119-s1823

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1823 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 1823

 To authorize livestock producers and their employees to take black 
vultures to prevent death, injury, or destruction to livestock, and for 
 other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 May 20, 2025

 Mr. Mullin (for himself, Mr. Tuberville, Mr. Schmitt, Mr. Cotton, Mr. 
Wicker, Mrs. Britt, Mr. Scott of Florida, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Hagerty, Mr. 
 Budd, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Ricketts, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Lankford, Mrs. Hyde-
 Smith, and Mr. Graham) introduced the following bill; which was read 
 twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To authorize livestock producers and their employees to take black 
vultures to prevent death, injury, or destruction to livestock, 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 ``Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO 
 TAKE CERTAIN BLACK VULTURES.

    (a) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Black vulture.--The term ``black vulture'' means a bird 
 of the species Coragyps atratus.

    (2) Covered person.--The term ``covered person'' means--
        (A) a livestock producer; or
        (B) an employee of a livestock producer when the 
 employee is actively engaged in livestock production.

    (3) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
 the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

    (4) Livestock.--The term ``livestock'' has the meaning 
 given the term in 

section 602 of the Emergency Livestock Feed 
 Assistance Act of 1988 (7 U.S.C. 1471).

    (5) Livestock producer.--The term ``livestock producer'' 
 has the meaning given the term in 

section 602 of the Emergency 
 Livestock Feed Assistance Act of 1988 (7 U.S.C. 1471).

    (6) Take.--The term ``take'' means--
        (A) to capture, kill, or disperse a black vulture; 
 or
        (B) to transport a black vulture carcass.

    (b) Authorization.--

    (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph

    (2) , notwithstanding 
 the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.), a 
 covered person may--
        (A) take or attempt to take a black vulture that is 
 causing, or that the covered person has a reasonable 
 belief will cause, death, injury, or destruction to 
 livestock; or
        (B) in the course of taking or attempting to take a 
 black vulture described in subparagraph
        (A) , cause 
 injury to the black vulture.

    (2) Prohibition.--A covered person may not take or attempt 
 to take a black vulture through the use of poison.
            (c) Reports.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than January 31 of each year, a 
 covered person that takes a black vulture in accordance with 
 subsection

    (b) in the preceding 12-month period shall complete 
 and submit to the appropriate United States Fish and Wildlife 
 Service Regional Office (as determined by the geographic 
 jurisdictions described in 

section 2.2 of title 50, Code of 
 Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)) a report using 
 the form developed by the Director under subsection
            (d) .

    (2) Clarification.--A covered person shall not be required 
 to submit a report under paragraph

    (1) until after the date on 
 which the Director develops and makes available the reporting 
 form under subsection
            (d) .
            (d) Reporting Forms.--

    (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph

    (2) , not later than 
 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director 
 shall develop and make available on the website of the United 
 States Fish and Wildlife Service a reporting form the Director 
 determines appropriate for the purposes of accepting reports 
 under subsection
            (c) .

    (2) Format.--The form developed and made available under 
 paragraph

    (1) may not be more onerous to complete than similar 
 forms required for permitted take under the Migratory Bird 
 Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.) as of the date of enactment 
 of this Act.
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