[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2408 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  2d Session
                                H. R. 2408


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 24, 2004

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To amend the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to reauthorize volunteer 
programs and community partnerships for national wildlife refuges, 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 Volunteer 
Act of 2004''.

SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY 
              PARTNERSHIPS UNDER FISH AND WILDLIFE ACT OF 1956.

    Section 7(f) of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 
742f(f)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(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 2004 through 
2009.''.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF PROJECTS UNDER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM 
              VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 
              1998.

    Section 4(a) of the National Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer and 
Community Partnership Enhancement Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 742f note) is 
amended--
            (1) in the heading by striking ``Pilot'';
            (2) by striking ``pilot project'' each place it appears and 
        inserting ``project'';
            (3) in paragraph (1) by striking ``, but not more than 20 
        pilot projects nationwide'';
            (4) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) by striking ``pilot projects'' and inserting 
                ``projects''; and
                    (B) by striking ``after the date of the enactment 
                of this Act'' and inserting ``after the date of the 
                enactment of the National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer Act 
                of 2003, and every 3 years thereafter''; and
            (5) in paragraph (4) by striking ``each of fiscal years 
        1999 through 2002'' and inserting ``for each fiscal year 
        through fiscal year 2009''.

SEC. 4. CLARIFICATION OF COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AUTHORITY.

    Section 7(d)(2) (A) of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 
742f(d)(2)(A)) is amended to read as follows:
                    ``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding chapter 63 of 
                title 31, United States Code, the Secretary of the 
                Interior may negotiate and enter into a cooperative 
                agreement with a partner organization, academic 
                institution, State or local government agency, or other 
                person to implement one or more projects or programs 
                for a refuge or complex of geographically related 
                refuges in accordance with the purposes of this 
                subsection and in compliance with the policies of other 
                relevant authorities, regulations, and policy 
                guidance.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives March 23, 2004.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.

                            By Gerasimos C. Vans,

                                                          Deputy Clerk.