North Alaska News

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is leading the charge to preserve hunter safety and archery education in schools, as she believes the Biden administration has misinterpreted federal law. The senator is cosponsoring two measures aimed at rectifying this issue and ensuring that schools can continue to use federal education funds for programs that teach responsible firearm handling, archery skills, and culinary tool usage.

"Hunting is a way of life in Alaska. It’s how many of us fill our freezers with healthy protein for the winter. Hunter safety is a critical life skill to pass on to future generations of Alaskans and should be taught at home and in schools," said Senator Murkowski. She added, "I am working with my colleagues to correct this misinterpretation and preserve schools' ability to teach students how to safely handle firearms, compete in archery, and use cutting tools in culinary classes. This isn't a political issue – Senators from both sides of the aisle have introduced legislation to ensure the Department of Education implements the law as intended."

To support her cause, Senator Murkowski has cosponsored two measures that aim to make congressional intent clear to the Biden administration. These bills would address the misinterpretation of a provision of federal law that is currently preventing schools from using federal education funds for hunter safety education and archery programs.

In addition to cosponsoring the measures, Senator Murkowski joined her colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on September 5. The letter expressed concern about the Department of Education's incorrect interpretation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) and urged Secretary Cardona to rectify the issue administratively. The senator also joined several colleagues in sending another bipartisan letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee, requesting a legislative fix in the FY 2024 Labor-HHS-Education bill.

The Department of Education has issued guidance on how they plan to implement the BSCA, which was passed in June 2022. However, their plan involves blocking federal funding for school archery and hunting programs, which Senator Murkowski believes conflicts with congressional intent and goes beyond the intended scope of the legislation.

Senator Murkowski's efforts to preserve hunter safety and archery education in schools highlight the importance of teaching responsible firearm handling and outdoor skills to future generations. With bipartisan support, she aims to ensure that schools can continue to provide these vital programs with the help of federal education funds.