HR 2293 United States House · 119th Congress

Cormorant Relief Act of 2025

HR 2293, the Cormorant Relief Act of 2025, expands an existing federal regulation allowing cormorant control at aquaculture facilities. It requires the Secretary of the Interior to reissue a 2016 depredation order to apply to aquaculture facilities in 12 additional states (including California, Illinois, and Ohio) and to include private lake and pond managers licensed by state agencies. The bill directly affects aquaculture businesses and private water managers in those states by permitting regulated cormorant control to protect fish stocks. It does not create new rules but broadens the geographic and organizational scope of an existing 2016 regulation.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Dec 2025

House Passage

Dec 2025

Senate Passage

President

Introduced Mar 24, 2025 Last action Dec 10, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 5 edits · Dec 9, 2025

MODERATE

The Engrossed version of HR 2293 significantly expands the scope of the cormorant depredation order by allowing the Secretary to extend it to any additional state or territory beyond the original fixed list, adds a requirement to remove the expired 2014 expiration date (making the order effectively permanent), and introduces a mandatory 5-year renewal cycle. It also adds modernization requirements for terminology, recordkeeping, and compliance provisions, plus a rule of construction preserving NEPA and Migratory Bird Treaty Act obligations.

SCOPE

The list of covered states is no longer fixed. The Secretary may now extend the depredation order to any other state or territory the Secretary determines appropriate, in addition to the 12 originally listed states.

REQUIREMENT

The reissued depredation order must remove the June 30, 2014 expiration date, effectively making the order permanent rather than time-limited.

A new rule of construction clarifies that the Act does not waive the Secretary's obligation to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act or the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

TIMELINE

A new requirement mandates that the Secretary renew the depredation order not less than once every 5 years after reissuance.

TECHNICAL

The reissued order must incorporate modern terminology, simplify provisions related to compliance with other Federal law, and modernize recordkeeping requirements.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Dec 10, 2025

Committee

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

upper

Dec 9, 2025

Introduced

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5076-5077)

lower

Dec 9, 2025

Lower · Passed

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)

lower

Dec 9, 2025

Introduced

Mr. Hurd (CO) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

lower

Sep 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-285.

lower

Jul 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

lower

Jul 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

Subcommittee Hearings Held

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Committee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.

lower

Mar 24, 2025

Committee

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

lower

Mar 24, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 3 co-sponsors