16 U.S.C. § 669b (CONSERVATION)
§ 669b. Authorization of appropriations
(a) In general
(1) An amount equal to all revenues accruing each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal year 1975) from any tax imposed on specified articles by sections 4161(b) and 4181 of title 26, shall, subject to the exemptions in section 4182 of such title, be covered into the Federal aid to wildlife restoration fund in the Treasury (hereinafter referred to as the “fund”) and is authorized to be appropriated and made available until expended to carry out the purposes of this chapter. So much of such appropriations apportioned to any State for any fiscal year as remains unexpended at the close thereof is authorized to be made available for expenditure in that State until the close of the succeeding fiscal year. Any amount apportioned to any State under the provisions of this chapter which is unexpended or unobligated at the end of the period during which it is available for expenditure on any project is authorized to be made available for expenditure by the Secretary of the Interior in carrying out the provisions of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act [16 U.S.C. 715 et seq.].
(2) There is established in the Federal aid to wildlife restoration fund a subaccount to be known as the “Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account”. There are authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account $50,000,000 in fiscal year 2001 for apportionment in accordance with this chapter to carry out State wildlife conservation and restoration programs. Further, interest on amounts transferred shall be treated in a manner consistent with 16 U.S.C. 669(b)(1)).1
(b) Investment of unexpended amounts
(1) The Secretary of the Treasury shall invest in interest-bearing obligations of the United States such portion of the fund as is not, in his judgment, required for meeting a current year’s withdrawals. For purposes of such investment, the Secretary of the Treasury may—
(A) acquire obligations at the issue price and purchase outstanding obligations at the market price; and
(B) sell obligations held in the fund at the market price.
(2) The interest on obligations held in the fund—
(A) shall be credited to the fund;
(B) constitute the sums available for allocation by the Secretary under section 4407 of this title; and
(C) shall become available for apportionment under this chapter at the beginning of fiscal year 2033.
(c) Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account
(1) Amounts transferred to the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account shall supplement, but not replace, existing funds available to the States from the sport fish restoration account and wildlife restoration account and shall be used for the development, revision, and implementation of wildlife conservation and restoration programs and should be used to address the unmet needs for a diverse array of wildlife and associated habitats, including species that are not hunted or fished, for wildlife conservation, wildlife conservation education, and wildlife-associated recreation projects. Such funds may be used for new programs and projects as well as to enhance existing programs and projects.
(2) Funds may be used by a State or an Indian tribe for the planning and implementation of its wildlife conservation and restoration program and wildlife conservation strategy, as provided in sections 669c(d) and (e) of this title, including wildlife conservation, wildlife conservation education, and wildlife-associated recreation projects. Such funds may be used for new programs and projects as well as to enhance existing programs and projects.
(3) Priority for funding from the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account shall be for those species with the greatest conservation need as defined by the State wildlife conservation and restoration program.
(d) Obligation of amounts in State
Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) of this section, with respect to amounts transferred to the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account, so much of such amounts apportioned to any State for any fiscal year as remains unexpended at the close thereof shall remain available for obligation in that State until the close of the second succeeding fiscal year.
(Sept. 2, 1937, ch. 899, § 3, 50 Stat. 917; 1939 Reorg. Plan No. II, § 4(f), eff. July 1, 1939, 4 F.R. 2731, 53 Stat. 1433; Pub. L. 91–503, title I, § 101, Oct. 23, 1970, 84 Stat. 1097; Pub. L. 92–558, title I, § 101(a), Oct. 25, 1972, 86 Stat. 1172; Pub. L. 99–514, § 2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095; Pub. L. 101–233, § 7(a)(1), Dec. 13, 1989, 103 Stat. 1974; Pub. L. 106–553, § 1(a)(2) [title IX, § 902(d)], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2762, 2762A–120; Pub. L. 109–75, § 1, Sept. 29, 2005, 119 Stat. 2034; Pub. L. 114–113, div. G, title I, § 120, Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 2552; Pub. L. 119–40, § 2, Nov. 25, 2025, 139 Stat. 662.)
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: References in Text
text: The Migratory Bird Conservation Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is act Feb. 18, 1929, ch. 257, 45 Stat. 1222, which is classified generally to subchapter III (§ 715 et seq.) of chapter 7 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 715 of this title and Tables.
heading: Amendments
text: 2025—Subsec. (b)(2)(C). Pub. L. 119–40 substituted “2033” for “2026”.
2015—Subsec. (b)(2)(C). Pub. L. 114–113 substituted “2026” for “2016”.
2005—Subsec. (b)(2)(C). Pub. L. 109–75 substituted “2016” for “2006”.
2000—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 106–553, § 1(a)(2) [title IX, § 902(d)(1)], designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).
Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 106–553, § 1(a)(2) [title IX, § 902(d)(2)], added subsecs. (c) and (d).
1989—Pub. L. 101–233 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).
1986—Pub. L. 99–514 substituted “Internal Revenue Code of 1986” for “Internal Revenue Code of 1954”, which for purposes of codification was translated as “title 26” thus requiring no change in text.
1972—Pub. L. 92–558 substituted “(beginning with the fiscal year 1975)” for “(beginning with the fiscal year 1971)” and inserted reference to section 4161(b) of title 26.
1970—Pub. L. 91–503 inserted provisions for the deposit of the 10 per cent tax on pistols and revolvers under section 4181 of title 26 into the Federal aid to wildlife restoration fund beginning in fiscal year 1971.
heading: Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
heading: Effective Date of 1989 Amendment
text: Pub. L. 101–233, § 7(a)(3), Dec. 13, 1989, 103 Stat. 1975, provided that: “The amendments made by this subsection of this Act [amending this section and section 669c of this title] take effect October 1, 1989.”
heading: Effective Date of 1972 Amendment
text: Pub. L. 92–558, title I, § 101(c), Oct. 25, 1972, 86 Stat. 1172, as amended by Pub. L. 93–313, June 8, 1974, 88 Stat. 238, provided that: “The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) [amending this section and section 669c of this title] of this section shall take effect January 1, 1975.”
heading: Executive Documents
heading: Transfer of Functions
text: Reorg. Plan No. II of 1939, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, transferred functions of Secretary of Agriculture relating to conservation of wildlife, game, and migratory birds to Secretary of the Interior.