Zinke Leads on Another Wildlife Crossing Bill

Congressman Ryan Zinke and Congressman Don Beyer (VA – 08) recently introduced the Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025, legislation to make the highly successful Wildlife Crossings Program a permanent part of federal law and extend its authorization through fiscal year 2031. The program provides grant funding to state and tribal governments to construct wildlife crossings such as overpasses and underpasses, in an effort to minimize the number of accidents involving wildlife and vehicles and improve habitat connectivity.

Congressman Zinke has been the driving force behind federal wildlife crossing and migration corridor policy for nearly a decade. As Secretary of the Interior, he signed Secretarial Order 3362 in 2018, directing federal agencies to partner with western states to map, protect, and enhance elk, mule deer, pronghorn, and other migration routes. That order laid the groundwork for the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program created in 2021. In 2024 (and reintroduced in 2025), Zinke built on that foundation by introducing the bipartisan Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act to codify Secretarial Order 3362 and expand voluntary, state-led conservation of migration corridors. 

“Wildlife crossings save lives and are good for healthy herds,” said Zinke. “As the Secretary of the Interior I launched the first federal effort to protect big-game migration corridors and dedicate federal dollars to crossings in the west. This bill locks in the progress we started, keeps the funding flowing to the states and tribes that need it most, and ensures Montana families don’t have to risk their lives or lose the wildlife we all cherish driving to work or school.”

Key provisions of the Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025:

• Permanently authorizes the Wildlife Crossings Program by removing the word “pilot” from federal law.
• Extends funding authorization for fiscal years 2026 through 2031.
• Provides 100% federal cost share for projects led by Indian tribes.
• Creates a dedicated Tribal technical assistance program to help tribes navigate applications and speed project delivery.
• Allows unobligated funds to carry forward so slow federal processing doesn’t punish rural states.
• Keeps administrative costs capped at one-half of one percent so the maximum amount reaches actual projects.

Montana is already a national model with active and planned wildlife crossings on U.S. Highway 191 in Gallatin Canyon, Highway 93 on the Flathead Indian Reservation, and other high-collision corridors. The state has consistently ranked among the top recipients of federal wildlife crossing grants.

Read more about the Wildlife Crossing Program here.

Read the full text of the legislation here.

Read the full press release here.

Zinke Introduces Bill to Put Proven Protectors in Schools

This week, Congressman Ryan Zinke and Rep. Donald G. Davis (NC-01) introduced the Strengthening Resources for Our Schools (SROs) Act, a bipartisan-backed measure to enhance school safety, protect students from violence, and create meaningful second-career opportunities for America’s veterans and retired law enforcement officers. Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

“This bill is a true Montana solution: we trust our law enforcement and our veterans to protect our communities, and this legislation puts those proven protectors back in our schools to keep Montana children safe,” said Zinke. “In rural Montana, the nearest deputy can be an hour away, sometimes far more when the roads are iced over or a blizzard rolls in. We cannot wait for help to arrive after something happens. We have to stop trouble before it starts, and that means having trained, trusted law enforcement on campus every single day. The SROs Act removes the federal tax penalty that keeps our retired Montana peace officers and combat veterans on the sidelines, so they can step up, protect our kids, mentor the next generation, and keep every dollar of the hard-earned retirement they sacrificed to earn.”

Key provisions of the SROs Act of 2025:

• Amends the Internal Revenue Code to grant a federal income tax exemption on retirement income for any qualified retired law enforcement officer or military veteran who returns to work as a certified School Resource Officer (SRO) and meets all applicable POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training) requirements.
• Provides a permanent, lifetime federal tax exemption on retirement income for those who serve at least ten years as an SROs.
• The bill strengthens school safety in the wake of continued threats and tragic incidents, respects Second Amendment rights, and offers veterans and retired law enforcement a dignified way to continue protecting and mentoring the next generation.

Read the full text of the bill here.

Read the full press release here.

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