I 112th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4408 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 19, 2012 Ms. Bordallo introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To amend the Sikes Act to promote the use of cooperative agreements under such Act for land management related to Department of Defense installations and to amend title 10, United States Code, to facilitate interagency cooperation in conservation programs.

1.

Cooperative agreements under Sikes Act for land management related to Department of Defense installations

(a)

Multiyear agreements To fund endowment

Subsection (b) of section 103A of the Sikes Act (16 U.S.C. 670c–1) is amended— (1)by inserting (1) before Funds; and (2)by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (2)In the case of a cooperative agreement described in subsection (a)(2), funds appropriated to the Department of Defense for a fiscal year may be obligated to cover the cost of funding an endowment for the costs of natural resource maintenance and improvement activities provided for under the agreement. . (b)

Availability of funds and relation to other laws

Subsection (c) of such section is amended to read as follows: (c)

Availability of funds and relation to other laws

(1)Cooperative agreements and interagency agreements entered into under this section shall be subject to the availability of funds. (2)Notwithstanding chapter 63 of title 31, United States Code, a cooperative agreement under this section may be used to acquire property or services for the direct benefit or use of the United States Government. .

2.

Facilitation of interagency cooperation in conservation programs of the Departments of Defense, Agriculture, Interior, and Commerce

Section 2684a of title 10, United States Code, is amended— (1)by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection (j); and (2)by inserting after subsection (h) the following new subsection (i): (i)

Facilitation of interagency cooperation in conservation programs

In order to facilitate interagency cooperation and enhance the effectiveness of actions that will protect both the environment and military readiness, and notwithstanding any other provision of law relating to matching funds or cost-sharing requirements, the recipient of funds provided by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of a military department pursuant an agreement under this section or under the Sikes Act (16 U.S.C. 670 et seq.) may, with regard to the lands and waters within the scope of the agreement, use such funds to satisfy any matching funds or cost-sharing requirement of any conservation program of the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, or the Department of the Interior. .