Sponsors (18)
The bill directs modest, targeted federal grants and technical assistance to restore urban bird habitat and build local conservation capacity, at the trade-off of a small ongoing taxpayer cost and potential equity and oversight concerns in grant administration.
Urban communities, nonprofits, schools, and universities gain access to competitive grants and technical assistance ($1M/year FY2026–2032) to restore and protect urban bird habitat.
Residents in urban areas experience fewer hazards to wildlife (e.g., building collisions, invasive species) and improved local ecosystems, creating healthier recreational and educational spaces.
Tribal, State, and local governments receive coordinated federal resources and information-sharing to support local conservation planning and workforce training.
Smaller local and community groups may be disadvantaged by competitive grant application processes, limiting equitable access to funding and benefits.
Directing funds through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation with §10(a) excluded could alter usual oversight or matching-fund rules, potentially reducing transparency or changing financial practices.
Taxpayers fund the $1 million annual authorization, creating a modest ongoing federal expense that could compete with other spending priorities and requires yearly appropriation decisions.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates an Urban Bird Treaty Program with a competitive grant program (administered with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation) to fund urban bird habitat conservation, authorized $1M/year FY2026–2032.
Introduced May 8, 2025 by Debbie Dingell · Last progress May 8, 2025
Creates a new federal Urban Bird Treaty Program at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support voluntary conservation of birds and urban bird habitat through protection, restoration, hazard reduction, monitoring, education, and community engagement. The program establishes a competitive grant fund, to be administered under agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, to award eligible entities for research, planning, management, monitoring, workforce training, capacity building, and related activities. Authorizes $1,000,000 per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2032 to carry out the program. The measure defines eligible recipients (including state and local governments, tribes, nonprofits, institutions, and community groups), relies on voluntary participation rather than mandates, and specifies that one statutory restriction on Foundation agreements does not apply to this funding arrangement.