IB 

Union Calendar No. 679 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 1437 

[Report No. 118–832] 

To authorize livestock producers and their employees to take black vultures 

in order to prevent death, injury, or destruction to livestock, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 8, 2023 

Mr. ROSE (for himself and Mr. SOTO) introduced the following bill; which was 

referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

DECEMBER 10, 2024 

Additional sponsors: Mr. PFLUGER, Mr. BARR, Mr. COMER, Mr. BRECHEEN, 

Mr. BALDERSON, Mr. CRAWFORD, Mr. WOMACK, Mr. MILLER of Ohio, 

Mr. HERN, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. SMITH of Missouri, Mr. PERRY, Mrs. BICE, 

Mr. BERGMAN, Mr. DUNN of Florida, Mr. CARTER of Georgia, Ms. 

MACE, Mr. FERGUSON, Mr. OGLES, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. RUTHERFORD, 

Mr. GUTHRIE, Mr. WENSTRUP, Mrs. HARSHBARGER, Mr. ROUZER, Mr. 

SMUCKER, Mr. MEUSER, Mr. KUSTOFF, Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas, Mr. 

PENCE, Mr. GOODEN of Texas, Mr. STEUBE, Mr. LUCAS, Ms. HAGEMAN, 

Mr. ALFORD, Mr. BOST, Mr. BUCSHON, Mr. KELLY of Mississippi, Mr. 

BURCHETT, and Mr. GRAVES of Missouri 

DECEMBER 10, 2024 

Reported with an amendment, 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 March 8, 2023] 


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•HR 1437 RH

A BILL 

To authorize livestock producers and their employees to take 

black vultures in order to prevent death, injury, or destruction to livestock, and for other purposes. 


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•HR 1437 RH

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Black Vulture Relief 

5 Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS AND 

7 THEIR EMPLOYEES TO TAKE CERTAIN BLACK 

8 VULTURES. 

9 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

10 (1) BLACK VULTURE.—The term ‘‘black vulture’’ 

11 means a bird of the species Coragyps atratus. 

12 (2) COVERED PERSON.—The term ‘‘covered per13 son’’ means— 

14 (A) a livestock producer; or 

15 (B) an employee of a livestock producer 

16 when the employee is actively engaged in live17 stock production. 

18 (3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means the 

19 Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Serv20 ice. 

21 (4) LIVESTOCK.—The term ‘‘livestock’’ has the 

22 meaning given the term in section 602 of the Emer23 gency Livestock Feed Assistance Act of 1988 (7 U.S.C. 

24 1471). 


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•HR 1437 RH

1 (5) LIVESTOCK PRODUCER.—The term ‘‘livestock 

2 producer’’ has the meaning given the term in section 

3 602 of the Emergency Livestock Feed Assistance Act 

4 of 1988 (7 U.S.C. 1471). 

5 (6) TAKE.—The term ‘‘take’’ means— 

6 (A) to capture, kill, or disperse a black vul7 ture; or 

8 (B) to transport a black vulture carcass. 

9 (b) AUTHORIZATION.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), not11 withstanding the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 

12 U.S.C. 703 et seq.), a covered person may— 

13 (A) take or attempt to take a black vulture 

14 that is causing, or that the covered person has a 

15 reasonable belief will cause, death, injury, or de16 struction to livestock; or 

17 (B) in the course of taking or attempting to 

18 take a black vulture described in subparagraph 

19 (A), cause injury to the black vulture. 

20 (2) PROHIBITION.—A covered person may not 

21 take or attempt to take a black vulture through the 

22 use of poison. 

23 (c) REPORTS.— 

24 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than January 31 of 

25 each year, a covered person that takes a black vulture 


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•HR 1437 RH

1 in accordance with subsection (b) in the preceding 12- 

2 month period shall complete and submit to the appro3 priate United States Fish and Wildlife Service Re4 gional Office (as determined by the geographic juris5 dictions described in section 2.2 of title 50, Code of 

6 Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)) an 

7 annual report using the form developed by the Direc8 tor under subsection (d). 

9 (2) CLARIFICATION.—A covered person shall not 

10 be required to submit a report under paragraph (1) 

11 until after the date on which the Director develops 

12 and makes available the reporting form under sub13 section (d). 

14 (d) REPORTING FORMS.— 

15 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), not 

16 later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 

17 Act, the Director shall develop and make available on 

18 the website of the United States Fish and Wildlife 

19 Service a reporting form the Director determines ap20 propriate for the purposes of accepting reports under 

21 subsection (c). 

22 (2) FORMAT.—The form developed and made 

23 available under paragraph (1) may not be more oner24 ous to complete than similar forms required for per25 mitted take under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 


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•HR 1437 RH

1 U.S.C. 703 et seq.) as of the date of enactment of this 

2 Act. 


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Union Calendar No. 679 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 1437 

[Report No. 118–832] 

A BILL 

To authorize livestock producers and their employother purposes. death, injury, or destruction to livestock, and for ees to take black vultures in order to prevent 

DECEMBER 10, 2024 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


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