Introduced in House

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 2293 Introduced in House (IH)] 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2293 To require the Secretary of the Interior to reissue certain regulations relating to the taking of double-crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 24, 2025 Mr. Ezell (for himself, Mr. Guest, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, and Mr. Kelly of Mississippi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To require the Secretary of the Interior to reissue certain regulations relating to the taking of double-crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Cormorant Relief Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. REGULATIONS RELATING TO TAKING OF DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS AT

SEC. 2. REGULATIONS RELATING TO TAKING OF DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS AT AQUACULTURE FACILITIES. (a) In General.--The Secretary shall reissue the original depredation order in accordance with subsection (b). (b) Requirements.--The depredation order reissued under subsection (a) shall be the same as the original depredation order, except that the depredation order reissued under subsection (a)-- (1) shall apply to each of the States of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin in addition to and in the same manner as each of the States to which the original depredation order applied; and (2) shall apply to lake managers and pond managers in addition to and in the same manner as each of the entities to which the original depredation order applied. (c) Definitions.--In this section: (1) Lake manager.--The term ``lake manager'' means a person that is licensed by a State regulatory agency to manage a private lake. (2) Original depredation order.--The term ``original depredation order'' means the depredation order for double- crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities contained in

section 21.47 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations (as in

section 21.47 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on January 1, 2016). (3) Pond manager.--The term ``pond manager'' means a person that is licensed by a State regulatory agency to manage a private pond. (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.