I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4951 
To prohibit the use of M–44 devices, commonly known as ‘‘cyanide bombs’’, 
on public land, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 6, 2021 
Mr. DEFAZIO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agri-
culture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To prohibit the use of M–44 devices, commonly known as 
‘‘cyanide bombs’’, on public land, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as ‘‘Canyon’s Law’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Sodium cyanide is the highly toxic pesticide 
active ingredient used in M–44 devices, also known 
as ‘‘cyanide bombs’’, and is used to kill wolves, 
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coyotes, foxes, and wild dogs suspected of preying on 
livestock and poultry. 
(2) Sodium cyanide is registered for restricted 
use under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and 
Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.) as a Cat-
egory One acute toxicant, the most hazardous Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency classification available, 
due to the harm it poses to people and the environ-
ment. 
(3) Poisoning by sodium cyanide leads to cen-
tral nervous system depression, cardiac arrest, res-
piratory failure, paralysis, and blindness. 
(4) The Environmental Protection Agency au-
thorizes the use of M–44 devices nationwide, and in 
recent years, M–44s were used in Colorado, Idaho, 
North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, 
Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, 
and Wyoming. 
(5) In 2017, an M–44 device exposed an Idaho 
child to a sublethal dose of sodium cyanide with sub-
sequent short-term and long-term medical complica-
tions. Two Wyoming children were also exposed to 
the poison from another M–44 device. Three family 
dogs died in these two separate incidents. 
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(6) The indiscriminate M–44 device commonly 
harms nontarget wildlife and people; at least 42 peo-
ple have accidentally triggered a cyanide bomb caus-
ing exposure to cyanide gas and injuries since 1984. 
(7) M–44 devices kill targeted animals only 53 
percent of the time. Thousands of nontarget species 
of animals have been killed by M–44s, including bald 
eagles, golden eagles, gray wolves, black bears, griz-
zly bears, bobcats, fishers, and family dogs. 
(8) Despite the United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service determining in 1993 that M–44 devices 
could kill endangered species like the California Con-
dor, the use of the M–44 continues in areas where 
endangered species are found and continues to result 
in the deaths of endangered species. 
SEC. 3. USE OF M–44 DEVICES ON PUBLIC LAND PROHIB-
ITED. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Preparing, placing, installing, set-
ting, deploying, or otherwise using an M–44 device on 
public land is prohibited. 
(b) REMOVAL.—Not later than 30 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, any Federal, State, or county 
agency that has prepared, placed, installed, set, or de-
ployed an M–44 device on public land shall remove each 
such M–44 device from public land. 
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(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) M–44 DEVICE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘M–44 de-
vice’’ means a device designed to propel sodium 
cyanide when triggered by an animal. 
(B) COMMON NAMES.—The term ‘‘M–44 
device’’ includes any device that may be com-
monly known as an ‘‘M–44 ejector device’’ or 
an ‘‘M–44 predator control device’’. 
(2) PUBLIC
LAND.—The term ‘‘public land’’ 
means any Federal land under the administrative ju-
risdiction of a public land management agency. 
(3) PUBLIC LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCY.—The 
term ‘‘public land management agency’’ means each 
of, or a combination of, the following: 
(A) The National Park Service. 
(B) The United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service. 
(C) The Bureau of Land Management. 
(D) The Bureau of Reclamation. 
(E) The Forest Service. 
Æ 
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