H.R. 2462 · Where this bill is now
Waiting for a House vote
Approved by committee Oct 3, 2025; no House vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryLets farmers protect livestock from black vultures
Black vultures are protected birds under federal law, and currently farmers need special permits to deal with them when they threaten livestock. This bill would allow livestock producers and their employees to take action against black vultures that they reasonably believe will harm their animals—including capturing, killing, or dispersing them—without needing a permit first. Farmers would still have to report their actions annually to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but poison would remain prohibited.
How it affects you
If you raise livestock, this bill could make it easier and faster to protect your animals from black vultures without waiting for government approval. Farmers and their workers would need to keep track of and report their actions, but the day-to-day decision about whether to act against vultures threatening their herds would be theirs to make.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Mar 27, 2025)
Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025
This bill allows livestock producers and their employees to take certain actions against black vultures to protect livestock. (Black vultures are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.)
Specifically, livestock producers and their employees may (1) take (i.e., capture, kill, or disperse, or transport the carcass of) a black vulture that they reasonably believe will cause death, injury, or destruction to livestock; or (2) in the course of taking or attempting to take the black vulture, cause injury to the bird. However, they may not take or attempt to take a black vulture through the use of poison.
Livestock producers and their employees must submit an annual report to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) on black vultures taken under this bill. The FWS must develop a reporting form and make this reporting form available on its website.
Currently, the FWS has a permit process under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act for the taking of black vultures.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 2462
A BILL
Black Vulture Relief Act
Sponsor: Rep. John W. Rose (R-TN-6) · Introduced Mar 27, 2025 · Agriculture and Food · 2 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Oct 3, 2025: “Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 286.”