Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act District of Columbia Equality Act of 2026

Plain-English Summary

This bill would change how the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) is treated under two long-standing federal wildlife funding laws — the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act. These two laws, originally passed in the 1930s and 1950s, collect taxes on the sale of hunting equipment, ammunition, and fishing gear, and then distribute that money to states to fund wildlife conservation, habitat restoration, and outdoor recreation programs.

Currently, D.C. is not treated the same as the 50 states when it comes to receiving or participating in funding under these programs. The word "Equality" in the bill's title suggests its core purpose is to bring D.C. into equal standing with states, meaning D.C. would be eligible to receive the same type of funding allocations that states currently receive for wildlife and fish restoration efforts.

This bill would primarily affect residents of Washington, D.C. and local wildlife and conservation programs there. If passed, it could mean more federal funding flowing to D.C. for things like fish stocking, wildlife habitat projects, hunter education, and public outdoor recreation areas. It could also benefit hunters and anglers in D.C. who currently may not have access to the same state-level programs funded by these taxes.

The bill has been introduced in the House and referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources, which is the typical early stage of the legislative process. No official cost estimates or further details have been publicly released yet.