1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

The September 17 executive order directing federal agencies to expand hunting on public lands and permit lead ammunition and fishing tackle is a gift to a narrow group of political supporters, paid for with the health of ecosystems that belong to every American. I want you to push back on this order and block any legislation, including H.R. 556, that strips federal wildlife managers of their authority to regulate toxic lead on public lands. Lead was banned in paint because the government acknowledged the risk. The same logic applies here. Lead ammunition and tackle poison wildlife, contaminate habitats, and work their way up the food chain. Safer, more effective alternatives already exist. There is no scientific justification for rolling back protections — only a political one. This order also opens the door to expanded "predator control," a discredited practice that kills wolves, bears, and mountain lions under the pretense of boosting game populations. Public lands are not a hunting reserve for a minority of users. They are a shared resource that should be managed with science, not handed over as political favors. I expect you to stand up and say so.