April 29, 2022
NSSF Profile Q & A: U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.)
Editor’s Note: We are pleased to post the latest of our occasional Q&A features with an elected official who supports hunting and the shooting sports. NSSF thanks U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) for agreeing to talk with us.
1) Who introduced you to hunting and the shooting sports?
My son Trey, a Naval Academy graduate and United States Marine Officer, was the one who really introduced me to shooting sports. Of course, I grew up in Upstate New York, where our Second Amendment Right is strongly valued. I always appreciated its importance and was surrounded by sportsmen and outdoors activity my entire life. New York’s 22nd Congressional District is also very honored to be the home of Remington Arms, which was founded in 1816, and has employed generations of Upstate New Yorkers.
2) What was your most recent shooting sports/hunting experience?
I was just recently in Vernon, New York, with the Upstate New York chapter of G.R.I.T.S., or Girls Really Into Shooting. This is a great local organization that brings together strong women who advocate for our Second Amendment Rights and have a real love of shooting sports. As a Member of Congress, I’m honored to represent these tenacious and passionate women, and will always fight to protect their Second Amendment Rights.
3) Describe your favorite shooting sports or hunting activity.
Sporting clays is definitely my favorite shooting sport. I enjoy the challenge it poses – it really requires a lot of coordination and helps strengthen my field shooting abilities. As far as hunting activities go, I like duck hunting.
4) Which piece of pending legislation related to the firearm industry is particularly important to you and why?
H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, was introduced by my colleague and good friend U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson from North Carolina. To me, this is a commonsense and critical piece of legislation that we need to pass immediately. This bill simply restores our Second Amendment rights by protecting the right of law-abiding Americans to carry concealed and travel freely across state lines. Last year, I was really honored to lead 175 of my colleagues in a Congressional amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of a challenge to New York’s unconstitutional concealed carry law, which is onerous and arbitrary, and severely limits our individual rights. This is the most significant Second Amendment case to be heard by the Supreme Court in more than a decade, and we expect a ruling in the coming months.
5) What do you see as the challenges and opportunities for hunters and shooting sports enthusiasts?
One of the biggest challenges hunters and sportsmen face is regulatory overreach. In New York, far-left progressives continue to do everything they can to target firearm manufacturers and law-abiding gun owners by imposing unreasonable rules and enacting unconstitutional legislation. Progressive environmental activists are also trying to limit the ability of Americans to hunt on state and federal lands, which not only infringes on our rights but also leads to mismanaged forests and animal populations. But these unwarranted attacks by activists are a real opportunity for hunters and sportsmen to demonstrate our passion for protecting the environment and helping to effectively manage animal populations.
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