I 

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. GARCI ́A 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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans for Mustangs 

3 Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE WILD FREE-ROAMING 

5 HORSES AND BURROS ACT. 

6 Section 3 of the Act commonly known as the Wild 

7 Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (16 U.S.C. 1333) 

8 is amended— 

9 (1) in subsection (b)(2)— 

10 (A) by striking ‘‘that action is necessary’’ 

11 and all that follows through ‘‘until all excess 

12 animals have been removed’’ and inserting 

13 ‘‘that action is necessary to reduce the animal 

14 population or remove excess animals, the Sec15 retary shall immediately take steps under this 

16 paragraph to achieve appropriate management 

17 levels. Such action shall be taken, in the fol18 lowing order and priority, until the animal pop19 ulation has been reduced or all excess animals 

20 have been removed’’; 

21 (B) by striking subparagraphs (A) and 

22 (C); 

23 (C) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘; 

24 and’’ and inserting a period; and 

25 (D) by inserting before subparagraph (B) 

26 the following: 


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1 ‘‘(A) The Secretary shall implement non2 surgical, medically safe on-range fertility con3 trols to manage populations of wild free-roam4 ing horses and burros. In implementing such 

5 fertility controls, the Secretary, through the 

6 Bureau of Land Management, shall prioritize 

7 the recruitment of military veterans to train 

8 and become certified in the application of fer9 tility controls with respect to wild free-roaming 

10 horses and burros, including the certified PZP 

11 applicator certification offered by the Science 

12 and Conservation Center’s Certification Pro13 gram. The Secretary shall provide appropriate 

14 compensation to military veterans participating 

15 in such a certification program. Notwith16 standing any other provision of law, the Sec17 retary is authorized to contract with military 

18 veterans who have completed the training pro19 gram under this subparagraph to carry out 

20 management activities under this Act. Individ21 uals contracted with pursuant to this subpara22 graph shall not be regarded as officers or em23 ployees of the United States on the basis of 

24 such contract.’’; and 

25 (2) in subsection (d)— 


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1 (A) by striking paragraph (3); and 

2 (B) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and 

3 (5) as paragraphs (3) and (4) respectively. 

Æ 


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