Veterans for Mustangs Act

Veterans for Mustangs Act

This bill directs the Department of the Interior to prioritize use of nonsurgical, medically safe on-range fertility controls to manage populations of wild, free-roaming horses and burros. In implementing such fertility controls, the Bureau of Land Management shall prioritize the recruitment of military veterans to train and become certified in the application of fertility controls, including the certified PZP applicator certification offered by the Science and Conservation Center's Certification Program.

Interior shall provide appropriate compensation to military veterans participating in such a certification program.

The bill authorizes Interior to contract with military veterans who have completed the training program to carry out fertility control activities.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 726 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 726

  To amend the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act to direct the 
  Secretary of the Interior to implement fertility controls to manage 
 populations of wild free-roaming horses and burros, and to encourage 
    training opportunities for military veterans to assist in range 
             management activities, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 1, 2023

  Mrs. McClain (for herself, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Ms. Titus, Mr. 
Moore of Alabama, Ms. Salazar, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, 
 Ms. Mace, Mr. Moolenaar, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. Neguse, 
Mr. Doggett, and Mr. Carter of Georgia) introduced the following bill; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act to direct the 
  Secretary of the Interior to implement fertility controls to manage 
 populations of wild free-roaming horses and burros, and to encourage 
    training opportunities for military veterans to assist in range 
             management activities, 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 ``Veterans for Mustangs Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE WILD FREE-ROAMING HORSES AND BURROS ACT.

    Section 3 of the Act commonly known as the Wild Free-Roaming Horses 
and Burros Act (16 U.S.C. 1333) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(2)--
                    (A) by striking ``that action is necessary'' and 
                all that follows through ``until all excess animals 
                have been removed'' and inserting ``that action is 
                necessary to reduce the animal population or remove 
                excess animals, the Secretary shall immediately take 
                steps under this paragraph to achieve appropriate 
                management levels. Such action shall be taken, in the 
                following order and priority, until the animal 
                population has been reduced or all excess animals have 
                been removed'';
                    (B) by striking subparagraphs (A) and (C);
                    (C) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``; and'' and 
                inserting a period; and
                    (D) by inserting before subparagraph (B) the 
                following:
                    ``(A) The Secretary shall implement nonsurgical, 
                medically safe on-range fertility controls to manage 
                populations of wild free-roaming horses and burros. In 
                implementing such fertility controls, the Secretary, 
                through the Bureau of Land Management, shall prioritize 
                the recruitment of military veterans to train and 
                become certified in the application of fertility 
                controls with respect to wild free-roaming horses and 
                burros, including the certified PZP applicator 
                certification offered by the Science and Conservation 
                Center's Certification Program. The Secretary shall 
                provide appropriate compensation to military veterans 
                participating in such a certification program. 
                Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
                Secretary is authorized to contract with military 
                veterans who have completed the training program under 
                this subparagraph to carry out management activities 
                under this Act. Individuals contracted with pursuant to 
                this subparagraph shall not be regarded as officers or 
                employees of the United States on the basis of such 
                contract.''; and
            (2) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) by striking paragraph (3); and
                    (B) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as 
                paragraphs (3) and (4) respectively.
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