I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 726 
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 
FEBRUARY 1, 2023 
Mrs. MCCLAIN (for herself, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, Ms. TITUS, Mr. MOORE 
of Alabama, Ms. SALAZAR, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. GARCI´A of Illinois, Ms. 
MACE, Mr. MOOLENAAR, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. MALLIOTAKIS, Mr. 
NEGUSE, Mr. DOGGETT, and Mr. CARTER of Georgia) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred 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 of the Act commonly known as the Wild 
Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (16 U.S.C. 1333) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2)— 
(A) 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 Sec-
retary shall immediately take steps under this 
paragraph to achieve appropriate management 
levels. Such action shall be taken, in the fol-
lowing order and priority, until the animal pop-
ulation has been reduced or all excess animals 
have been removed’’; 
(B) by striking subparagraphs (A) and 
(C); 
(C) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘; 
and’’ and inserting a period; and 
(D) by inserting before subparagraph (B) 
the following: 
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‘‘(A) The Secretary shall implement non-
surgical, medically safe on-range fertility con-
trols to manage populations of wild free-roam-
ing 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 fer-
tility controls with respect to wild free-roaming 
horses and burros, including the certified PZP 
applicator certification offered by the Science 
and Conservation Center’s Certification Pro-
gram. The Secretary shall provide appropriate 
compensation to military veterans participating 
in such a certification program. Notwith-
standing any other provision of law, the Sec-
retary 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.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (d)— 
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(A) by striking paragraph (3); and 
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and 
(5) as paragraphs (3) and (4) respectively. 
Æ 
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