Migratory Bird Treaty Reform Act of 2004

Bill: 108-hr-4114
Sponsor: Rep. Gilchrest, Wayne T. [R-MD-1]
Introduced: 2004-04-01 in the House
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Animal breeding
Authorization
Canada
Caribbean area
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
East Asia
Economic assistance
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Europe
Exotic animals
Federal advisory bodies
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Government trust funds
Grants-in-aid
Guam
Intergovernmental fiscal relations
International Affairs
International environmental cooperation
Japan
Latin America
Mexico
Migratory bird conservation
Non-native species
Russia
Treaties
United Kingdom
Virgin Islands
Wildlife reintroduction

Summary:
action_date: 2004-04-01
text: 
 Migratory Bird Treaty Reform Act of 2004 - Amends the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) to clarify that the MBTA's prohibition on taking, killing, or possessing migratory birds applies only to native migratory bird species whose occurrence in the United States results from natural biological or ecological conditions.
 
 Excludes from coverage under the MBTA bird species occurring as the result of human-assisted introduction unless the species: (1) was native to the United States and extant in 1918; (2) became extinct throughout its range thereafter; and (3) was reintroduced as part of a Federal program.

action_date: 2004-06-03
text: 

Title I: Exclusion of Nonnative Species from Migratory Bird Treaty Act - 
Migratory Bird Treaty Reform Act of 2004 
-
 (Sec. 102) Amends the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) to clarify that the MBTA's prohibition on taking, killing, or possessing migratory birds applies only to native migratory bird species whose occurrence in the United States results from natural biological or ecological conditions.
 
 Excludes from coverage under the MBTA bird species occurring as the result of human assisted introduction unless the species: (1) was native to the United States and extant in 1918; (2) became extinct throughout its range thereafter; and (3) was reintroduced as part of a Federal program.
 
(Sec. 103) Requires the Secretary of the Interior (the Secretary) to publish a list of all non-native, human introduced bird species to which the MBTA does not apply that belong to biological families of migratory birds covered under any migratory bird conventions with Great Britain (for Canada), Mexico, Russia, or Japan.
 

Title II: Conservation of Neotropical Migratory Birds - 
Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Improvement Act of 2004
 - 
(Sec. 202) Amends the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) to increase the Federal share of costs for projects funded under that Act. Prescribes the form of payment for such projects undertaken in the United States and Canada versus Latin America and the Caribbean.
 
Establishes the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. 
 
Increases the amount of funds that the Secretary may expend to administer the NMBCA.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer to the Fund amounts that were in the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Account immediately before the enactment of this Act.
 
Authorizes appropriations. Requires not less than 75 percent of such appropriations to be used for projects outside the United States. Prohibits expenditures for projects in Canada during a fiscal year unless the amount available to carry out NMBCA exceeds $10 million for that year.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-06-03
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 299.
action_date: 2004-06-03
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 108-520.
action_date: 2004-06-03
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 108-520.
action_date: 2004-05-05
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2004-05-05
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2004-04-22
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2004-04-22
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2004-04-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans.
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E510)
action_date: 2004-04-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
action_date: 2004-04-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-04-01
text: Introduced in House