119th Congress · introduced in the House · Mar 24, 2025
Cormorant Relief Act of 2025
Official title from Congress.gov
Latest action (Dec 10, 2025): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
View on Congress.govPolicy area: Animals
Congressional Research Service summary, version: Reported to House (Sep 15, 2025)
Cormorant Relief Act of 2025
This bill requires the Department of the Interior to reissue the depredation order for double-crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities in certain states. (The previous order was vacated in 2016 by court order.)
Depredation orders allow for the taking (i.e., capturing, killing, dispersing, or transport of the carcass) of a specified species without a permit, generally to reduce damage caused by the species or to protect interests like health or property. Reissuing this order authorizes landowners, operators, tenants, and employees of entities engaged in aquaculture to take double-crested cormorants that are causing or threatening harm at aquaculture facilities and state and federal fish hatcheries.
Interior must reissue the depredation order with updates, including an expansion of (1) the number of states covered by the order, and (2) the entities to whom the order applies (i.e., private lake and pond managers who are licensed by the state).
Under the bill, Interior must renew the depredation order every five years.
Includes amendment, cloture, and procedural votes. Each is labeled with its exact question; only a passage question is a vote to pass the bill.
No recorded roll calls on this bill in coverage.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5076-5077)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5076-5077)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2293.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5076-5077)
Mr. Hurd (CO) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 241.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-285.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-285.
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by Unanimous Consent.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Alabama · Aquaculture · Arkansas · Birds · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kentucky · Lakes and rivers · Louisiana · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · New Jersey · North Carolina · Ohio · Oklahoma · Pennsylvania · South Carolina · Tennessee · Texas · Wildlife conservation and habitat protection · Wisconsin
LD-2 reports whose issue descriptions explicitly cite this bill (bill type and number validated against Congress.gov records). A citation does not establish the client's position or any contact with a member.
Loading lobbying reportsIntroduced in House
Introduced in House
Actions from Congress.gov, newest first.
Coverage: reports for 2025 onward, posted Jan 1, 2025 through Oct 23, 2026.
6 citations.
AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FED · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FED
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 20, 2026 · issue area: Natural Resources
$196,915
Spent on own lobbying
…ion Act of 2025 HR 1897, The ESA Amendments Act of 2025 Investments in Western water infrastructure H.R. 2462 and S. 1823, The Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025 H.R. 2293, Cormorant Relief Act of 2025 H.R. 4255, The Enhancing Safety for Animals Act of 2025 Implementation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act S. 1981, Strategic Grazin…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FED · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FED
2026 Q2 report (Apr 1, 2026 – Jun 30, 2026) · amended · posted Jul 17, 2026 · issue area: Natural Resources
$293,768
Spent on own lobbying
…ion Act of 2025 HR 1897, The ESA Amendments Act of 2025 Investments in Western water infrastructure H.R. 2462 and S. 1823, The Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025 H.R. 2293, Cormorant Relief Act of 2025 H.R. 4255, The Enhancing Safety for Animals Act of 2025 Implementation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act S. 1981, Strategic Grazin…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FED · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FED
2026 Q1 report (Jan 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2026) · posted Apr 10, 2026 · issue area: Natural Resources
$290,000
Spent on own lobbying
…ion Act of 2025 HR 1897, The ESA Amendments Act of 2025 Investments in Western water infrastructure H.R. 2462 and S. 1823, The Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025 H.R. 2293, Cormorant Relief Act of 2025 H.R. 4255, The Enhancing Safety for Animals Act of 2025 Implementation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act S.2787, Grasslands Grazin…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FED · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FED
2025 Q4 report (Oct 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2025) · posted Jan 20, 2026 · issue area: Natural Resources
$250,000
Spent on own lobbying
…ion Act of 2025 HR 1897, The ESA Amendments Act of 2025 Investments in Western water infrastructure H.R. 2462 and S. 1823, The Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025 H.R. 2293, Cormorant Relief Act of 2025 H.R. 4255, The Enhancing Safety for Animals Act of 2025 Implementation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FED · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FED
2025 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2025) · posted Oct 17, 2025 · issue area: Natural Resources
$270,000
Spent on own lobbying
…ion Act of 2025 HR 1897, The ESA Amendments Act of 2025 Investments in Western water infrastructure H.R. 2462 and S. 1823, The Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025 H.R. 2293, Cormorant Relief Act of 2025 H.R. 4255, The Enhancing Safety for Animals Act of 2025
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FED · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FED
2025 Q2 report (Apr 1, 2025 – Jun 30, 2025) · posted Jul 18, 2025 · issue area: Natural Resources
$340,000
Spent on own lobbying
…ion Act of 2025 HR 1897, The ESA Amendments Act of 2025 Investments in Western water infrastructure H.R. 2462 and S. 1823, The Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025 H.R. 2293, Cormorant Relief Act of 2025
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing