[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 125 (Friday, September 18, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H8076-H8077]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP 
                        ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 1997

  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the 
Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 1856) to amend the Fish and Wildlife Act 
of 1956 to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a volunteer 
pilot project at one national wildlife refuge in each United States 
Fish and Wildlife Service region, and for other purposes, with Senate 
amendments thereto, and concur in the Senate amendments.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The Clerk read the Senate amendments, as follows:

       Senate amendments:
       Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``National Wildlife Refuge 
     System Volunteer and Community Partnership Enhancement Act of 
     1998''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) the National Wildlife Refuge System (referred to in 
     this Act as the ``System''), consisting of more than 500 
     refuges and 93,000,000 acres, plays an integral role in the 
     protection of the natural resources of the United States;
       (2) the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 
     1997 (Public Law 105-57; 111 Stat. 1252) significantly 
     improved the law governing the System, although the financial 
     resources for implementing this law and managing the System 
     remain limited;
       (3) by encouraging volunteer programs and donations, and 
     facilitating non-Federal partnerships with refuges, Federal 
     funding for the refuges can be supplemented and the System 
     can fully benefit from the amendments made by the National 
     Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997; and
       (4) by encouraging refuge educational programs, public 
     awareness of the resources of the System and public 
     participation in the conservation of those resources can be 
     promoted.
       (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
       (1) to encourage the use of volunteers to assist the United 
     States Fish and Wildlife Service in the management of refuges 
     within the System;
       (2) to facilitate partnerships between the System and non-
     Federal entities to promote public awareness of the resources 
     of the System and public participation in the conservation of 
     those resources; and
       (3) to encourage donations and other contributions by 
     persons and organizations to the System.

     SEC. 3. GIFTS TO PARTICULAR NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES.

       Section 7(b)(2) of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 
     U.S.C. 742f(b)(2)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``(2) Any'' and inserting the following:
       ``(2) Use of gifts, devises, and bequests.--
       ``(A) In general.--Any''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(B) Gifts, devises, and bequests to particular refuges.--
       ``(i) Disbursal.--Any gift, devise, or bequest made for the 
     benefit of a particular national wildlife refuge or complex 
     of geographically related refuges shall be disbursed only for 
     the benefit of that refuge or complex of refuges and without 
     further appropriations.
       ``(ii) Matching.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations and the requirements of the National Wildlife 
     Refuge Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.) 
     and other applicable law, the Secretary may provide funds to 
     match gifts, devises, and bequests made for the benefit of a 
     particular national wildlife refuge or complex of 
     geographically related refuges. With respect to each gift, 
     devise, or bequest, the amount of Federal funds may not 
     exceed the amount (or, in the case of property or in-kind 
     services, the fair market value) of the gift, devise, or 
     bequest.''.

     SEC. 4. VOLUNTEER ENHANCEMENT.

       (a) Pilot Projects.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, the Secretary of the Interior shall carry out 
     a pilot project at 2 or more national wildlife refuges or 
     complexes of geographically related refuges in each United 
     States Fish and Wildlife Service region, but not more than 20 
     pilot projects nationwide.
       (2) Volunteer coordinator.--Each pilot project shall 
     provide for the employment of a full-time volunteer 
     coordinator for the refuge or complex of geographically 
     related refuges. The volunteer coordinator shall be 
     responsible for recruiting, training, and supervising 
     volunteers. The volunteer coordinator may be responsible for 
     assisting partner organizations in developing projects and 
     programs under cooperative agreements under section 7(d) of 
     the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (as added by section 5) and 
     coordinating volunteer activities with partner organizations 
     to carry out the projects and programs.
       (3) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
     submit a report to the Committee on Resources of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public 
     Works of the Senate evaluating and making recommendations 
     regarding the pilot projects.
       (4) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $2,000,000 
     for each of fiscal years 1999 through 2002.
       (b) Awards and Recognition for Volunteers.--Section 7(c)(2) 
     of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(c)(2)) 
     is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``awards (including nominal cash awards) 
     and recognition,'' after ``lodging,''; and
       (2) by inserting ``without regard to their places of 
     residence'' after ``volunteers''.
       (c) Senior Volunteer Corps.--Section 7(c) of the Fish and 
     Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(c)) is amended by 
     striking paragraph (6) and inserting the following:
       ``(6) Senior volunteer corps.--The Secretary of the 
     Interior may establish a Senior Volunteer Corps, consisting 
     of volunteers over the age of 50. To assist in the 
     recruitment and retention of the volunteers, the Secretary 
     may provide for additional incidental expenses to members of 
     the Corps beyond the incidental expenses otherwise provided 
     to volunteers under this subsection. The members of the Corps 
     shall be subject to the other provisions of this 
     subsection.''.

     SEC. 5. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP ENHANCEMENT.

       Section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 
     742f) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(d) Community Partnership Enhancement.--
       ``(1) Definition of partner organization.--In this 
     subsection, the term `partner organization' means an 
     organization that--
       ``(A) draws its membership from private individuals, 
     organizations, corporations, academic institutions, or State 
     or local governments;
       ``(B) is established to promote the understanding of, 
     education relating to, and the conservation of the fish, 
     wildlife, plants, and cultural and historical resources of a 
     particular refuge or complex of geographically related 
     refuges; and
       ``(C) is described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt from taxation under 
     section 501(a) of that Code.
       ``(2) Cooperative agreements.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior may enter 
     into a cooperative agreement (within the meaning of chapter 
     63 of title 31, United States Code) with any partner 
     organization, academic institution, or State or local 
     government agency to carry out 1 or more projects or programs 
     for a refuge or complex of geographically related refuges in 
     accordance with this subsection.
       ``(B) Projects and programs.--Subject to the requirements 
     of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 
     1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.) and other applicable law, and 
     such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be 
     appropriate, the Secretary may approve projects and programs 
     for a refuge or complex of geographically related refuges 
     that--
       ``(i) promote the stewardship of resources of the refuge 
     through habitat maintenance, restoration, and improvement, 
     biological monitoring, or research;
       ``(ii) support the operation and maintenance of the refuge 
     through constructing, operating, maintaining, or improving 
     the facilities and services of the refuge;
       ``(iii) increase awareness and understanding of the refuge 
     and the National Wildlife Refuge System through the 
     development, publication, or distribution of educational 
     materials and products;
       ``(iv) advance education concerning the purposes of the 
     refuge and the mission of the System through the use of the 
     refuge as an outdoor classroom and development of other 
     educational programs; or
       ``(v) contribute financial resources to the refuge, under 
     terms that require that the net revenues be used exclusively 
     for the benefit of the refuge, through donation of net 
     revenues from the sale of educational materials and products 
     and through encouragement of gifts, devises, and bequests.
       ``(C) Federal funding and ownership.--
       ``(i) Matching.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations and the requirements of the National Wildlife 
     Refuge Administration Act of

[[Page H8077]]

     1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.) and other applicable law, the 
     Secretary may provide funds to match non-Federal funds 
     donated under a cooperative agreement under this paragraph. 
     With respect to each project or program, the amount of funds 
     provided by the Secretary may not exceed the amount of the 
     non-Federal funds donated through the project or program.
       ``(ii) Use of federal funds.--Any Federal funds used to 
     fund a project or program under a cooperative agreement may 
     be used only for expenses directly related to the project or 
     program and may not be used for operation or administration 
     of any non-Federal entity.
       ``(iii) Ownership of facilities.--Any new facility, 
     improvement to an existing facility, or other permanent 
     improvement to a refuge constructed under this subsection 
     shall be the property of the United States Government.
       ``(D) Treasury account.--Amounts received by the Secretary 
     of the Interior as a result of projects and programs under 
     subparagraph (B) shall be deposited in a separate account in 
     the Treasury. Amounts in the account that are attributable to 
     activities at a particular refuge or complex of 
     geographically related refuges shall be available to the 
     Secretary of the Interior, without further appropriation, to 
     pay the costs of incidental expenses related to volunteer 
     activities, and to carry out cooperative agreements for the 
     refuge or complex of refuges.''.

     SEC. 6. REFUGE EDUCATION PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.

       Section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 
     742f) (as amended by section 5) is amended by adding at the 
     end the following:
       ``(e) Refuge Education Program Enhancement.--
       ``(1) Guidance.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this subsection, the Secretary of the Interior 
     shall develop guidance for refuge education programs to 
     further the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System 
     and the purposes of individual refuges through--
       ``(A) providing outdoor classroom opportunities for 
     students on national wildlife refuges that combine 
     educational curricula with the personal experiences of 
     students relating to fish, wildlife, and plants and their 
     habitat and to the cultural and historical resources of the 
     refuges;
       ``(B) promoting understanding and conservation of fish, 
     wildlife, and plants and cultural and historical resources of 
     the refuges; and
       ``(C) improving scientific literacy in conjunction with 
     both formal and nonformal education programs.
       ``(2) Refuge programs.--Based on the guidance developed 
     under paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Interior may 
     develop or enhance refuge education programs as appropriate, 
     based on the resources of individual refuges and the 
     opportunities available for such programs in State, local, 
     and private schools. In developing and implementing each 
     program, the Secretary should cooperate with State and local 
     education authorities, and may cooperate with partner 
     organizations in accordance with subsection (d).''.

     SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 
     742f) (as amended by section 6) is amended by adding at the 
     end the following:
       ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior to carry 
     out subsections (b), (c), (d), and (e) $2,000,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 1999 through 2004.''.

  Mr. SAXTON (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that the Senate amendments be considered as read and printed in the 
Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, as the author of H.R. 1856, the National 
Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer and Community Partnership Act, I am 
pleased to report that the Senate has passed this bill with amendments 
and returned it to us.
  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a very successful program to 
encourage volunteer activities at National Wildlife Refuges and other 
Service field stations. Last year, for example, over 25,000 volunteers 
donated nearly $11 million worth of services, ranging from staffing 
visitor centers, to hunter safety classes, and operating heavy 
equipment.
  I introduced H.R. 1856 after a field hearing held near the Edwin B. 
Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in my district in New Jersey. That 
hearing addressed the large maintenance backlog at refuges. We heard 
from several local volunteer conservation groups who pointed out 
problems with the existing volunteer program. This bill is intended to 
solve those problems.
  The biggest obstacle to improving the volunteer program is a shortage 
of staff at refuges. We can't expect refuge employees who have full-
time operation and maintenance duties to also donate all of their 
weekends to working with volunteer groups. H.R. 1856 would address this 
problem by establishing up to 20 pilot projects for the purpose of 
hiring full-time volunteer coordinators. This will make it much easier 
for the Service and conservation groups to work together for the 
benefit of refuges.
  H.R. 1856 also makes it easier for interested individuals and groups 
to donate money or services to refuges. It would ensure that gifts to a 
particular refuge will actually go to that refuge, instead of 
disappearing into a nationwide account.
  Finally, the bill allows refuge managers to enter into cooperative 
agreements with local conservation groups to conduct projects on 
refuges. Again, these provisions are designed to make it easier for 
refuge managers to cooperate with local organizations. For example, if 
a volunteer group were interested in constructing a wildlife 
observation tower or other improvement at a refuge, this section would 
allow the refuge manager to contribute materials or staff assistance to 
the project.
  All of these provisions are designed to make it easier for volunteers 
who are interested in helping to conserve fish and wildlife to 
contribute their skills and enthusiasm to our National Wildlife 
Refuges. Over the last two years, Congress and the Administration have 
significantly increased the resources available to Refuge operations 
and maintenance. However, even with those increased resources, the use 
of volunteers who donate their time and energy is still needed to allow 
the Refuge System to meet its conservation and management goals. By 
making it easier for them, this bill will enhance an already successful 
program and ultimately benefit fish and wildlife conservation 
throughout the National Wildlife Refuge System.
  I urge you to agree to clear H.R. 1856, as amended by the Senate, and 
to send it to the President for signature. Together with the historic 
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-57) 
and increased funding, this Congress has done more for our National 
Wildlife Refuge System than any other in the last 30 years.
  I urge the House to accept the Senate amendments on H.R. 1856.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the initial request of 
the gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  The Senate amendments were concurred in.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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