119-hr3276

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3276 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

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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