[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 132 (Monday, September 29, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H8066-H8067]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CORAL REEF CONSERVATION ACT OF 1997

  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2233) to assist in the conservation of coral reefs, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2233

       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 ``Coral Reef Conservation Act 
     of 1997''.

     SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

       The purposes of this Act are the following:
       (1) To preserve, sustain, and restore the health of coral 
     reef ecosystems.
       (2) To assist in the conservation and protection of coral 
     reefs by supporting conservation programs.
       (3) To provide financial resources for those programs.
       (4) To establish a formal mechanism for collecting and 
     allocating monetary donations from the private sector to be 
     used for coral reef conservation projects.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Coral.--The term ``coral'' means species of the phylum 
     Cnidaria, including--
       (A) all species of the orders Antipatharia (black corals), 
     Scleractinia (stony corals), Gorgonacea (horny corals), 
     Stolonifera (organpipe corals and others), and Coenothecalia 
     (blue coral), of the class Anthozoa; and
       (B) all species of the order Hydrocorallina (fire corals 
     and hydrocorals), of the class Hydrozoa.
       (2) Coral reef.--The term ``coral reef'' means any reef or 
     shoal composed primarily of the skeletal material of species 
     of the order Scleractinia (class Anthozoa).
       (3) Coral reef ecosystem.--The term ``coral reef 
     ecosystem'' means the complex of species associated with 
     coral reefs and their environment that--
       (A) functions as an ecological unit in nature; and
       (B) is necessary for that function to continue.
       (4) Corals and coral products.--The term ``corals and coral 
     products'' means any living or dead specimens, parts, or 
     derivatives, or any product containing specimens, parts, or 
     derivatives, of any species referred to in paragraph (1).
       (5) Conservation.--The term ``conservation'' means the use 
     of methods and procedures necessary to preserve or sustain 
     corals and species associated with coral reefs as diverse, 
     viable, and self-perpetuating coral reef ecosystems, 
     including all activities associated with resource management, 
     such as conservation, protection, restoration, and management 
     of habitat; habitat monitoring; assistance in the development 
     of management strategies for marine protected areas and 
     marine resources consistent with the National Marine 
     Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.) and the Magnuson-
     Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 
     1801 et seq.); law enforcement through community 
     participation; conflict resolution initiatives; and community 
     outreach and education.
       (6) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Coral Reef 
     Conservation Fund established under section 5(a).
       (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Commerce.

     SEC. 4. CORAL REEF CONSERVATION ASSISTANCE.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary, subject to the availability 
     of funds, shall use amounts in the Fund to provide grants of 
     financial assistance for projects for the conservation of 
     coral reefs for which final project proposals are approved by 
     the Secretary in accordance with this section.
       (b) Project Proposal.--Any relevant natural resource 
     management authority of a State or territory of the United 
     States or other government jurisdiction with coral reefs 
     whose activities directly or indirectly affect coral reefs, 
     or any nongovernmental organization or individual with 
     demonstrated expertise in the conservation of coral reefs, 
     may submit to the Secretary a project proposal under this 
     section. Each proposal shall include the following:
       (1) The name of the individual responsible for conducting 
     the project.
       (2) A succinct statement of the purposes of the project.
       (3) A description of the qualifications of the individuals 
     who will conduct the project.
       (4) An estimate of the funds and time required to complete 
     the project.
       (5) Evidence of support of the project by appropriate 
     representatives of States or territories of the United States 
     or other government jurisdictions in which the project will 
     be conducted, if the Secretary determines that the support is 
     required for the success of the project.
       (6) Information regarding the source and amount of matching 
     funding available to the applicant.
       (7) Any other information 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 review each final 
     project proposal to determine if it meets the criteria set 
     forth in subsection (d).
       (2) Consultation: approval or disapproval.--Not later than 
     6 months after receiving a final project proposal, and 
     subject to the availability of funds, the Secretary shall--
       (A) request written comments on the proposal from each 
     State or territory of the United States or other government 
     jurisdiction, including the relevant regional fishery 
     management councils established under the Magnuson-Stevens 
     Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et 
     seq.), within which the project is to be conducted;
       (B) provide for the meritbased peer review of the proposal 
     and require standardized documentation of that peer review;
       (C) after reviewing any written comments and 
     recommendations based on merit review, approve or disapprove 
     the proposal; and
       (D) provide written notification of that approval or 
     disapproval to the person who submitted the proposal, and 
     each of those States, territories, and other government 
     jurisdictions.
       (d) Criteria for Approval.--The Secretary may approve a 
     final project proposal under this section if the project will 
     enhance programs for conservation of coral reefs by assisting 
     efforts to--
       (1) implement conservation programs;
       (2) address the conflicts arising from the use of 
     environments near coral reefs or from the use of corals, 
     species associated with coral reefs, and coral products;
       (3) enhance compliance with laws that prohibit or regulate 
     the taking of corals, species associated with coral reefs, 
     and coral products or regulate the use and management of 
     coral reef ecosystems;
       (4) develop sound scientific information on the condition 
     of coral reef ecosystems or the threats to such ecosystems; 
     or
       (5) promote cooperative projects on coral reef conservation 
     that involve foreign governments, affected local communities, 
     nongovernmental organizations, or others in the private 
     sector.
       (e) Project Sustainability.--In determining whether to 
     approve project proposals under this section, the Secretary 
     shall give priority to projects which promote sustainable 
     development and ensure effective, long-term conservation of 
     coral reefs.
       (f) Project Reporting.--Each grantee under this section 
     shall provide periodic reports, as the Secretary considers 
     necessary, to the Secretary. Each report shall include all 
     information required by the Secretary for evaluating the 
     progress and success of the project.
       (g) Matching Funds.--The Secretary may not approve a 
     project under this section unless the Secretary determines 
     that there are non-Federal matching funds available to pay at 
     least 50 percent of the total cost of the project.

     SEC. 5. CORAL REEF CONSERVATION FUND.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established in the general 
     fund of the Treasury a separate account, to be known as the 
     ``Coral Reef Conservation Fund'', which shall consist of 
     amounts deposited into the Fund by the Secretary of the 
     Treasury under subsection (b).
       (b) Deposits Into the Fund.--The Secretary of the Treasury 
     shall deposit into the Fund--
       (1) all amounts received by the Secretary in the form of 
     monetary donations under subsection (d); and
       (2) other amounts appropriated to the Fund.
       (c) Use.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary 
     may use amounts in the Fund without further appropriation to 
     provide assistance under section 4.
       (2) Administration.--Of amounts in the Fund available for 
     each fiscal year, the Secretary may use not more than 3 
     percent to administer the Fund.
       (d) Acceptance and Use of Monetary Donations.--The 
     Secretary may accept and use monetary donations to provide 
     assistance under section 4. 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. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated to the Fund 
     $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years

[[Page H8067]]

     1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002 to carry out this Act, which 
     may remain available until expended.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey [Mr. Saxton] and the gentleman from California [Mr. Farr], each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Saxton].
  (Mr. SAXTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we are now considering H.R. 2233, the Coral Reef 
Conservation Act of 1997.
  The gentleman from Hawaii [Mr. Abercrombie] and I and the gentleman 
from California [Mr. Farr] introduced this bill to promote conservation 
of coral reef ecosystems.
  The Committee on Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife, and Oceans, which I chair, had two coral-reef-related 
hearings this year, and it is very clear that coral reefs are an 
important natural resource for coastal nations worldwide and many U.S. 
States and territories. Reefs generate significant tourism, provide 
habitat for many commercial fisheries, and protect coastlines from 
storm damage.
  Unfortunately, coral reefs worldwide are also in great danger from 
both natural and human-induced causes. In the U.S. waters near Florida, 
six new coral reef diseases have been identified in the last 5 years, 
and they are spreading rapidly. In the Philippines, an astounding 70 
percent of native reef environments have been obliterated by 
destructive fishing practices such as, believe it or not, dynamiting 
and cyanide fishing.
  This bill establishes a coral reef conservation fund which is modeled 
after existing programs such as the very successful African elephant 
conservation program. This fund will contain both appropriated moneys 
and donations. Grants from the fund will support conservation projects 
which benefit coral reefs worldwide.
  The bill authorizes $1 million to be appropriated into the fund 
annually for the next 5 years and requires that all grants be matched 
by other funds on a one-to-one basis.
  Mr. Speaker, this type of conservation approach has been very 
successful for African elephants and other threatened species. I 
believe that this bill can make a difference in reducing damage to 
coral reefs worldwide. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle 
to support the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  (Mr. FARR of California asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 2233. This bill will help provide much 
needed funding for research and conservation projects at coral reef 
ecosystems. The health of these ecosystems is in decline globally due 
to a wide range of threats, including nonsource pollution, destructive 
fishing practices, unwise coastal development, and global climate 
change. If we do not act decisively and soon, there will be no reefs 
left to save in just a few years.
  Why is it important to save it? The reefs essentially are the rain 
forests of the ocean. That is where most of the biological life live. 
If we lose these reefs, we lose much more than just their picturesque 
beauty, we lose a world class storehouse of marine biodiversity and a 
renewable economic resource that is vital to coastal and insular 
nations.
  H.R. 2233 is a good first step in addressing these problems. The 
amendment before the House requires a match for every Federal dollar so 
that research funds can even go further than originally drafted. I 
support the amendment. I urge all my colleagues on this side of the 
aisle to do so as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I would just conclude by saying that the gentleman from California 
[Mr. Farr] and I made note of some successes that we have had over the 
last decade in terms of protecting the ocean habitat.
  While this is one of the great failures of humankind in the way we 
have taken the coral reef systems for granted and the practices that we 
have continued to perpetuate that have caused great damage to the coral 
reef systems, which, as Mr. Farr eloquently pointed out, are immensely 
important to the ocean ecosystems and the interdependence of life in 
the oceans, when we held our hearings and it was brought to light 
publicly that two of the ways, two of the techniques of fishing are 
through the use of dynamite and cyanide, I looked at those issues with 
some disbelief. But we should not look at those issues with disbelief 
because they are, in fact, practices that are used which do cause great 
damage not only to the coral reef system but, obviously, to other life 
in the oceans as well.
  While we have had some successes over the last 10 years, it is pretty 
obvious that our work is not completed. Passage of this bill is perhaps 
a good first step in addressing the problems that are still to be 
addressed.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2233, the 
Coral Reef Conservation Act, a bill introduced by our colleagues Jim 
Saxton and Neil Abercrombie.
  While there may be only a few scattered corals in Alaska, coral reefs 
represent a new frontier source for medicines and lifesaving products. 
In addition, they provide natural protection for coastlines from high 
waves, storm surges, coastal erosion, and accompanying threats to human 
life and property.
  Furthermore, coral reefs are particularly important in generating 
tourism, and they contain some of the world's most productive marine 
habitats. These reefs make a real contribution to the economies where 
they are located.
  This bill is a positive effort to protect our Nation's coral reefs, 
and I am confident that the Department of Commerce will effectively 
manage the Coral Reef Conservation Fund.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Saxton] that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2233, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. CONDIT. 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 no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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