[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4442 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4442

To establish a commission to promote awareness of the National Wildlife 
 Refuge System among the American public as the System celebrates its 
        centennial anniversary in 2003, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 11, 2000

  Mr. Saxton (for himself, Mr. Young of Alaska, Mr. George Miller of 
    California, Mr. Faleomavaega, Mr. Dingell, and Mr. Cunningham) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                               Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a commission to promote awareness of the National Wildlife 
 Refuge System among the American public as the System celebrates its 
        centennial anniversary in 2003, 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Wildlife Refuge System 
Centennial Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) President Theodore Roosevelt began the National 
        Wildlife Refuge System by establishing the first refuge at 
        Pelican Island, Florida, on March 14, 1903.
            (2) The National Wildlife Refuge System is comprised of 
        more than 93,000,000 acres of Federal lands managed by the 
        United States Fish and Wildlife Service in more than 520 
        individual refuges and thousands of waterfowl production areas 
        located in all 50 States and the territories of the United 
        States.
            (3) The System is the only network of Federal lands 
        dedicated singularly to wildlife conservation and where 
        wildlife dependent recreation and environmental education are 
        priority public uses.
            (4) The System serves a vital role in the conservation of 
        millions of migratory birds, endangered species and threatened 
        species, fish, marine mammals, and the habitats on which these 
        species depend.
            (5) Each year the System provides millions of Americans 
        with opportunities to participate in wildlife-dependent 
        recreation, including hunting, fishing, and wildlife 
        observation.
            (6) Public visitation to National Wildlife Refuges is 
        growing, with more than 35,000,000 visitors annually. It is 
        essential that visitor centers and public use facilities be 
        properly constructed, operated, and maintained.
            (7) The National Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer and 
        Community Partnership Enhancement Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-
        242) significantly enhances the ability to incorporate 
        volunteers and partnerships in refuge management.
            (8) The System currently has an unacceptable backlog in 
        critical operations and maintenance needs.
            (9) The centennial anniversary of the System in 2003 offers 
        an historic opportunity to appreciate these natural resources 
        and expand public enjoyment of these lands.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are the following:
            (1) To establish a commission to promote awareness of the 
        National Wildlife Refuge System among the American public as 
        the System celebrates its centennial anniversary in 2003.
            (2) To develop a long-term plan to meet the priority 
        operations, maintenance, and construction needs of the System.
            (3) To improve public use programs and facilities of the 
        System to meet the increasing needs of the public for wildlife-
        dependent recreation in the 21st century.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM CENTENNIAL COMMISSION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established the National 
Wildlife Refuge System Centennial Commission (in this Act referred to 
as the ``Commission'').
    (b) Members.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall be composed of the 
        following members:
                    (A) The Director of the United States Fish and 
                Wildlife Service.
                    (B) Up to 10 persons recommended by the Secretary 
                of the Interior and appointed by the President.
                    (C) The chairman and ranking minority member of the 
                Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives 
                and of the Committee on Environment and Public Works of 
                the Senate, the congressional representatives of the 
                Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, and the 
                Secretary of the Interior, who shall be ex-officio 
                members.
            (2) Appointments.--Persons appointed by the President as 
        members of the Commission may not otherwise be officers or 
        employees of the Federal Government and shall, in the judgment 
        of the President, represent the diverse beneficiaries of the 
        System and have outstanding knowledge or appreciation of 
        wildlife, natural resource management, or wildlife-dependent 
        recreation. In making such appointments, the President shall 
        make every effort to ensure that the views of the hunting, 
        fishing, and wildlife observation communities are represented 
        on the Commission.
            (3) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Commission--
                    (A) shall not affect its power or functions; and
                    (B) shall be expeditiously filled in the same 
                manner as the original appointment.
    (c) Chairperson.--The President shall appoint one of the members as 
the Chairperson of the Commission.
    (d) Basic Pay.--The members of the Commission shall receive no 
compensation for their service on the Commission.
    (e) Travel Expenses.--
            (1) Legislative branch members.--Members of the Commission 
        from the legislative branch of the Government shall be allowed 
        necessary travel expenses otherwise authorized by law for 
        official travel.
            (2) Executive branch members.--Members of the Commission 
        from the executive branch of the Government shall be allowed 
        necessary travel expenses in accordance with section 5702 of 
        title 5, United States Code.
            (3) Other members and staff.--Members of the Commission 
        appointed by the President and staff of the Commission may be 
        allowed necessary travel or transportation expenses as 
        authorized by section 5702 of title 5, United States Code.
    (f) Functions.--The Commission shall--
            (1) prepare, in cooperation with Federal, State, local, and 
        nongovernmental partners, a plan to commemorate the 100th 
        anniversary of the beginning of the National Wildlife Refuge 
        System on March 14, 2003;
            (2) coordinate the activities of such partners undertaken 
        pursuant to such plan; and
            (3) plan and host, in cooperation with such partners, a 
        conference on the National Wildlife Refuge System, and assist 
        in the activities of such a conference.
    (g) Staff.--Subject to the availability of appropriations, the 
Commission may employ staff as necessary to carry out its functions.
    (h) Donations.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission may, in accordance with 
        criteria established under paragraph (2), accept and use 
        donations of money, personal property, or personal services.
            (2) Criteria.--The Commission shall establish written 
        criteria to be used in determining whether the acceptance of 
        gifts or donations under paragraph (1) would--
                    (A) reflect unfavorably upon the ability of the 
                Commission or any employee of the Commission to carry 
                out its responsibilities or official duties in a fair 
                and objective manner; or
                    (B) compromise the integrity or the appearance of 
                the integrity of any person involved in those programs.
    (i) Administrative Support.--Upon the request of the Commission--
            (1) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the 
        United States Fish and Wildlife Service, may provide to the 
        Commission the administrative support services necessary for 
        the Commission to carry out its responsibilities under this 
        Act, including services related to budgeting, accounting, 
        financial reporting, personnel, and procurement; and
            (2) the head of any other appropriate Federal department or 
        agency may furnish to the Commission such advice and 
        assistance, with or without reimbursement, to assist the 
        Commission in carrying out its functions.
    (j) Reports.--
            (1) Annual reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 
        Commission shall submit to the Congress an annual report of its 
        activities and plans to Congress.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than September 30, 2004, the 
        Commission shall submit to the Congress a final report of its 
        activities, including an accounting of all funds received and 
        expended by the Commission.
    (k) Termination.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall terminate upon the 
        submission of its final report under subsection (j).
            (2) Disposition of materials.--Upon termination of the 
        Commission and after consultation with the Archivist of the 
        United States and the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 
        the Secretary of the Interior--
                    (A) may deposit all books, manuscripts, 
                miscellaneous printed matter, memorabilia, relics, and 
                other similar materials of the Commission relating to 
                the 100th anniversary of the National Wildlife Refuge 
                System in Federal, State, or local libraries or museums 
                or otherwise dispose of such materials; and
                    (B) may use other property acquired by the 
                Commission for the purposes of the National Wildlife 
                Refuge System, or treat such property as excess 
                property.

SEC. 4. FULFILLING THE PROMISE OF AMERICA'S NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE 
              SYSTEM--MEETING OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION 
              NEEDS.

    The Secretary of the Interior shall prepare and submit to the 
Congress a long-term plan to address priority operations, maintenance 
and construction needs of the National Wildlife Refuge System to 
address--
            (1) the priority staffing and operation needs of the 
        System, as determined through the Refuge Operating Needs system 
        and individual refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plans;
            (2) the maintenance and construction needs as identified in 
        the Maintenance Management System, the 5-year deferred 
        maintenance list, and the 5-year construction list; and
            (3) transition costs as identified in the Department of the 
        Interior analysis of newly acquired refuge lands.
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