Values for America · Brief for congressional offices

To the office of U.S. Senator James E. Risch

Re: SRES 826 (119th Congress), A resolution honoring the contributions of small manufacturers of firearms to the economy, culture, and recreational heritage of the United States and recognizing the month of August 2026 as "National Shooting Sports Month". · Latest action (2026-07-30): Referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text: CR S4393)
VFA SI Solution #217 · published 2026-08-04 · https://www.valuesforamerica.com/solutions/217
Office of record (Congress.gov): 483 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510, Washington, DC · (202) 224-2752

National Shooting Sports Education Grant Act of 2026

The measure, as described from the official record: Honor the contributions of small firearms manufacturers to the U.S. economy, culture, and recreational heritage, and designate August 2026 as 'National Shooting Sports Month'.

The proposal

Section 1. Short Title. This Act may be cited as the 'National Shooting Sports Education Grant Act of 2026'. Section 2. Findings. Congress finds that small firearms manufacturers contribute to the economy, culture, and recreational heritage of the United States, and that shooting sports promote physical activity, responsibility, and safety skills among youth. Congress further finds that federal support for state-administered shooting sports education programs can help preserve this heritage while respecting state autonomy. Section 3. Grant Program. The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall establish a competitive grant program to provide funds to states for the development and implementation of shooting sports education programs in public schools and community centers. Programs shall include instruction on firearm safety, responsible ownership, and the history of shooting sports in the United States. Section 4. Funding. There is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 per fiscal year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 from the general fund of the Treasury. Funds shall be allocated to states based on a formula that considers youth population and existing shooting sports participation rates. Section 5. Oversight. The Comptroller General shall conduct a biennial review of the program to ensure funds are used for educational purposes and not for the purchase of firearms or ammunition. States shall submit annual reports on program outcomes, including number of participants and safety incident rates. Section 6. Sunset. This Act shall sunset on September 30, 2031, unless reauthorized by Congress. Section 7. Effective Date. This Act shall take effect 90 days after enactment.

Operative provisions (VFA proposal)

funding source: General fund of the Treasury, authorized at $10 million per year (not mandatory, subject to annual appropriations)
funding amount: $10,000,000 per fiscal year for fiscal years 2026–2030 (total $50 million over five years)
sunset years: 5 years
oversight body: Government Accountability Office (Comptroller General) for biennial reviews; state-level reporting to Secretary of Commerce
enforcement mechanism: Withholding of future grant funds if a state fails to submit required reports or uses funds for prohibited purposes (purchase of firearms or ammunition)
effective date: 90 days after enactment

Constitutional basis

Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 (Spending for General Welfare)
Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 (Commerce Clause – interstate commerce in shooting sports equipment and tourism)
Tenth Amendment (reserves education and firearms regulation to states)
Second Amendment (the Act does not infringe; it promotes education and safety)

Concerns with the measure as written:

The original resolution is purely symbolic and does not exercise any enumerated power, but it also does not impose any law or regulation. To transform it into a concrete bill, we must ensure any operative provisions fall within Article I, Section 8 powers (e.g., spending for general welfare, commerce) and do not infringe on the Second Amendment or Tenth Amendment.

Why both sides can back it (VFA’s assessment)

Democratic priorities: supports youth education, public safety training, and community-based programs; uses a competitive grant model with oversight and accountability. Republican priorities: honors small firearms manufacturers and shooting sports heritage, respects state control over education (Tenth Amendment), does not impose new regulations on firearms, and includes a sunset provision to limit government growth.

Values for America is a nonpartisan, constitution-first SI think tank. This brief is informational. It is a policy proposal, not law, and it does not support or oppose any candidate or party. Full analysis and sources: https://www.valuesforamerica.com/solutions/217 · Methodology: https://www.valuesforamerica.com/methodology