IIB 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2293 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
DECEMBER 10, 2025 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and 
Public Works 
AN ACT 
To require the Secretary of the Interior to reissue certain 
regulations relating to the taking of double-crested cor-
morants at aquaculture facilities. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Cormorant Relief Act 
of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. REGULATIONS RELATING TO TAKING OF DOUBLE- 
CRESTED CORMORANTS AT AQUACULTURE 
FACILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall reissue the 
original depredation order in accordance with subsection 
(b). 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The depredation order re-
issued under subsection (a) shall be the same as the origi-
nal depredation order, except that the depredation order 
reissued under subsection (a) shall— 
(1) apply to— 
(A) each of the States of California, Colo-
rado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, 
Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsyl-
vania, and Wisconsin and any other State or 
territory of the United States the Secretary de-
termines appropriate in addition to and in the 
same manner as each of the States to which the 
original depredation order applied; and 
(B) lake managers and pond managers in 
addition to and in the same manner as each of 
the entities to which the original depredation 
order applied; 
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(2) incorporate modern terminology; 
(3) simplify the provisions contained in the 
original depredation order related to compliance with 
other Federal law; 
(4) modernize the recordkeeping requirements 
contained in the original depredation order; and 
(5) remove the June 30, 2014, expiration date 
contained in the original depredation order. 
(c) RENEWAL.—Not less than once every 5 years 
after the date on which the Secretary reissues the original 
depredation order under subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall renew the depredation order reissued under sub-
section (a). 
(d) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this Act 
may be construed to waive the obligation of the Secretary 
to comply with the— 
(1) National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); or 
(2) Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703 
et seq.). 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) LAKE
MANAGER.—The term ‘‘lake man-
ager’’ means a person that is licensed by a State 
regulatory agency to manage a private lake. 
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(2) ORIGINAL
DEPREDATION
ORDER.—The 
term ‘‘original depredation order’’ means the depre-
dation order for double-crested cormorants at aqua-
culture facilities contained in section 21.47 of title 
50, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on 
January 1, 2016). 
(3) POND MANAGER.—The term ‘‘pond man-
ager’’ means a person that is licensed by a State 
regulatory agency to manage a private pond. 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di-
rector of the United States Fish and Wildlife Serv-
ice. 
Passed the House of Representatives December 9, 
2025. 
Attest: 
KEVIN F. MCCUMBER, 
Clerk. 
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