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August 29, 2024
NSSF PROFILE Q&A: U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah)
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. Blake Moore (R-Utah) for speaking with us about his staunch support for the Second Amendment and the importance of the firearm and ammunition industry. Rep. Moore represents the First District in Utah and is serving in his second term in Congress. Rep. Moore serves on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, as well as the House Budget Committee. In addition, Rep. Moore currently serves in leadership as Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference and is a member of the bipartisan Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus. We thank Rep. Moore for speaking with us.
1) Why are hunting and the shooting sports important to you in your job representing your Congressional district?
I’ve loved interacting with sportsmen and hunters throughout Utah’s First District to learn more about why shooting sports and conservation are important to our community. My engagement with them has shaped much of the legislative work my team and I have done in this space. We’ve found great legislative success by bringing together conservationists and outdoor recreation enthusiasts to make shooting sports more accessible.
2) What was your most recent shooting sports/hunting experience?
Last November, I went duck hunting with Joel Ferry, the Executive Director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources. We talked about conservation issues and what we can do to help Utahns get outside and enjoy all the outdoor wonders the Beehive State has to offer. It was a successful hunt!
3) Describe your favorite shooting sports or hunting activity.
Shooting clays! I’m actually pretty good. There are plenty of opportunities to go out and break some clays at home in Utah, and I also always have a great time engaging with the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus at various events throughout the year in Washington, D.C.
4) Which piece of pending legislation in Congress related to the conservation, hunting and the firearm industry is particularly important to you and why?
Last fall, I co-introduced alongside Congressman Jared Golden (D-ME) the Tax Stamp Revenue Transfer for Wildlife and Recreation Act, H.R. 6352, to reallocate funds from tax stamp processing to enhance wildlife and habitat conservation efforts and recreation programs and expedite processes at the ATF. The outcome of this bill would be a win-win: 15 percent of the revenue collected by the U.S. Treasury from applicants seeking to transfer a suppressor would be put toward the ATF’s NFA division aimed at expediting the processing of suppressor applications. The remaining 85 percent would be split further, with 85 percent going toward the Pittman Robertson Wildlife Restoration Trust Fund to support wildlife conservation, law enforcement, hunter recruitment, and more, and the other 15 percent would support the development, maintenance, and operation of recreational shooting ranges. This bill is a prime example of how we can craft productive legislation to both fund our wildlife conservation and streamline federal processes.
I also want to highlight my Range Access Act, H.R. 1614, which will promote and expand access to safe recreational target shooting practice by requiring the Forest Service and BLM to ensure that each National Forest and BLM district has at least one designated public recreational shooting range that does not require a user fee. Introduced with Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), this bill will promote wildlife conservation and support local economies. I was thrilled that the Range Access Act was included in the House-passed EXPLORE Act package.
5) What do you see as the challenges and opportunities in Congress for hunters and shooting sports enthusiasts?
The Biden administration’s decisions to limit land access and opportunities for outdoor recreation and hunting have been a major hurdle for our hunters and firearm industry. We must protect outdoor recreation access at all levels of government.
However, I am encouraged by the legislative opportunities I see happening here in Congress. My team and I have introduced several pieces of legislation aimed at enhancing outdoor recreation access, supporting the sports shooting and hunting industries, and promoting conservation efforts. There are several members working hard on these issues and communicating with stakeholders and constituents to craft comprehensive policy solutions. I will keep working to make sure sportsmen have a seat at the table.
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