Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2023

To amend the Act commonly known as the Wild Free-roaming Horses and Burros Act to prohibit certain uses of aircraft with respect to the management of wild free-roaming horses and burros, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2023 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) As part of efforts to control equine populations under law, the Bureau of Land Management is directed to humanely capture wild free-roaming horses and burros for adoption. (2) The use of helicopters to chase equines over prolonged distances, usually on rough terrain, is particularly dangerous, and can frighten the animals and lead to deadly situations. (3) In January 2022, during the horse gathering at the Pancake Complex in central Nevada, a young colt was chased for miles by helicopter, ultimately gravely injuring itself, and necessitating the need for the animal to be shot and killed. (4) Scientific research shows that more humane and cost-effective alternatives exist to control equine populations, including fertility controls. (5) Since fiscal year 2006, Bureau of Land Management contractors have collected at least $57.4 million in taxpayer funding for roundups that utilize the use of helicopters, including bait-and-trap methods. (6) Since fiscal year 2017, the Bureau of Land Management has obligated at least $22.5 million in taxpayer funding for the specific purpose of helicopter roundups, including $6.5 million in fiscal year 2022 alone. (7) Currently, the Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse and Burro Program spends less than one percent of its budget on implementing fertility controls. (8) The elimination of helicopters from the Bureau of Land Management’s gatherings would provide a more humane method of capturing equines, and provide significant savings to taxpayers. 3. Amendments to the Wild Free-roaming Horses and Burros Act Section 9 of the Act commonly known as the Wild Free-roaming Horses and Burros Act ( Public Law 92–195 16 U.S.C. 1338a (1) by striking In administering this Act (a) (2) by striking helicopters or, for the purpose of transporting captured animals, motor vehicles motor vehicles for the purpose of transporting captured animals (3) by striking fixed-wing aircraft, or helicopters, or to or (4) by adding at the end the following: (b) Prohibition on certain uses of aircraft In administering this Act, the Secretary may not use or contract for the use of helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft for the purposes of rounding up or gathering wild free-roaming horses and burros. . 4. GAO Report Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit, to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, a report that describes— (1) humane alternatives to the use of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft in managing wild free-roaming horse and burro populations; (2) job creation opportunities presented by the use of such humane alternatives; and (3) the effects of aircraft, including unmanned aircraft systems, on wild free-roaming horse and burro populations.

Summary: Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2023 This bill prohibits the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from using or contracting for the use of helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft for gathering horses and burros under the Wild Free-roaming Horses and Burros Act. Further, BLM may not make contracts to use helicopters for transporting captured animals under such act.