[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 128 (Tuesday, September 28, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11571-S11572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CHAFEE (for himself, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Lott, Mr. Daschle, 
        Mr. Warner, Mr. Breaux, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Domenici, 
        Mr. Moynihan, Ms. Collins, Mr. Reid, and Mr. Lautenberg):
  S. 1653. A bill to reauthorize and amend the National Fish and 
Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act; to the Committee on Environment 
and Public Works.


 national fish and wildlife foundation establishment act amendments of 
                                  1999

  Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation to 
reauthorize the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act 
of 1984. This legislation makes important changes in the Foundation's 
charter, changes that I believe will allow the Foundation to build on 
its fine record of providing funding for conservation of our Nation's 
fish, wildlife, and plant resources.
  The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation was established in 1984, to 
bring together diverse groups to engage in conservation projects across 
America and, in some cases, around the world. Since its inception, the 
Foundation has made more than 3,400 grants totaling over $435 million. 
This is an impressive record of accomplishment. The Foundation has 
pioneered some notable conservation programs, including implementing 
the North American Waterfowl Management plan, Partners in Flight for 
neotropical birds, Bring Back the Natives Program, the Exxon Save the 
Tiger Fund, and the establishment of the Conservation Plan for Sterling 
Forest in New York and New Jersey, to name just a few.
  Mr. President, the Foundation has funded these programs by raising 
private funds to match Federal appropriations on at least a 2 to 1 
basis. During this time of fiscal constraint this is an impressive 
record of leveraging Federal dollars. Moreover, all of the Foundation's 
operating costs are raised privately, which means that Federal and 
private dollars given for conservation is spent only on conservation 
projects.
  I am proud to count myself as one of the ``Founding Fathers'' of the 
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. In 1984, I, along with my 
colleagues Senators Howard Baker, George Mitchell, and John Breaux, saw 
the need to create a private, nonprofit group that could build public-
private partnerships and consensus, where previously there had only 
been acrimony and, many times, contentious litigation.
  The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has more than fulfilled the 
hopes of its original sponsors. It has helped to bring solutions to 
some difficult natural resource problems and is becoming widely 
recognized for its innovative approach to solving environmental 
problems. For example, when Atlantic salmon neared extinction in the 
United States due to overharvest in Greenland, the Foundation and its 
partners bought Greenland salmon quotas. I and many others in Congress 
want the Foundation to continue its important conservation efforts. So, 
today I am introducing amendments to the Foundation's charter that will 
allow it to do just that.
  Mr. President, this legislation is quite simple. It makes three key 
changes to current law. First, the bill would expand the Foundation's 
governing board of directors from 15 members to 25 members. This will 
allow a greater number of those with a strong interest in conservation 
to actively participate in, and contribute to, the Foundation's 
activities.
  The bill's second key feature authorizes the Foundation to work with 
other agencies within the Department of the Interior and the Department 
of Commerce, in addition to the Fish and Wildlife Service and the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Mr. President, it is 
my view that the Foundation should continue to provide valuable 
assistance to government agencies within the Departments of the 
Interior and Commerce that may be faced with conservation issues. 
Finally, it would reauthorize appropriations to the Departments of the 
Interior and the Department of Commerce through 2004.
  Mr. President, last year this bill passed the Senate by unanimous 
consent, but unfortunately the House was unable to duplicate our 
efforts. I believe that this legislation will produce real conservation 
benefits and I strongly urge my colleagues to once again give the bill 
their support.
 Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, in 1984, Congress created the 
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, a charitable, nonprofit 
corporation with the mission of conserving our nation's fish, wildlife, 
plant, and other natural resources. The Foundation's creation was 
championed by congressional members from both sides of the aisle, 
including my esteemed colleague on the Environment and Public Works 
Committee, Chairman John Chafee. The bipartisan support the Foundation 
received in Congress reflected broad agreement that additional efforts 
were needed to protect and manage our natural resources.
  Over the past 15 years, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has 
established a solid track record. The Foundation has achieved on-the-
ground results. It has also stretched federal dollars and built public-
private partnerships essential to conservation efforts. The Foundation 
has provided more than 3,500 grants to over 940 private local 
organizations, state and county governments, tribes, federal and 
interstate agencies, and colleges and universities in all 50 states. By 
requiring grantees to match Foundation grants with non-federal funds, 
the $135 million in federal funds invested by the Foundation have been 
leveraged to deliver more than $440 million to natural resource 
conservation efforts. Significantly, these funds are used to help build 
public-private partnerships among individual landowners, government and 
tribal agencies, conservation organizations, and business. The result 
is the development of consensus, locally-driven solutions to the 
challenges involved in protecting and managing fish, wildlife, plants, 
and other natural resources.
  In my home state of Montana, where fishing, hunting, and the 
enjoyment of our natural resources are deeply ingrained into our way of 
life, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has made important 
contributions to conservation efforts. These contributions include 
supporting environmental education, habitat restoration and protection, 
resource management, and the development of conservation policy. For 
example, public-private partnerships have been established to restore 
and protect native fish species, such as Arctic grayling, bull trout, 
and cutthroat trout, prized by anglers. Working with landowners, 
thousands of acres of lands have been purchased and easements acquired 
to benefit elk, bighorn sheep, mule deer, other game animals. Support 
has been provided to county and tribal efforts to control the spread of 
noxious weed species that threaten farms, rangelands, wildlife habitat, 
and recreation areas. In total, the Foundation has funded 187 projects 
and delivered a total of almost $13 million to conservation projects in 
Montana.

[[Page S11572]]

  Mr. President, even with the accomplishments of the National Fish and 
Wildlife Foundation, the need to conserve the nation's natural 
resources remains. Today, in too many areas of the country, the health 
and sustainability of fish, wildlife, and plants, and the habitats on 
which they depend, are threatened. Bitter disputes continue to arise 
among interests when solutions to difficult natural resource problems 
are sought. Tight budgets often severely limit the ability of 
governments and private entities to adequately address conservation 
challenges. Because of this, the need for an organization such as the 
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which promotes conservation, 
builds partnerships and consensus, and stretches dollars, is as clear 
today as it was in 1984
  The bill we are introducing today, the National Fish and Wildlife 
Foundation Establishment Act Amendments of 1999, will increase the 
Foundation's ability to continue to carry out is important mission. 
First and foremost, the legislation authorizes federal appropriations 
through 2004 to support the Foundation's work. The legislation also 
strengthens the Foundation by increasing the size of its board of 
directors and allowing board members to be removed for nonperformance. 
Finally, the bill broadens the Foundation's authority by allowing it to 
work with all agencies within the Departments of Interior and Commerce. 
This legislation is nearly identical to the legislation passed by the 
Senate last year.
  Mr. President, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has provided 
valuable assistance to this nation's natural resource conservation 
efforts over the past 15 years. If the legislation we are introducing 
today is passed, I have no doubt that the Foundation will continue it 
solid record of accomplishment. I urge my colleagues to join the 
bipartisan group of cosponsors and support this important 
legislation.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, today Chairman Chafee has introduced 
legislation providing for the reauthorization of the National Fish and 
Wildlife Foundation. I appreciate the leadership that the chairman has 
taken in sponsoring this bipartisan bill, and anticipate that it will 
move quickly through the legislative process.
  I have been a strong supporter of the Foundation and the programs and 
activities it undertakes to further conservation and management of our 
nation's fish and wildlife resources from the beginning. Created by 
Congress in 1984, the Foundation has used its relationship with 
government, private, and corporate stakeholders to foster interagency 
cooperation and coordination. It has also brought private sector 
involvement, initiative, imagination, and technology to bear in solving 
conservation problems.
  Mr. President, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 
Establishment Act requires that all federal money appropriated to the 
Foundation be matched by contributions from non-federal sources, such 
as: corporations, State and local government agencies, foundations and 
individuals. The Foundation's operating policy is to raise a match of 
at least 2 to 1, to maximize leverage for our federal funds. The 
Foundation takes the appropriated money and places it directly into 
conservation projects. What does this mean? This means that for every 
federally appropriated dollar we give the Foundation, an average of 
$3.17 in on-the-ground conservation takes place. This is something we 
all should take credit for.
  Mr. President, one of the things that distinguishes the Foundation 
from other conservation groups, is that its efforts yield results in 
the field, and that its projects include its trademark characteristics 
of partnership building, public-private coordination, community 
involvement, and sustainable economics. The Foundation has worked with 
over 700 agencies, universities, businesses and conservation groups, 
both large and small, over the last decade. These factors have helped 
the Foundation become one of the most effective conservation 
organizations in the nation. The Foundation's projects are all peer 
reviewed by agency staff, state resource officials, and other 
professionals in the natural resource field, and there is a process to 
solicit comments from members of Congress concerning grants in a 
member's district or state.
  In Mississippi the Foundation has supported many local habitat 
restoration projects aimed specifically at helping private landowners 
restore wetlands and riparian areas to improve habitat for waterfowl 
and shorebirds. Further, the Foundation is an important partner in the 
work that local groups are going to market the conservation programs of 
the farm bill in Mississippi. With funds from the Foundation, local 
conservation groups are partnering with the USDA Natural Resources 
Conservation Service to reach farmers who had not participated in 
conservation programs. Finally, the Foundation is playing a key role in 
restoring bottomland hardwood habitats critical to migrating 
neotropical songbirds and other water-dependent wildlife species by 
working with utility companies to support tree planting throughout the 
region. These efforts all help in regaining some the state's original 
wetlands habitats.
  Mr. President, we are all aware of our deficit reduction challenges 
and the needs and concerns of our many constituencies. The Foundation 
provides us with a unique opportunity to meet these challenges and 
needs.
  Mr. President, this bill should be acted upon quickly, and the 
chairman can count on my strong support for the bill's adoption.
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