Restore M–44 Act

This bill would undo a recent agreement between the Interior and Agriculture Departments about wildlife damage work. It also lifts limits that had stopped the Agriculture Department from buying, using, or training others to use certain predator control tools. Specifically, it allows the agency to purchase, deploy, and train third parties on M‑44 sodium cyanide ejectors and on sodium fluoroacetate (known as “compound 1080”) and says that the earlier restrictions no longer apply. The bill also says the agency does not have to send Congress updates about carrying out that earlier ban. It orders the two departments to cancel the named memorandum of understanding so it has no effect going forward.

Key points

• Who is affected: The Departments of the Interior and Agriculture, including the Agriculture Department’s wildlife damage program, and third parties trained by that program.
• What changes: Cancels a specific Interior–Agriculture agreement; restores the ability to buy, use, and train others on M‑44 devices and compound 1080; removes a requirement to provide congressional updates on the prior ban.
• When: Upon enactment, the named agreement is rescinded and the prior restrictions no longer apply as described in the bill.