[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1913 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1913

To assist in the conservation of great cats by supporting and providing 
financial resources for the conservation programs of nations within the 
range of great cats and projects of persons with demonstrated expertise 
                   in the conservation of great cats.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 18, 2007

Mr. Brown of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. Young of Alaska, and Mr. 
 Rogers of Kentucky) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                 to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To assist in the conservation of great cats by supporting and providing 
financial resources for the conservation programs of nations within the 
range of great cats and projects of persons with demonstrated expertise 
                   in the conservation of great cats.

    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 ``Great Cats Conservation Act of 
2007''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Many wild populations of felids, once considered common 
        are in decline, and many have declined to the point that their 
        long-term survival in the wild is in serious jeopardy.
            (2) Of the 37 wild felid species worldwide, all are 
        currently recognized as species in need of protection under the 
        IUCN Red List, the lists of species in CITES appendices, or the 
        Endangered Species Act of 1973.
            (3) In addition to their intrinsic value, felids are 
        important aesthetic, economic, and ecological global resources 
        that need to be conserved.
            (4) Large felids are considered indicator species. Healthy 
        populations of these species act as an important indicator of 
        the integrity of entire ecosystems. Measures taken to benefit 
        these keystone species will ultimately benefit a great number 
        of other species.
            (5) Endangered felids face an array of threats, including 
        loss of habitat, intentional and unintentional takings by 
        humans, disease transmission, and a vast number of other 
        threats. These threats need to be addressed in a coordinated 
        fashion.
            (6) Conservation of endangered felid populations requires 
        global commitment. Adequate funding for conservation is sorely 
        lacking, and many range countries do not have adequate 
        infrastructure to protect these species.
            (7) Although some protections exist to conserve endangered 
        felid populations and their habitat, those efforts can be 
        significantly enhanced by the infusion of targeted funding.

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are to provide financial resources and to 
foster international cooperation--
            (1) to restore and perpetuate healthy populations of great 
        cats in the wild; and
            (2) to assist in the conservation of great cat populations 
        worldwide.

SEC. 4. 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 great cats 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 great cat population, 
                including--
                            (i) maintenance, management, protection, 
                        and restoration of great cat 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 
        Conservation Fund established by section 6.
            (4) Great cat.--The term ``great cat'' means any lion, 
        leopard, jaguar, snow leopard, clouded leopard, cheetah, or 
        Spanish lynx.
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

SEC. 5. GREAT CATS CONSERVATION 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 great cats 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 great cats 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 great cat species; and
                    (B) any person or group with the demonstrated 
                expertise required for the conservation in the wild of 
                great cats.
            (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 great cats in the wild by assisting efforts to--
            (1) implement conservation programs;
            (2) address the conflicts between humans and great cats 
        that arise from competition for the same habitat;
            (3) enhance compliance with CITES and other applicable laws 
        that prohibit or regulate the taking or trade of great cats or 
        regulate the use and management of great cat habitat;
            (4) develop sound scientific information on, or methods for 
        monitoring--
                    (A) the condition and health of great cat habitat; 
                and
                    (B) great cat population numbers and trends; or
            (5) promote cooperative projects among government entities, 
        affected local communities, nongovernmental organizations, and 
        other persons in the private sector.
    (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 great cats 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 matching funds are available.
    (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) 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 great cats.
            (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. 6. GREAT CATS 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 Conservation Fund'', consisting of--
            (1) amounts transferred to the Secretary of the Treasury 
        for deposit into such account under subsection (e);
            (2) amounts appropriated to such account under section 7; 
        and
            (3) any interest earned on investment of amounts in the 
        account under subsection (c).
    (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 5.
            (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 $80,000, whichever is 
        greater, to pay the administrative expenses necessary to carry 
        out this Act.
    (c) Investment of Amounts.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall invest 
        such portion of the Fund as is not, in the judgment of the 
        Secretary of the Treasury, required to meet current 
        withdrawals. Investments may be made only in interest-bearing 
        obligations of the United States.
            (2) Acquisition of obligations.--For the purpose of 
        investments under paragraph (1), obligations may be acquired--
                    (A) on original issue at the issue price; or
                    (B) by purchase of outstanding obligations at the 
                market price.
            (3) Sale of obligations.--Any obligation acquired by the 
        Fund may be sold by the Secretary of the Treasury at the market 
        price.
            (4) Credits to fund.--The interest on, and the proceeds 
        from the sale or redemption of any obligations held in the Fund 
        shall be credited to and form a part of the Fund.
    (d) Transfers of Amounts.--
            (1) In general.--The amounts required to be transferred to 
        the Fund under this section shall be transferred at least 
        monthly from the general fund of the Treasury to the Fund on 
        the basis of estimates made by the Secretary of the Treasury.
            (2) Adjustments.--Proper adjustment shall be made in 
        amounts subsequently transferred to the extent prior estimates 
        were in excess of or less than the amounts required to be 
        transferred.
    (e) Acceptance and Use of Donations.--The Secretary may accept and 
use donations to provide assistance under section 5. Amounts received 
by the Secretary in the form of donations shall be transferred to the 
Secretary of the Treasury for deposit into the Fund.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Fund $5,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.
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