Committee on Natural Resources Full Committee Markup of: • H.R. 281 (Rep. Hageman), “Grizzly Bear State Management Act of 2025” (Amendments to H.R. 281 must be drafted to the amendment in the nature of a substitute, attached to this notice) • H.R. 435 (Rep. Issa), “Direct Hire To Fight Fires” • H.R. 556 (Rep. Wittman), “Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025” (Amendments to H.R. 556 must be drafted to the amendment in the nature of a substitute, attached to this notice) • H.R. 831 (Rep. Calvert), “Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program Amendment Act of 2025” • H.R. 1676 (Rep. Donalds), “Make SWAPs Efficient Act of 2025” • H.R. 1809 (Rep. Quigley), “Great Lakes Fishery Research Reauthorization Act” • H.R. 2293 (Rep. Ezell), “Cormorant Relief Act of 2025” • H.R. 2405 (Rep. Barr), “The White Oak Resilience Act” • H.R. 2462 (Rep. Rose), “Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025” (Amendments to H.R. 2462 must be drafted to the amendment in the nature of a substitute, attached to this notice) • H.R. 2860 (Rep. Larsen) “Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2025” • H.R. 3187 (Rep. Hill), To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a parcel of property of the Forest Service to Perry County, Arkansas, and for other purposes • H.R. 3858 (Rep. Dingell), “Sport Fish Restoration, Recreational Boating Safety, and Wildlife Restoration Act of 2025”
Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs
2025-07-15
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Source: Congress.gov
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The committee will come to order. The chair notes the presence of a quorum. Pursuant to committee rules, members of the committee may submit written opening statements for the record, ask that members may revise and extend the remarks on the bills to be considered at this markup, and have those remarks included in the record without objection. So ordered. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare recess of the committee at any time. Pursuant to Committee Rule 3i, the Chair announces that I may postpone further proceedings today on the question of approving any measure or matter or adopting an amendment on which a recorded vote is ordered. I now recognize myself for an opening statement. Good morning. Thank you for joining us today for a full committee markup. We have a full slate of legislation, including three regular order bills that restore access for sportsmen and women, return management of recovered species to the states, and allow livestock producers to protect livestock from a predatory bird. The Grizzly Bear State Management Act of 2025, introduced by Representative Harriet Hageman, accomplishes something that we should be doing more often, and that's celebrating listed species recovery through delisting. Wyoming communities, as well as those in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, have seen increased attacks on people, domesticated animals, and property as the population of the bear has increased to 1,100 bears, more than double the original recovery goal. In January, the Biden administration rejected the state-led delisting petitions, ignoring the facts and voices of the local communities who experienced grizzly bear attacks firsthand. Since Congress first enacted the Endangered Species Act in 1973, only 3% of listed species have ever been classified as recovered and delisted. We can clearly see the success of the grizzly in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, and now it is time to listen to local communities and to list the species, returning management to the states who know the species and the conditions best.
Next, we have Congressman Rob Whitman's Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025, which is common sense legislation to prevent a ban on lead ammunition or tackle on federal lands and waters, except in instances where it's supported by science that shows a clear decline in wildlife population directly caused by the use of lead ammunition and tackle. In 2023, the Biden administration issued a misguided final rule banning lead ammunition and tackle on eight national wildlife refuges for hunting and fishing to remain easily accessible, recreational activities for all Americans. We must prevent future ideological based decisions and listen to the scientific research. In 2021, the National Shooting Sports Foundation concluded that lead-free hunting ammunition is on average 24.66% more expensive than lead ammunition. Increasing the cost of these basic implements could easily turn hunting and fishing from pastimes enjoyed by many across the economic spectrum into hobbies only available to the wealthy. Mr. Whitman's legislation will prevent a government-imposed financial barrier to outdoor recreation and keep hunting and fish well accessible for sportsmen and women across the country. Finally, we consider legislation introduced by Congressman John Rose and Darren Soto, the Bipartisan Black Vulture Relief Act. This legislation will allow livestock producers to take black vultures and defend their herds without the requirement of a permit if the birds threaten livestock. It also provides clear guidance for reporting takes, streamlining the existing permit-based process. Livestock producers are on the front line of America's food supply and understand threats from predators like black vultures. These threats that are made to their operations, these farmers know this better than anyone. The legislation supports American producers in their day-to-day work and is a common-sense solution to the issue.
In addition to our regular bills, we have nine UC bills on which we have reached bipartisan agreement. These bills include legislation to speed up federal hiring of wildland firefighters, support a conservation program on the lower Colorado River, ensure government efficiency in conservation, reauthorize fishery research, provide relief for the effects of predatory species on aquaculture facilities, support the health of American white oak, and more. I look forward to our discussions today. I yield back and recognize Ranking Member Huffman for an opening statement.
Thank you, Chair Westerman, and good morning. Today we have a dozen bills on the agenda covering everything from cormorants to agency hiring authority, and lead ammunition. And on paper, it might look like a grab bag of unrelated proposals, but there are actually some common threads running through many of these if you look closely. Now many of the bills pose the same question to members of this committee. Are we going to prioritize policies that advance real conservation, both today and for our kids and grandkids? Are we gonna advance legislation that undermines long-term stewardship, outdoor access, and the best available science? Are we going to advance policies that stand up for the future of hunting, fishing, and healthy ecosystems? Are we gonna let short-term thinking and political expedience drive our natural resources management and decision-making. Unfortunately, some of the bills we're considering today move us in the wrong direction on these questions. Take H.R. 281, the so-called Grizzly Bear State Management Act. This bill would force the premature delisting of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divided Ecosystems, ignoring years of best available science as a clear example of politics overtaking responsible management and the bedrock principles of how the Endangered Species Act is supposed to work. We see the same pattern with HR 2462, the Black Vulture Relief Act, which would weaken protections for migratory birds.
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