[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2066 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2066

    To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to authorize the annual 
   enrollment of land in the wetlands reserve program, to extend the 
             program through 2005, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 8, 1999

    Mr. Pickering (for himself, Mr. Thompson of California, and Mr. 
  Chambliss) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                        Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to authorize the annual 
   enrollment of land in the wetlands reserve program, to extend the 
             program through 2005, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM.

    (a) Annual Enrollment Authority.--Section 1237(b) of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3837(b)) is amended by striking 
paragraph (1) and inserting the following new paragraph (1):
            ``(1) Annual enrollment authority.--For calendar years 2000 
        through 2005, the Secretary may enroll up to 250,000 acres 
        annually in the wetlands reserve program.''.
    (b) Extension of Program.--Section 1237(c) of such Act (16 U.S.C. 
3837(c)) is amended by striking ``2002'' and inserting ``2005''.
    (c) Eligible Lands.--Section 1237(d) of such Act (16 U.S.C. 
3837(d)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``or'' at the end of paragraph (2);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (3) and 
        inserting ``; or''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) suitable for the establishment of wetland functions 
        and values, and that would contribute substantially to the 
        habitat objectives of the North American Waterfowl Management 
        Plan, but has not historically been wetlands.''.
    (d) Cooperative Agreements.--Section 1237F of such Act (16 U.S.C. 
3837f) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following new 
        subsection (b):
    ``(b) Cooperative Agreements.--Notwithstanding chapter 63 of title 
31, United States Code, the Secretary may enter into a cooperative 
agreement for the acquisition of goods or services, including personal 
services, with a State, a political subdivision or agency of a State, a 
public or private agency, an organization, or any other person, without 
regard to any requirements for competition, if the Secretary determines 
that--
            ``(1) the objectives of the agreement will serve a mutual 
        interest of the parties to the agreement in wetland 
        conservation;
            ``(2) all parties will contribute resources to the 
        accomplishment of the objectives; and
            ``(3) the agreement will further the purposes of this 
        subchapter.''.
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