Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 286.
The Black Vulture Relief Act authorizes livestock producers and their employees to take (capture, kill, disperse, or transport carcasses of) black vultures that are causing or reasonably expected to cause livestock death, injury, or destruction, notwithstanding the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
The bill prohibits using poison, requires annual reporting to the appropriate U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regional office using a Director-developed form, and directs the Director to make that form available within 180 days, with the form not more onerous than existing MBTA permit forms.
Narrow, low-cost fix with constituency support increases odds, but conservation objections and Senate procedure reduce overall likelihood.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a narrowly scoped substantive policy change that creates an explicit exception to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act for certain persons to take black vultures and imposes an annual reporting obligation. It includes clear definitions and some implementation steps (form creation timeline and reporting deadlines) and integrates directly with existing statutes and CFR references.
Progressives stress MBTA erosion and wildlife impacts
Progressives stress MBTA erosion and wildlife impacts
Likely skeptical or somewhat opposed because the bill creates an explicit legal exception to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act for a wildlife species.
They will weigh livestock protections against potential harms to wildlife, ecosystem roles, and precedent for weakening migratory bird protections.
Cautiously supportive if implemented with oversight.
They view the bill as a targeted, narrow fix for a specific human-wildlife conflict but will insist on clear reporting, monitoring, and checks against misuse.
Likely strongly supportive because the bill reduces regulatory barriers for property owners protecting livestock.
Seen as restoring balance between federal wildlife law and agricultural needs.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Narrow, low-cost fix with constituency support increases odds, but conservation objections and Senate procedure reduce overall likelihood.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Progressives stress MBTA erosion and wildlife impacts
Narrow, low-cost fix with constituency support increases odds, but conservation objections and Senate procedure reduce overall likelihood.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a narrowly scoped substantive policy change that creates an explicit exception to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act for certain persons to take black vultures and impo…
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