IIB 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6013 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and 

Public Works 

AN ACT 

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. 

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 ‘‘Migratory Bird Frame3 work and Hunting Opportunities for Veterans Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FEDERAL CLOSING DATE FOR HUNTING OF DUCKS, 

5 MERGANSERS, AND COOTS. 

6 Section 3 of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 

7 U.S.C. 704) is amended by adding at the end the fol8 lowing: 

9 ‘‘(c) FEDERAL FRAMEWORK CLOSING DATE FOR

10 HUNTING OF DUCKS, MERGANSERS, AND COOTS.— 

11 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In promulgating regula12 tions under subsection (a) relating to the Federal 

13 framework for outside dates within which the States 

14 may select seasons for migratory bird hunting, ex15 cept as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary 

16 shall, with respect to the hunting season for ducks, 

17 mergansers, and coots— 

18 ‘‘(A) adopt the recommendation of each re19 spective flyway council (as defined in section 

20 20.152 of title 50, Code of Federal Regula21 tions) for the Federal framework if considered 

22 by the Secretary to be consistent with science23 based and sustainable adaptive harvest manage24 ment, but the framework closing date shall be 

25 January 31 of each year; and 


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1 ‘‘(B) allow the States to establish the clos2 ing date for the hunting season in accordance 

3 with the Federal framework. 

4 ‘‘(2) SPECIAL DUCK HUNTING DAYS FOR

5 YOUTHS, VETERANS, AND ACTIVE MILITARY PER6 SONNEL.— 

7 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the 

8 closing date under paragraph (1) and subject to 

9 subparagraphs (B) and (C), the Secretary shall 

10 allow States to select 2 days for youths and 2 

11 days for veterans (as defined in section 101 of 

12 title 38, United States Code), and members of 

13 the Armed Forces on active duty, including 

14 members of the National Guard and Reserves 

15 on active duty (other than for training), to hunt 

16 ducks, mergansers, and coots. Such days shall 

17 be treated as an addition to the regular hunting 

18 season lengths selected by the States. 

19 ‘‘(B) REQUIREMENTS.—In selecting days 

20 under subparagraph (A), a State shall ensure 

21 that— 

22 ‘‘(i) the days selected— 

23 ‘‘(I) do not fall within the regular 

24 hunting season for ducks, mergansers, 

25 and coots; 


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1 ‘‘(II) with regard to youth days, 

2 are on a weekend, holiday or other 

3 day in which schools are not in ses4 sion; and 

5 ‘‘(III) are not more than 14 days 

6 before or after the hunting season for 

7 duck, mergansers, and coots; and 

8 ‘‘(ii) the total number of days in a 

9 hunting season for ducks, mergansers and 

10 coots, including any days selected under 

11 subparagraph (A), is not more than 107 

12 days. 

13 ‘‘(C) LIMITATION.—A State may combine 

14 the 2 days allowed for youths with the 2 days 

15 allowed for veterans and members of the Armed 

16 Forces on active duty under subparagraph (A), 

17 but in no circumstance may a State have more 

18 than a total of 4 additional days added to its 

19 regular hunting season for any purpose. 

20 ‘‘(3) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall pro21 mulgate regulations in accordance with this sub22 section for the Federal framework for migratory bird 


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1 hunting for the 2019–2020 hunting season and each 

2 hunting season thereafter.’’. 

Passed the House of Representatives September 25, 

2018. 

Attest: KAREN L. HAAS, 

Clerk. 


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