Ted Cruz (R-TX)
Responsible Cormorant Management and Control Act of 2026
A Republican bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The bill, known as the Responsible Cormorant Management and Control Act of 2026, requires the Secretary of the Interior to create regional management frameworks for managing double-crested cormorants. It mandates that these frameworks be developed in coordination with Regional Flyway Councils within one year of enactment. The bill outlines specific requirements for these frameworks, including allowable methods of take, required annual reporting, and consideration of cormorant effects on fisheries, vegetation, and other species. Additionally, the Secretary must carry out population surveys every five years, submit a feasibility report on issuing hunting licenses within 90 days, and update the frameworks periodically. Finally, the entire Act will cease to have force or effect on January 1, 2034.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +4
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates annual public reporting of total take, including target and non-target birds.
- Scored +3
Does this leave more decisions to the states?
The bill coordinates management frameworks with Regional Flyway Councils and allows states and tribes to take specific management actions.
- Scored +3
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill establishes regional management frameworks that consider effects on fisheries, vegetation, and other species to ensure sustainable management.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Public Reporting of Take: Under Section 2(c)(2)(C), the frameworks must require annual reporting of total take, including target and non-target birds, which must be made publicly available. This keeps officials accountable and ensures transparency for citizens monitoring wildlife management.
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Consideration of Human Health and Safety: Section 2(c)(5)(D) requires the Secretary to consider the documented effects of double-crested cormorants on human health and safety. This provision helps address real-world risks that birds may pose to communities.
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Involvement of Local Managers: Section 2(c)(3)(B) allows trained entities, including private lake and pond managers, to conduct authorized takes. This directly engages local individuals who deal with private water management issues on the ground.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Burdens of Annual Reporting: Section 2(c)(2)(C) requires mandatory annual reporting of total take for target and non-target birds. Individuals or entities authorized to manage cormorants may find the required reporting procedures burdensome or time-consuming to comply with.
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Implementation of Non-Lethal Measures: Section 2(c)(2)(F) requires the inclusion of non-lethal measures that must be implemented. Authorized managers may face added costs or operational hurdles to carry out these mandated non-lethal practices alongside removal efforts.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates annual public reporting of total take, including target and non-target birds. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — The bill coordinates management frameworks with Regional Flyway Councils and allows states and tribes to take specific management actions.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill establishes regional management frameworks that consider effects on fisheries, vegetation, and other species to ensure sustainable management. Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill provides frameworks that assist private lake and pond managers in rural areas with managing double-crested cormorant populations.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would farmers be better off under this? — The bill helps mitigate cormorant impacts on fisheries and aquaculture managed by private lake and pond operators.
- 9/24/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Katie BrittRepublican · Alabama