I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4356 
To amend the Act commonly known as the Wild Free-roaming Horses and 
Burros Act to prohibit certain uses of aircraft with respect to the 
management of wild free-roaming horses and burros, and for other pur-
poses. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 10, 2025 
Ms. TITUS (for herself, Mr. COHEN, and Mr. CISCOMANI) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To amend the Act commonly known as the Wild Free-roam-
ing Horses and Burros Act to prohibit certain uses of 
aircraft with respect to the management of wild free- 
roaming horses and burros, 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 the ‘‘Wild Horse and Burro 
Protection Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) As part of efforts to control equine popu-
lations under law, the Bureau of Land Management 
is directed to humanely capture wild free-roaming 
horses and burros for adoption. 
(2) The use of helicopters to chase equines over 
prolonged distances, usually on rough terrain, is par-
ticularly dangerous, and can frighten the animals 
and lead to deadly situations, often miles from pub-
lic view. 
(3) Public observation of roundups is typically 
limited, thereby restricting public access to the gov-
ernment operation. 
(4) Scientific research shows that more humane 
and cost-effective alternatives exist to control equine 
populations, including fertility controls. 
(5) Since fiscal year 2012, over $69.5 million in 
taxpayer dollars have funded roundup operations to 
remove federally protected wild horses and burros 
from the range. 
(6) In the past five years (2020–2024), at least 
$36.7 million has been spent on roundups, including 
over $6 million paid to helicopter roundup contrac-
tors in fiscal year 2022 alone. 
(7) Since 2012, the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment has administered fewer than 800 fertility con-
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trol treatments per year on average. In fiscal year 
2012, 1,045 treatments were applied; in fiscal year 
2024, 1,038 treatments. 
(8) Historically, the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment’s Wild Horse and Burro Program has spent 
less than one percent of its budget on implementing 
fertility controls. 
(9) The elimination of helicopters from the Bu-
reau of Land Management’s gatherings would pro-
vide a more humane method of capturing equines, 
and provide significant savings to taxpayers. 
SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE WILD FREE-ROAMING 
HORSES AND BURROS ACT. 
Section 9 of the Act commonly known as the Wild 
Free-roaming Horses and Burros Act (Public Law 92– 
195; 16 U.S.C. 1338a) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘In administering this Act’’ and 
inserting ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In administering this 
Act’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘helicopters or, for the purpose 
of transporting captured animals, motor vehicles’’ 
and inserting ‘‘motor vehicles for the purpose of 
transporting captured animals or aircraft only in 
compliance with subsection (b) of this section’’; 
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(3) by striking ‘‘fixed-wing aircraft, or heli-
copters, or to’’ and inserting ‘‘or’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) PHASED ELIMINATION OF CERTAIN USES OF 
AIRCRAFT.—In administering this Act, during the 2-year 
period after the date of the enactment of the Wild Horse 
and Burro Protection Act of 2025, the Secretary shall 
phase out the use or contracts for the use of helicopters 
or fixed-wing aircraft for the purposes of rounding up or 
gathering wild free-roaming horses and burros, ensuring 
an effective reduction in the reliance on these methods 
each year until all such practices have been terminated. 
‘‘(c) REQUIREMENT FOR USE OF CAMERAS ON AIR-
CRAFT.—Any helicopter or aircraft used for the purposes 
of rounding up or gathering wild horses and burros shall 
be equipped with one or more cameras to record the 
roundup or gather operation. The Secretary shall ensure 
such footage is made available as part of the cor-
responding agency roundup or gather report.’’. 
SEC. 4. 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 Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate, a report that describes— 
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(1) humane alternatives to the use of heli-
copters 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. 
Æ 
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