Independent Women’s Voice (IWV), an advocacy organization that “fights for women and families,” sent a letter to U.S. Congressional lawmakers urging the passage of Representative Mark Green’s (R-TN-07) Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act.
In the letter, Director of IWV’s Center for Energy & Conservation Mandy Gunasekara and Director of IWV’s Education Freedom Center Virginia Gentles urged the “swift passage” of Green’s bill.
Thank you for the support, @IWV! Our children deserve access to hunting and shooting sports. https://t.co/q98zWZyrRr
— Rep. Mark Green (@RepMarkGreen) August 19, 2023
“On behalf of Independent Women’s Voice, we are voicing support for H.R.5110, the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act, and encouraging all members of Congress to cosponsor this timely bill. Independent Women’s Voice fights for women and their loved ones by effectively expanding support for policy solutions that aren’t just well-intended, but actually enhance people’s freedom, opportunities, and well-being,” Gunasekara and Gentles wrote.
Green filed the bill – which would reverse the Biden administration’s recent decision to defund school archery and hunting programs by stopping the U.S. Department of Education from threatening schools with the loss of ESEA funds for such programs – earlier this month.
If enacted, Green’s bill would specifically “amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to clarify that the prohibition on the use of Federal education funds for certain weapons does not apply to the use of such weapons for training in archery, hunting, or other shooting sports.”
IWV’s Gunasekara and Gentles added that the Biden Administration’s decision to “nix” the ESEA funding from such programs will have “dire, negative consequences for millions of school-aged children across the country.”
“These programs encourage and empower students to learn safe, responsible handling of equipment used in archery, hunting, and shooting sports activities. Through these activities, students also gain invaluable skills like discipline, focus, and control in a welcoming, inclusive, and safe environment,” Gunasekara and Gentles noted.
IWV’s support for Green’s bill comes days after Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti led a coalition of 24 states urging Congress to pass the same bill, as previously reported by The Tennessee Star.
– – –
Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
