Referred in Senate

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3276 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3276


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 15, 2026

 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and 
                              Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Urban Bird 
                            Treaty Program.

    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 ``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.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 14, 2026.

            Attest:

                                             KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,

                                                                 Clerk.