Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act of 2022

To amend the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act to protect horses and burros from slaughter and ensure their humane management, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act of 2022 2. Amendments to the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (a) Congressional findings and declaration of policy Section 1 of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1331 in the area where presently found, as (b) Definitions Section 2 of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1332 (1) in subsection (a), by striking by him (2) in subsection (b), by striking wild free-roaming horses and burros wild free-roaming horses and burros wild free-roaming horses or burros (3) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows: (d) population ; (4) in subsection (e), by striking Service. Service; (5) in subsection (f)— (A) by striking or burros must be removed and burros that must be removed (B) by striking in that area. in that area; (6) by adding at the end the following: (g) minimal feasible level (h) surgically sterilize (1) the removal of reproductive organ(s); or (2) the alteration of reproductive organ(s) or surrounding tissue; (i) fatally injured or terminally ill (1) precludes an acceptable quality of life due to pain or suffering; or (2) has a minimal chance of recovery; (j) appropriate management level (1) sustain themselves in a healthy condition; (2) produce healthy foals; (3) maintain healthy genetic diversity; and (4) sustain a thriving natural ecological balance; (k) animal welfare or wild horse organization (1) described in section 501(c)(3) 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) (2) exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code; and (3) the mission and practice of which includes the humane treatment of wild horses and burros; and (l) herd management area . (c) Powers and duties of Secretary Section 3 of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1333 (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking All wild free-roaming horses and burros are hereby (1) All wild free-roaming horses and burros are hereby ; (B) by striking he may designate and maintain specific ranges on public lands as sanctuaries for their protection and preservation, where the Secretary after consultation the Secretary may designate and maintain specific ranges on public lands as sanctuaries for the protection and preservation of wild free-roaming horses and burros, after consultation (C) by striking He shall consider The Secretary shall consider (D) by inserting wild free-roaming horses and burros as well as the natural ecological balance (E) by inserting wild free-roaming horses and burros and other wildlife species (F) by adding at the end the following: (2) The Secretary shall provide for the welfare of wild free-roaming horses and burros during handling, management activities, removals, euthanasia, short-term holding, long-term holding, and all other activities conducted under this Act by— (A) establishing regulations, consistent with this Act, that— (i) require, and describe conditions for, humane treatment of the animals during such activities; and (ii) ensure measures are in place for violations of the requirements or conditions under clause (i) to be corrected as expeditiously as practicable; and (B) taking action as expeditiously as practicable to correct, prevent the recurrence of, and record violations of such regulations. ; (2) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (1)— (i) by striking should be taken to remove excess animals should be taken to manage excess animals (ii) by striking determine whether appropriate management levels should be achieved by the removal or destruction of excess animals, or other options (such as sterilization, or natural controls on population levels) determine how the Secretary can achieve appropriate management levels using the most humane approaches available (iii) by striking whom he determines whom the Secretary determines (B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; (C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following: (2) (A) In order to better manage and protect wild free-roaming horses and burros, and to achieve and maintain a thriving natural ecological balance, the Secretary shall implement the most humane, minimally invasive, scientifically proven fertility control methods, such as reversible immunocontraception vaccines, to achieve on-range management goals. (B) In carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary may contract with or enter into partnerships with nonprofit organizations (with preference given to veterans organizations and animal welfare or wild horse organizations trained or otherwise certified in the humane management or population control of wild horses and burros). (C) Nothing in this Act authorizes the Secretary to surgically sterilize any wild free-roaming horse or burro for the purposes of on-range population management. ; (D) by amending paragraph (3), as so redesignated, to read as follows: (3) (A) The Secretary shall exhaust all practicable options for maintaining a thriving natural ecological balance on public lands before removing wild free-roaming horses and burros, including reallocating forage within the herd management area or range, the use of reversible immunocontraceptives, or relocating excess animals to herd management areas or ranges. (B) A determination to remove excess animals from public lands must be made on the basis of— (i) the current inventory of lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary; (ii) information contained in any land use planning completed pursuant to section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1712 (iii) information contained in court-ordered environmental impact statements, as defined in section 3 of the Public Rangelands Improvement Act of 1978 ( 43 U.S.C. 1902 (iv) the best available science; and (v) such additional information as becomes available to the Secretary from time to time, including that information developed in the research study mandated by this section. (C) In the absence of the information contained in clauses (i) through (v) of subparagraph (B), a determination to remove excess animals from public lands must be made on the basis of all information currently available to the Secretary that such removal is necessary. (D) After publishing in the Federal Register a determination to remove excess animals from public land, the Secretary may cause excess animals to be humanely captured and removed for private maintenance and care for which the Secretary determines an adoption demand exists by qualified individuals prior to removal, except in the case of a removal pursuant to subsection (j). (E) The Secretary must ensure humane treatment and care of the animals (including proper transportation, feeding, and handling), including by requiring that— (i) not more than four animals may be adopted per year by any individual; and (ii) each individual adopter execute an appropriate attestation, pursuant to section 1001 of title 18, United States Code, affirming that the adopter will not cause or allow an adopted animal or its remains to be processed into a commercial product, including by any action described in section 8(a)(4). ; and (E) in paragraph (4), as so redesignated, by striking assisting him in making his assisting the Secretary in making a (3) in subsection (c)— (A) by striking Where excess animals have When a wild free-roaming horse or burro has (B) by striking one-year period one-year period only after the Secretary or a trained representative completes a compliance inspection and it is determined that there are no violations of applicable laws, regulations, or contract terms (4) in subsection (d)— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking except for the limitation of subsection (c)(1) (B) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows: (3) upon destruction by the Secretary or a designee of the Secretary pursuant to subsection (h) of this section. ; and (C) by striking paragraphs (4) and (5); (5) by amending subsection (e) to read as follows: (e) Funds generated from the adoption of excess animals under this subsection shall be— (1) credited as an offsetting collection to the Management of Lands and Resources appropriation for the Bureau of Land Management; and (2) used for the costs relating to the adoption of wild free-roaming horses and burros, including the costs of marketing such adoption. ; and (6) by adding at the end the following: (f) For the purposes of carrying out a successful wild free-roaming horse and burro adoption program, the Secretary shall— (1) work with animal welfare or wild horse organizations to secure safe placement of wild free-roaming horses and burros; (2) screen potential adopters; (3) educate adopters in humane care; (4) maintain adoption records, including records of violations, in a centralized database system; and (5) pursue agreements with organizations that use horses for rehabilitation, therapy, prison training, or veteran programs. (g) The Secretary may not administer a program through which potential adopters may be offered a cash or monetary incentive for successful completion of the adoption process. (h) The Secretary may not destroy or authorize the destruction of wild free-roaming horses or burros unless the Secretary— (1) determines, based on the evaluation of a licensed veterinarian, that the wild free-roaming horse or burro is fatally injured or terminally ill; and (2) ensures that the wild free-roaming horse or burro is euthanized in the most humane manner available. (i) The Secretary may not— (1) process, authorize to be processed, or ship, move, deliver, receive, possess, purchase, sell, donate, or transport for processing any animal that is or was at any point during its life a wild free-roaming horse or burro, or the remains thereof, into commercial products; or (2) carry out any activity described in paragraph (1) if the Secretary has reason to believe the animal will be processed into commercial products as a result. (j) The Secretary may temporarily remove wild free-roaming horses and burros from public lands if the immediate health or safety of those wild free-roaming horses or burros is threatened. (k) Except in cases of removal under subsection (j), if the Secretary removes wild free-roaming horses or burros, the Secretary shall provide a public notice on a public website of the Secretary’s department at least 30 days before the planned removal. (l) The Secretary shall— (1) track the number of wild free-roaming horses and burros injured or killed during gathering and holding, along with a brief description of the injury or cause of death, in a centralized database system; and (2) publish such information on a public website of the Secretary’s department. . (d) Private maintenance; Numerical approximation; Strays on private lands; Removal; Destruction by agents Section 4 of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1334 (1) by inserting or returned to public lands arrange to have the animals removed (2) by inserting pursuant to section 3(h) by the agents of the Secretary (3) by striking his private lands the landowner’s private lands (4) by striking if he does so if the private landowner does so (5) by striking removed or enticed from the public lands caused to leave public lands for the purpose of converting the animals into private property (including by removal or enticement) (6) by striking and supply him and supply the Secretary (e) Cooperative agreements; regulations Section 6 of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1336 (1) by inserting , nonprofit organizations, private entities, landowners (2) by striking he deems the Secretary deems (f) Criminal provisions Section 8 of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1338 (1) by striking Any person who (a) Any person who ; (2) by amending paragraph (4) of subsection (a), as so redesignated, to read as follows: (4) (A) processes, authorizes to be processed, or ships, moves, delivers, receives, possesses, purchases, sells, donates, or transports for processing any animal that is or was at any point during its life a wild free-roaming horse or burro, or the remains thereof, into commercial products, or (B) carries out any activity described in paragraph (1) if the person has reason to believe the animal will be processed into commercial products as a result, or ; and (3) in paragraph (6) of subsection (a), as so redesignated— (A) by inserting , and shall not be allowed to adopt or purchase any animal that is or was at any point during its life a wild free-roaming horse or burro or both (B) by striking he was appointed such judge was appointed (g) Transportation of captured animals; Procedures and prohibitions applicable Section 9 of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1338a (1) by striking may use or contract for the use of helicopters or, for the purpose of transporting captured animals, motor vehicles. Such use shall prioritize use of the most humane, passive techniques, such as bait-and-trap techniques, for any capture of wild free-roaming horses and burros. The use of non-passive techniques with respect to the capture of wild free-roaming horses and burros (2) by striking fixed-wing aircraft, or helicopters, or to or (h) Limitation of authority Section 10 of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1339 (i) Joint report to Congress; Consultation and coordination of implementation, enforcement, and departmental activities; Studies Section 11 of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1340 he might the Secretary might 3. 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 Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act of 2022 This bill modifies requirements under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, including by directing the Department of the Interior to (1) establish regulations that require humane treatment of the animals during handling, management activities, removals, euthanasia, holding, and other activities; and (2) take actions to correct, prevent the recurrence of, and record violations of such regulations. The bill also prohibits Interior from destroying such animals unless they are fatally injured or terminally ill.