[House Report 119-758]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 119-758
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LOCAL COMMUNITIES & BIRD HABITAT STEWARDSHIP ACT OF 2026
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August 20, 2026.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Westerman, from the Committee on Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 3276]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 3276) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to
establish the Urban Bird Treaty Program, having considered the
same, reports favorably thereon with an amendment and
recommends that the bill as amended do pass.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Local Communities & Bird Habitat
Stewardship Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. URBAN BIRD TREATY PROGRAM.
(a) Urban Bird Treaty Program.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall establish a program for
the voluntary conservation of birds and the habitats of such
birds in urban areas, to be known as the ``Urban Bird Treaty
Program''.
(2) Program duties.--In carrying out the Program, the
Director shall--
(A) work with and support covered entities to--
(i) protect, restore, or enhance urban
habitats for birds, including through the
control of invasive species and restoration of
native plant species;
(ii) reduce urban hazards to birds;
(iii) engage communities in scientific
activities involving the monitoring of birds
and the habitats of such birds in urban areas;
and
(iv) educate and engage communities in caring
about and conserving birds and the habitats of
such birds in urban areas;
(B) provide technical and financial assistance
through partnerships with covered entities to build
capacity for, plan, and carry out projects related to
activities described in subparagraph (A); and
(C) facilitate collaboration and information sharing
among covered entities and the public with respect to
best management practices for the conservation,
restoration, and enhancement of urban bird habitats.
(3) Grant program.--
(A) In general.--The Director shall establish a
competitive grant program to award amounts to eligible
entities for the purposes of conducting research,
planning, assessments, management, building capacity,
monitoring, collaboration and information sharing,
workforce training, and accomplishing related
activities as described in paragraph (2) with respect
to the conservation, restoration, enhancement or
management of urban birds and the habitats of urban
birds.
(B) Applications.--To be eligible for a grant under
this paragraph, an eligible entity shall submit to the
Director an application in such form, at such time, and
containing such information as the Director determines
appropriate.
(C) Administration.--
(i) Agreement.--The Director may enter into
an agreement with the Foundation for the
Foundation to administer the grant program
established under subparagraph (A) pursuant to
the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.).
(ii) Application of national fish and
wildlife foundation establishment act.--Section
10(a) of the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C.
3709(a)) shall not apply with respect to--
(I) an agreement entered into under
clause (i); or
(II) amounts made available to carry
out this section.
(iii) Geographic distribution.--The Director
shall ensure, to the extent practicable,
equitable distribution of awards among and
between small, midsize, and large cities, as
described in the document titled ``Education
Demographic and Geographic Estimates Program
(EDGE): Locale Boundaries Technical
Documentation'' published by the National
Center for Education Statistics of the
Department of Education.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' means--
(A) a Federal, Tribal, State, or municipal agency;
(B) a nongovernmental organization;
(C) a community group; and
(D) an academic institution.
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Secretary of
the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service.
(3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a Tribal, State, or municipal agency;
(B) a nongovernmental organization;
(C) a community group; and
(D) an academic institution.
(4) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation established by section 2(a) of the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16
U.S.C. 3701(a)).
(5) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the Urban Bird
Treaty Program established under subsection (a)(1).
(6) Urban.--The term ``urban'' has the meaning given the term
``urban area'' in section 101(a) of title 23, United States
Code.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Director to carry out this section $200,000 for
each of fiscal years 2027 through 2033.
purpose of the legislation
The purpose of H.R. 3276 is to direct the Secretary of the Interior
to establish the Urban Bird Treaty Program.
background and need for legislation
Birds play key roles in local ecosystems and economies. They help
sustain healthier, more resilient landscapes; cleaner waterways; and
balanced, biodiverse ecosystems. Moreover, nearly 96 million Americans
participate in birdwatching every year, generating $279 billion in
annual economic output and supporting approximately 1.4 million jobs
nationwide.\1\ Unfortunately, an estimated one billion birds die
annually in the U.S. from collisions with buildings, while light
pollution in urban areas disorients migratory species.\2\
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\1\Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic
Analysis, Addendum to the 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and
Wildlife-Associated Recreation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
November 2024.
\2\``New Study Confirms Building Collisions Kill Over One Billion
Birds Annually in U.S.,'' American Bird Conservancy, April 7, 2024.
https://abcbirds.org/news/bird-building-collisions-study-2024/.
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Through its existing Urban Bird Treaty Program, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service) conserves, restores, and enhances urban
habitats for birds; reduces urban hazards to birds; and educates and
engages communities in scientific activities, including monitoring
birds and their habitats. The Urban Bird Treaty Program currently
operates based on the Service's organic authorities without specific
congressional authorization. H.R. 3276 codifies the Service's existing
program; requires balance in awards between small, mid-size, and large
cities; and authorizes an annual budget of $200,000 through Fiscal Year
(FY) 2033, consistent with the program's current funding levels.
committee action
H.R. 3276 was introduced on May 8, 2025, by Representative Debbie
Dingell (D-MI). The bill was referred to the Committee on Natural
Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on Water,
Wildlife and Fisheries. On February 4, 2026, the Subcommittee on Water,
Wildlife and Fisheries held a hearing on the bill. On June 10, 2026,
the Committee on Natural Resources met to consider the bill. The
Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries was discharged from
further consideration of H.R. 3276 by unanimous consent. Representative
Debbie Dingell (D-MI) offered an Amendment in the Nature of a
Substitute designated Dingell__159 ANS. The Amendment in the Nature of
a Substitute was agreed to by unanimous consent. The bill, as amended,
was ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by
unanimous consent.
hearings
For the purposes of clause 3(c)(6) of House rule XIII, the
following hearing was used to develop or consider this measure: hearing
by the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held on February
4, 2026.
section-by-section analysis
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 names the bill the ``Local Communities & Bird Habitat
Stewardship Act of 2025''.
Section 2. Urban Bird Treaty program
Section 2 codifies the Service's existing program and authorizes an
annual budget of $200,000 through FY 2033, consistent with the
program's current funding levels.
committee oversight findings and recommendations
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII
of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Natural
Resources' oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the
body of this report.
compliance with house rule xiii and congressional budget act
1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act. Pursuant
to clause 3(c)(2) of House rule XIII and section 308(a) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, and pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of
House rule XIII and section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, the Committee has requested but not received from the Director of
the Congressional Budget Office a budgetary analysis and a cost
estimate of this bill.
2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by clause
3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or objective of this
bill is to direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Urban
Bird Treaty Program.
earmark statement
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks, limited tax
benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined under clause 9(e),
9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of
Representatives.
unfunded mandates reform act statement
An estimate of federal mandates prepared by the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the Committee in time for
the filing of this report. The Chair of the Committee shall cause such
estimate to be printed in the Congressional Record upon its receipt by
the Committee, if such estimate is not publicly available on the
Congressional Budget Office website.
existing programs
Directed Rule Making. This bill does not contain any directed rule
makings.
Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not establish or
reauthorize a program of the federal government known to be duplicative
of another program. Such program was not included in any report from
the Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to section 21
of Public Law 111-139 or identified in the most recent Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program
Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law 98-169) as
relating to other programs.
applicability to legislative branch
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to the
terms and conditions of employment or access to public services or
accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of the
Congressional Accountability Act.
preemption of state, local or tribal law
Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or tribal law
is intended to be consistent with the bill's purposes and text and the
Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the U.S. Constitution.
changes in existing law
As ordered reported by the Committee on Natural Resources, H.R.
3276 would make no changes in existing law.
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