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Hearing Analysis
Overview
summary: On February 4, 2026, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a legislative hearing to consider four bills addressing wildlife conservation, tribal cultural rights, and federal water infrastructure. Chaired by Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY), the hearing focused on balancing federal environmental mandates with local economic interests and cultural traditions. The bills under consideration were H.R. 3276, H.R. 6021, H.R. 6568, and H.R. 7159.
Key Testimony
The most contentious debate centered on H.R. 7159, the Protecting Local Zoos Act of 2026, sponsored by Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ). The bill seeks to amend the Big Cat Public Safety Act (BCPSA) of 2022, which banned private ownership of big cats and "cub petting" attractions. Rep. Gosar and witness Mindy Stinner, Chair of the Feline Conservation Foundation, argued that the BCPSA was poorly implemented by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), creating "unintended regulatory burdens" for small, legitimate zoological facilities. Ms. Stinner testified that the USFWS received only 97 registrations for big cats nationwide—far fewer than the 20,000 predicted by proponents of the original law—and noted that many facilities registered in error but have no mechanism to cancel those registrations.
In contrast, Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA) and witness Matthew Bryant, a retired USFWS Law Enforcement officer, strongly opposed H.R. 7159. Mr. Bryant, who led the "Tiger King" investigation into Joseph Maldonado-Passage, argued the bill would reopen dangerous loopholes. He specifically warned that allowing "volunteers" to handle big cats would allow roadside zoos to rebrand paying customers as volunteers to resume cub petting. Mr. Bryant also linked the exotic cat trade to broader criminal activities, including drug trafficking, money laundering, and murder-for-hire plots. Rep. Val Hoyle (D-OR) echoed these concerns, citing a recent investigation in her district where an unaccredited animal park was found to house drugs and illegal firearms.
The subcommittee also discussed H.R. 6021, the Archie Cavanaugh Migratory Bird Treaty Amendment Act, sponsored by Rep. Nicholas Begich (R-AK). The bill aims to protect Alaska Native artists from prosecution under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) for using non-edible bird parts, such as feathers, in traditional handicrafts. Rep. Begich and Witness Megan Onders, Chief of the King Island Native Community, highlighted the 2012 prosecution of Tlingit artist Archie Cavanaugh as a primary catalyst for the bill. Chief Onders testified that Alaska Native art is a "critical sector" of the rural economy, providing essential income for heating and food in remote villages. She emphasized that Alaska Natives have been stewards of these species for 10,000 years and that their take is already strictly regulated through the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council. While Democrats expressed support for tribal sovereignty, Rep. Hoyle noted the need for "sensible guardrails" to ensure continued conservation.
Regarding water infrastructure, the subcommittee examined H.R. 6568, the Lower Yellowstone River Native Fish Conservation Act, sponsored by Rep. Troy Downing (R-MT). The bill would mandate that the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) retain permanent financial and operational responsibility for the Lower Yellowstone Fish Bypass Channel. James Brower, Manager of the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project, testified that the bypass—built to protect the endangered pallid sturgeon—was poorly designed by federal agencies and suffers from severe erosion, costing $2 million annually in repairs. Mr. Brower argued that the 300 farm families in the irrigation district cannot afford these costs, which were incurred to meet federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) obligations. Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT) supported the bill, arguing that the federal government should be accountable for projects it designs and builds on federal land. However, Rep. Huffman expressed concern that the bill would shift mitigation costs from water users to American taxpayers, setting a "concerning precedent" for other Western water projects.
Policy Proposals
Finally, the subcommittee considered H.R. 3276, the Local Communities and Bird Habitat Stewardship Act of 2025, sponsored by Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI). This bipartisan bill would provide statutory authorization and $1 million in annual funding for the Urban Bird Treaty Program. Rep. Dingell noted that North America has lost nearly three billion birds since 1970 and argued that the grant program is essential for restoring habitats in urban parks and greenways. The bill received broad support from both sides of the aisle and various conservation groups, including the National Audubon Society and Ducks Unlimited.
Key Testimony
The hearing concluded with Chair Hageman noting that the record would remain open for ten business days for additional questions and responses. No specific dates for a markup or further action on the bills were announced during the session. Organizations mentioned throughout the testimony included the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Zoological Association of America, and the Alaska Federation of Natives.
Transcript
[Gavel sounds.] The Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries will come to order. Good morning, everyone. I want to welcome members, witnesses, and our guests in the audience today. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare a recess of the subcommittee at any time. Under Committee Rule 4(f), any oral opening statements at hearings are limited to the chair and the ranking member. I therefore ask unanimous consent that all other members' opening statements be made part of the hearing record if they are submitted in accordance with Committee Rule 3(o). Without objection, so ordered. I also ask unanimous consent that the congressman from Alaska, Mr. Begich, the congressman from Montana, Mr. Downing, and the congressman from Arizona, Dr. Gosar, be allowed to participate in today's hearing. Without objection, so ordered. We are here today to consider four legislative measures: H.R. 3276, the Local Communities and Bird Habitat Stewardship Act of 2025, sponsored by Representative Dingell of Michigan; H.R. 6021, the Archie Cavanaugh Migratory Bird Treaty Amendment Act, sponsored by Representative Begich of Alaska; H.R. 6568, Lower Yellowstone River Native Fish Conservation Act, sponsored by Representative Downing of Montana; and H.R. 7159, the Protecting Local Zoos Act of 2026, sponsored by Representative Gosar of Arizona. I now recognize myself for a five-minute opening statement. Today, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries will examine four bills. Our first bill, H.R. 7159, sponsored by Dr. Gosar, would address several concerns surrounding the implementation of the Big Cat Public Safety Act. Committee Republicans sounded the alarm on many of the issues addressed in Dr. Gosar's bill before the Big Cat Public Safety Act became law in 2022. The bill weaponized the Lacey Act, unnecessarily superseded state authority, and was written in a way that implementation caused major problems for law-abiding facilities dedicated to the care and conservation of big cats. Dr. Gosar's bipartisan bill makes targeted reforms to the underlying law that will not endanger the public or the conservation of big cats, but instead will address real concerns from those who deal with the law's repercussions on a daily basis. The second bill under consideration is H.R. 6021, sponsored by Congressman Begich, which provides greater certainty to Alaska Native communities by amending the Migratory Bird Treaty Act's treatment of Native Alaskan works of art that contain feathers or other non-edible bird parts. In 2012, Native Alaskan artist Archie Cavanaugh was prosecuted for selling traditional artworks that contained feathers from several species protected under the MBTA. This unfortunate incident highlighted that something needed to be done to protect Native artists from being unjustly prosecuted. In 2017, at the urging of Native Alaskan communities and Congress, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service adopted regulations that allowed for the sale of Native Alaskan works of art that utilized parts from a limited number of species. This bill expands upon those regulations by allowing for the responsible sale of Native Alaskan works of art that contain parts from any species covered under the MBTA. Our third bill, H.R. 6568, sponsored by Congressman Downing, would affirm that the Bureau of Reclamation retains exclusive ownership, operational control, and financial responsibility for the Lower Yellowstone Fish Bypass Channel, which was built to support the recovery of the endangered pallid sturgeon. This legislation protects farmers in eastern Montana and western North Dakota from bearing the cost of federal conservation efforts. Lastly, H.R. 3276, sponsored by Congresswoman Dingell, would provide congressional authorization for a grant program dedicated to the conservation of bird species in urban areas. With that, I want to take time to thank our witnesses for being here today, and I look forward to a robust conversation. I now recognize the ranking member Huffman for his opening statement.
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