[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1464 Reported in Senate (RS)]






                                                      Calendar No. 1068
110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 1464

                          [Report No. 110-492]


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 21, 2008

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

           September 24 (legislative day, September 17), 2008

               Reported by Mrs. Boxer, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
    To assist in the conservation of rare felids and rare canids by 
   supporting and providing financial resources for the conservation 
   programs of nations within the range of rare felid and rare canid 
populations and projects of persons with demonstrated expertise in the 
         conservation of rare felid and rare canid populations.

    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 ``Great Cats and Rare Canids 
Act of 2008''.</DELETED>

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

<DELETED>    The purposes of this Act are to provide financial 
resources and to foster international cooperation--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) to restore and perpetuate healthy populations 
        of rare felids and rare canids in the wild; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) to assist in the conservation of rare felid 
        and rare canid populations worldwide.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    In this Act:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) CITES.--The term ``CITES'' means the 
        Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild 
        Fauna and Flora, done at Washington March 3, 1973 (27 UST 1087; 
        TIAS 8249), including its appendices.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Conservation.--The term ``conservation''--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) means the methods and procedures 
                necessary to bring a species of rare felid or rare 
                canid to the point at which there are sufficient 
                populations in the wild to ensure the long-term 
                viability of the species; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) includes all activities associated 
                with protection and management of a rare felid or rare 
                canid population, including--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) maintenance, management, 
                        protection, and restoration of rare felid or 
                        rare canid habitat;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) research and 
                        monitoring;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) law enforcement;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) community outreach and 
                        education;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) conflict resolution 
                        initiatives; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (vi) strengthening the capacity of 
                        local communities, governmental agencies, 
                        nongovernmental organizations and other 
                        institutions to implement conservation 
                        programs.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Great Cats 
        and Rare Canids Conservation Fund established by section 
        5.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) IUCN red list.--The term ``IUCN Red List'' 
        means the Red List of Threatened Species Maintained by the 
        World Conservation Union.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Rare canid.--The term ``rare canid''--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), means any of the canid species dhole (Cuon 
                alpinus), gray wolf (Canis lupus), Ethiopian wolf 
                (Canis simensis), bush dog (Speothos venaticus), 
                African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), maned wolf 
                (Chrysocyon brachyurus), and Darwin's fox, (Pseudalopex 
                fulvipes), including any subspecies or population of 
                such a species; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) does not include any subspecies or 
                population that is native to the area comprised of the 
                United States and Canada or the European 
                Union.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Rare felid.--The term ``rare felid''--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), means any of the felid species lion (Panthera 
                leo), leopard (Panthera pardus), jaguar (Panthera 
                onca), snow leopard (Uncia uncia), clouded leopard 
                (Neofelis nebulosa), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), 
                Iberian lynx (Lynx pardina), and Borneo bay cat 
                (Catopuma badia), including any subspecies or 
                population of such a species; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) does not include--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) any species, subspecies, or 
                        population that is native to the United States; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) any tiger (Panthera 
                        tigris).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the 
        Secretary of the Interior.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 4. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Subject to the availability of funds and 
in consultation with other appropriate Federal officials, the Secretary 
shall use amounts in the Fund to provide financial assistance for 
projects for the conservation of rare felid and rare canids for which 
project proposals are approved by the Secretary in accordance with this 
section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Project Proposals.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Eligible applicants.--A proposal for a project 
        for the conservation of rare felid and canids may be submitted 
        to the Secretary by--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) any wildlife management authority of a 
                country that has within its boundaries any part of the 
                range of a rare felid or rare canid species, 
                respectively; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) any person or group with the 
                demonstrated expertise required for the conservation in 
                the wild of rare felids or rare canids, 
                respectively.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Project proposals.--To be considered for 
        financial assistance for a project under this Act, an applicant 
        shall submit a project proposal that includes--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) a concise statement of the purposes of 
                the project;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the name of the individual responsible 
                for conducting the project;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) a description of the qualifications of 
                the individuals who will conduct the project;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) a concise description of--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) methods for project 
                        implementation and outcome 
                        assessment;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) staffing for the 
                        project;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) the logistics of the 
                        project; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) community involvement in the 
                        project;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) an estimate of funds and time required 
                to complete the project;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) evidence of support for the project by 
                appropriate governmental entities of the countries in 
                which the project will be conducted, if the Secretary 
                determines that such support is required for the 
                success of the project;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) information regarding the source and 
                amount of matching funding available for the project; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (H) any other information that the 
                Secretary considers to be necessary for evaluating the 
                eligibility of the project for funding under this 
                Act.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Project Review and Approval.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) not later than 30 days after receiving 
                a project proposal, provide a copy of the proposal to 
                the appropriate Federal officials; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) review each project proposal in a 
                timely manner to determine if the proposal meets the 
                criteria specified in subsection (d).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Consultation; approval or disapproval.--Not 
        later than 180 days after receiving a project proposal, and 
        subject to the availability of funds, the Secretary, after 
        consulting with other appropriate Federal officials, shall--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) ensure the proposal contains 
                assurances that the project will be implemented in 
                consultation with relevant wildlife management 
                authorities and other appropriate government officials 
                with jurisdiction over the resources addressed by the 
                project;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) approve or disapprove the proposal; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) provide written notification of the 
                approval or disapproval to the person who submitted the 
                proposal, other appropriate Federal officials, and each 
                country within whose borders the project will take 
                place.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Criteria for Approval.--The Secretary may approve a 
project proposal under this section if the project will contribute to 
conservation of rare felids or rare canids in the wild by assisting 
efforts to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) implement conservation programs;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) address the conflicts between humans and rare 
        felids or rare canids, respectively, that arise from 
        competition for the same habitat or resources;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) enhance compliance with CITES, the Endangered 
        Species Act of 1973, and other applicable laws that prohibit or 
        regulate the taking or trade of rare felids and rare canids or 
        regulate the use and management of rare felid and rare canid 
        habitat;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) develop sound scientific information on, or 
        methods for monitoring--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the condition and health of rare felid 
                or rare canid habitat;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) rare felid or rare canid population 
                numbers and trends; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the ecological characteristics and 
                requirements of populations of rare felids or rare 
                canids for which there are little or no data;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) promote cooperative projects among government 
        entities, affected local communities, nongovernmental 
        organizations, and other persons in the private sector; 
        or</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) funds will not be appropriated for the 
        purchase or lease of lands to be used as suitable habitat for 
        felids or canids.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Project Sustainability.--In approving project 
proposals under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to 
conservation projects that are designed to ensure effective, long-term 
conservation of rare felids and rare canids and their 
habitats.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) Matching Funds.--In determining whether to approve 
project proposals under this section, the Secretary shall give 
preference to projects for which there exists some measure of matching 
funds.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (g) Project Reporting.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Each person that receives 
        assistance under this section for a project shall submit to the 
        Secretary periodic reports (at such intervals as the Secretary 
        considers necessary) that include all information that the 
        Secretary, after consultation with other appropriate government 
        officials, determines is necessary to evaluate the progress and 
        success of the project for the purposes of ensuring positive 
        results, assessing problems, and fostering 
        improvements.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Availability to the public.--Reports under 
        paragraph (1), and any other documents relating to projects for 
        which financial assistance is provided under this Act, shall be 
        made available to the public.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (h) Limitations on Use for Captive Breeding or Display.--
Amounts provided as a grant under this Act--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) may not be used for captive breeding or 
        display of rare felids and rare canids other than captive 
        breeding for release into the wild; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) may be used for captive breeding of a species 
        for release into the wild only if no other conservation method 
        for the species is biologically feasible.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (i) Advisory Group.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--To assist in carrying out this 
        Act, the Secretary may convene an advisory group consisting of 
        individuals representing public and private organizations 
        actively involved in the conservation of felids and 
        canids.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Public participation.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Meetings.--The advisory group shall--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) ensure that each meeting of 
                        the advisory group is open to the public; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) provide, at each meeting, an 
                        opportunity for interested persons to present 
                        oral or written statements concerning items on 
                        the agenda.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Notice.--The Secretary shall provide 
                to the public timely notice of each meeting of the 
                advisory group, including the meeting agenda.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Minutes.--Minutes of each meeting of 
                the advisory group shall be kept by the Secretary and 
                shall be made available to the public.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Exemption from federal advisory committee 
        act.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall 
        not apply to the advisory group.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 5. GREAT CATS AND RARE CANIDS CONSERVATION 
              FUND.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Establishment.--There is established, in the 
Multinational Species Conservation Fund established in title I of the 
Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 
1999 under the heading ``MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND'', a 
separate account to be known as the ``Great Cats and Rare Canids 
Conservation Fund'', consisting of--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) amounts transferred to the Secretary of the 
        Treasury for deposit into such account under subsection (c); 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) amounts appropriated to such account under 
        section 7.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Expenditures From Fund.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), upon 
        request by the Secretary, the Secretary of the Treasury shall 
        transfer from the Fund to the Secretary, without further 
        appropriation, such amounts as the Secretary determines are 
        necessary to provide assistance under section 4.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Administrative expenses.--Of the amounts in 
        the Fund available for each fiscal year, the Secretary may 
        expend not more than three percent, or up to $100,000, 
        whichever is greater, to pay the administrative expenses 
        necessary to carry out this Act.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Acceptance and Use of Donations.--The Secretary may 
accept and use donations to provide assistance under section 4, and may 
make public on the Internet website and in publications of the 
Department of the Interior that the Secretary is authorized to accept 
and use such donations. Amounts received by the Secretary in the form 
of such donations shall be transferred to the Secretary of the Treasury 
for deposit into the Fund.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 6. STUDY OF CONSERVATION STATUS OF FELID AND CANID 
              SPECIES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall initiate within three 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act a study of felid and 
canid species listed under the IUCN Red List that are not rare canids 
and rare felids (as those terms are defined in section 3), 
respectively, to determine--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the conservation status of such species in the 
        wild, including identification of any such species that are 
        critically endangered or endangered; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) any such species that should be made eligible 
        for assistance under this Act.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report.--Not later than two years after date of the 
enactment of this Act the Secretary shall report to the Congress the 
determinations made in the study, including recommendations of 
additional felid species and canid species that should be made eligible 
for assistance under this Act.</DELETED>

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

<DELETED>    There are authorized to be appropriated--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) to the Fund, $5,000,000 for each of fiscal 
        years 2009 through 2013 to carry out this Act, other than 
        section 6; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) such sums as are necessary to carry out 
        section 6.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 8. INELIGIBLE COUNTRIES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Amounts provided as a grant under this Act may not be 
spent on projects in Iran, Syria, Cuba, Sudan, and North 
Korea.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Great Cats and Rare Canids Act of 
2008''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are to provide financial resources and to 
foster international cooperation--
            (1) to restore and perpetuate healthy populations of rare 
        felids and rare canids in the wild; and
            (2) to assist in the conservation of rare felid and rare 
        canid populations worldwide.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) CITES.--The term ``CITES'' means the Convention on 
        International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and 
        Flora, done at Washington March 3, 1973 (27 UST 1087; TIAS 
        8249), including its appendices.
            (2) Conservation.--The term ``conservation''--
                    (A) means the methods and procedures necessary to 
                bring a species of rare felid or rare canid to the 
                point at which there are sufficient populations in the 
                wild to ensure the long-term viability of the species; 
                and
                    (B) includes all activities associated with 
                protection and management of a rare felid or rare canid 
                population, including--
                            (i) maintenance, management, protection, 
                        and restoration of rare felid or rare canid 
                        habitat;
                            (ii) research and monitoring;
                            (iii) law enforcement;
                            (iv) community outreach and education;
                            (v) conflict resolution initiatives; and
                            (vi) strengthening the capacity of local 
                        communities, governmental agencies, 
                        nongovernmental organizations and other 
                        institutions to implement conservation 
                        programs.
            (3) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Great Cats and Rare 
        Canids Conservation Fund established by section 5.
            (4) IUCN red list.--The term ``IUCN Red List'' means the 
        Red List of Threatened Species Maintained by the World 
        Conservation Union.
            (5) Rare canid.--The term ``rare canid''--
                    (A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), means 
                any of the canid species dhole (Cuon alpinus), gray 
                wolf (Canis lupus), Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis), 
                bush dog (Speothos venaticus), African wild dog (Lycaon 
                pictus), maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), and 
                Darwin's fox, (Pseudalopex fulvipes), including any 
                subspecies or population of such a species; and
                    (B) does not include any subspecies or population 
                that is native to the area comprised of the United 
                States and Canada or the European Union.
            (6) Rare felid.--The term ``rare felid''--
                    (A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), means 
                any of the felid species lion (Panthera leo), leopard 
                (Panthera pardus), jaguar (Panthera onca), snow leopard 
                (Uncia uncia), clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), 
                cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), Iberian lynx (Lynx 
                pardina), and Borneo bay cat (Catopuma badia), 
                including any subspecies or population of such a 
                species; and
                    (B) does not include--
                            (i) any species, subspecies, or population 
                        that is native to the United States; and
                            (ii) any tiger (Panthera tigris).
            (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

SEC. 4. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

    (a) In General.--Subject to the availability of funds and in 
consultation with other appropriate Federal officials, the Secretary 
shall use amounts in the Fund to provide financial assistance for 
projects for the conservation of rare felid and rare canids for which 
project proposals are approved by the Secretary in accordance with this 
section.
    (b) Project Proposals.--
            (1) Eligible applicants.--A proposal for a project for the 
        conservation of rare felid and canids may be submitted to the 
        Secretary by--
                    (A) any wildlife management authority of a country 
                that has within its boundaries any part of the range of 
                a rare felid or rare canid species, respectively; and
                    (B) any person or group with the demonstrated 
                expertise required for the conservation in the wild of 
                rare felids or rare canids, respectively.
            (2) Project proposals.--To be considered for financial 
        assistance for a project under this Act, an applicant shall 
        submit a project proposal that includes--
                    (A) a concise statement of the purposes of the 
                project;
                    (B) the name of the individual responsible for 
                conducting the project;
                    (C) a description of the qualifications of the 
                individuals who will conduct the project;
                    (D) a concise description of--
                            (i) methods for project implementation and 
                        outcome assessment;
                            (ii) staffing for the project;
                            (iii) the logistics of the project; and
                            (iv) community involvement in the project;
                    (E) an estimate of funds and time required to 
                complete the project;
                    (F) evidence of support for the project by 
                appropriate governmental entities of the countries in 
                which the project will be conducted, if the Secretary 
                determines that such support is required for the 
                success of the project;
                    (G) information regarding the source and amount of 
                matching funding available for the project; and
                    (H) any other information that the Secretary 
                considers to be necessary for evaluating the 
                eligibility of the project for funding under this Act.
    (c) Project Review and Approval.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall--
                    (A) not later than 30 days after receiving a 
                project proposal, provide a copy of the proposal to the 
                appropriate Federal officials; and
                    (B) review each project proposal in a timely manner 
                to determine if the proposal meets the criteria 
                specified in subsection (d).
            (2) Consultation; approval or disapproval.--Not later than 
        180 days after receiving a project proposal, and subject to the 
        availability of funds, the Secretary, after consulting with 
        other appropriate Federal officials, shall--
                    (A) ensure the proposal contains assurances that 
                the project will be implemented in consultation with 
                relevant wildlife management authorities and other 
                appropriate government officials with jurisdiction over 
                the resources addressed by the project;
                    (B) approve or disapprove the proposal; and
                    (C) provide written notification of the approval or 
                disapproval to the person who submitted the proposal, 
                other appropriate Federal officials, and each country 
                within whose borders the project will take place.
    (d) Criteria for Approval.--The Secretary may approve a project 
proposal under this section if the project will contribute to 
conservation of rare felids or rare canids in the wild by assisting 
efforts to--
            (1) implement conservation programs;
            (2) address the conflicts between humans and rare felids or 
        rare canids, respectively, that arise from competition for the 
        same habitat or resources;
            (3) enhance compliance with CITES, the Endangered Species 
        Act of 1973, and other applicable laws that prohibit or 
        regulate the taking or trade of rare felids and rare canids or 
        regulate the use and management of rare felid and rare canid 
        habitat;
            (4) develop sound scientific information on, or methods for 
        monitoring--
                    (A) the condition and health of rare felid or rare 
                canid habitat;
                    (B) rare felid or rare canid population numbers and 
                trends; and
                    (C) the ecological characteristics and requirements 
                of populations of rare felids or rare canids for which 
                there are little or no data;
            (5) promote cooperative projects among government entities, 
        affected local communities, nongovernmental organizations, and 
        other persons in the private sector; or
            (6) funds will not be appropriated for the purchase or 
        lease of lands to be used as suitable habitat for felids or 
        canids.
    (e) Project Sustainability.--In approving project proposals under 
this section, the Secretary shall give preference to conservation 
projects that are designed to ensure effective, long-term conservation 
of rare felids and rare canids and their habitats.
    (f) Matching Funds.--In determining whether to approve project 
proposals under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to 
projects for which there exists some measure of matching funds.
    (g) Project Reporting.--
            (1) In general.--Each person that receives assistance under 
        this section for a project shall submit to the Secretary 
        periodic reports (at such intervals as the Secretary considers 
        necessary) that include all information that the Secretary, 
        after consultation with other appropriate government officials, 
        determines is necessary to evaluate the progress and success of 
        the project for the purposes of ensuring positive results, 
        assessing problems, and fostering improvements.
            (2) Availability to the public.--Reports under paragraph 
        (1), and any other documents relating to projects for which 
        financial assistance is provided under this Act, shall be made 
        available to the public.
    (h) Limitations on Use for Captive Breeding or Display.--Amounts 
provided as a grant under this Act--
            (1) may not be used for captive breeding or display of rare 
        felids and rare canids other than captive breeding for release 
        into the wild; and
            (2) may be used for captive breeding of a species for 
        release into the wild only if no other conservation method for 
        the species is biologically feasible.
    (i) Advisory Group.--
            (1) In general.--To assist in carrying out this Act, the 
        Secretary may convene an advisory group consisting of 
        individuals representing public and private organizations 
        actively involved in the conservation of felids and canids.
            (2) Public participation.--
                    (A) Meetings.--The advisory group shall--
                            (i) ensure that each meeting of the 
                        advisory group is open to the public; and
                            (ii) provide, at each meeting, an 
                        opportunity for interested persons to present 
                        oral or written statements concerning items on 
                        the agenda.
                    (B) Notice.--The Secretary shall provide to the 
                public timely notice of each meeting of the advisory 
                group, including the meeting agenda.
                    (C) Minutes.--Minutes of each meeting of the 
                advisory group shall be kept by the Secretary and shall 
                be made available to the public.
            (3) Exemption from federal advisory committee act.--The 
        Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply 
        to the advisory group.

SEC. 5. GREAT CATS AND RARE CANIDS CONSERVATION FUND.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established, in the Multinational 
Species Conservation Fund established in title I of the Department of 
the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 under the 
heading ``MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND'', a separate account 
to be known as the ``Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Fund'', 
consisting of--
            (1) amounts transferred to the Secretary of the Treasury 
        for deposit into such account under subsection (c); and
            (2) amounts appropriated to such account under section 8.
    (b) Expenditures From Fund.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), upon request by 
        the Secretary, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer 
        from the Fund to the Secretary, without further appropriation, 
        such amounts as the Secretary determines are necessary to 
        provide assistance under section 4.
            (2) Administrative expenses.--Of the amounts in the Fund 
        available for each fiscal year, the Secretary may expend not 
        more than three percent, or up to $100,000, whichever is 
        greater, to pay the administrative expenses necessary to carry 
        out this Act.
    (c) Acceptance and Use of Donations.--The Secretary may accept and 
use donations to provide assistance under section 4, and may make 
public on the Internet website and in publications of the Department of 
the Interior that the Secretary is authorized to accept and use such 
donations. Amounts received by the Secretary in the form of such 
donations shall be transferred to the Secretary of the Treasury for 
deposit in the Fund.

SEC. 6. STUDY OF CONSERVATION STATUS OF FELID AND CANID SPECIES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall initiate within three months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act a study of felid and canid 
species listed under the IUCN Red List that are not rare canids and 
rare felids (as those terms are defined in section 3), respectively, to 
determine--
            (1) the conservation status of such species in the wild, 
        including identification of any such species that are 
        critically endangered or endangered; and
            (2) any such species that should be made eligible for 
        assistance under this Act.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after date of the enactment of 
this Act the Secretary shall report to the Congress the determinations 
made in the study, including recommendations of additional felid 
species and canid species that should be made eligible for assistance 
under this Act.

SEC. 7. INELIGIBLE COUNTRIES.

    Amounts provided as a grant under this Act may not be expended on 
any project in a country the government of which the Secretary of State 
has determined has repeatedly provided support for acts of 
international terrorism pursuant to--
            (1) section 6(j)(1)(A) of the Export Administration Act of 
        1979 (50 U.S.C. App. 2405(j)(1)(A)) (or any successor to that 
        Act);
            (2) section 40(d) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 
        2780(d)); or
            (3) section 620A(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
        (22 U.S.C. 2371(a)).

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated--
            (1) to the Fund, $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 
        through 2013 to carry out this Act, other than section 6; and
            (2) such sums as are necessary to carry out section 6.
                                                      Calendar No. 1068

110th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 1464

                          [Report No. 110-492]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

    To assist in the conservation of rare felids and rare canids by 
   supporting and providing financial resources for the conservation 
   programs of nations within the range of rare felid and rare canid 
populations and projects of persons with demonstrated expertise in the 
         conservation of rare felid and rare canid populations.

_______________________________________________________________________

           September 24 (legislative day, September 17), 2008

                       Reported with an amendment