Legislative Hearing | Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

The House Committee on Natural Resources GOP Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Subcommittee held a legislative hearing on April 9, 2025, to consider four bills related to conservation, wildlife management, and fisheries research. Key procurement-related discussions included the proposed prohibition of the Biden administration's land acquisition plan for the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, which would expand the refuge by up to 700,000 acres, raising concerns about federal land management and local economic impacts. Another bill, the Cormorant Relief Act of 2025, aimed to reinstate a national depredation order for double-crested cormorants to streamline permitting for aquaculture producers, addressing economic losses estimated at $65 million annually. The Wetlands Conservation and Access Improvement Act sought to extend the transfer of interest payments from the Pittman Robertson Wildlife Restoration Fund to the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NACA), supporting wetland habitat conservation with bipartisan backing. Lastly, the Great Lakes Fishery Research Reauthorization Act proposed reauthorizing funding for the USGS Great Lakes Fishery Research Program at $15 million annually through 2030 to support fisheries science and invasive species control. Witnesses and members discussed the economic and environmental implications of these bills, emphasizing the importance of balancing conservation efforts with private property rights and local economic interests. No formal votes were recorded during the hearing, but members expressed support and concerns regarding the bills' potential impacts on procurement, funding allocations, and conservation program administration.