[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 110 (Monday, July 10, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H6708-H6712]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SIKES ACT IMPROVEMENT AMENDMENTS OF 1995
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 1141) to amend the act popularly known as the Sikes
Act to enhance fish and wildlife conservation and natural resources
management programs, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 1141
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 ``Sikes Act Improvement
Amendments of 1995''.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENT OF SIKES ACT.
Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this
Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an
amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the
reference shall be considered to be made to a section or
other provision of the Act entitled ``An Act to promote
effectual planning, development, maintenance, and
coordination of wildlife, fish, and game conservation and
rehabilitation in military reservations'', approved September
15, 1960 (16 U.S.C. 670a et seq.), commonly referred to, and
in this Act referred to, as the ``Sikes Act''.
SEC. 3. INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANS
GENERALLY.
(a) In General.--Section 101(a) (16 U.S.C. 670a(a)) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``is authorized to'' and inserting
``shall'';
(2) by striking ``in each military reservation in
accordance with a cooperative plan'' and inserting the
following: ``on military installations. Under the program,
the Secretary shall prepare and implement for each military
installation in the United States an integrated natural
resource management plan'';
(3) by inserting after ``reservation is located'' the
following: ``, except that the Secretary is not required to
prepare such a plan for a military installation if the
Secretary determines that preparation of such a plan for the
installation is not appropriate''; and
(4) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``(a)'', and adding at the
end the following new paragraph:
``(2) Consistent with essential military requirements to
enhance the national security of the United States, the
Secretary of Defense shall manage each military installation
to provide--
``(A) for the conservation of fish and wildlife on the
military installation and sustained multipurpose uses of
those resources, including hunting, fishing, and trapping;
and
``(B) public access that is necessary or appropriate for
those uses.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--Title I, as amended by
subsection (a) of this section, is further amended--
(1) in section 101(b) (16 U.S.C. 670a(b)) in the matter
preceding paragraph (1) by striking ``cooperative plan'' and
inserting ``integrated natural resource management plan'';
(2) in section 101(b)(4) (16 U.S.C. 670a(b)(4)) by striking
``cooperative plan'' each place it appears and inserting
``integrated natural resource management plan'';
(3) in section 101(c) (16 U.S.C. 670a(c)) in the matter
preceding paragraph (1) by striking ``a cooperative plan''
and inserting ``an integrated natural resource management
plan'';
(4) in section 101(d) (16 U.S.C. 670a(d)) in the matter
preceding paragraph (1) by striking ``cooperative plans'' and
inserting ``integrated natural resource management plans'';
(5) in section 101(e) (16 U.S.C. 670a(e)) by striking
``Cooperative plans'' and inserting ``Integrated natural
resource management plans'';
(6) in section 102 (16 U.S.C. 670b) by striking ``a
cooperative plan'' and inserting ``an integrated natural
resource management plan'';
(7) in section 103 (16 U.S.C. 670c) by striking ``a
cooperative plan'' and inserting ``an integrated natural
resource management plan'';
(8) in section 106(a) (16 U.S.C. 670f(a)) by striking
``cooperative plans'' and inserting ``integrated natural
resource management plans''; and
(9) in section 106(c) (16 U.S.C. 670f(c)) by striking
``cooperative plans'' and inserting ``integrated natural
resource management plans''.
(c) Contents of Plans.--Section 101(b) (16 U.S.C. 670a(b))
is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in subparagraph (C) by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(B) in subparagraph (D) by striking the semicolon at the
end and inserting a comma; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) wetland protection and restoration, and wetland
creation where necessary, for support of fish or wildlife,
``(F) consideration of conservation needs for all
biological communities, and
``(G) the establishment of specific natural resource
management goals, objectives, and time-frames for proposed
actions;'';
(2) by striking paragraph (3);
(3) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3);
(4) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
``(2) shall for the military installation for which it is
prepared--
``(A) address the needs for fish and wildlife management,
land management, forest management, and wildlife-oriented
recreation;
``(B) ensure the integration of, and consistency among, the
various activities conducted under the plan;
``(C) ensure that there is no net loss in the capability of
installation lands to support the military mission of the
installation;
``(D) provide for sustained use by the public of natural
resources, to the extent that such use is not inconsistent
with the military mission of the installation or the needs of
fish and wildlife management;
``(E) provide the public access to the installation that is
necessary or appropriate for that use, to the extent that
access is not inconsistent with the military mission of the
installation; and
``(F) provide for professional enforcement of natural
resource laws and regulations;''; and
(5) in paragraph (4)(A) by striking ``collect the fees
therfor,'' and inserting ``collect, spend, administer, and
account for fees therefor,''.
(d) Public Comment.--Section 101 (16 U.S.C. 670a) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(f) Public Comment.--The Secretary of Defense shall
provide an opportunity for public comment on each integrated
natural resource management plan prepared under subsection
(a).''.
SEC. 4. REVIEW FOR PREPARATION OF INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT PLANS.
(a) Review of Military Installations.--
(1) Review.--The Secretary of each military department
shall, by not later than 9 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act--
(A) review each military installation in the United States
that is under the jurisdiction of that Secretary to determine
the military installations for which the preparation of an
integrated natural resource management plan under section 101
of the Sikes Act, as amended by this Act, is appropriate; and
(B) submit to the Secretary of Defense a report on those
determinations.
(2) Report to congress.--The Secretary of Defense shall, by
not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of
this Act, submit to the Congress a report on the reviews
conducted under paragraph (1). The report shall include--
(A) a list of those military installations reviewed under
paragraph (1) for which the Secretary of Defense determines
the preparation of an integrated natural resource management
plan is not appropriate; and
(B) for each of the military installations listed under
subparagraph (A), an explanation of the reasons such a plan
is not appropriate.
(b) Deadline for Integrated Natural Resource Management
Plans.--Not later than 2
[[Page H 6709]]
years after the date of the submission of the report required under
subsection (a)(2), the Secretary of Defense shall, for each
military installation for which the Secretary has not
determined under subsection (a)(2)(A) that preparation of an
integrated natural resource management plan is not
appropriate--
(1) prepare and begin implementing such a plan mutually
agreed to by the Secretary of the Interior and the head of
the appropriate State agencies under section 101(a) of the
Sikes Act, as amended by this Act; or
(2) in the case of a military installation for which there
is in effect a cooperative plan under section 101(a) of the
Sikes Act on the day before the date of the enactment of this
Act, complete negotiations with the Secretary of the Interior
and the heads of the appropriate State agencies regarding
changes to that plan that are necessary for the plan to
constitute an integrated natural resource plan that complies
with that section, as amended by this Act.
(c) Public Comment.--The Secretary of Defense shall provide
an opportunity for the submission of public comments on--
(1) integrated natural resource management plans proposed
pursuant to subsection (b)(1); and
(2) changes to cooperative plans proposed pursuant to
subsection (b)(2).
SEC. 5. ANNUAL REVIEWS AND REPORTS.
Section 101 (16 U.S.C. 670a) is further amended by adding
after subsection (f) (as added by section 3(d) of this Act)
the following:
``(g) Reviews and Reports.--
``(1) Secretary of defense.--The Secretary of Defense
shall, by not later than March 1 of each year, review the
extent to which integrated natural resource management plans
were prepared or in effect and implemented in accordance with
this Act in the preceding year, and submit a report on the
findings of that review to the committees. Each report shall
include--
``(A) the number of integrated natural resource management
plans in effect in the year covered by the report, including
the date on which each plan was issued in final form or most
recently revised;
``(B) the amount of moneys expended on conservation
activities conducted pursuant to those plans in the year
covered by the report, including amounts expended under the
Legacy Resource Management Program established under section
8120 of the Act of November 5, 1990 (Public Law 101-511; 104
Stat. 1905); and
``(C) an assessment of the extent to which the plans comply
with the requirements of subsection (b) (1) and (2),
including specifically the extent to which the plans ensure
in accordance with subsection (b)(2)(C) that there is no net
loss of lands to support the military missions of military
installations.
``(2) Secretary of the interior.--The Secretary of the
Interior, by not later than March 1 of each year and in
consultation with State agencies responsible for conservation
or management of fish or wildlife, shall submit a report to
the committees on the amount of moneys expended by the
Department of the Interior and those State agencies in the
year covered by the report on conservation activities
conducted pursuant to integrated natural resource management
plans.
``(3) Committees defined.--For purposes of this subsection,
the term `committees' means the Committees on Resources and
National Security of the House of Representatives and the
Committees on Armed Services and Environment and Public Works
of the Senate.''.
SEC. 6. FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT OF INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT PLANS; ENFORCEMENT OF OTHER LAWS.
Title I (16 U.S.C. 670a et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating section 106 as section 110; and
(2) by inserting after section 105 the following:
``SEC. 106. FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT OF OTHER LAWS.
``All Federal laws relating to the conservation of natural
resources on Federal lands may be enforced by the Secretary
of Defense with respect to violations of those laws which
occur on military installations within the United States.''.
SEC. 7. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
Title I (16 U.S.C. 670a et seq.) is amended by inserting
after section 106 (as added by section 6 of this Act) the
following:
``SEC. 107. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
``The Secretary of each military department shall ensure
that sufficient numbers of professionally trained natural
resource management personnel and natural resource law
enforcement personnel are available and assigned
responsibility to perform tasks necessary to comply with this
Act, including the preparation and implementation of
integrated natural resource management plans.''.
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.
Title I (16 U.S.C. 670a et seq.) is further amended by
inserting after section 107 (as added by section 7 of this
Act) the following:
``SEC. 108. DEFINITIONS.
``In this title:
``(1) Military department.--The term `military department'
means the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy,
and the Department of the Air Force.
``(2) Military installation.--The term `military
installation'--
``(A) means any land or interest in land owned by the
United States and administered by the Secretary of Defense or
the head of a military department; and
``(B) includes all public lands withdrawn from all forms of
appropriation under public land laws and reserved for use by
the Secretary of Defense or the head of a military
department.
``(3) State fish and wildlife agency.--The term `State fish
and wildlife agency' means an agency of State government that
is responsible under State law for managing fish or wildlife
resources.
``(4) United states.--The term `United States' means the
States, the District of Columbia, and the territories and
possessions of the United States.''.
SEC. 9. SHORT TITLE.
Title I (16 U.S.C. 670a et seq.) is further amended by
inserting after section 108 (as added by section 7 of this
Act) the following:
``SEC. 109. SHORT TITLE.
``This title may be cited as the `Sikes Act'.''.
SEC. 10. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.
(a) Cost Sharing.--Section 103a(b) (16 U.S.C. 670c-1(b)) is
amended by striking ``matching basis'' each place it appears
and inserting ``cost-sharing basis''.
(b) Accounting.--Section 103a(c) (16 U.S.C. 670c-1(c)) is
amended by inserting before the period at the end the
following: ``, and shall not be subject to section 1535 of
that title''.
SEC. 11. REPEAL.
Section 2 of the Act of October 27, 1986 (Public Law 99-
651; 16 U.S.C. 670a-1) is repealed.
SEC. 12. CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.
Title I, as amended by this Act, is further amended--
(1) in the heading for the title by striking ``military
reservations'' and inserting ``military installations'';
(2) in section 101(a) (16 U.S.C. 670a(a)) by striking ``the
reservation'' and inserting ``the installation'';
(3) in section 101(b)(4) (16 U.S.C. 670a(b)(4))--
(A) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``the reservation'' and
inserting ``the installation''; and
(B) in subparagraph (B) by striking ``the military
reservation'' and inserting ``the military installation'';
(4) in section 101(c) (16 U.S.C. 670a(c))--
(A) in paragraph (1) by striking ``a military reservation''
and inserting ``a military installation''; and
(B) in paragraph (2) by striking ``the reservation'' and
inserting ``the installation'';
(5) in section 102 (16 U.S.C. 670b) by striking ``military
reservations'' and inserting ``military installations''; and
(6) in section 103 (16 U.S.C. 670c) by striking ``military
reservations'' and inserting ``military installations''.
SEC. 13. AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Programs on Military Installations.--Subsections (b)
and (c) of section 110 (as redesignated by section 6 of this
Act) are each amended by striking ``1983'' and all that
follows through ``1993,'' and inserting ``1995, 1996, 1997,
and 1998,''.
(b) Programs on Public Lands.--Section 209 (16 U.S.C. 670o)
is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``the sum of
$10,000,000'' and all that follows through ``to enable the
Secretary of the Interior'' and inserting ``$4,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998, to enable
the Secretary of the Interior''; and
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ``the sum of
$12,000,000'' and all that follows through ``to enable the
Secretary of Agriculture'' and inserting ``$5,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998, to enable
the Secretary of Agriculture''.
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Sikes Act Improvement
Amendments of 1995''.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENT OF SIKES ACT.
Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this
Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an
amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the
reference shall be considered to be made to a section or
other provision of the Act entitled ``An Act to promote
effectual planning, development, maintenance, and
coordination of wildlife, fish, and game conservation and
rehabilitation in military reservations'', approved September
15, 1960 (16 U.S.C. 670a et seq.), commonly referred to, and
in this Act referred to, as the ``Sikes Act''.
SEC. 3. INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANS
GENERALLY.
(a) In General.--Section 101(a) (16 U.S.C. 670a(a)) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``is authorized to'' and inserting
``shall'';
(2) by striking ``in each military reservation in
accordance with a cooperative plan'' and inserting the
following: ``on military installations. Under the program,
the Secretary shall prepare and implement for each military
installation in the United States an integrated natural
resource management plan'';
(3) by inserting after ``reservation is located'' the
following: ``, except that the Secretary is not required to
prepare such a plan for a military installation if the
Secretary determines that preparation of such a plan for the
installation is not appropriate''; and
(4) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``(a)'', and adding at the
end the following new paragraph:
``(2) Consistent with essential military requirements to
enhance the national security of the United States, the
Secretary of Defense shall manage each military installation
to provide--
``(A) for the conservation of fish and wildlife on the
military installation and sustained multipurpose uses of
those resources, including hunting, fishing, and trapping;
and
``(B) public access that is necessary or appropriate for
those uses.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--Title I, as amended by
subsection (a) of this section, is further amended--
(1) in section 101(b) (16 U.S.C. 670a(b)) in the matter
preceding paragraph (1) by striking ``cooperative plan'' and
inserting ``integrated natural resource management plan'';
[[Page H 6710]]
(2) in section 101(b)(4) (16 U.S.C. 670a(b)(4)) by striking
``cooperative plan'' each place it appears and inserting
``integrated natural resource management plan'';
(3) in section 101(c) (16 U.S.C. 670a(c)) in the matter
preceding paragraph (1) by striking ``a cooperative plan''
and inserting ``an integrated natural resource management
plan'';
(4) in section 101(d) (16 U.S.C. 670a(d)) in the matter
preceding paragraph (1) by striking ``cooperative plans'' and
inserting ``integrated natural resource management plans'';
(5) in section 101(e) (16 U.S.C. 670a(e)) by striking
``Cooperative plans'' and inserting ``Integrated natural
resource management plans'';
(6) in section 102 (16 U.S.C. 670b) by striking ``a
cooperative plan'' and inserting ``an integrated natural
resource management plan'';
(7) in section 103 (16 U.S.C. 670c) by striking ``a
cooperative plan'' and inserting ``an integrated natural
resource management plan'';
(8) in section 106(a) (16 U.S.C. 670f(a)) by striking
``cooperative plans'' and inserting ``integrated natural
resource management plans''; and
(9) in section 106(c) (16 U.S.C. 670f(c)) by striking
``cooperative plans'' and inserting ``integrated natural
resource management plans''.
(c) Contents of Plans.--Section 101(b) (16 U.S.C. 670a(b))
is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in subparagraph (C) by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(B) in subparagraph (D) by striking the semicolon at the
end and inserting a comma; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) wetland protection and restoration, and wetland
creation where necessary, for support of fish or wildlife,
``(F) consideration of conservation needs for all
biological communities, and
``(G) the establishment of specific natural resource
management goals, objectives, and time-frames for proposed
actions;'';
(2) by striking paragraph (3);
(3) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3);
(4) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
``(2) shall for the military installation for which it is
prepared--
``(A) address the needs for fish and wildlife management,
land management, forest management, and wildlife-oriented
recreation;
``(B) ensure the integration of, and consistency among, the
various activities conducted under the plan;
``(C) ensure that there is no net loss in the capability of
installation lands to support the military mission of the
installation;
``(D) provide for sustained use by the public of natural
resources, to the extent that such use is not inconsistent
with the military mission of the installation or the needs of
fish and wildlife management;
``(E) provide the public access to the installation that is
necessary or appropriate for that use, to the extent that
access is not inconsistent with the military mission of the
installation; and
``(F) provide for professional enforcement of natural
resource laws and regulations;''; and
(5) in paragraph (4)(A) by striking ``collect the fees
therefor,'' and inserting ``collect, spend, administer, and
account for fees therefor,''.
(d) Public Comment.--Section 101 (16 U.S.C. 670a) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(f) Public Comment.--The Secretary of Defense shall
provide an opportunity for public comment on each integrated
natural resource management plan prepared under subsection
(a).''.
SEC. 4. REVIEW FOR PREPARATION OF INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT PLANS.
(a) Review of Military Installations.--
(1) Review.--The Secretary of each military department
shall, by not later than 9 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act--
(A) review each military installation in the United States
that is under the jurisdiction of that Secretary to determine
the military installations for which the preparation of an
integrated natural resource management plan under section 101
of the Sikes Act, as amended by this Act, is appropriate; and
(B) submit to the Secretary of Defense a report on those
determinations.
(2) Report to congress.--The Secretary of Defense shall, by
not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of
this Act, submit to the Congress a report on the reviews
conducted under paragraph (1). The report shall include--
(A) a list of those military installations reviewed under
paragraph (1) for which the Secretary of Defense determines
the preparation of an integrated natural resource management
plan is not appropriate; and
(B) for each of the military installations listed under
subparagraph (A), an explanation of the reasons such a plan
is not appropriate.
(b) Deadline for Integrated Natural Resource Management
Plans.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the
submission of the report required under subsection (a)(2),
the Secretary of Defense shall, for each military
installation for which the Secretary has not determined under
subsection (a)(2)(A) that preparation of an integrated
natural resource management plan is not appropriate--
(1) prepare and begin implementing such a plan mutually
agreed to by the Secretary of the Interior and the head of
the appropriate State agencies under section 101(a) of the
Sikes Act, as amended by this Act; or
(2) in the case of a military installation for which there
is in effect a cooperative plan under section 101(a) of the
Sikes Act on the day before the date of the enactment of this
Act, complete negotiations with the Secretary of the Interior
and the heads of the appropriate State agencies regarding
changes to that plan that are necessary for the plan to
constitute an integrated natural resource plan that complies
with that section, as amended by this Act.
(c) Public Comment.--The Secretary of Defense shall provide
an opportunity for the submission of public comments on--
(1) integrated natural resource management plans proposed
pursuant to subsection (b)(1); and
(2) changes to cooperative plans proposed pursuant to
subsection (b)(2).
SEC. 5. ANNUAL REVIEWS AND REPORTS.
Section 101 (16 U.S.C. 670a) is further amended by adding
after subsection (f) (as added by section 3(d) of this Act)
the following:
``(g) Reviews and Reports.--
``(1) Secretary of defense.--The Secretary of Defense
shall, by not later than March 1 of each year, review the
extent to which integrated natural resource management plans
were prepared or in effect and implemented in accordance with
this Act in the preceding year, and submit a report on the
findings of that review to the committees. Each report shall
include--
``(A) the number of integrated natural resource management
plans in effect in the year covered by the report, including
the date on which each plan was issued in final form or most
recently revised;
``(B) the amount of moneys expended on conservation
activities conducted pursuant to those plans in the year
covered by the report, including amounts expended under the
Legacy Resource Management Program established under section
8120 of the Act of November 5, 1990 (Public Law 101-511; 104
Stat. 1905); and
``(C) an assessment of the extent to which the plans comply
with the requirements of subsection (b)(1) and (2), including
specifically the extent to which the plans ensure in
accordance with subsection (b)(2)(C) that there is no net
loss of lands to support the military missions of military
installations.
``(2) Secretary of the interior.--The Secretary of the
Interior, by not later than March 1 of each year and in
consultation with State agencies responsible for conservation
or management of fish or wildlife, shall submit a report to
the committees on the amount of moneys expended by the
Department of the Interior and those State agencies in the
year covered by the report on conservation activities
conducted pursuant to integrated natural resource management
plans.
``(3) Committees defined.--For purposes of this subsection,
the term `committees' means the Committees on Resources and
National Security of the House of Representatives and the
Committees on Armed Services and Environment and Public Works
of the Senate.''.
SEC. 6. FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT OF INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT PLANS; ENFORCEMENT OF OTHER LAWS.
Title I (16 U.S.C. 670a et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating section 106 as section 110; and
(2) by inserting after section 105 the following:
``SEC. 106. FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT OF OTHER LAWS.
``All Federal laws relating to the conservation of natural
resources on Federal lands may be enforced by the Secretary
of Defense with respect to violations of those laws which
occur on military installations within the United States.''.
SEC. 7. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
Title I (16 U.S.C. 670a et seq.) is amended by inserting
after section 106 (as added by section 6 of this Act) the
following:
``SEC. 107. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
``The Secretary of each military department shall ensure
that sufficient numbers of professionally trained natural
resource management personnel and natural resource law
enforcement personnel are available and assigned
responsibility to perform tasks necessary to comply with this
Act, including the preparation and implementation of
integrated natural resource management plans.''.
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.
Title I (16 U.S.C. 670a et seq.) is further amended by
inserting after section 107 (as added by section 7 of this
Act) the following:
``SEC. 108. DEFINITIONS.
``In this title:
``(1) Military department.--The term `military department'
means the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy,
and the Department of the Air Force.
``(2) Military installation.--The term `military
installation'--
``(A) means any land or interest in land owned by the
United States and administered by the Secretary of Defense or
the head of a military department; and
``(B) includes all public lands withdrawn from all forms of
appropriation under public land laws and reserved for use by
the Secretary of Defense or the head of a military
department.
``(3) State fish and wildlife agency.--The term `State fish
and wildlife agency' means an agency of State government that
is responsible under State law for managing fish or wildlife
resources.
``(4) United states.--The term `United States' means the
States, the District of Columbia, and the territories and
possessions of the United States.''.
SEC. 9. SHORT TITLE.
Title I (16 U.S.C. 670a et seq.) is further amended by
inserting after section 108 (as added by section 7 of this
Act) the following:
``SEC. 109. SHORT TITLE.
``This title may be cited as the `Sikes Act'.''.
SEC. 10. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.
(a) Cost Sharing.--Section 103a(b) (16 U.S.C. 670c-1(b)) is
amended by striking ``matching basis'' each place it appears
and inserting ``cost-sharing basis''.
[[Page H 6711]]
(b) Accounting.--Section 103a(c) (16 U.S.C. 670c-1(c)) is
amended by inserting before the period at the end the
following: ``, and shall not be subject to section 1535 of
that title''.
SEC. 11. REPEAL.
Section 2 of the Act of October 27, 1986 (Public Law 99-
651; 16 U.S.C. 670a-1) is repealed.
SEC. 12. CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.
Title I, as amended by this Act, is further amended--
(1) in the heading for the title by striking ``military
reservations'' and inserting ``military installations'';
(2) in section 101(a) (16 U.S.C. 670a(a)) by striking ``the
reservation'' and inserting ``the installation'';
(3) in section 101(b)(4) (16 U.S.C. 670a(b)(4))--
(A) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``the reservation'' and
inserting ``the installation''; and
(B) in subparagraph (B) by striking ``the military
reservation'' and inserting ``the military installation'';
(4) in section 101(c) (16 U.S.C. 670a(c))--
(A) in paragraph (1) by striking ``a military reservation''
and inserting ``a military installation''; and
(B) in paragraph (2) by striking ``the reservation'' and
inserting ``the installation'';
(5) in section 102 (16 U.S.C. 670b) by striking ``military
reservations'' and inserting ``military installations''; and
(6) in section 103 (16 U.S.C. 670c) by striking ``military
reservations'' and inserting ``military installations''.
SEC. 13. AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Programs on Military Installations.--Subsections (b)
and (c) of section 110 (as redesignated by section 6 of this
Act) are each amended by striking ``1983'' and all that
follows through ``1993,'' and inserting ``1995, 1996, 1997,
and 1998,''.
(b) Programs on Public Lands.--Section 209 (16 U.S.C. 670o)
is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``the sum of
$10,000,000'' and all that follows through ``to enable the
Secretary of the Interior'' and inserting ``$4,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998, to enable
the Secretary of the Interior''; and
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ``the sum of
$12,000,000'' and all that follows through ``to enable the
Secretary of Agriculture'' and inserting ``$5,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998, to enable
the Secretary of Agriculture''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Alaska [Mr. Young] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the gentleman
from Massachusetts [Mr. Studds] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young].
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, as the author of H.R. 1141, I am
pleased that we are considering this legislation to reauthorize and
improve the effectiveness of the Sikes Act.
Since coming to Congress in 1973, I have led the fight to enhance and
conserve the vital fish and wildlife resources that exist on our
military lands. The Department of Defense [DOD] manages nearly 25
million acres at approximately 900 military bases nationwide. These
lands contain a wealth of plant and animal life, they provide vital
habitat for thousands of migratory waterfowl, and they are home for
nearly 100 federally listed species.
The Department does a superb job of training our young men and women
for combat. Regrettably, they often fail to do even an adequate job of
comprehensive natural resource management planning. At far too many
installations, management plans have never been written, are outdated,
or are largely ignored. Furthermore, when these plans do exist, all too
often they are not coordinated or integrated with other military
activities.
While H.R. 1141 will make a number of improvements in the Sikes Act,
the bill does not undermine in any way the fundamental training mission
of a military base.
What the bill does is expand the scope of existing conservation plans
to encompass all natural resource management activities, require
management plans for all appropriate installations, mandate an annual
report summarizing the status of these plans, require that trained
personnel be available, and ensure that DOD shall manage each
installation to provide for the conservation of fish and wildlife, and
to allow the multipurpose uses of those resources. In addition, the
bill extends the act's authorization for the next 3 years at half of
the current funding level.
Mr. Speaker, this is a noncontroversial bill that has been thoroughly
considered in both the Resources and National Security Committees. I
want to thank Floyd Spence, Jim Saxton, Joel Hefley, and Gerry Studds
for their leadership and for joining with me in this important
conservation effort. I am confident that our bill will greatly assist
DOD in the management of those natural resources under their
jurisdiction.
I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye'' on H.R. 1141.
{time} 1600
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I note with some trepidation the violent beginning of
the gentleman's week. His assault on the desk and podium I hope does
not bode ill for the remainder of the evening and of the week.
Mr. Speaker, interestingly, some of the most controversial issues
facing us in this Congress are embodied in this noncontroversial bill:
the most appropriate uses for federally owned lands, how best to
protect wildlife habitat, and public/private partnerships to manage
lands and protect endangered species.
Under the provisions of the Sikes Act, the military is required to
manage its 25 million acres for fish and wildlife conservation,
including the protection of critical habitat for almost 100 endangered
and threatened species. That is a big job, and the military has often
worked closely with nongovernment partners to provide efficient, cost-
effective management. I am pleased to point out that this bill
encourages the continued use of those partnerships.
In short, this legislation provides a good working model for
compromise on many of the difficult issues we will be facing over the
next several months, and I want to thank the gentleman from Alaska for
his efforts in bringing a truly bipartisan bill to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, as the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Studds]
mentioned, this is a bipartisan bill. This is not the first time that
he and I have addressed this issue. We want to stress that 25 million
acres of land now is under military jurisdiction for training of our
personnel for military purposes. What we are trying to do in this bill
and with the original bill was to make sure the military recognized the
extraordinary value. Most military bases are in the proximity of urban
areas. They are truly the wildlife refuge areas of the urban people.
They are also very valuable for those resource activities, which I
think are also very valuable for the maintaining and the management of
those species; that is, in fact, the wildlife itself, for fishing and
hunting and recreational purposes.
Mr. Speaker, under this act, with the help of the gentleman from
Massachusetts, I do believe we strengthen the DOD and in fact direct
them to better manage those resources available to them. The 25 million
acres of land, refuge land that is under military jurisdiction today,
is actually more land than we have in any other part of our natural
Federal use lands in the lower 48. Therefore, I do urge the passage of
this legislation. It is good legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I fully concur with the gentleman, especially with
regard to the good things that have been said about us.
Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H.R.
1141, the Sikes Act Improvement Amendments of 1995, introduced by Don
Young and me in March of this year. The Sikes Act was enacted in 1960
to provide a mechanism for cooperative wildlife management on U.S.
military installations. H.R. 1141 will make the Sikes Act more
effective in several important respects.
First, existing conservation plans which deal exclusively with fish
and wildlife habitat improvements will be replaced with integrated
natural resource management plans which encompass all natural resource
management activities. Second, natural resource management plans will
have to be prepared for all military installations, except those
without any significant fish, wildlife or natural resource management
plans. Third, the Secretary of Defense will be required to submit an
annual report to
[[Page H 6712]]
Congress summarizing the status of implementation of the integrated
natural resources management plans. Finally, the bill extends
authorization of appropriations, which expired on September 30, 1993,
for the next 3 fiscal years.
This legislation is noncontroversial and important to the training
units of our Armed Forces. I urge my colleagues support of H.R. 1141.
Mr. HEFLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1141, the
Sikes Act Improvement Amendments of 1995. H.R. 1141 would enhance and
improve natural resource management practices on military installations
and lands under the control of the Secretary of Defense. This
legislation has received overwhelming bipartisan support by the
Committee on Resources and the Committee on National Security.
At Fort Carson, CO, the Army's premier tank training ground, the
concept of wildlife management and training going hand-in-hand is put
to the test. On the Pinon Canyon maneuver site at Carson, red fox holes
are roped off, the division-size maneuvers are conducted around them.
This is just one example of how the Army is striking the balance
between environment and military training. This legislation will
improve the ability of Fort Carson and all other military installations
to preserve this balance.
H.R. 1141 strikes an appropriate balance between natural resource
management and the defense mission conducted at all military
installations. The bill is fully supported by the Department of
Defense. As a member of both committees of jurisdiction, I have had an
opportunity to pass judgment on H.R. 1141 on a number of occasions this
year. I can assure the House that the bill is worthy of each Member's
support. I am pleased to recommend this legislation and urge it
adoption.
Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shays). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young] that the House suspend
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1141, as amended.
The question was taken.
Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
The point of order of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
____________________