I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4591 
To establish grant programs to sustain populations of species of migratory 
waterfowl through the deployment of tools and practices that complement 
habitat conservation, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 22, 2025 
Mrs. FISCHBACH (for herself, Mr. LAMALFA, and Mr. THOMPSON of Cali-
fornia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To establish grant programs to sustain populations of species 
of migratory waterfowl through the deployment of tools 
and practices that complement habitat conservation, 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 ‘‘Habitat Enhancement 
Now Act’’. 
SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAMS TO SUSTAIN POPULATIONS OF 
SPECIES OF MIGRATORY WATERFOWL. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
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(1) the maintenance of healthy populations of 
migratory birds in North America is largely depend-
ent on the protection, restoration, and management 
of wetland ecosystems and other habitats, as identi-
fied in the Implementation Plans of Joint Ventures 
authorized under the North American Waterfowl 
Management Plan; 
(2) duck populations in North America are 
being threatened by the loss in the quantity and 
quality of breeding habitat, which leads to declining 
nest success; 
(3) low nest success has been widely docu-
mented to be the key annual driver in duck popu-
lations; 
(4) additional tools can be employed to increase 
nest success to complement the private, State, and 
Federal habitat conservation programs and efforts in 
order to sustain healthy waterfowl populations; 
(5) relatively modest investments in manage-
ment 
can 
make 
meaningful 
impacts 
towards 
supplementing waterfowl production in areas where 
waterfowl production outcomes have not been fully 
met; 
(6) numerous studies have made it clear that 
nesting structures, in particular ‘‘hen houses’’, are 
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the most efficient and cost-effective tool for increas-
ing nest success; and 
(7) providing incentives to private landowners 
to establish nesting cover, create or restore brood 
ponds, and provide brood water is a priority to en-
hance production of mallards, gadwalls, and other 
breeding ducks in California. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means— 
(A) a State, local, or Tribal government; 
(B) a nonprofit organization; and 
(C) an individual. 
(2) HEN
HOUSE.—The term ‘‘hen house’’ 
means a type of cylindrical nest structure installed 
on a post in a prairie pothole. 
(3) PRAIRIE POTHOLE.—The term ‘‘prairie pot-
hole’’ means a depressional wetland, including a 
freshwater marsh, that provides vital habitat to spe-
cies of nesting waterfowl and other species. 
(4) PRAIRIE
POTHOLE
REGION.—The term 
‘‘prairie pothole region’’ means the primary nesting 
grounds of the majority of North American ducks. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
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(c) GRANT PROGRAMS.— 
(1) HEN HOUSE GRANT PROGRAM.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall establish a competitive grant 
program to award amounts to eligible entities 
to strategically place, build, and maintain hen 
houses in the prairie pothole region for the pur-
pose of improving the nesting success rates of 
populations of species of migratory waterfowl. 
(B) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to re-
ceive a grant under this paragraph, an eligible 
entity shall submit to the Secretary an applica-
tion in such form, at such time, and containing 
such information as the Secretary determines 
appropriate. 
(2) BREEDING HABITAT GRANT PROGRAM.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall establish a competitive grant 
program to award amounts to eligible entities 
to develop breeding habitat for species of migra-
tory waterfowl within California for the purpose 
of enhancing the breeding success rates of pop-
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ulations of species of migratory waterfowl, in-
cluding by— 
(i) establishing nesting cover; 
(ii) creating brood ponds; and 
(iii) providing incentives to willing 
landowners to carry out the activities de-
scribed in this subparagraph on land under 
the control of those landowners within 
California. 
(B) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to re-
ceive a grant under this paragraph, an eligible 
entity shall submit to the Secretary an applica-
tion in such form, at such time, and containing 
such information as the Secretary determines 
appropriate. 
(d) FUNDING.—For each of fiscal years 2026 
through 2030, of the amounts appropriated or otherwise 
made available to the ‘‘Department of the Interior—Office 
of the Secretary—Departmental Operations’’ account for 
each such fiscal year— 
(1) $3,500,000 shall be made available to carry 
out subsection (c)(1); and 
(2) $3,500,000 shall be made available to carry 
out subsection (c)(2). 
Æ 
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