---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 669b"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "669b"
heading: "Authorization of appropriations"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/669b"
units:
  - "Chapter 5B — Wildlife Restoration"
---

# §669b. Authorization of appropriations

- (a) **In general—**
  - (1) An amount equal to all revenues accruing each [fiscal year](/usc/16/669a.md?p=2) (beginning with the [fiscal year](/usc/16/669a.md?p=2) 1975) from any tax imposed on specified articles by sections [4161(b)](/usc/26/4161.md?p=b) and [4181](/usc/26/4181.md) of title 26, shall, subject to the exemptions in [section 4182](/usc/26/4182.md) of such title, be covered into the Federal aid to [wildlife](/usc/16/669a.md?p=7) restoration fund in the Treasury (hereinafter referred to as the “fund”) and is authorized to be appropriated and made available until expended to carry out the purposes of this chapter. So much of such appropriations apportioned to any [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) for any [fiscal year](/usc/16/669a.md?p=2) as remains unexpended at the close thereof is authorized to be made available for expenditure in that [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) until the close of the succeeding [fiscal year](/usc/16/669a.md?p=2). Any amount apportioned to any [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) under the provisions of this chapter which is unexpended or unobligated at the end of the period during which it is available for expenditure on any [project](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) is authorized to be made available for expenditure by the [Secretary](/usc/16/669a.md?p=5) of the Interior in carrying out the provisions of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act [[16 U.S.C. 715](/usc/16/715.md) et seq.].
  - (2) There is established in the Federal aid to [wildlife](/usc/16/669a.md?p=7) restoration fund a subaccount to be known as the “[Wildlife](/usc/16/669a.md?p=7) [Conservation](/usc/16/669a.md?p=1) and Restoration Account”. There are authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of the [Wildlife](/usc/16/669a.md?p=7) [Conservation](/usc/16/669a.md?p=1) and Restoration Account $50,000,000 in [fiscal year](/usc/16/669a.md?p=2) 2001 for apportionment in accordance with this chapter to carry out [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) [wildlife conservation and restoration programs](/usc/16/669a.md?p=9). Further, interest on amounts transferred shall be treated in a manner consistent with [16 U.S.C. 669(b)(1)](/usc/16/669.md)).[^1]
- (b) **Investment of unexpended amounts—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/16/669a.md?p=5) of the Treasury shall invest in interest-bearing obligations of the United States such portion of the fund as is not, in his judgment, required for meeting a current year’s withdrawals. For purposes of such investment, the [Secretary](/usc/16/669a.md?p=5) of the Treasury may—
    - (A) [acquire](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) obligations at the issue price and purchase outstanding obligations at the market price; and
    - (B) sell obligations held in the fund at the market price.
  - (2) The interest on obligations held in the fund—
    - (A) shall be credited to the fund;
    - (B) constitute the sums available for allocation by the [Secretary](/usc/16/669a.md?p=5) under [section 4407 of this title](/usc/16/4407.md); and
    - (C) shall become available for apportionment under this chapter at the beginning of [fiscal year](/usc/16/669a.md?p=2) 2033.
- (c) **Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account—**
  - (1) Amounts transferred to the [Wildlife](/usc/16/669a.md?p=7) [Conservation](/usc/16/669a.md?p=1) and Restoration Account shall supplement, but not replace, existing funds available to the [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r) from the sport fish restoration account and [wildlife](/usc/16/669a.md?p=7) restoration account and shall be used for the development, revision, and implementation of [wildlife conservation and restoration programs](/usc/16/669a.md?p=9) and should be used to address the unmet needs for a diverse array of [wildlife](/usc/16/669a.md?p=7) and associated habitats, including species that are not hunted or fished, for [wildlife](/usc/16/669a.md?p=7) [conservation](/usc/16/669a.md?p=1), [wildlife conservation education](/usc/16/669a.md?p=10), and [wildlife-associated recreation](/usc/16/669a.md?p=8) [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4). Such funds may be used for new programs and [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) as well as to enhance existing programs and [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4).
  - (2) Funds may be used by a [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) or an Indian tribe for the planning and implementation of its [wildlife conservation and restoration program](/usc/16/669a.md?p=9) and [wildlife](/usc/16/669a.md?p=7) [conservation](/usc/16/669a.md?p=1) strategy, as provided in [sections 669c(d)](/usc/16/669c.md?p=d) and (e) of this title, including [wildlife](/usc/16/669a.md?p=7) [conservation](/usc/16/669a.md?p=1), [wildlife conservation education](/usc/16/669a.md?p=10), and [wildlife-associated recreation](/usc/16/669a.md?p=8) [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4). Such funds may be used for new programs and [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) as well as to enhance existing programs and [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4).
  - (3) Priority for funding from the [Wildlife](/usc/16/669a.md?p=7) [Conservation](/usc/16/669a.md?p=1) and Restoration Account shall be for those species with the greatest [conservation](/usc/16/669a.md?p=1) need as defined by the [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) [wildlife conservation and restoration program](/usc/16/669a.md?p=9).
- (d) **Obligation of amounts in State—** Notwithstanding subsections [(a)](#a) and [(b)](#b) of this section, with respect to amounts transferred to the [Wildlife](/usc/16/669a.md?p=7) [Conservation](/usc/16/669a.md?p=1) and Restoration Account, so much of such amounts apportioned to any [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) for any [fiscal year](/usc/16/669a.md?p=2) as remains unexpended at the close thereof shall remain available for obligation in that [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) until the close of the second succeeding [fiscal year](/usc/16/669a.md?p=2).

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “paragraph (1) of subsection (b)”.

## Source credit

(Sept. 2, 1937, ch. 899, § 3, 50 Stat. 917; 1939 Reorg. Plan No. II, § 4(f), eff. July 1, 1939, 4 F.R. 2731, 53 Stat. 1433; Pub. L. 91–503, title I, § 101, Oct. 23, 1970, 84 Stat. 1097; Pub. L. 92–558, title I, § 101(a), Oct. 25, 1972, 86 Stat. 1172; Pub. L. 99–514, § 2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095; Pub. L. 101–233, § 7(a)(1), Dec. 13, 1989, 103 Stat. 1974; Pub. L. 106–553, § 1(a)(2) [title IX, § 902(d)], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2762, 2762A–120; Pub. L. 109–75, § 1, Sept. 29, 2005, 119 Stat. 2034; Pub. L. 114–113, div. G, title I, § 120, Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 2552; Pub. L. 119–40, § 2, Nov. 25, 2025, 139 Stat. 662.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Migratory Bird Conservation Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is act Feb. 18, 1929, ch. 257, 45 Stat. 1222, which is classified generally to subchapter III (§ 715 et seq.) of chapter 7 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 715 of this title and Tables.

### Amendments

2025—Subsec. (b)(2)(C). Pub. L. 119–40 substituted “2033” for “2026”.

2015—Subsec. (b)(2)(C). Pub. L. 114–113 substituted “2026” for “2016”.

2005—Subsec. (b)(2)(C). Pub. L. 109–75 substituted “2016” for “2006”.

2000—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 106–553, § 1(a)(2) [title IX, § 902(d)(1)], designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 106–553, § 1(a)(2) [title IX, § 902(d)(2)], added subsecs. (c) and (d).

1989—Pub. L. 101–233 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

1986—Pub. L. 99–514 substituted “Internal Revenue Code of 1986” for “Internal Revenue Code of 1954”, which for purposes of codification was translated as “title 26” thus requiring no change in text.

1972—Pub. L. 92–558 substituted “(beginning with the fiscal year 1975)” for “(beginning with the fiscal year 1971)” and inserted reference to section 4161(b) of title 26.

1970—Pub. L. 91–503 inserted provisions for the deposit of the 10 per cent tax on pistols and revolvers under section 4181 of title 26 into the Federal aid to wildlife restoration fund beginning in fiscal year 1971.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1989 Amendment

Pub. L. 101–233, § 7(a)(3), Dec. 13, 1989, 103 Stat. 1975, provided that: “The amendments made by this subsection of this Act [amending this section and section 669c of this title] take effect October 1, 1989.”

### Effective Date of 1972 Amendment

Pub. L. 92–558, title I, § 101(c), Oct. 25, 1972, 86 Stat. 1172, as amended by Pub. L. 93–313, June 8, 1974, 88 Stat. 238, provided that: “The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) [amending this section and section 669c of this title] of this section shall take effect January 1, 1975.”

### Executive Documents

### Transfer of Functions

Reorg. Plan No. II of 1939, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, transferred functions of Secretary of Agriculture relating to conservation of wildlife, game, and migratory birds to Secretary of the Interior.