[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1856 Reported in Senate (RS)]





                                                       Calendar No. 504

105th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 1856

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 To amend the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to direct the Secretary of 
   the Interior to conduct a volunteer pilot project at one national 
wildlife refuge in each United States Fish and Wildlife Service region, 
                        and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             July 28, 1998

        Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the title





                                                       Calendar No. 504
105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 1856


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            November 5, 1997

 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and 
                              Public Works

                             July 28, 1998

Reported by Mr. Chafee, with an amendment and an amendment to the title
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
 To amend the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to direct the Secretary of 
   the Interior to conduct a volunteer pilot project at one national 
wildlife refuge in each United States Fish and Wildlife Service region, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``National Wildlife Refuge 
System Volunteer and Community Partnership Act of 1997''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS FOR 
              WILDLIFE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Promotion of Volunteers at National Wildlife 
Refuges.--Section 7(b)(2) of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 
U.S.C. 742f(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``Any 
gift or bequest made for the benefit of a particular national wildlife 
refuge or complex of refuges shall be disbursed only for the benefit of 
that refuge or complex of refuges.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Awards and Recognition for Volunteers.--Section 
7(c)(2) of that Act (16 U.S.C. 742f(c)(2)) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by inserting ``awards and recognition,'' after 
        ``lodging,''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by inserting ``without regard to their place 
        of residence'' after ``volunteers''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Volunteer and Community Partnership Enhancement.--
Section 7 of that Act (16 U.S.C. 742) is amended by adding at the end 
the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Volunteer and Community Partnership Enhancement.--
(1) The purposes of this subsection are the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(A) To encourage the use of volunteers in the 
        National Wildlife Refuge System.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(B) To facilitate partnerships between the 
        National Wildlife Refuge System and partner 
        organizations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(C) To promote participation by individuals, 
        organizations, and communities in understanding and conserving 
        the fish and wildlife resources, lands, and facilities of the 
        National Wildlife Refuge System.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(D) To enhance the availability of interpretive 
        and educational materials and services for the enjoyment of 
        visitors to national wildlife refuges.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(2) Subject to the availability of appropriations, the 
Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a pilot project at 1 national 
wildlife refuge in each United States Fish and Wildlife Service region, 
under which the Secretary shall employ a full-time volunteer 
coordinator for each refuge.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(3)(A) Subject to the compatibility requirements of the 
National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 and this 
paragraph, the Secretary of the Interior may enter into a cooperative 
agreement (as that term is used in chapter 63 of title 31, United 
States Code) with any partner organization, academic institution, or 
State or local government organization, for the conduct of a project on 
a national wildlife refuge, under which--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(i) there will be provided enhanced 
        opportunities for private citizens to volunteer with a national 
        wildlife refuge in their local communities and contribute to 
        stewardship of the resources on that refuge;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(ii) a partner organization, academic 
        institution, or State or local government organization will 
        develop, produce, publish, distribute, or sell educational 
        materials and products pertaining to a national wildlife refuge 
        approved by the Secretary, under conditions specified by the 
        Secretary;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(iii) a partner organization, academic 
        institution, or State or local government organization will 
        construct, maintain, operate, or improve a facility on a 
        national wildlife refuge necessary for the sale or distribution 
        of educational materials, products, programs, and services 
        pertaining to national wildlife refuges;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(iv) a partner organization, academic 
        institution, or State or local government organization will 
        provide visitor services, facilities, or activities within a 
        national wildlife refuge, under terms that require that the net 
        profits from such services, facilities, or activities shall be 
        used exclusively for projects and programs that benefit the 
        refuge and are consistent with the purposes for which it was 
        established; or</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(v) there will be carried out within a national 
        wildlife refuge, on a Federal/non-Federal cost sharing basis, 
        habitat restoration and improvement, biological monitoring, 
        research, public education and recreation, construction of 
        facilities, or other projects.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(B) Any Federal funds used to fund a project under a 
cooperative agreement under this paragraph--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(i) may be used only for expenses directly 
        related to the project; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(ii) may not be used for operation or 
        administration of any non-Federal entity.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(C) A partner organization, academic institution, or 
State or local government organization shall not receive preferential 
treatment in any application process to provide visitor services, 
products, or facilities in a national wildlife refuge.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(D) Any facility or permanent improvement constructed 
pursuant to this subsection shall be the property of the United States 
Government.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(4)(A) Amounts received by the Secretary of the Interior 
as a result of activities under paragraph (3) shall be deposited in a 
separate account in the Treasury.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(B) Amounts in the account referred to in subparagraph 
(A) that are attributable to activities at a particular national 
wildlife refuge or complex of refuges shall be available to the 
Secretary of the Interior without further appropriation--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(i) for materials, training, and other uses 
        related to volunteer activities at the refuge or complex of 
        refuges; or</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(ii) to carry out cooperative agreements under 
        this subsection applicable to the refuge or complex of 
        refuges.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(5) For the purposes of this subsection, the term 
`partner organization' means an organization--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(A) the mission of which is to promote 
        understanding and conservation of the fish and wildlife, 
        cultural, or historic resources of a particular national 
        wildlife refuge or a complex of related national wildlife 
        refuges;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(B) that draws its membership primarily from 
        communities near that refuge or complex of related national 
        wildlife refuges; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(C) that is described in section 501(c)(3) of 
        the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation 
        under section 501(a) of that Code.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(6) In addition to amounts available under paragraph 
(4)(B), there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the 
Interior for each of fiscal years 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 
2003--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(A) $1,000,000 for carrying out activities under 
        this subsection and subsection (c); and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(B) $1,050,000 for pilot projects under 
        paragraph (2) among the United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
        Regions.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Conforming Amendment.--Section 7(c)(6) of that Act (16 
U.S.C. 742f(c)(6)) is amended by striking ``$100,000 for the Secretary 
of the Interior and''.Strike all after the enacting clause and insert 
the following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``National Wildlife Refuge 
System Volunteer and Partnership Enhancement Act of 1998''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the National Wildlife Refuge System (referred 
        to in this Act as the ``System''), consisting of more than 500 
        refuges and 93,000,000 acres, plays an integral role in the 
        protection of the natural resources of the United 
        States;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the National Wildlife Refuge System 
        Improvement Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-57; 111 Stat. 1252) 
        significantly improved the law governing the System, although 
        the financial resources for implementing this law and managing 
        the System remain limited;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by encouraging volunteer programs and 
        donations, and facilitating non-Federal partnerships with 
        refuges, Federal funding for the refuges can be supplemented 
        and the System can fully benefit from the amendments made by 
        the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) by encouraging refuge educational programs, 
        public awareness of the resources of the System and public 
        participation in the conservation of those resources can be 
        promoted.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) to encourage the use of volunteers to assist 
        the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in the management 
        of refuges within the System;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) to facilitate partnerships between the System 
        and non-Federal entities to promote public awareness of the 
        resources of the System and public participation in the 
        conservation of those resources; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) to encourage donations and other contributions 
        by persons and organizations to the System.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. GIFTS TO PARTICULAR NATIONAL WILDLIFE 
              REFUGES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 7(b)(2) of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 
U.S.C. 742f(b)(2)) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by striking ``(2) Any'' and inserting the 
        following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Use of gifts, devises, and bequests.--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) In general.--Any''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Gifts, devises, and bequests to 
                particular refuges.--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) Disbursal.--Any gift, 
                        devise, or bequest made for the benefit of a 
                        particular national wildlife refuge or complex 
                        of geographically related refuges shall be 
                        disbursed only for the benefit of that refuge 
                        or complex of refuges and without further 
                        appropriations.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) Matching.--Subject to the 
                        availability of appropriations and the 
                        requirements of the National Wildlife Refuge 
                        Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et 
                        seq.) and other applicable law, the Secretary 
                        may provide funds to match gifts, devises, and 
                        bequests made for the benefit of a particular 
                        national wildlife refuge or complex of 
                        geographically related refuges. With respect to 
                        each gift, devise, or bequest, the amount of 
                        Federal funds may not exceed the amount (or, in 
                        the case of property or in-kind services, the 
                        fair market value) of the gift, devise, or 
                        bequest.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 4. VOLUNTEER ENHANCEMENT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Pilot Projects.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
        appropriations, the Secretary of the Interior shall carry out a 
        pilot project at 2 or more national wildlife refuges or complex 
        of geographically related refuges in each United States Fish 
        and Wildlife Service region, but not more than 20 pilot 
        projects nationwide.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Volunteer coordinator.--Each pilot project 
        shall provide for the employment of a full-time volunteer 
        coordinator for the refuge or complex of geographically related 
        refuges. The volunteer coordinator shall be responsible for 
        recruiting, training and supervising volunteers. The volunteer 
        coordinator may be responsible for assisting partner 
        organizations in developing projects and programs under 
        cooperative agreements under section 7(d) of the Fish and 
        Wildlife Act of 1956 (as added by section 5) and coordinating 
        volunteer activities with partner organizations to carry out 
        the projects and programs.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date 
        of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
        submit a report to the Committee on Resources of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public 
        Works of the Senate evaluating and making recommendations 
        regarding the pilot projects.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Authorization of appropriations.--There is 
        authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection 
        $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1999 through 
        2002.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Awards and Recognition for Volunteers.--Section 
7(c)(2) of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(c)(2)) is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by inserting ``awards (including nominal cash 
        awards) and recognition,'' after ``lodging,''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by inserting ``without regard to their places 
        of residence'' after ``volunteers''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Senior Volunteer Corps.--Section 7(c) of the Fish and 
Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(c)) is amended by striking 
paragraph (6) and inserting the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(6) Senior volunteer corps.--The Secretary of 
        the Interior may establish a Senior Volunteer Corps, consisting 
        of volunteers over the age of 50. To assist in the recruitment 
        and retention of the volunteers, the Secretary may provide for 
        additional incidental expenses to members of the Corps beyond 
        the incidental expenses otherwise provided to volunteers under 
        this subsection. The members of the Corps shall be subject to 
        the other provisions of this subsection.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 5. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP ENHANCEMENT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 
742f) is amended by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Community Partnership Enhancement.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Definition of partner organization.--In this 
        subsection, the term `partner organization' means an 
        organization that--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) draws its membership from private 
                individuals, organizations, corporations, academic 
                institutions, or State or local governments;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) is established to promote the 
                understanding of, education relating to, and the 
                conservation of the fish, wildlife, plants, and 
                cultural and historical resources of a particular 
                refuge or complex of geographically related refuges; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) is described in section 501(c)(3) of 
                the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt from 
                taxation under section 501(a) of that Code.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Cooperative agreements.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary of the 
                Interior may enter into a cooperative agreement (within 
                the meaning of chapter 63 of title 31, United States 
                Code) with any partner organization, academic 
                institution, or State or local government agency to 
                carry out 1 or more projects or programs for a refuge 
                or complex of geographically related refuges in 
                accordance with this subsection.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Projects and programs.--Subject to 
                the requirements of the National Wildlife Refuge System 
                Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.) 
                and other applicable law, and such terms and conditions 
                as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, the 
                Secretary may approve projects and programs for a 
                refuge or complex of geographically related refuges 
                that--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) promote the stewardship of 
                        resources of the refuge through habitat 
                        maintenance, restoration, and improvement, 
                        biological monitoring, or research;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) support the operation and 
                        maintenance of the refuge through constructing, 
                        operating, maintaining, or improving the 
                        facilities and services of the 
                        refuge;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iii) increase awareness and 
                        understanding of the refuge and the National 
                        Wildlife Refuge System through the development, 
                        publication, or distribution of educational 
                        materials and products;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iv) advance education 
                        concerning the purpose of the refuge and the 
                        mission of the System through the use of the 
                        refuge as an outdoor classroom and development 
                        of other educational programs; or</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(v) contribute financial 
                        resources to the refuge, under terms that 
                        require that the net revenues be used 
                        exclusively for the benefit of the refuge, 
                        through donation of net revenues from the sale 
                        of educational materials and products and 
                        through encouragement of gifts, devises, and 
                        bequests.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) Federal funding and ownership.--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) Matching.--Subject to the 
                        availability of appropriations and the 
                        requirements of the National Wildlife Refuge 
                        Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et 
                        seq.) and other applicable law, the Secretary 
                        may provide funds to match non-Federal funds 
                        donated under a cooperative agreement under 
                        this paragraph. With respect to each project or 
                        program, the amount of funds provided by the 
                        Secretary may not exceed the amount of the non-
                        Federal funds donated through the project or 
                        program.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) Use of federal funds.--Any 
                        Federal funds used to fund a project or program 
                        under a cooperative agreement may be used only 
                        for expenses directly related to the project or 
                        program and may not be used for operation or 
                        administration of any non-Federal 
                        entity.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iii) Ownership of facilities.--
                        Any new facility, improvement to an existing 
                        facility, or other permanent improvement to a 
                        refuge constructed under this subsection shall 
                        be the property of the United States 
                        Government.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) Treasury account.--Amounts received 
                by the Secretary of the Interior as a result of 
                projects and programs under subparagraph (B) shall be 
                deposited in a separate account in the Treasury. 
                Amounts in the account that are attributable to 
                activities at a particular refuge or complex of 
                geographically related refuges shall be available to 
                the Secretary of the Interior, without further 
                appropriation, to pay the costs of incidental expenses 
                related to volunteer activities, and to carry out 
                cooperative agreements for the refuge or complex of 
                refuges.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 6. REFUGE EDUCATION PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 
742f) (as amended by section 5) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(e) Refuge Education Program Enhancement.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Guidance.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary of the 
        Interior shall develop guidance for refuge education programs 
        to further the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System 
        and the purposes of individual refuges through--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) providing outdoor classroom 
                opportunities for students on national wildlife refuges 
                that combine educational curricula with the personal 
                experiences of students relating to fish, wildlife, and 
                plants and their habitat and to the cultural and 
                historical resources of the refuges;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) promoting understanding and 
                conservation of fish, wildlife, and plants and cultural 
                and historical resources of the refuges; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) improving scientific literacy in 
                conjunction with both formal and nonformal education 
                programs.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Refuge programs.--Based on the guidance 
        developed under paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Interior 
        may develop or enhance refuge education programs as 
        appropriate, based on the resources of individual refuges and 
        the opportunities available for such programs in State, local, 
        and private schools. In developing and implementing each 
        program, the Secretary should cooperate with State and local 
        education authorities, and may cooperate with partner 
        organizations in accordance with subsection (d).''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 
742f) (as amended by section 6) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior to carry 
out subsections (b), (c), (d) and (e), $2,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 1999 through 2004.''.</DELETED>

    Amend the title so as to read: ``An Act to amend the Fish and 
Wildlife Act of 1956 to promote volunteer programs and community 
partnerships for the benefit of national wildlife refuges, and for 
other purposes.''.

</DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Wildlife Refuge System 
Volunteer and Partnership Enhancement Act of 1998''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the National Wildlife Refuge System (referred to in 
        this Act as the ``System''), consisting of more than 500 
        refuges and 93,000,000 acres, plays an integral role in the 
        protection of the natural resources of the United States;
            (2) the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 
        1997 (Public Law 105-57; 111 Stat. 1252) significantly improved 
        the law governing the System, although the financial resources 
        for implementing this law and managing the System remain 
        limited;
            (3) by encouraging volunteer programs and donations, and 
        facilitating non-Federal partnerships with refuges, Federal 
        funding for the refuges can be supplemented and the System can 
        fully benefit from the amendments made by the National Wildlife 
        Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997; and
            (4) by encouraging refuge educational programs, public 
        awareness of the resources of the System and public 
        participation in the conservation of those resources can be 
        promoted.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to encourage the use of volunteers to assist the United 
        States Fish and Wildlife Service in the management of refuges 
        within the System;
            (2) to facilitate partnerships between the System and non-
        Federal entities to promote public awareness of the resources 
        of the System and public participation in the conservation of 
        those resources; and
            (3) to encourage donations and other contributions by 
        persons and organizations to the System.

SEC. 3. GIFTS TO PARTICULAR NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES.

    Section 7(b)(2) of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 
742f(b)(2)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(2) Any'' and inserting the following:
            ``(2) Use of gifts, devises, and bequests.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Any''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(B) Gifts, devises, and bequests to particular 
                refuges.--
                            ``(i) Disbursal.--Any gift, devise, or 
                        bequest made for the benefit of a particular 
                        national wildlife refuge or complex of 
                        geographically related refuges shall be 
                        disbursed only for the benefit of that refuge 
                        or complex of refuges and without further 
                        appropriations.
                            ``(ii) Matching.--Subject to the 
                        availability of appropriations and the 
                        requirements of the National Wildlife Refuge 
                        Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et 
                        seq.) and other applicable law, the Secretary 
                        may provide funds to match gifts, devises, and 
                        bequests made for the benefit of a particular 
                        national wildlife refuge or complex of 
                        geographically related refuges. With respect to 
                        each gift, devise, or bequest, the amount of 
                        Federal funds may not exceed the amount (or, in 
                        the case of property or in-kind services, the 
                        fair market value) of the gift, devise, or 
                        bequest.''.

SEC. 4. VOLUNTEER ENHANCEMENT.

    (a) Pilot Projects.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
        appropriations, the Secretary of the Interior shall carry out a 
        pilot project at 2 or more national wildlife refuges or complex 
        of geographically related refuges in each United States Fish 
        and Wildlife Service region, but not more than 20 pilot 
        projects nationwide.
            (2) Volunteer coordinator.--Each pilot project shall 
        provide for the employment of a full-time volunteer coordinator 
        for the refuge or complex of geographically related refuges. 
        The volunteer coordinator shall be responsible for recruiting, 
        training and supervising volunteers. The volunteer coordinator 
        may be responsible for assisting partner organizations in 
        developing projects and programs under cooperative agreements 
        under section 7(d) of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (as 
        added by section 5) and coordinating volunteer activities with 
        partner organizations to carry out the projects and programs.
            (3) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
        submit a report to the Committee on Resources of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public 
        Works of the Senate evaluating and making recommendations 
        regarding the pilot projects.
            (4) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $2,000,000 for 
        each of fiscal years 1999 through 2002.
    (b) Awards and Recognition for Volunteers.--Section 7(c)(2) of the 
Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(c)(2)) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``awards (including nominal cash awards) 
        and recognition,'' after ``lodging,''; and
            (2) by inserting ``without regard to their places of 
        residence'' after ``volunteers''.
    (c) Senior Volunteer Corps.--Section 7(c) of the Fish and Wildlife 
Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(c)) is amended by striking paragraph (6) 
and inserting the following:
            ``(6) Senior volunteer corps.--The Secretary of the 
        Interior may establish a Senior Volunteer Corps, consisting of 
        volunteers over the age of 50. To assist in the recruitment and 
        retention of the volunteers, the Secretary may provide for 
        additional incidental expenses to members of the Corps beyond 
        the incidental expenses otherwise provided to volunteers under 
        this subsection. The members of the Corps shall be subject to 
        the other provisions of this subsection.''.

SEC. 5. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP ENHANCEMENT.

    Section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Community Partnership Enhancement.--
            ``(1) Definition of partner organization.--In this 
        subsection, the term `partner organization' means an 
        organization that--
                    ``(A) draws its membership from private 
                individuals, organizations, corporations, academic 
                institutions, or State or local governments;
                    ``(B) is established to promote the understanding 
                of, education relating to, and the conservation of the 
                fish, wildlife, plants, and cultural and historical 
                resources of a particular refuge or complex of 
                geographically related refuges; and
                    ``(C) is described in section 501(c)(3) of the 
                Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt from 
                taxation under section 501(a) of that Code.
            ``(2) Cooperative agreements.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior 
                may enter into a cooperative agreement (within the 
                meaning of chapter 63 of title 31, United States Code) 
                with any partner organization, academic institution, or 
                State or local government agency to carry out 1 or more 
                projects or programs for a refuge or complex of 
                geographically related refuges in accordance with this 
                subsection.
                    ``(B) Projects and programs.--Subject to the 
                requirements of the National Wildlife Refuge System 
                Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.) 
                and other applicable law, and such terms and conditions 
                as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, the 
                Secretary may approve projects and programs for a 
                refuge or complex of geographically related refuges 
                that--
                            ``(i) promote the stewardship of resources 
                        of the refuge through habitat maintenance, 
                        restoration, and improvement, biological 
                        monitoring, or research;
                            ``(ii) support the operation and 
                        maintenance of the refuge through constructing, 
                        operating, maintaining, or improving the 
                        facilities and services of the refuge;
                            ``(iii) increase awareness and 
                        understanding of the refuge and the National 
                        Wildlife Refuge System through the development, 
                        publication, or distribution of educational 
                        materials and products;
                            ``(iv) advance education concerning the 
                        purpose of the refuge and the mission of the 
                        System through the use of the refuge as an 
                        outdoor classroom and development of other 
                        educational programs; or
                            ``(v) contribute financial resources to the 
                        refuge, under terms that require that the net 
                        revenues be used exclusively for the benefit of 
                        the refuge, through donation of net revenues 
                        from the sale of educational materials and 
                        products and through encouragement of gifts, 
                        devises, and bequests.
                    ``(C) Federal funding and ownership.--
                            ``(i) Matching.--Subject to the 
                        availability of appropriations and the 
                        requirements of the National Wildlife Refuge 
                        Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et 
                        seq.) and other applicable law, the Secretary 
                        may provide funds to match non-Federal funds 
                        donated under a cooperative agreement under 
                        this paragraph. With respect to each project or 
                        program, the amount of funds provided by the 
                        Secretary may not exceed the amount of the non-
                        Federal funds donated through the project or 
                        program.
                            ``(ii) Use of federal funds.--Any Federal 
                        funds used to fund a project or program under a 
                        cooperative agreement may be used only for 
                        expenses directly related to the project or 
                        program and may not be used for operation or 
                        administration of any non-Federal entity.
                            ``(iii) Ownership of facilities.--Any new 
                        facility, improvement to an existing facility, 
                        or other permanent improvement to a refuge 
                        constructed under this subsection shall be the 
                        property of the United States Government.
                    ``(D) Treasury account.--Amounts received by the 
                Secretary of the Interior as a result of projects and 
                programs under subparagraph (B) shall be deposited in a 
                separate account in the Treasury. Amounts in the 
                account that are attributable to activities at a 
                particular refuge or complex of geographically related 
                refuges shall be available to the Secretary of the 
                Interior, without further appropriation, to pay the 
                costs of incidental expenses related to volunteer 
                activities, and to carry out cooperative agreements for 
                the refuge or complex of refuges.''.

SEC. 6. REFUGE EDUCATION PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.

    Section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f) (as 
amended by section 5) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Refuge Education Program Enhancement.--
            ``(1) Guidance.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this subsection, the Secretary of the Interior 
        shall develop guidance for refuge education programs to further 
        the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System and the 
        purposes of individual refuges through--
                    ``(A) providing outdoor classroom opportunities for 
                students on national wildlife refuges that combine 
                educational curricula with the personal experiences of 
                students relating to fish, wildlife, and plants and 
                their habitat and to the cultural and historical 
                resources of the refuges;
                    ``(B) promoting understanding and conservation of 
                fish, wildlife, and plants and cultural and historical 
                resources of the refuges; and
                    ``(C) improving scientific literacy in conjunction 
                with both formal and nonformal education programs.
            ``(2) Refuge programs.--Based on the guidance developed 
        under paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Interior may develop 
        or enhance refuge education programs as appropriate, based on 
        the resources of individual refuges and the opportunities 
        available for such programs in State, local, and private 
        schools. In developing and implementing each program, the 
        Secretary should cooperate with State and local education 
        authorities, and may cooperate with partner organizations in 
        accordance with subsection (d).''.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f) (as 
amended by section 6) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior to carry out subsections 
(b), (c), (d) and (e), $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1999 through 
2004.''.
            Amend the title so as to read: ``An Act to amend the Fish 
        and Wildlife Act of 1956 to promote volunteer programs and 
        community partnerships for the benefit of national wildlife 
        refuges, and for other purposes.''.