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[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6013 Reported in House (RH)]

<DOC>

                                                 Union Calendar No. 757
115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6013

                          [Report No. 115-969]

To amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to establish January 31 of each 
    year as the Federal closing date for duck hunting season and to 
 establish special duck hunting days for youths, veterans, and active 
              military personnel, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 6, 2018

    Mr. Bishop of Utah (for himself and Mr. Bergman) introduced the 
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
                               Resources

                           September 25, 2018

              Additional sponsor: Mr. Kelly of Mississippi

                           September 25, 2018

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
          on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 6, 
                                 2018]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to establish January 31 of each 
    year as the Federal closing date for duck hunting season and to 
 establish special duck hunting days for youths, veterans, and active 
              military personnel, 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 ``Migratory Bird Framework and Hunting 
Opportunities for Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. FEDERAL CLOSING DATE FOR HUNTING OF DUCKS, MERGANSERS, AND 
              COOTS.

    Section 3 of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 704) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Federal Framework Closing Date for Hunting of Ducks, 
Mergansers, and Coots.--
            ``(1) In general.--In promulgating regulations under 
        subsection (a) relating to the Federal framework for outside 
        dates within which the States may select seasons for migratory 
        bird hunting, except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        Secretary shall, with respect to the hunting season for ducks, 
        mergansers, and coots--
                    ``(A) adopt the recommendation of each respective 
                flyway council (as defined in section 20.152 of title 
                50, Code of Federal Regulations) for the Federal 
                framework, but the framework closing date shall be 
                January 31 of each year; and
                    ``(B) allow the States to establish the closing 
                date for the hunting season in accordance with the 
                Federal framework.
            ``(2) Special duck hunting days for youths, veterans, and 
        active military personnel.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding the closing date 
                under paragraph (1) and subject to subparagraphs (B) 
                and (C), the Secretary shall allow States to select 2 
                days for youths and 2 days for veterans (as defined in 
                section 101 of title 38, United States Code), and 
                members of the Armed Forces on active duty, including 
                members of the National Guard and Reserves on active 
                duty (other than for training), to hunt ducks, 
                mergansers, and coots. Such days shall be treated as an 
                addition to the regular hunting season lengths selected 
                by the States.
                    ``(B) Requirements.--In selecting days under 
                subparagraph (A), a State shall ensure that--
                            ``(i) the days selected--
                                    ``(I) do not fall within the 
                                regular hunting season for ducks, 
                                mergansers, and coots;
                                    ``(II) with regard to youth days, 
                                are on a weekend, holiday or other day 
                                in which schools are not in session; 
                                and
                                    ``(III) are not more than 14 days 
                                before or after the hunting season for 
                                duck, mergansers, and coots; and
                            ``(ii) the total number of days in a 
                        hunting season for ducks, mergansers and coots, 
                        including any days selected under subparagraph 
                        (A), is not more than 107 days.
                    ``(C) Limitation.--A State may combine the 2 days 
                allowed for youths with the 2 days allowed for veterans 
                and members of the Armed Forces on active duty under 
                subparagraph (A), but in no circumstance may a State 
                have more than a total of 4 additional days added to 
                its regular hunting season for any purpose.
            ``(3) Regulations.--The Secretary shall promulgate 
        regulations in accordance with this subsection for the Federal 
        framework for migratory bird hunting for the 2019-2020 hunting 
        season and each hunting season thereafter.''.
            Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to amend the 
        Migratory Bird Treaty Act to establish January 31 of each year 
        as the Federal framework closing date for the duck hunting 
        season and to establish special duck hunting days for youths, 
        veterans, and active military personnel, and for other 
        purposes.''.
                                                 Union Calendar No. 757

115th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 6013

                          [Report No. 115-969]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to establish January 31 of each 
    year as the Federal closing date for duck hunting season and to 
 establish special duck hunting days for youths, veterans, and active 
              military personnel, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           September 25, 2018

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
          on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
```