HELP for Wildlife Act

Bill: 115-s-1514
Sponsor: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
Introduced: 2017-06-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Advisory bodies
Agricultural practices and innovations
Aquatic ecology
Birds
Canada
Chesapeake Bay
Congressional oversight
Department of the Interior
Endangered and threatened species
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Firearms and explosives
Fishes
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Great Lakes
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Hunting and fishing
Illinois
Indiana
Intergovernmental relations
International organizations and cooperation
Iowa
Land transfers
Licensing and registrations
Mammals
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Michigan
Minnesota
North Dakota
Ohio
Outdoor recreation
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Solid waste and recycling
South Dakota
State and local government operations
Tax-exempt organizations
Trade restrictions
Water quality
Wetlands
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Summary:
action_date: 2017-06-29
text: 

Hunting Heritage and Environmental Legacy Preservation for Wildlife Act or the HELP for Wildlife Act

 
 This bill revises a variety of existing programs to expand access to, and opportunities for, hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting. 
 
The bill reauthorizes through FY2022 the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act, the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act, and the Chesapeake Bay Program. It also reauthorizes through FY2023 the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network and the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Grants Assistance Program. 
 
The proportion of funding from the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act that states may use for public target ranges is increased. 
 
The bill revises standards for determining what a baited area is for purposes of the prohibition on taking migratory game birds. 
 
The Department of the Interior must reissue two rules that removed protections under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 for the gray wolf populations located in the western Great Lakes (all of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota, as well as portions of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio) and Wyoming. Interior's prior rules that removed the protections were overruled by district courts. 
 
Components of firearms and ammunition and sport fishing equipment and its components (such as lead sinkers) are exempted from regulations of chemical substances under the Toxic Substances Control Act. 
 
The National Fish Habitat Board is established to: (1) promote, oversee, and coordinate the implementation of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan; (2) establish national goals and priorities for fish habitat conservation; (3) recommend the designation of Fish Habitat Partnerships; and (4) review and make recommendations regarding fish habitat conservation projects.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-10-05
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 237.
action_date: 2017-10-05
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Barrasso with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 115-168. Additional and Minority views filed.
action_date: 2017-10-05
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Barrasso with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 115-168. Additional and Minority views filed.
action_date: 2017-07-26
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2017-07-19
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-77.
action_date: 2017-06-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2017-06-29
text: Introduced in Senate