition provides conservation benefits to the fishery, and requires periodic review to assess the continued need for the prohibition; (4) the best available scientific information supports the need to close the area to recreational fishing; and (5) the prohibition is terminated as soon as the condition that was the basis of the prohibition no longer exists.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Hunting Heritage and Fishing Preservation Act of 2004

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. John, Christopher [D-LA-7] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong108-hr4959 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108