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Summary
This bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to reissue a federal depredation order allowing the taking of double-crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities and private fish ponds. The reissued order expands the geographic scope to include additional states (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and others) and expands eligible applicants to include private lake and pond managers. The order will be modernized to use current terminology and recordkeeping standards, and will be renewed at least every 5 years. The bill preserves requirements for compliance with environmental and wildlife protection laws.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Rep. Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4] (R-MS)
3 cosponsors
Actions (16)
- Dec 10, 2025 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. · senate
- Dec 9, 2025 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. · house
- Dec 9, 2025 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5076-5077) · house
- Dec 9, 2025 Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5076-5077)
- Dec 9, 2025 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2293. · house
- Dec 9, 2025 Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5076-5077) · house
- Dec 9, 2025 Mr. Hurd (CO) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. · house
- Sep 15, 2025 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 241. · house
- Sep 15, 2025 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-285. · house
- Jul 15, 2025 Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by Unanimous Consent. · house
- Jul 15, 2025 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
- Jul 15, 2025 Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged · house
- Apr 8, 2025 Subcommittee Hearings Held · house
- Apr 1, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries. · house
- Mar 24, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. · house
- Mar 24, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).
Text versions (4)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
AN ACT
To require the Secretary of the Interior to reissue certain regulations relating to the taking of double-crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities.
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 “Cormorant Relief Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. REGULATIONS RELATING TO TAKING OF DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS AT AQUACULTURE FACILITIES.
(a) In General.—The Secretary shall reissue the original depredation order in accordance with subsection (b).
(b) Requirements.—The depredation order reissued under subsection
(a) shall be the same as the original depredation order, except that the depredation order reissued under subsection (a) shall—
(1) apply to—
(A) each of the States of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin and any other State or territory of the United States the Secretary determines appropriate in addition to and in the same manner as each of the States to which the original depredation order applied; and
(B) lake managers and pond managers in addition to and in the same manner as each of the entities to which the original depredation order applied;
(2) incorporate modern terminology;
(3) simplify the provisions contained in the original depredation order related to compliance with other Federal law;
(4) modernize the recordkeeping requirements contained in the original depredation order; and
(5) remove the June 30, 2014, expiration date contained in the original depredation order.
(c) Renewal.—Not less than once every 5 years after the date on which the Secretary reissues the original depredation order under subsection (a), the Secretary shall renew the depredation order reissued under subsection (a).
(d) Rule of Construction.—Nothing in this Act may be construed to waive the obligation of the Secretary to comply with the—
(1) National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); or
(2) Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.).
(e) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) Lake manager.—The term “lake manager” means a person that is licensed by a State regulatory agency to manage a private lake.
(2) Original depredation order.—The term “original depredation order” means the depredation order for double- crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities contained in section 21.47 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on January 1, 2016).
(3) Pond manager.—The term “pond manager” means a person that is licensed by a State regulatory agency to manage a private pond.
(4) Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Passed the House of Representatives December 9, 2025.
Attest:
Clerk. 119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2293
AN ACT
To require the Secretary of the Interior to reissue certain regulations relating to the taking of double-crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities.
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