1.This Act may be cited as the
International Conservation Corps Act
of 2012
.
2.Congress finds the following:
(1)There is a significant deficit in the
capability of many developing countries to manage their natural resources
sustainably, which is fundamental to achieving economic development, poverty
alleviation, conflict avoidance, good governance, and regional security.
(2)Developing countries with a great wealth of
natural resources are facing a great risk of conflict. Issues that arise in
these countries include corruption, disputes over control and distribution of
the resources and resulting wealth, fighting over and destruction of resources
and resource-rich areas, and human rights abuses.
(3)Developing countries that successfully
manage their natural resource wealth, however, continue to benefit from these
resources without resulting conflict.
(4)It is in the security interest of the
United States to share the vast experience and proven methodologies that the
United States has achieved over many decades with developing countries
struggling to establish their own successful natural resource management
programs and policies.
(5)The many United States senior professionals
retiring from both the public and private sector with extensive experience and
expertise in the field of natural resource management, acting in a voluntary
capacity, presents a unique and important opportunity to help other countries
develop the capacity to manage their natural resources sustainably.
3.
(a)Not later than 1 year
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with
the Secretary of State, shall establish a program to provide grants to
qualifying nonprofit organizations to enable such organizations to assign and
support volunteers to assist foreign countries identified under section 4 in
the administration of their natural resources in an environmentally sustainable
manner.
(b)The Secretary shall
develop and implement the program such that it includes providing professional,
scientific, and technical assistance and training to aid foreign countries in
their efforts to—
(1)develop, manage, and protect national
parks, natural and cultural heritage sites, and other protected areas;
(2)protect wildlife; and
(3)develop capacity to sustainably manage
their natural resources.
4.Identification of
foreign countries
(a)The Secretary of
State, in consultation with the Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development, shall—
(1)identify foreign
countries as appropriate for participation in the program;
(2)notify such
foreign countries of the program; and
(3)encourage such
foreign countries to seek to participate in the program.
5.Award of grants
to qualifying nonprofit organizations
(a)
(1)To be eligible to
receive a grant under the program, a qualifying nonprofit organization shall
submit to the Secretary an application including information regarding the
expertise, past experience, and demonstrated capacity of the organization, as
well as such other information as the Secretary may require.
(2)Time, form, and
manner of applicationThe
application described in paragraph 1 shall be submitted to the Secretary at
such time, and in such form and manner, as the Secretary may require.
(3)Solicitation of
applicationsThe Secretary shall solicit from qualifying
nonprofit organizations applications for grants in accordance with this
section.
(b)As soon as is
practicable after the date of receipt of an application by the Secretary under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall approve or disapprove the
application.
(c)As soon as is practicable after the date on which the
Secretary approves an application of a qualifying nonprofit organization under
subsection (b), the Secretary shall provide a grant to such organization.
6.Any organization that
receives a grant under section 5 shall use funds received under such grant
to—
(1)recruit highly
skilled and experienced volunteers to participate in the program; and
(2)place such
volunteers with foreign countries participating in the program to work in
appropriate projects in the program, subject to section 8.
7.
(a)Submission of
periodic reportsAt times
specified by the Secretary, any organization that receives a grant under
section 5 shall submit to the Secretary periodic reports that include all
information that the Secretary determines is necessary to evaluate the progress
and success of projects in the program for the purposes of ensuring positive
results, assessing problems, and fostering improvements.
(b)Internet
publication of reportsThe
Secretary shall make reports under subsection (a) available to the public
through the Internet website of the Department of the Interior.
8.Terms and
conditions of volunteer service
(a)Except as
otherwise provided in this Act, the assignment of volunteers in appropriate
projects in the program shall be on such terms and conditions as the Secretary
may determine.
(b)Compensation of
volunteersVolunteers
selected for participation in projects in the program shall not be compensated
except for a stipend to cover travel costs, health and travel insurance costs,
living costs, and accommodations, awarded in such amounts as the Secretary
determines to be appropriate.
9.Of the unobligated amounts available to the
Department of the Interior for fiscal years 2013 through 2017, notwithstanding
any other provision of law specifying the purpose for which such amounts are
provided, $10,000,000 is authorized to be made available to carry out this Act
for each of the fiscal years 2013 through 2017.
10.In this Act:
(1)The term program means the
program established pursuant to section 3.
(2)Qualifying
nonprofit organizationThe
term qualifying nonprofit organization means an entity described
in section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax
under section 501(a) of such Code.
(3)The
term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.