I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1945 
To establish the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council Advisory 
Committee to advise the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture 
on wildlife and habitat conservation, hunting, recreational shooting, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 5, 2017 
Mr. LATTA (for himself, Mr. FARENTHOLD, Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina, 
Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Mr. LAMALFA, Mr. COLE, and Mr. 
WALZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation 
Council Advisory Committee to advise the Secretaries 
of the Interior and Agriculture on wildlife and habitat 
conservation, hunting, recreational shooting, 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 ‘‘Wildlife and Hunting 
Heritage Conservation Council Advisory Committee Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. WILDLIFE AND HUNTING HERITAGE CONSERVA-
TION COUNCIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Fish and Wildlife Coordina-
tion Act (16 U.S.C. 661 et seq.) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 10. WILDLIFE AND HUNTING HERITAGE CONSERVA-
TION COUNCIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established 
the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council 
Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as the ‘Ad-
visory Committee’) to advise the Secretaries of the Interior 
and Agriculture on wildlife and habitat conservation, 
hunting, and recreational shooting. 
‘‘(b) DUTIES OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—The 
Advisory Committee shall advise the Secretaries with re-
gard to— 
‘‘(1) implementation of Executive Order No. 
13443: Facilitation of Hunting Heritage and Wild-
life Conservation, which directs Federal agencies ‘to 
facilitate the expansion and enhancement of hunting 
opportunities and the management of game species 
and their habitat’; 
‘‘(2) policies or programs to conserve and re-
store wetlands, agricultural lands, grasslands, forest, 
and rangeland habitats; 
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‘‘(3) policies or programs to promote opportuni-
ties and access to hunting and shooting sports on 
Federal lands; 
‘‘(4) policies or programs to recruit and retain 
new hunters and shooters; 
‘‘(5) policies or programs that increase public 
awareness of the importance of wildlife conservation 
and the social and economic benefits of recreational 
hunting and shooting; and 
‘‘(6) policies or programs that encourage co-
ordination among the public, the hunting and shoot-
ing sports community, wildlife conservation groups, 
and States, tribes, and the Federal Government. 
‘‘(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
‘‘(1) APPOINTMENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Advisory Com-
mittee shall consist of no more than 16 discre-
tionary members and 7 ex officio members. 
‘‘(B) EX OFFICIO MEMBERS.—The ex offi-
cio members are— 
‘‘(i) the Director of the United States 
Fish and Wildlife Service or a designated 
representative of the Director; 
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‘‘(ii) the Director of the Bureau of 
Land Management or a designated rep-
resentative of the Director; 
‘‘(iii) the Director of the National 
Park Service or a designated representa-
tive of the Director; 
‘‘(iv) the Chief of the Forest Service 
or a designated representative of the Chief; 
‘‘(v) the Chief of the Natural Re-
sources Conservation Service or a des-
ignated representative of the Chief; 
‘‘(vi) the Administrator of the Farm 
Service Agency or a designated representa-
tive of the Administrator; and 
‘‘(vii) the Executive Director of the 
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. 
‘‘(C) DISCRETIONARY MEMBERS.—The dis-
cretionary members shall be appointed jointly 
by the Secretaries from at least one of each of 
the following: 
‘‘(i) State fish and wildlife agencies. 
‘‘(ii) Game bird hunting organiza-
tions. 
‘‘(iii) Wildlife conservation organiza-
tions. 
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‘‘(iv) Big game hunting organizations. 
‘‘(v) The tourism, outfitter, or guiding 
industry. 
‘‘(vi) The firearms or ammunition 
manufacturing industry. 
‘‘(vii) The hunting or shooting equip-
ment retail industry. 
‘‘(viii) Tribal resource management 
organizations. 
‘‘(ix) The agriculture industry. 
‘‘(x) The ranching industry. 
‘‘(xi) Waterfowl hunting organiza-
tions. 
‘‘(D) ELIGIBILITY.—Prior to the appoint-
ment of the discretionary members, the Secre-
taries shall determine that all individuals nomi-
nated for appointment to the Advisory Com-
mittee, and the organization each individual 
represents, actively support and promote sus-
tainable-use hunting, wildlife conservation, and 
recreational shooting. 
‘‘(2) TERMS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), members of the Advisory 
Committee shall be appointed for a term of 4 
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years. Members shall not be appointed for more 
than 3 consecutive or nonconsecutive terms. 
‘‘(B) TERMS OF INITIAL APPOINTEES.—As 
designated by the Secretary at the time of ap-
pointment, of the members first appointed— 
‘‘(i) 6 members shall be appointed for 
a term of 4 years; 
‘‘(ii) 5 members shall be appointed for 
a term of 3 years; and 
‘‘(iii) 5 members shall be appointed 
for a term of 2 years. 
‘‘(3) PRESERVATION OF PUBLIC ADVISORY STA-
TUS.—No individual may be appointed as a discre-
tionary member of the Advisory Committee while 
serving as an officer or employee of the Federal 
Government. 
‘‘(4) VACANCY AND REMOVAL.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Any vacancy on the 
Advisory Committee shall be filled in the man-
ner in which the original appointment was 
made. 
‘‘(B) 
REMOVAL.—Advisory 
Committee 
members shall serve at the discretion of the 
Secretaries and may be removed at any time for 
good cause. 
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‘‘(5) CONTINUATION
OF
SERVICE.—Each ap-
pointed member may continue to serve after the ex-
piration of the term of office to which such member 
was appointed until a successor has been appointed. 
‘‘(6) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the 
Advisory Committee shall be appointed for a 3-year 
term by the Secretaries, jointly, from among the 
members of the Advisory Committee. An individual 
may not be appointed as Chairperson for more than 
2 consecutive or nonconsecutive terms. 
‘‘(7) PAY AND EXPENSES.—Members of the Ad-
visory Committee shall serve without pay for such 
service, but each member of the Advisory Committee 
may be reimbursed for travel and lodging incurred 
through attending meetings of the Advisory Com-
mittee approved subgroup meetings in the same 
amounts and under the same conditions as Federal 
employees (in accordance with section 5703 of title 
5, United States Code). 
‘‘(8) MEETINGS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Advisory Com-
mittee shall meet at the call of the Secretaries, 
the chairperson, or a majority of the members, 
but not less frequently than twice annually. 
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‘‘(B) OPEN MEETINGS.—Each meeting of 
the Advisory Committee shall be open to the 
public. 
‘‘(C) PRIOR NOTICE OF MEETINGS.—Time-
ly notice of each meeting of the Advisory Com-
mittee shall be published in the Federal Reg-
ister and be submitted to trade publications and 
publications of general circulation. 
‘‘(D) SUBGROUPS.—The Advisory Com-
mittee may establish such workgroups or sub-
groups as it deems necessary for the purpose of 
compiling information or conducting research. 
However, such workgroups may not conduct 
business without the direction of the Advisory 
Committee and must report in full to the Advi-
sory Committee. 
‘‘(9) QUORUM.—Nine members of the Advisory 
Committee shall constitute a quorum. 
‘‘(d) EXPENSES.—The expenses of the Advisory 
Committee that the Secretaries determine to be reasonable 
and appropriate shall be paid by the Secretaries. 
‘‘(e) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, TECHNICAL SERV-
ICES, AND ADVICE.—A designated Federal Officer shall 
be jointly appointed by the Secretaries to provide to the 
Advisory Committee the administrative support, technical 
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services, and advice that the Secretaries determine to be 
reasonable and appropriate. 
‘‘(f) ANNUAL REPORT.— 
‘‘(1) REQUIRED.—Not later than September 30 
of each year, the Advisory Committee shall submit 
a report to the Secretaries, the Committee on Nat-
ural Resources and the Committee on Agriculture of 
the House of Representatives, and the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee 
on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Sen-
ate. If circumstances arise in which the Advisory 
Committee cannot meet the September 30 deadline 
in any year, the Secretaries shall advise the Chair-
persons of each such Committee of the reasons for 
such delay and the date on which the submission of 
the report is anticipated. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall describe— 
‘‘(A) the activities of the Advisory Com-
mittee during the preceding year; 
‘‘(B) the reports and recommendations 
made by the Advisory Committee to the Secre-
taries during the preceding year; and 
‘‘(C) an accounting of actions taken by the 
Secretaries as a result of the recommendations. 
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‘‘(g) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—The 
Advisory Committee shall be exempt from the Federal Ad-
visory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).’’. 
(b) CONTINUANCE AND ABOLISHMENT OF EXISTING 
WILDLIFE
AND
HUNTING
HERITAGE
CONSERVATION 
COUNCIL.—The Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conserva-
tion Council established pursuant to section 441 of the 
Revised Statutes (43 U.S.C. 1457), section 2 of the Fish 
and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742a), and other Acts 
applicable to specific bureaus of the Department of the 
Interior— 
(1) shall continue until the date of the first 
meeting of the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Con-
servation Council established by the amendment 
made by subsection (a); and 
(2) is hereby abolished effective on that date. 
Æ 
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