[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3276 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3276
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Urban Bird
Treaty Program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 8, 2025
Mrs. Dingell (for herself and Mr. Cline) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Urban Bird
Treaty Program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Local Communities & Bird Habitat
Stewardship Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. URBAN BIRD TREATY PROGRAM.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) According to the 2025 State of Birds Report, bird
populations continue to decline and have resulted in a 50
percent loss of tipping point bird population species in the
last 50 years. The report found that policies to reverse bird
declines carry benefits such as healthier working lands,
cleaner water, and more resilient landscapes that can withstand
fires, floods, and drought.
(2) Nearly 96 million Americans--more than a third of
United States adults--engage in birdwatching every year,
generating $279,000,000,000 in annual economic output from
these birder expenditures--including spending $108,000,000,000
annually on birding-related trips and equipment, directly
supporting local businesses and 1.4 million American jobs.
(3) Maintaining an abundance of healthy, well-distributed
green spaces and bird habitats in and near communities reduces
the risk of cross-transmission between wild birds and domestic
poultry by dispersing bird populations, minimizing overlap at
concentrated feeding or resting areas, and enabling earlier
disease detection and response through coordinated monitoring.
(4) Enhancing bird habitat and stewardship in populated
areas serves not only to conserve bird populations and connect
people to nature, but also to strengthen the ecological
infrastructure necessary to mitigate the spread of wildlife-
borne diseases such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.
(b) Urban Bird Treaty Program.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall establish a program for
the voluntary conservation of birds and the habitats of such
birds in urban areas, to be known as the ``Urban Bird Treaty
Program''.
(2) Program duties.--In carrying out the Program, the
Director shall--
(A) work with and support covered entities to--
(i) protect, restore, or enhance urban
habitats for birds, including through the
control of invasive species and restoration of
native plant species;
(ii) reduce urban hazards to birds;
(iii) engage communities in scientific
activities involving the monitoring of birds
and the habitats of such birds in urban areas;
and
(iv) educate and engage communities in
caring about and conserving birds and the
habitats of such birds in urban areas;
(B) provide technical and financial assistance
through partnerships with covered entities to build
capacity for, plan, and carry out projects related to
activities described in subparagraph (A); and
(C) facilitate collaboration and information
sharing among covered entities and the public with
respect to best management practices for the
conservation, restoration, and enhancement of urban
bird habitats.
(3) Grant program.--
(A) In general.--The Director shall establish a
competitive grant program to award amounts to eligible
entities for the purposes of conducting research,
planning, assessments, management, building capacity,
monitoring, collaboration and information sharing,
workforce training, and accomplishing related
activities as described in paragraph (2) with respect
to the conservation, restoration, enhancement or
management of urban birds and the habitats of urban
birds.
(B) Applications.--To be eligible for a grant under
this paragraph, an eligible entity shall submit to the
Director an application in such form, at such time, and
containing such information as the Director determines
appropriate.
(C) Administration.--
(i) Agreement.--The Director shall enter
into an agreement with the Foundation for the
Foundation to administer the grant program
established under subparagraph (A) pursuant to
the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.).
(ii) Application of national fish and
wildlife foundation establishment act.--Section
10(a) of the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C.
3709(a)) shall not apply with respect to--
(I) an agreement entered into under
clause (i); or
(II) amounts made available to
carry out this section.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' means--
(A) a Federal, Tribal, State, or municipal agency;
(B) a nongovernmental organization;
(C) a community group; and
(D) an academic institution.
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Secretary of
the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service.
(3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a Tribal, State, or municipal agency;
(B) a nongovernmental organization;
(C) a community group; and
(D) an academic institution.
(4) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation established by section 2(a) of the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16
U.S.C. 3701(a)).
(5) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the Urban Bird
Treaty Program established under subsection (b)(1).
(6) Urban.--The term ``urban'' has the meaning given the
term ``urban area'' in section 101(a) of title 23, United
States Code.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Director to carry out this section $1,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2026 through 2032.
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