Make SWAPs Efficient Act of 2025
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Would amend the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to impose a 180-day deadline on the Department of the Interior to approve state wildlife conservation and restoration plans (commonly called State Wildlife Action Plans, or SWAPs) submitted under the State Wildlife Grant Program.
It would also require the Secretary to conditionally authorize a state's program and set aside grant funds immediately upon submission, and to report to Congress if the approval deadline is missed — adding accountability to a process that states have found slow and uncertain.
What this bill would do
What it would do
The bill would amend the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to set a firm 180-day deadline for the Secretary of the Interior to approve a state's wildlife conservation and restoration program after the state submits its comprehensive plan. Currently, no statutory deadline governs this process. Upon a state's submission of its plan, the Secretary would be required to immediately and conditionally authorize implementation of the state's program and set aside grant funds under the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account while full review proceeds.
The bill would also direct the Secretary, in consultation with states, to develop an internal review process designed to meet the 180-day deadline consistently. It would not change the substantive criteria for approval, nor would it alter states' obligations in preparing their plans. If the Secretary fails to approve a program within 180 days, the bill would require a written report to the chairs and ranking members of the House Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee by June 1 of the following year explaining why approval was not completed.
Key provisions
- 1Would impose a 180-day deadline on the Secretary of the Interior to approve a state's wildlife conservation and restoration program after the state submits its comprehensive plan.
- 2Would require the Secretary to conditionally authorize a state's program and set aside grant funds immediately upon submission of a comprehensive plan, before final approval.
- 3Would direct the Secretary, in consultation with states, to develop an internal review process to ensure timely review and final approval within the 180-day window.
- 4Would express congressional intent that the Secretary prioritize timely review and approval of state comprehensive plans.
- 5Would require the Secretary to submit a report to designated House and Senate committee leaders by June 1 of the following year if the 180-day approval deadline is missed, explaining the reason for the delay.
Who would be affected
State wildlife agencies that submit comprehensive State Wildlife Action Plans under the State Wildlife Grant Program — particularly states whose plans have experienced lengthy or indefinite federal review periods. The Department of the Interior, which administers the program, would face new procedural obligations. Members of the House Natural Resources Committee and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee would receive reports when deadlines are missed.
Why it matters
State agencies currently have no guarantee of when Interior will act on their submitted plans, which can delay implementation of conservation programs and the release of federal grant funds. The 180-day deadline and immediate conditional authorization would give states more predictable timelines and earlier access to resources. The mandatory congressional reporting requirement creates a formal accountability mechanism for missed deadlines.
What would change
Changes to existing law
Amends Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. § 669c(e)(3)) (Sec. 2)
Adds a 180-day approval deadline, conditional authorization upon plan submission, a required Secretary-developed review process, congressional intent language, and a congressional reporting requirement for missed deadlines.
Agencies directed to act
How implementation would work
Upon a state's submission of its comprehensive plan, the Secretary of the Interior must immediately issue a conditional authorization of the state's program and set aside applicable grant funds. The Secretary must also develop, in consultation with states, a process to ensure sufficient and timely review and final approval within 180 days. If the 180-day deadline is missed, the Secretary must submit a status and explanation report to four specified committee leaders no later than June 1 of the year immediately following the year in which the state submitted its plan. No rulemaking timeline is specified.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Official CRS summary
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This bill modifies the State Wildlife Grant Program (SWGP) to establish a deadline for the Department of the Interior to approve state wildlife conservation and restoration programs. Under the SWGP, Interior provides funding to state wildlife agencies to implement their comprehensive plans (commonly known as state wildlife action plans or SWAPs) for state wildlife conservation and restoration programs.
The bill directs Interior to approve a state wildlife conservation and restoration program within 180 days after the date on which the state submitted its SWAP if Interior finds that the SWAP complies with the requirements of the SWGP. If Interior misses the deadline, the bill requires (1) the SWAP to be automatically approved, and (2) Interior to set aside amounts under the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account for the state.
Legislative subjects
Public Lands and Natural Resources; State and local government operations; Wildlife conservation and habitat protection
Committee report
H. Rept. 119-282