H.R. 4591

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4591 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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 
California) 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 Representatives 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--
(1) the maintenance of healthy populations of migratory 
birds in North America is largely dependent on the protection, 
restoration, and management of wetland ecosystems and other 
habitats, as identified 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 documented to be the 
key annual driver in duck populations;
(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 management 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 the most 
efficient and cost-effective tool for increasing 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 enhance production of mallards, 
gadwalls, and other breeding ducks in California.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' 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 pothole'' means a 
depressional wetland, including a freshwater marsh, that 
provides vital habitat to species 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.
(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 purpose of improving the nesting success rates of 
populations of species of migratory waterfowl.
(B) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this paragraph, an eligible entity shall 
submit to the Secretary an application 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 migratory waterfowl within California for 
the purpose of enhancing the breeding success rates of 
populations of species of migratory waterfowl, 
including by--
(i) establishing nesting cover;
(ii) creating brood ponds; and
(iii) providing incentives to willing 
landowners to carry out the activities 
described in this subparagraph on land under 
the control of those landowners within 
California.
(B) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this paragraph, an eligible entity shall 
submit to the Secretary an application 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).
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