Federal

Black Vulture Relief Act of 2024

Source: Congress.gov · 1,127 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill allows livestock producers and their employees to kill, capture or scare black vultures to prevent these birds from killing or injuring farm animals. The bill is called the Black Vulture Relief Act of 2024. People using this authority must report their actions to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service each year.

Who It Affects

Livestock producers (people who raise farm animals for sale or use) Employees of livestock producers who work in farm animal production The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (federal agency that must create reporting forms) Black vultures (the birds that can be taken under this law)

Key Provisions

Livestock producers and their employees can kill, capture, scare or transport black vulture bodies if the birds are causing or will likely cause death, injury or destruction to livestock. However, poison cannot be used to take black vultures. (Sec. 2(b)) People who take black vultures must file an annual report by January 31 each year with their regional U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office, but only after the agency creates a reporting form. (Sec. 2(c)) The Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must create and publish a reporting form within 180 days of the bill becoming law. The form cannot be harder to complete than other forms the agency currently requires for similar bird-killing activities. (Sec. 2(d))

What Changes

Currently, federal law protects migratory birds from being killed or harmed. This bill creates an exception allowing livestock producers and their employees to take black vultures without getting a special permit, as long as they believe the birds threaten their animals. People must report what they do to wildlife officials each year.

Important Definitions

Black vulture: a bird of the species Coragyps atratus Covered person: a livestock producer or an employee actively working in livestock production Take: to capture, kill or scare a black vulture, or to move a black vulture body Livestock: Not specified in bill text

Effective Date

Not specified in bill text

IB Union Calendar No. 679 118TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 1437 [Report No. 118–832] To authorize livestock producers and their employees to take black vultures in order to prevent death, injury, or destruction to livestock, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 8, 2023 Mr. ROSE (for himself and Mr. SOTO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources DECEMBER 10, 2024 Additional sponsors: Mr. PFLUGER, Mr. BARR, Mr. COMER, Mr. BRECHEEN, Mr. BALDERSON, Mr. CRAWFORD, Mr. WOMACK, Mr. MILLER of Ohio, Mr. HERN, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. SMITH of Missouri, Mr. PERRY, Mrs. BICE, Mr. BERGMAN, Mr. DUNN of Florida, Mr. CARTER of Georgia, Ms. MACE, Mr. FERGUSON, Mr. OGLES, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. RUTHERFORD, Mr. GUTHRIE, Mr. WENSTRUP, Mrs. HARSHBARGER, Mr. ROUZER, Mr. SMUCKER, Mr. MEUSER, Mr. KUSTOFF, Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas, Mr. PENCE, Mr. GOODEN of Texas, Mr. STEUBE, Mr. LUCAS, Ms. HAGEMAN, Mr. ALFORD, Mr. BOST, Mr. BUCSHON, Mr. KELLY of Mississippi, Mr. BURCHETT, and Mr. GRAVES of Missouri DECEMBER 10, 2024 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 8, 2023] VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:45 Dec 10, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H1437.RH H1437 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 1437 RH A BILL To authorize livestock producers and their employees to take black vultures in order to prevent death, injury, or de- struction to livestock, and for other purposes. VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:45 Dec 10, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H1437.RH H1437 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 1437 RH Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Black Vulture Relief 4 Act of 2024’’. 5 SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS AND 6 THEIR EMPLOYEES TO TAKE CERTAIN BLACK 7 VULTURES. 8 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 9 (1) BLACK VULTURE.—The term ‘‘black vulture’’ 10 means a bird of the species Coragyps atratus. 11 (2) COVERED PERSON.—The term ‘‘covered per- 12 son’’ means— 13 (A) a livestock producer; or 14 (B) an employee of a livestock producer 15 when the employee is actively engaged in live- 16 stock production. 17 (3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means the 18 Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Serv- 19 ice. 20 (4) LIVESTOCK.—The term ‘‘livestock’’ has the 21 meaning given the term in section 602 of the Emer- 22 gency Livestock Feed Assistance Act of 1988 (7 U.S.C. 23 1471). 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:45 Dec 10, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H1437.RH H1437 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 4 •HR 1437 RH (5) LIVESTOCK PRODUCER.—The term ‘‘livestock 1 producer’’ has the meaning given the term in section 2 602 of the Emergency Livestock Feed Assistance Act 3 of 1988 (7 U.S.C. 1471). 4 (6) TAKE.—The term ‘‘take’’ means— 5 (A) to capture, kill, or disperse a black vul- 6 ture; or 7 (B) to transport a black vulture carcass. 8 (b) AUTHORIZATION.— 9 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), not- 10 withstanding the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 11 U.S.C. 703 et seq.), a covered person may— 12 (A) take or attempt to take a black vulture 13 that is causing, or that the covered person has a 14 reasonable belief will cause, death, injury, or de- 15 struction to livestock; or 16 (B) in the course of taking or attempting to 17 take a black vulture described in subparagraph 18 (A), cause injury to the black vulture. 19 (2) PROHIBITION.—A covered person may not 20 take or attempt to take a black vulture through the 21 use of poison. 22 (c) REPORTS.— 23 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than January 31 of 24 each year, a covered person that takes a black vulture 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:45 Dec 10, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H1437.RH H1437 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 5 •HR 1437 RH in accordance with subsection (b) in the preceding 12- 1 month period shall complete and submit to the appro- 2 priate United States Fish and Wildlife Service Re- 3 gional Office (as determined by the geographic juris- 4 dictions described in section 2.2 of title 50, Code of 5 Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)) an 6 annual report using the form developed by the Direc- 7 tor under subsection (d). 8 (2) CLARIFICATION.—A covered person shall not 9 be required to submit a report under paragraph (1) 10 until after the date on which the Director develops 11 and makes available the reporting form under sub- 12 section (d). 13 (d) REPORTING FORMS.— 14 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), not 15 later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 16 Act, the Director shall develop and make available on 17 the website of the United States Fish and Wildlife 18 Service a reporting form the Director determines ap- 19 propriate for the purposes of accepting reports under 20 subsection (c). 21 (2) FORMAT.—The form developed and made 22 available under paragraph (1) may not be more oner- 23 ous to complete than similar forms required for per- 24 mitted take under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:45 Dec 10, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H1437.RH H1437 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 6 •HR 1437 RH U.S.C. 703 et seq.) as of the date of enactment of this 1 Act. 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:45 Dec 10, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H1437.RH H1437 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:45 Dec 10, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H1437.RH H1437 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB Union Calendar No. 679 118TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 1437 [Report No. 118–832] A BILL To authorize livestock producers and their employ- ees to take black vultures in order to prevent death, injury, or destruction to livestock, and for other purposes. DECEMBER 10, 2024 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com- mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:45 Dec 10, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6651 Sfmt 6651 E:\BILLS\H1437.RH H1437 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB

Important: This plain English summary was generated by AI and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. Always consult the official bill text on Congress.gov or a qualified attorney for legal matters.