">
Budget Oversight an reduce the impact on the taxpayer from BLM procurement practices
The is to request Congressionally Directed Spending language be included into the 2025 Department of Interior Budget.
The current method of meeting the nutrition needs of animals removed from public lands is for the Department of Interior to obtain forage produced on PRIVATE LANDS – a supply driven marketplace. The impacts to taxpayers are STEEP INCREASES IN COSTS when the BLM WHB competes in the cash crop market for forage.
The lifetime projected nutrition cost for all Wild Horses and Burros removed from public lands is $3-4 Billion.
The nutrition needs of animals removed from public lands is protected under the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act (Public Law 92-195).
Suggested Congressional Directive: The Bureau of Land Management is directed to curtail procurement of forage on the commercial market. Forage required for animals already removed from public lands must be produced on public lands. None of the funds made available in this act, in this, past and future fiscal years may be reprogrammed without the advance approval of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in accordance with the reprogramming procedures contained in the report accompanying this Act.
Enhance budget monitoring and minimize the taxpayer burden stemming from BLM purchasing methods.
This is a call to action for Congress to integrate Congressionally Directed Spending language into the 2025 Department of Interior Budget. Currently, the Department of Interior is obtaining forage for animals removed from public lands from private lands, which has led to significant cost increases as the Bureau of Land Management competes in the cash crop market. The projected lifetime nutrition cost for all Wild Horses and Burros removed from public lands is estimated at $3-4 billion. It is important to note that the nutrition needs of these animals are safeguarded under the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act (Public Law 92-195). It is recommended that a Congressional Directive be implemented, directing the Bureau of Land Management to restrict the procurement of forage from the commercial market. Instead, forage required for animals already removed from public lands should be sourced from public lands. Additionally, it is proposed that none of the funding available in this act, in past or future fiscal years, should be reallocated without prior approval from the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, following the reprogramming procedures outlined in the accompanying report.
Ensure fiscal responsibility and minimize the financial burden on taxpayers by enhancing oversight of budget allocations and streamlining procurement practices within BLM.
We are calling for the inclusion of Congressionally Directed Spending language in the 2025 Department of Interior Budget. The current practice of supplying nutrition to animals taken from public lands involves the Department of Interior acquiring forage from private lands, which leads to significant cost increases as the BLM Wild Horse and Burro program competes in the cash crop market for forage.
The estimated lifetime cost for providing nutrition to all Wild Horses and Burros removed from public lands is projected to be between $3-4 Billion. This nutrition provision is mandated under the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act (Public Law 92-195).
We propose a Congressional Directive that instructs the Bureau of Land Management to limit the purchase of forage from the commercial market. Instead, forage needed for animals already removed from public lands should be sourced from public lands. Additionally, we recommend that no funds allocated in this act, in the current or future fiscal years, be reprogrammed without the prior approval of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations as outlined in the accompanying report to this Act.
Ensure efficient financial management and mitigate the financial burden on taxpayers by closely monitoring the budget allocation and procurement processes within the BLM.
We are urging the inclusion of Congressionally Directed Spending language in the 2025 Department of Interior Budget. Currently, the Department of Interior is obtaining forage for animals removed from public lands from private lands, leading to steep increases in costs as the BLM WHB competes in the cash crop market for forage. The projected nutrition cost for all Wild Horses and Burros removed from public lands is estimated to be $3-4 billion over their lifetime. The nutrition needs of these animals are mandated under the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act (Public Law 92-195).
We propose a Congressional Directive that directs the Bureau of Land Management to minimize procurement of forage from the commercial market. Forage needed for animals that have already been removed from public lands should be produced on public lands. Additionally, none of the funds available in this act, for this fiscal year or any previous or future years, should be reprogrammed without advance approval from the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in accordance with the reprogramming procedures outlined in the accompanying report to this Act.