Bill Summary
The Livestock Protection Act of 2019 is a proposed bill that aims to address the issue of black vultures causing harm to livestock. It gives the Secretary of the Interior, through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the authority to issue depredation permits to livestock farmers. These permits would allow farmers to legally take black vultures during the calving or lambing season if the vultures are causing harm to their livestock or if the livestock is located in an area where vulture depredation has been known to occur. The bill also requires the permit holders to report any takings of black vultures to the appropriate state enforcement agency. This legislation is being proposed to help prevent economic losses for livestock farmers and protect their livestock from vulture depredation.
Possible Impacts
1. Livestock farmers may be able to obtain depredation permits to protect their livestock from black vultures, which could help prevent financial losses due to vulture attacks.
2. The legislation may also require the farmers to report the number of black vultures they take annually, which could potentially lead to a decrease in the vulture population and impact their ecosystem.
3. The legislation could also affect the job responsibilities and workload of the Secretary of the Interior and the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as they would be in charge of issuing and monitoring the depredation permits.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3655 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3655
To allow the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of
the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to issue depredation
permits for the taking of black vultures to livestock farmers to
prevent harm to livestock, and for other purposes.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 9, 2019
Mr. Hollingsworth (for himself, Mr. Baird, Mr. DesJarlais, Mr.
Crawford, Mr. Comer, Mr. Luetkemeyer, Mr. Guest, Mr. Kelly of
Mississippi, Mr. Rogers of Alabama, Mr. Westerman, Mr. Abraham, Mr.
Massie, and Mr. Bost) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Natural Resources
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A BILL
To allow the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of
the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to issue depredation
permits for the taking of black vultures to livestock farmers to
prevent harm to livestock, 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 ``Livestock Protection Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. DEPREDATION PERMITS FOR BLACK VULTURES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the
Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, may issue a
depredation permit to a livestock farmer, authorizing the taking of a
black vulture otherwise prohibited by Federal law during the calving or
lambing season--
(1) if--
(A) such vulture is found committing depredations
on livestock; or
(B) the livestock is located in an area where
depredation by vultures have been known to occur; and
(2) provided that such taking may only occur if it is
necessary to protect livestock from depredation.
(b) Reporting.--The Secretary shall require, as a condition of such
a permit, that the holder of such permit shall report annually to the
appropriate State enforcement agency, as determined by the Secretary,
any taking of a black vulture under the permit.
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