Wetlands Conservation and Access Improvement Act of 2025
Signed into law Nov 25, 2025 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
What this law does
- Extends until FY2033 a rule sending interest from a federal wildlife fund to wetlands conservation programs.
- Covers interest earned on taxes paid on certain firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment, which was set to stop going to wetlands programs in FY2026.
Plain-language list by Voting On, based only on the official summary by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service and the bill's titles. Read the official summary.
How it became law
- IntroducedMar 25, 2025 · House
- 111 daysPassed HouseJul 14, 2025
- 101 daysPassed SenateOct 23, 2025
- 33 daysPresented to the PresidentNov 25, 2025
- Same daySigned into lawNov 25, 2025
Official summary
Wetlands Conservation and Access Improvement Act of 2025
This act extends until FY2033 a requirement for the interest earned on certain funds held in the Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration Fund to be distributed to states for carrying out certain wildlife conservation and restoration programs. Specifically, the act extends the period in which the interest earned on revenue generated from excise taxes on certain firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment must be used for wildlife conservation and restoration programs established under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. This requirement was set to expire at the beginning of FY2026. In the absence of this requirement, this funding would be distributed to states, according to a formula, for (1) wildlife restoration, (2) hunter education and safety, (3) multistate conservation grants, and (4) administrative costs.
Summary by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service (Introduced in House, Mar 25, 2025).
Who wrote it
Sponsor: Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3]
3 cosponsors: 3 Democrats. 1 signed on the day it was introduced, 2 joined later.
Show all cosponsors
| Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|
| Rep. Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3] | Mar 25, 2025 | Original cosponsor |
| Rep. Gray, Adam [D-CA-13] | Apr 8, 2025 | |
| Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large] | Apr 28, 2025 |
Recorded votes
No recorded roll-call votes. It passed by voice vote or unanimous consent, where individual votes are not recorded.
What was added
Amendments adopted (0)
No floor amendments were adopted. Any changes were made in committee or in a later version of the bill.
Sections in the final law that were not in the first version (Introduced in House) (0)
None. Every section heading in the final law was already in the first version (Introduced in House).
What was removed
Sections in the first version (Introduced in House) that did not make it into the law (0)
None. Every section heading from the first version (Introduced in House) remains in the law.
Compared by section heading between the Introduced in House text (Mar 25, 2025) and the Enrolled Bill text, both from GovInfo. Wording changes inside a section that kept its heading are not shown here; see the amendments and the text versions.
Proposed but not adopted
No amendments were voted down or withdrawn.
Full action history
Show all 29 official actions
| Nov 25, 2025 | Presented to President. |
| Nov 25, 2025 | Presented to President. |
| Nov 25, 2025 | Signed by President. |
| Nov 25, 2025 | Signed by President. |
| Nov 25, 2025 | Became Public Law No: 119-40. |
| Nov 25, 2025 | Became Public Law No: 119-40. |
| Oct 23, 2025 | Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent. |
| Oct 23, 2025 | Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent. |
| Oct 23, 2025 | Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. |
| Oct 23, 2025 | Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7734) |
| Oct 23, 2025 | Message on Senate action sent to the House. |
| Jul 15, 2025 | Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. |
| Jul 14, 2025 | Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. |
| Jul 14, 2025 | On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. |
| Jul 14, 2025 | Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. |
| Jul 14, 2025 | DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2316. |
| Jul 14, 2025 | Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3224) |
| Jul 14, 2025 | Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. (text: CR H3224) |
| Jul 10, 2025 | Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-191. |
| Jul 10, 2025 | Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-191. |
| Jul 10, 2025 | Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 156. |
| Jun 25, 2025 | Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged |
| Jun 25, 2025 | Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held |
| Jun 25, 2025 | Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent. |
| Apr 8, 2025 | Subcommittee Hearings Held |
| Apr 1, 2025 | Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries. |
| Mar 25, 2025 | Introduced in House |
| Mar 25, 2025 | Introduced in House |
| Mar 25, 2025 | Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. |
Sources: Congress.gov (bill record, sponsors, actions, amendments, CRS summary) and GovInfo (official text). Days are calendar days.