IB 
Union Calendar No. 757 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6013 
[Report No. 115–969] 
To amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to establish January 31 of each 
year as the Federal closing date for duck hunting season and to establish 
special duck hunting days for youths, veterans, and active military per-
sonnel, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 6, 2018 
Mr. BISHOP of Utah (for himself and Mr. BERGMAN) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 
Additional sponsor: Mr. KELLY of Mississippi 
SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 6, 2018] 
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A BILL 
To amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to establish Janu-
ary 31 of each year as the Federal closing date for 
duck hunting season and to establish special duck hunt-
ing days for youths, veterans, and active military per-
sonnel, and for other purposes. 
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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’’. 
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 following: 
‘‘(c) FEDERAL
FRAMEWORK
CLOSING
DATE
FOR 
HUNTING OF DUCKS, MERGANSERS, AND COOTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In promulgating regulations 
under subsection (a) relating to the Federal frame-
work for outside dates within which the States may 
select seasons for migratory bird hunting, except 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 Regulations) 
for the Federal framework, but the framework 
closing date shall be January 31 of each year; 
and 
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‘‘(B) allow the States to establish the closing 
date for the hunting season in accordance with 
the Federal framework. 
‘‘(2) SPECIAL DUCK HUNTING DAYS FOR YOUTHS, 
VETERANS, AND ACTIVE MILITARY PERSONNEL.— 
‘‘(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; 
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‘‘(II) with regard to youth days, 
are on a weekend, holiday or other day 
in which schools are not in session; 
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 al-
lowed 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 2019–2020 hunting season and each 
hunting season thereafter.’’. 
Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to amend the 
Migratory Bird Treaty Act to establish January 31 of 
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each year as the Federal framework closing date for the 
duck hunting season and to establish special duck hunt-
ing days for youths, veterans, and active military per-
sonnel, and for other purposes.’’. 
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