[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2128 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2128
To encourage and facilitate efforts by States and other stakeholders to
conserve and sustain the western population of monarch butterflies, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 18, 2025
Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Wyden, Ms.
Duckworth, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Padilla, and Mr. Booker) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Environment and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To encourage and facilitate efforts by States and other stakeholders to
conserve and sustain the western population of monarch butterflies, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Monarch Action, Recovery, and
Conservation of Habitat Act of 2025'' or the ``MONARCH Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) the population of western monarch butterflies is at
imminent risk of extinction;
(2) over the past 3 decades, the population of western
monarch butterflies has declined by more than 99 percent due to
prolonged drought, loss of milkweed and native pollinator
habitat, loss of breeding and overwintering habitat, and
climate change;
(3) in 2020, the population of western monarch butterflies
reached a new historic low of 1,914 butterflies, falling below
the predicted extinction threshold for the third year in a row;
(4) in 2024, the population of western monarch butterflies
reached the second lowest on record, with less than 10,000
butterflies recorded;
(5) the extinction of the population of migratory western
monarch butterflies is now likely to occur within the next 2
decades if urgent action is not taken;
(6) actively restoring native milkweed and nectar plants,
monarch overwintering habitat, and other pollinator habitat,
and ensuring that key habitats are protected from destruction,
are critical to ensuring the survival of western monarch
butterflies and can also help facilitate conservation of other
essential pollinators; and
(7) enhancing pollinator populations can result in improved
pollination services for neighboring land, including
agriculture and wildlife ecosystems.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Conservation.--The term ``conservation'' means the use
of each method or procedure necessary to protect habitats of
western monarch butterflies and other pollinators within the
range of western monarch butterflies, including--
(A) the protection, restoration, and management of
overwintering, breeding, and migratory habitats;
(B) assistance in the development and
implementation of national, regional, State, Tribal,
and local conservation and management plans; and
(C) community outreach and education.
(2) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Western Monarch
Butterfly Rescue Fund established by section 5(a).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(4) Tribal government.--The term ``Tribal government''
means the governing body of a federally recognized Indian
Tribe.
(5) Western monarch butterfly.--The term ``western monarch
butterfly'' means the monarch butterfly population that
overwinters along the coast of the State of California and
breeds across the States of California, Arizona, Nevada,
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah.
SEC. 4. WESTERN MONARCH BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Subject to the availability of funds and in
consultation with other relevant Federal agencies, amounts deposited in
the Fund shall be available to the Secretary to provide grants for
projects for the conservation of western monarch butterflies, and other
pollinators within the range of western monarch butterflies, for which
project proposals are approved by the Secretary in accordance with this
section.
(b) Project Proposals.--
(1) Eligible entities.--An entity that is eligible to
receive a grant for a project under this section is--
(A) a relevant local government or Tribal
government agency, research institution, or nonprofit
organization with expertise required for the
conservation of western monarch butterflies and other
pollinators within the range of western monarch
butterflies; and
(B) any other entity, as determined appropriate by
the Secretary, with the expertise required for the
conservation of western monarch butterflies and other
pollinators within the range of western monarch
butterflies.
(2) Federal partnership opportunities.--A State or Federal
agency--
(A) may not be a lead entity or receive a grant for
a project under this section; but
(B) may be included as a partner or collaborator on
a project that receives a grant under this section.
(3) Required elements.--A proposal for a project under this
section shall include--
(A) a statement of the purposes of the project;
(B) the name of the entity with overall
responsibility for the project;
(C) a description of--
(i) the qualifications of the entity that
will conduct the project;
(ii) methods for project implementation and
outcome assessment; and
(iii) anticipated outcomes;
(D) assurances that the project will be implemented
in consultation with relevant wildlife management
authorities, Tribal governments, and other appropriate
local government, State government, and Federal
Government agencies;
(E) assurances that the conservation efforts
outlined in the proposal do not conflict with food
safety measures or practices;
(F) information that demonstrates the clear
potential of the project to contribute to the
conservation and recovery of western monarch
butterflies and other pollinators within the range of
western monarch butterflies; and
(G) such other information as the Secretary may
require.
(c) Project Review and Approval.--The Secretary shall annually--
(1) solicit project proposals for funding under this
section; and
(2) review each proposal described in paragraph (1) on a
timeline that recognizes the urgency of the declining number of
western monarch butterflies and other pollinators within the
range of western monarch butterflies to determine whether the
proposal meets the criteria described in subsection (d).
(d) Criteria for Approval.--The Secretary may approve a project
proposal under this section if the proposal demonstrates a likelihood
that the project will contribute to the conservation of western monarch
butterfly populations in the wild.
(e) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide technical
assistance for a project that receives a grant under this section.
(f) Project Reporting.--
(1) In general.--Each entity that receives a grant for a
project under this section shall submit to the Secretary, at
such intervals as the Secretary may require, reports that
include any information that the Secretary determines is
necessary to evaluate the progress and success of the project
for the purposes of ensuring positive results, assessing
problems, and fostering improvements.
(2) Availability to state legislatures.--At the request of
the Governor of the State in which a project is conducted, each
entity that receives a grant for a project under this section
shall submit each report under paragraph (1) to the State
legislature of that State.
(3) Availability to the public.--The Secretary shall make
available to the public, in a timely manner--
(A) each report submitted under paragraph (1); and
(B) any other documents relating to projects for
which a grant is provided under this section.
SEC. 5. WESTERN MONARCH BUTTERFLY RESCUE FUND.
(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of the
United States a fund, to be known as the ``Western Monarch Butterfly
Rescue Fund''.
(b) Administrative Expenses.--Of the amounts available in the Fund
for each fiscal year, the Secretary may expend not more than 3 percent
to pay the administrative expenses necessary to carry out this Act.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated for deposit into the Fund $12,500,000 for each of fiscal
years 2026 through 2030, to remain available until expended.
SEC. 6. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WESTERN MONARCH BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION
PLAN.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with
the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation pursuant to the National Fish
and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.) to
facilitate updating and implementing the Western Monarch Butterfly
Conservation Plan prepared by the Western Association of Fish and
Wildlife Agencies and dated January 2019.
(b) Administration.--Section 10(a) of the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3709(a)) shall not
apply with respect to--
(1) the agreement entered into under subsection (a); or
(2) amounts made available to carry out this section.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $12,500,000 for
each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
SEC. 7. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
Not later than January 31 of each year, the Secretary shall submit
to Congress a report describing the status of western monarch
butterflies, including, with respect to the year for which the report
is submitted--
(1) a summary of the projects for which the Secretary has
provided funding under section 4 and an evaluation of those
projects; and
(2) a summary of the projects for which the Secretary has
provided funding through the Western Monarch Butterfly
Conservation Plan prepared by the Western Association of Fish
and Wildlife Agencies and dated January 2019.
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