I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 742 
To amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to establish January 31 of each 
year as the Federal framework closing date for the duck hunting season 
and to establish special duck hunting days for youths, veterans, and 
active military personnel, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 24, 2019 
Mr. BISHOP of Utah introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to establish Janu-
ary 31 of each year as the Federal framework closing 
date for the duck hunting season and to establish special 
duck hunting days for youths, veterans, and active mili-
tary personnel, 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 ‘‘Migratory Bird Frame-
work and Hunting Opportunities for Veterans Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FEDERAL CLOSING DATE FOR HUNTING OF DUCKS, 
MERGANSERS, AND COOTS. 
Section 3 of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 
U.S.C. 704) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(c) FEDERAL FRAMEWORK CLOSING DATE
FOR 
HUNTING OF DUCKS, MERGANSERS, AND COOTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—In promulgating regula-
tions under subsection (a) relating to the Federal 
framework for outside dates within which the States 
may select seasons for migratory bird hunting, ex-
cept as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary 
shall, with respect to the hunting season for ducks, 
mergansers, and coots— 
‘‘(A) adopt the recommendation of each re-
spective flyway council (as defined in section 
20.152 of title 50, Code of Federal Regula-
tions) for the Federal framework if considered 
by the Secretary to be consistent with science- 
based and sustainable adaptive harvest manage-
ment, but the framework closing date shall be 
January 31 of each year; and 
‘‘(B) allow the States to establish the clos-
ing date for the hunting season in accordance 
with the Federal framework. 
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‘‘(2) SPECIAL
DUCK
HUNTING
DAYS
FOR 
YOUTHS, VETERANS, AND
ACTIVE
MILITARY
PER-
SONNEL.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the 
closing date under paragraph (1) and subject to 
subparagraphs (B) and (C), the Secretary shall 
allow States to select 2 days for youths and 2 
days for veterans (as defined in section 101 of 
title 38, United States Code), and members of 
the Armed Forces on active duty, including 
members of the National Guard and Reserves 
on active duty (other than for training), to hunt 
ducks, mergansers, and coots. Such days shall 
be treated as an addition to the regular hunting 
season lengths selected by the States. 
‘‘(B) REQUIREMENTS.—In selecting days 
under subparagraph (A), a State shall ensure 
that— 
‘‘(i) the days selected— 
‘‘(I) do not fall within the regular 
hunting season for ducks, mergansers, 
and coots; 
‘‘(II) with regard to youth days, 
are on a weekend, holiday or other 
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day in which schools are not in ses-
sion; and 
‘‘(III) are not more than 14 days 
before or after the hunting season for 
duck, mergansers, and coots; and 
‘‘(ii) the total number of days in a 
hunting season for ducks, mergansers and 
coots, including any days selected under 
subparagraph (A), is not more than 107 
days. 
‘‘(C) LIMITATION.—A State may combine 
the 2 days allowed for youths with the 2 days 
allowed for veterans and members of the Armed 
Forces on active duty under subparagraph (A), 
but in no circumstance may a State have more 
than a total of 4 additional days added to its 
regular hunting season for any purpose. 
‘‘(3) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall pro-
mulgate regulations in accordance with this sub-
section for the Federal framework for migratory bird 
hunting for the 2020–2021 hunting season and each 
hunting season thereafter.’’. 
Æ 
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