[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2653 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2653

 To direct the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
   to conduct a study of the feasibility of establishing a national 
                     recreational fishing license.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 9, 1997

 Mr. Cooksey introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
   to conduct a study of the feasibility of establishing a national 
                     recreational fishing license.

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

SECTION 1. NATIONAL RECREATIONAL FISHING LICENSE STUDY.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Director of the United States Fish and 
        Wildlife Service shall conduct a study of the feasibility and 
        desirability of establishing, under Federal law, a national 
        recreational fishing license that--
                    (A) would be available to individuals age 50 years 
                old or older; and
                    (B) would grant to a holder of such a license the 
                right to engage in recreational fishing in navigable 
                waters in any State, under the same conditions and 
                restrictions that apply under the laws of the State to 
                an individual who holds a license, permit, or other 
                authorization for that fishing issued by the State.
            (2) Fees.--The study shall include development of formulas 
        for--
                    (A) imposition of fees for such a national 
                recreational fishing license; and
                    (B) allocation among the States of amounts received 
                as such fees that would completely offset all decreases 
                in State revenues resulting from any reduction in sales 
                of State recreational fishing licenses because of the 
                issuance of such national recreational fishing 
                licenses.
    (b) Report.--The Director shall submit a report to the Congress on 
the study conducted under this section, by not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.
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