Sponsors (20)
Phases out helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft for BLM wild horse and burro roundups within two years, mandates camera-equipped aircraft if used, and orders a GAO study on alternatives and impacts.
The bill aims to reduce harm to wild horses and increase oversight by curbing aircraft roundups and encouraging land‑based alternatives, but doing so could raise transition costs, slow population control, and complicate range management and ranching operations.
Wild horses and burros on public rangeland would face less stress, injury, and risk of death because the bill pushes away from helicopter/fixed‑wing roundup methods toward less‑disruptive alternatives.
Public transparency and congressional oversight of BLM gather operations would increase through required recording/publishing of aircraft footage and a GAO report, which could inform less disruptive management practices.
Taxpayers could save money if costly helicopter roundups are reduced or ended, since historic roundup costs have been substantial and aircraft operations are expensive.
Federal and local agencies and taxpayers could face substantial transition and program costs to scale up fertility‑control or other land‑based management alternatives as aircraft use is reduced.
Limiting aircraft gathers may reduce the agency's ability to gather animals quickly in remote or rugged areas, potentially delaying actions that protect rangeland health and public safety.
If fertility‑control or other non‑aircraft methods are slower to reduce populations, ranchers and rural communities could continue to experience grazing competition, land‑use conflicts, and range degradation during the transition.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Official title: To amend the Act commonly known as the Wild Free-roaming Horses and Burros Act to prohibit certain uses of aircraft with respect to the management of wild free-roaming horses and burros, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 10, 2025 by Alice Costandina Titus · Last progress July 10, 2025
Prohibits and phases out routine use of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to gather wild free-roaming horses and burros on public lands, requires camera-equipped aircraft and public footage when aircraft are used, and directs a GAO study on humane alternatives, job effects, and aircraft impacts. The law requires the Bureau of Land Management to phase out helicopter and fixed-wing roundup contracts within two years and to increase transparency about any aircraft use.