H.R. 3268: Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2025
Sponsor
H. Griffith
Republican · VA-9
Bill Progress
Latest Action · May 8, 2025
Assigned to Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management. for review
Why it matters
As the federal government continues constructing, acquiring, and renovating buildings, HR3268 would require bird-collision protections now for projects involving more than 50 percent of a building’s facade and create an annual October 1 compliance check.
HR3268 would add a new section 3319 to chapter 33 of title 40 of the United States Code and put the Administrator of General Services in charge of making federal buildings safer for birds. The bill applies to public buildings that are constructed, acquired, or undergo a substantial alteration involving more than 50 percent of the facade, as determined by the Commissioner of Public Buildings. For those buildings, the Administrator must incorporate bird-safe features, practices, and strategies to reduce collision deaths, though only "to the extent practicable."
A big piece of the bill is the required design guide. The Administrator must develop that guide and include features for all construction phases, while accounting for collision risks and available bird fatality data. It also has to spell out operation and maintenance strategies, specifically including interior, exterior, and site lighting, and identify best practices along with the reasons for adopting them and explanations for leaving any identified best practice out.
The bill also creates a government-wide information and accountability process. The design guide must be distributed to all Federal agencies, subagencies, and departments with independent leasing authority, and it must be updated on a regular basis. Then, not later than October 1 of each fiscal year, the Administrator, acting through the Commissioner, must gather compliance information, certify to Congress that the design guide is being used for applicable buildings, and submit an annual report.
That annual report has to do more than just say whether agencies complied. It must also assess bird fatalities at public buildings occupied by the head of each Federal agency, to the extent practicable, and include recommendations to reduce risks in and around Federal agency buildings. The bill does carve out major exceptions: buildings or sites listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, plus the White House and its grounds, the Supreme Court building and its grounds, and the United States Capitol and any building on the Capitol grounds.
What does H.R. 3268 do?
Bird-safe rules kick in after 50% facade changes
The bill applies to public buildings that are constructed, acquired, or subject to a substantial alteration involving more than 50 percent of the facade, with that threshold determined by the Commissioner of Public Buildings.
GSA must write a government-wide guide
The Administrator of General Services must develop a design guide under new 40 U.S.C. 3319 that covers all construction phases, uses available bird fatality data, and includes operation and maintenance strategies for interior, exterior, and site lighting.
Best practices must be explained in writing
The design guide must identify best practices and also explain both the reasons those practices were adopted and the reasons any identified best practices were omitted, creating a written record of design choices.
Annual compliance check due by October 1
Not later than October 1 of each fiscal year, the Administrator, acting through the Commissioner, must gather compliance information and certify to Congress that the design guide is being used for applicable buildings.
Annual bird-fatality report also due October 1
By October 1 of each fiscal year, the Administrator must submit a report with compliance information, an assessment of bird fatalities at public buildings occupied by the head of each Federal agency, and recommendations to reduce collision risks.
Historic and iconic sites are exempt
The bill exempts buildings or sites listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as the White House and its grounds, the Supreme Court building and its grounds, and the United States Capitol and any building on the Capitol grounds.
Who benefits from H.R. 3268?
Migratory and urban bird populations
They would benefit from required collision-reduction features in federal public buildings that are newly constructed, acquired, or altered on more than 50 percent of the facade, plus lighting-related strategies covering interior, exterior, and site lighting.
Federal building managers seeking clear standards
Managers would get a single design guide from the Administrator of General Services, distributed to all Federal agencies, subagencies, and departments with independent leasing authority and updated on a regular basis.
Bird conservation experts and green building groups
Federal agencies with bird conservation expertise, nongovernmental organizations with bird conservation expertise, and representatives of green building certification systems must be consulted when best practices are identified.
Congress and public oversight advocates
They would gain yearly accountability because the Administrator must certify compliance to Congress and file an annual report not later than October 1 of each fiscal year with both compliance data and bird-fatality assessments.
Who is affected by H.R. 3268?
General Services Administration
The Administrator of General Services becomes the main implementing official, responsible for writing the design guide, sending it across the federal government, updating it regularly, gathering compliance information, certifying to Congress, and filing annual October 1 reports.
Commissioner of Public Buildings
The Commissioner would help administer the law, determine when a project involves more than 50 percent of a facade, and act as the channel through which compliance information is gathered.
Federal agencies, subagencies, and departments with independent leasing authority
These entities would receive the design guide and would need to use it for applicable public buildings, especially when buildings are constructed, acquired, or heavily altered.
Managers of exempt historic and symbolic federal properties
They are affected differently because the bill does not apply to properties listed or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, nor to the White House, the Supreme Court building, the United States Capitol, or buildings on Capitol grounds.
H.R. 3268 Common Questions
What federal building projects trigger bird-safe design rules under HR 3268?
Under the Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2025, bird-safe measures apply to public buildings that are constructed, acquired, or substantially altered when more than 50% of the facade is affected, as determined by the Commissioner of Public Buildings (Section 2, new 40 U.S.C. 3319(a)).
Are federal buildings required to report bird-collision compliance by October 1 each year?
Yes. Under the Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2025, the Administrator must gather compliance information and certify to Congress by October 1 of each fiscal year that the design guide is being used for covered buildings (Section 2, new 40 U.S.C. 3319(g)).
Does HR 3268 require annual bird fatality reports for federal agency buildings?
Yes. According to HR3268 Section 2, by October 1 each fiscal year the Administrator must report to Congress on compliance, assess bird fatalities at public buildings occupied by agency heads when practicable, and recommend risk-reduction steps (new 40 U.S.C. 3319(h)).
Which buildings are exempt from the Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2025?
Under the Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2025, exemptions include properties listed or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, plus the White House, the Supreme Court building, the U.S. Capitol, and their grounds (Section 2, new 40 U.S.C. 3319(f)).
Can the White House or Capitol be forced to add bird-safe building features under HR 3268?
No. Under HR3268 Section 2, the White House and its grounds, the Supreme Court building and its grounds, and the U.S. Capitol and Capitol grounds are expressly exempt (new 40 U.S.C. 3319(f)).
Does the bill cover lighting rules for federal buildings to prevent bird collisions?
Yes. Under the Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2025, the required design guide must include operation and maintenance strategies, specifically including interior, exterior, and site lighting (Section 2, new 40 U.S.C. 3319(b)).
What agencies have to receive the federal bird-safe design guide?
According to HR3268 Section 2, GSA must distribute the design guide to all Federal agencies, subagencies, and departments with independent leasing authority (new 40 U.S.C. 3319(d)).
Does HR 3268 require GSA to explain why some bird-safe best practices were left out?
Yes. Under the Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2025, the design guide must identify best practices and explain both why adopted practices were chosen and why any identified best practices were omitted (Section 2, new 40 U.S.C. 3319(b)).
Which groups must GSA consult when creating the bird-safe federal building guide?
Under HR3268 Section 2, GSA must consult Federal agencies with bird conservation expertise, nongovernmental organizations with bird conservation expertise, and representatives of green building certification systems (new 40 U.S.C. 3319(c)).
Is GSA required to keep updating the federal bird-safe building guide?
Yes. According to the Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2025, the Administrator must update the design guide on a regular basis (Section 2, new 40 U.S.C. 3319(e)).
Based on H.R. 3268 bill text
HR3268 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
May 8, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
About the Sponsor
H. Griffith
Republican, Virginia's 9th congressional district · 15 years in Congress
Committees: House Select Subcommittee to Investigate the Remaining Questions Surrounding January 6, 2021, Energy and Commerce, House Administration
View full profile →
Cosponsors (5)
All 5 cosponsors are Democrats. Cosponsors represent 5 states: Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and 2 more.
Committee Sponsors
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
2 of 65 committee members cosponsored
34 Republicans across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 3268 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Transportation and Infrastructure
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Government Operations and Politics
- Introduced
- May 8, 2025
Assigned to Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management. for review
May 8, 2025
Official Sources
Official bill page with text, actions, sponsors, and legislative status for the Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2025.
GSA's Sustainable Facilities Tool is an official federal resource on building design and operations that is relevant to the bill's required bird-safe design guide and lighting strategies.
This National Park Service page is relevant because the bill exempts buildings and sites listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
The bill amends title 40 of the United States Code by adding a new section 3319 governing bird-safe practices in public buildings.
The bill specifically references interior, exterior, and site lighting, and this official NPS program provides federal guidance relevant to reducing harmful lighting impacts.
H.R. 3268 Bill Text
“To amend title 40, United States Code, to direct the Administrator of General Services to incorporate practices and strategies to reduce bird fatalities resulting from collisions with certain public buildings, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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