Sinema joins GOP senators on bill to reverse Biden admin’s crackdown on school hunting, archery classes

Senator Marsha Sinema (D-AZ) has joined an bipartisan group of GOP senators to advance a bill that would reverse the Biden administration’s crackdown on school hunting and archery classes. The legislation, called the National Outdoor Assurance Act, was introduced by Republican Senators Mike Crapo of Idaho and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, and would allow states and local educational agencies to continue implementing firearms safety regulations and activities. The act would also restore federal funding for National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP), a program that seeks to promote outdoor recreation, conservation education, and physical activity while teaching firearms safety through archery. Sinema joined fellow Democrats Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Joe Manchin of Virginia in supporting the bill. The Biden administration recently announced that it would curb the legal authority of schools to provide hunting and firearms education classes. The Democrats, however, believe that the federal government should not be in the business of policing curriculum decisions, and that decisions should remain with states and local educational agencies. If passed, the act would allow schools to offer such classes, as long as they meet state and local safety requirements. It would also mandate that the national archery program be considered for competitive grants or other competitive funding sources to develop archery programs for young participants.