I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2864 
To amend the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act to direct the 
Secretary of the Interior to implement fertility controls to manage popu-
lations of wild free-roaming horses and burros, and to encourage training 
opportunities for military veterans to assist in range management activi-
ties, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 10, 2025 
Ms. MACE (for herself, Mr. NEGUSE, Mr. LAMALFA, Mr. MAGAZINER, Mr. 
LAWLER, Mr. CROW, Mr. MOOLENAAR, Ms. TITUS, Mr. CARTER of Geor-
gia, Mr. LIEU, Mr. MOORE of Alabama, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, Ms. SALAZAR, 
Mr. TRAN, and Mr. COHEN) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To amend the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act 
to direct the Secretary of the Interior to implement fer-
tility controls to manage populations of wild free-roaming 
horses and burros, and to encourage training opportuni-
ties for military veterans to assist in range management 
activities, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Veterans for Mustangs 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE WILD FREE-ROAMING 
HORSES AND BURROS ACT. 
Section 3(b)(2) of the Act commonly known as the 
Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (16 U.S.C. 
1333(b)(2)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘that action is necessary’’ and 
all that follows through ‘‘until all excess animals 
have been removed’’ and inserting ‘‘that action is 
necessary to reduce the animal population or remove 
excess animals, the Secretary shall immediately take 
steps under this paragraph to achieve appropriate 
management levels. Such action shall be taken, in 
the following order and priority, until the animal 
population has been reduced or all excess animals 
have been removed’’; 
(2) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through 
(C) as subparagraphs (B) through (D), respectively; 
and 
(3) by inserting before subparagraph (B), as so 
redesignated, the following: 
‘‘(A) The Secretary shall implement hu-
mane, reversible, non-surgical, medically safe 
on-range immunocontraceptive vaccine fertility 
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controls to manage populations of wild free- 
roaming horses and burros. In implementing 
such fertility controls, the Secretary, through 
the Bureau of Land Management, shall 
prioritize the recruitment of military veterans to 
train and become certified in the application of 
fertility controls with respect to wild free-roam-
ing horses and burros, including the certified 
PZP applicator certification offered by the 
Science and Conservation Center’s Certification 
Program. The Secretary shall provide appro-
priate compensation to military veterans par-
ticipating in such a certification program. Not-
withstanding any other provision of law, the 
Secretary is authorized to contract with military 
veterans who have completed the training pro-
gram under this subparagraph to carry out 
management activities under this Act. Individ-
uals contracted with pursuant to this subpara-
graph shall not be regarded as officers or em-
ployees of the United States on the basis of 
such contract.’’. 
Æ 
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