Official name: Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity Conservation Act of 2026
Citation: H.R. 8438, 119th Congress; introduced 22 April 2026 by Rep. Donald S. Beyer and cosponsors
Year / status: Under consideration. Introduced and referred to House Natural Resources, Agriculture, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Armed Services. Not passed; not signed.
What it does
The introduced text would direct federal science and mapping of corridors, improve collaboration on federal land and water, and create a grant programme for corridor work on non-federal land: including a stated reservation of funds for big-game migration routes. Authorizations in the introduced text are proposals, not appropriated dollars.
Where it applies / status
Would apply, if enacted, as U.S. federal law. Until then it applies nowhere.
Documented benefits or intended effects
Intended effect: treat connectivity as a conservation object with a map and a budget line. There is no enacted 2026 corridor act to evaluate.
Caveats
Committee referral is not a floor vote. Previous corridor bills in earlier Congresses also failed to become law. Do not describe overpasses already built by states or Parks Canada as if this bill built them.
Sources
Congress.gov H.R. 8438; GovInfo introduced PDF.