[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 30 (Thursday, March 16, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E342]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


H.R.   --, THE NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION ESTABLISHMENT ACT 
                           AMENDMENTS OF 2000

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                       HON. ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA

                           of american samoa

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 16, 2000

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation 
to amend and reauthorize the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 
Establishment Act.
  Since its creation in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 
has been very successful in establishing public and private 
partnerships to conserve fish, wildlife, and plants using Federal funds 
matched by private donations. On average, the Foundation has brought in 
more than two private sector dollars for every Federal dollar 
appropriated. With these funds, the Foundation has financed more than 
3,500 on-the-ground conservation projects throughout the United States 
and abroad. Together with partnerships and challenge grants, the 
Foundation has provided $441 million for conservation projects. Their 
record is impressive.
  To fund these projects, the Foundation has entered into partnerships 
with a wide range of State and local agencies, academic institutions, 
conservation groups, and businesses. In a time of diverse interests and 
an ever increasing strain on our natural resources, the ability to 
forge productive and workable partnerships between all sectors of 
society is of paramount importance. The Foundation possesses this 
ability, and makes unparalleled use of it to award grants in five major 
categories: conservation education, wetlands and private lands 
protection, neotropical migratory bird conservation, fisheries 
conservation and management, and wildlife and habitat management.
  In the past, legislation to reauthorize the Foundation generated 
unnecessary and misguided criticism. Such criticism has been surprising 
considering the noncontroversial nature and mission of the Foundation 
and its solid history of bipartisan support in Congress. The National 
Fish and Wildlife Foundation represents one of Congress' finest 
conservation innovations, and embodies what we should strive to achieve 
every day--the intelligent and economical conservation of our fish, 
wildlife and plants.
  This legislation is very similar to legislation introduced by the 
late Senator John Chafee and passed by the Senate by unanimous consent. 
It is strongly supported by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 
as well as both the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration.
  Mr. Speaker, in the interest of time, I will submit additional 
comments describing the legislation and explaining the changes it makes 
to existing law.
  In closing, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is an important 
element in our national effort to build partnerships to conserve our 
common natural heritage. I urge my friends and colleagues on both sides 
of the aisle to support this bill.

                       Objectives of Legislation

       This legislation makes several significant changes to the 
     National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's (Foundation) 
     establishment legislation. First, it expands board membership 
     from the current number of 15 to 25. Second, the bill expands 
     the Foundation's jurisdiction to include additional agencies 
     within the Department of the Interior and the Department of 
     Commerce to further the conservation and management of fish, 
     wildlife, and plants and natural resources. Third, it 
     authorizes annual appropriations through fiscal year 2006 to 
     the Department of the Interior for $30 million and to the 
     Department of Commerce for $10 million. The Foundation's 
     current authorization expired on September 30, 1998.


                      Section-by-Section Analysis

       Section 2 would amend the National Fish and Wildlife 
     Foundation Establishment Act by providing authority for the 
     Foundation to accept and administer private gifts of property 
     in connection with the work of agencies within the Department 
     of the Interior and the Department of Commerce. Under current 
     law, the Foundation is only authorized to accept and 
     administer private gifts of property in connection with the 
     Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA.
       Section 3 would increase the Foundation's Board of 
     Directors from 15 to 25 members, including the Director of 
     the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Under Secretary of 
     Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (Administrator of NOAA).
       Section 4 would authorize the Foundation to have its 
     principal offices in the greater Washington D.C. metropolitan 
     area. This section would also establish conditions for the 
     Foundation to acquire and convey property (dependent upon 
     agency approval) and invest and deposit Federal funds. 
     Section 4 would revise provisions relating to agency approval 
     of acquisitions of property and of conveyances and grants. It 
     also would set forth limitations relating to the Foundation's 
     conveyances of real property and overhead expenditures.
       Section 5 would authorize appropriations of $40 million per 
     year to implement the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 
     Establishment Act Amendments of 2000 through fiscal year 2006 
     of which $30 million would go to the Department of the 
     Interior and $10 million would go to the Department of 
     Commerce. This section would also authorize the Foundation to 
     accept funds from a Federal agency under any other Federal 
     law to further its conservation and management activities. In 
     addition, it would prohibit grant recipients from using 
     Federal appropriations under this Act to engage in activities 
     relating to lobbying or litigation.
       Section 6 would clarify that nothing within this Bill 
     authorizes the Foundation to perform activities that are 
     within the jurisdiction of the National Park Foundation by 
     Public Law 90-209 (16 U.S.C. 19e et seq.).

     

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