119-hr2235

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2235 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2235

 To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to improve wildlife habitat 
 connectivity and wildlife migration corridors, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 18, 2025

 Mr. Vasquez (for himself, Mr. Zinke, and Ms. Leger Fernandez) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
 Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to improve wildlife habitat 
 connectivity and wildlife migration corridors, and for other purposes.

 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 ``Habitat Connectivity on Working 
Lands Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. CONSERVATION PROGRAMS.

    (a) 

=== Definitions. ===
-

Section 1240A of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa-1) is amended by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (11) Habitat connectivity.--The term `habitat 
 connectivity' means the degree to which landscape or 
 habitat elements facilitate native species movement 
 among seasonal habitats.
 ``

    (12) Big game species.--The term `big game 
 species' means native species of large mammals 
 including, wild deer, elk, pronghorn, wild sheep, and 
 moose.''.

    (b) Regional Conservation Partnership Program Critical Conservation 
Areas.--

Section 1271F

    (a)

    (2)
            (C) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3871f

    (a)

    (2)
            (C) ) is amended by inserting ``, including 
restoration and enhancement of wildlife habitat connectivity and 
wildlife migration corridors, with a focus on big game species'' before 
``; and''.
            (c) Enrollment in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and 
the Conservation Stewardship Program of Grassland Enrolled in the 
Conservation Reserve Program.--

    (1) Environmental quality incentives program.--

Section 1240B
            (d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-
 2
            (d) ) is amended--
        (A) in paragraph

    (6) , by striking ``A producer'' 
 and inserting ``Except as provided in paragraph

    (8) , a 
 producer''; and
        (B) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (8) Cost-share payments for grassland enrolled in the 
 conservation reserve program.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--The Secretary may provide 
 payments under the program for costs associated with 
 planning, design, materials, equipment, installation, 
 labor, management, maintenance, or training with 
 respect to eligible land that is--
 ``
            (i) enrolled in the conservation reserve 
 program under 

section 1231
            (d) (2)
        (A) ; and
 ``
            (ii) of ecological significance, as 
 described in 

section 1231
            (d) (2)
        (B)
            (iii) .
 ``
        (B) Limitation.--A producer shall not be eligible 
 for payments under subparagraph
        (A) for practices if 
 the producer receives payments or other benefits for 
 the same practice on the same land under another 
 Federal program (other than the conservation reserve 
 program under subchapter B of chapter 1).''.

    (2) Conservation stewardship program.--

Section 1240J

    (b) of 
 the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-22

    (b) ) is 
 amended--
        (A) in paragraph

    (1) , in the matter preceding 
 subparagraph
        (A) , by inserting ``and except as provided 
 in paragraph

    (3) ,'' after ``paragraph

    (2) ,''; and
        (B) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (3) Cost-share payments for grassland enrolled in the 
 conservation reserve program.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--The Secretary may provide 
 payments under the program for costs associated with 
 planning, design, materials, equipment, installation, 
 labor, management, maintenance, or training with 
 respect to eligible land that is--
 ``
            (i) enrolled in the conservation reserve 
 program under 

section 1231
            (d) (2)
        (A) ; and
 ``
            (ii) of ecological significance, as 
 described in 

section 1231
            (d) (2)
        (B)
            (iii) .
 ``
        (B) Limitation.--A producer shall not be eligible 
 for payments under subparagraph
        (A) for conservation 
 activities if the producer receives payments or other 
 benefits for the same conservation activities on the 
 same land under another Federal program (other than the 
 conservation reserve program under subchapter B of 
 chapter 1).
 ``
            (C) Emergency grazing and haying access 
 preserved.--No priority resource concern, practice, or 
 incentive pertaining to restoration and enhancement of 
 wildlife habitat connectivity and wildlife migration 
 corridors on the acres described above will prevent or 
 alter emergency grazing and haying access for grassland 
 acres enrolled in the conservation reserve program.''.

    (3) Payment limitation for rental payments under the 
 conservation reserve program.--

Section 1234

    (g)

    (1) of the Food 
 Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3834

    (g)

    (1) ) is amended by 
 striking ``$50,000'' and inserting ``$125,000''.
            (d) Increased Payments Under the Environmental Quality Incentives 
Program.--

Section 1240B
            (d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3839aa-2
            (d) ) is amended--

    (1) in paragraph

    (3)
        (F) , by inserting ``and wildlife 
 habitat connectivity'' before ``; or''; and

    (2) in paragraph

    (7)
        (A) --
        (A) in clause
            (iii) , by striking ``or'' at the end;
        (B) in clause
            (iv) , by striking the period at the 
 end and inserting ``; or''; and
            (C) by adding at the end the following:
 ``
            (v) addresses the conservation and 
 restoration of wildlife habitat, including 
 wildlife habitat connectivity and wildlife 
 migration corridors.''.

    (e) Conservation Practice Standards.--

Section 1242 of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3842) is amended by adding at the end 
the following:
 ``

    (j) Addressing Barriers to Habitat Connectivity.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall--
 ``
        (A) to the maximum extent practicable, fully 
 incorporate nonstructural methods to control livestock 
 distribution, such as virtual fencing, into the 
 conservation practice standards; and
 ``
        (B) provide for the appropriate range of 
 conservation practices and resource mitigation measures 
 available to landowners using nonstructural methods 
 described in subparagraph
        (A) .
 ``

    (2) Availability of adequate technical assistance.--The 
 Secretary shall ensure that adequate technical assistance is 
 available for the implementation of--
 ``
        (A) nonstructural methods described in paragraph

    (1)
        (A) ; and
 ``
        (B) other practices that support habitat 
 connectivity (as that term is defined in 

section 1240A) 
 through Federal conservation programs.''.

    (f) Administrative Requirements for Conservation Programs.--

Section 1244 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3844) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (q) Encouragement of Habitat Connectivity and Big Game 
Corridors.--In carrying out any conservation program administered by 
the Secretary, the Secretary may, as appropriate, encourage--
 ``

    (1) the conservation of landscape corridors and 
 hydrologic connectivity, where native big game species (as that 
 term is defined in 

section 1240A) and ecological processes can 
 transition from one habitat to another, in order to conserve 
 native biodiversity and ensure resiliency against impacts from 
 a range of stressors; and
 ``

    (2) the use of conservation practices that support the 
 development, restoration, and maintenance of landscape 
 corridors and hydrologic connectivity.''.

SEC. 3. HIGH-PRIORITY RESEARCH AND EXTENSION AREAS.

 

Section 1672
            (d) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade 
Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925
            (d) ) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
 ``

    (21) Virtual fencing.--Research and extension grants may 
 be made under this section for the purposes of--
 ``
        (A) understanding and addressing the barriers to 
 the adoption of virtual fencing technology; and
 ``
        (B) studying the effects of virtual fencing 
 technology on natural and cultural resources, such as--
 ``
            (i) sensitive riparian areas; and
 ``
            (ii) crucial winter range and stopover 
 habitats for native big game species (as that 
 term is defined in 

section 1240A of the Food 
 Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-1)).''.
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