United States House of Representatives
03/16/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/16/2026 15:17
Foxx Opening Remarks on H.R. 1958, H.R. 4638, and H.R. 556
As prepared for delivery:
Good afternoon, the Committee will come to order. Without objection, the Chair is authorized to recess at any time.
Today, the Rules Committee is convening to consider three measures: H.R. 556, H.R. 1958, and H.R. 4638.
H.R. 556, the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act, would prohibit the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture from banning the use of lead ammunition or tackle on certain Federal land or water under the jurisdiction of the respective Secretaries.
For countless men and women across the nation, hunting and fishing are simple and essential parts of life - I believe that all of us here in this room should respect that.
But the federal government sees these activities as nothing more than a target to overregulate - how disappointing.
It appears that the only thing that Democrats know how to do when they are in power is regulate every aspect of our lives.
That's not governance - it's utter lunacy.
Hunting and fishing deserve to be accessible for all who want to enjoy them - and not cordoned off by unserious and burdensome regulations that lead to financial barriers and a lack of access.
H.R. 1958, the Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2026, would make illegal aliens inadmissible and deportable from the United States if they are found to be defrauding the U.S. government or having unlawfully obtained public benefits on the local, state, or federal levels.
When fraud perpetrated by illegal aliens is allowed to run rampant and go unconfronted, the American people are the ones who shoulder the cost.
Their hard-earned tax dollars are the ones being siphoned away - and that's the last thing that they want to see happen.
Further, this legislation eliminates the possibility of foreign nationals to remain eligible for immigration relief and benefits if they admit to or are convicted of fraud - this is a much-needed correction to current law, and one that is sorely overdue.
Next, we turn to H.R. 4638, the Bill to Outlaw Wounding of Official Working Animals Act, or the BOWOW Act. This legislation's aim is quite simple: to protect the law enforcement working animals that accompany the men and women who keep our communities and nation safe.
H.R. 4638 would hold criminal illegal aliens accountable by rendering them inadmissible to, and removable from, the United States if they inflict harm upon these working animals in any setting.
And finally, this legislation conforms to other existing grounds of inadmissibility and removability by not requiring a conviction.
As always, I welcome my Democrat colleagues to join us in supporting the measures before us.
With that, I now yield to the Ranking Member, Mr. McGovern, for any comments that he wishes to make.
Good afternoon, the Committee will come to order. Without objection, the Chair is authorized to recess at any time.
Today, the Rules Committee is convening to consider three measures: H.R. 556, H.R. 1958, and H.R. 4638.
H.R. 556, the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act, would prohibit the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture from banning the use of lead ammunition or tackle on certain Federal land or water under the jurisdiction of the respective Secretaries.
For countless men and women across the nation, hunting and fishing are simple and essential parts of life - I believe that all of us here in this room should respect that.
But the federal government sees these activities as nothing more than a target to overregulate - how disappointing.
It appears that the only thing that Democrats know how to do when they are in power is regulate every aspect of our lives.
That's not governance - it's utter lunacy.
Hunting and fishing deserve to be accessible for all who want to enjoy them - and not cordoned off by unserious and burdensome regulations that lead to financial barriers and a lack of access.
H.R. 1958, the Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2026, would make illegal aliens inadmissible and deportable from the United States if they are found to be defrauding the U.S. government or having unlawfully obtained public benefits on the local, state, or federal levels.
When fraud perpetrated by illegal aliens is allowed to run rampant and go unconfronted, the American people are the ones who shoulder the cost.
Their hard-earned tax dollars are the ones being siphoned away - and that's the last thing that they want to see happen.
Further, this legislation eliminates the possibility of foreign nationals to remain eligible for immigration relief and benefits if they admit to or are convicted of fraud - this is a much-needed correction to current law, and one that is sorely overdue.
Next, we turn to H.R. 4638, the Bill to Outlaw Wounding of Official Working Animals Act, or the BOWOW Act. This legislation's aim is quite simple: to protect the law enforcement working animals that accompany the men and women who keep our communities and nation safe.
H.R. 4638 would hold criminal illegal aliens accountable by rendering them inadmissible to, and removable from, the United States if they inflict harm upon these working animals in any setting.
And finally, this legislation conforms to other existing grounds of inadmissibility and removability by not requiring a conviction.
As always, I welcome my Democrat colleagues to join us in supporting the measures before us.
With that, I now yield to the Ranking Member, Mr. McGovern, for any comments that he wishes to make.
United States House of Representatives published this content on March 16, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 16, 2026 at 21:18 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]