H.R. 925 would authorize the appropriation of $60 million annually over the 2020-2024 period for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to carry out the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. Under that act, USFWS awards competitive grants for projects to conserve wetlands in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In 2019, the agency received an appropriation of $42 million to carry out those activities.
Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, and based on historical spending patterns for the program, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 925 would cost $195 million over the 2020-2024 period and $105 million after 2024.
The costs of the legislation (detailed in Table 1) fall within budget function 300 (natural resources and environment).
