[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 65 (Tuesday, May 23, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4314-S4315]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CRAIG (for himself and Mr. Crapo):
  S. 2609. A bill to amend the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration 
Act and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act to enhance the 
funds available for grants to States for fish and wildlife conservation 
projects, and to increase opportunities for recreational hunting, bow 
hunting, trapping, archery, and fishing, by eliminating chances for 
waste, fraud, abuse, maladministration, and unauthorized expenditures 
for administration and implementation of those acts, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.


  THE WILDLIFE AND SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAMS IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 
                                  2000

 Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce 
legislation along with my colleague from Idaho, Senator Crapo, that 
will eliminate government waste, conserve wildlife, and provide hunter 
safety opportunities.
  We are all familiar with the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson 
funds which impose an excise tax on firearms, archery equipment, and 
fishing equipment to conserve wildlife and provide funds to states for 
hunter safety programs. These funds were created decades ago with the 
support of both the sportsmen who pay the tax and the states who 
administer the projects.
  The federal government collects the tax, which amounts to around 
half-a-billion dollars a year, and is authorized to withhold a 
percentage of the funds for administration of the program. This is how 
it should be. However, thanks to the thorough oversight of the program 
by Mr. Young of Alaska, Chairman of the House Committee on Resources, 
it was uncovered that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency 
charged with administering the program, abused the vagueness of the law 
in exactly what constituted an administrative expense.
  Under current law, the Service is authorized to withhold 
approximately $32 million a year to administer the program and, quite 
frankly, the law leaves it up to the Service as to what is an 
appropriate administrative expense. Mr. Young discovered that the 
Service was spending this money on expenses that were outside the 
spirit of the law. These tax dollars paid by hunters and fishermen were 
being used for everything from foreign travel to grants to anti-hunting 
groups to endangered species programs that work against the interests 
of hunters. In addition, they created unauthorized grant programs, some 
of which have merit and are authorized in our bill, but all of which 
were created outside of the law.
  Mr. President, I am not going to rehash all of the hearings that were 
held in the House on this issue. What I will say is that it was an 
embarrassment to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and, not until all 
but two members of the House supported legislation to fix the problems 
did the Service begin cooperating with Congress and admitting there 
were actions at the Service which they are not proud of.
  In response to the waste, fraud, and abuse uncovered by his 
Committee, Mr. Young introduced legislation to fix the problems. His 
legislation caps the administrative expenses at around half of the 
currently authorized level, sets in stone what is an authorized 
administrative expense, provides some specific money for hunter safety, 
authorizes a multi-state grant program, and creates a position of 
Assistant Director for Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs. 
His bill, H.R. 3671, passed the House on April 5th with an overwhelming 
vote of 423-2.
  Mr. President, Senator Crapo and I have taken the lead of the House 
by using their bill as a model and simply strengthened it for the 
sportsmen who pay the excise tax. By providing more money, $15 million 
per year, for hunter safety programs and providing a total of $7 
million per year, $2 million more than the House, for the Multi-State 
Conservation Grant Program, this bill ensures that the money that 
sportsmen pay for wildlife conservation and hunter safety is actually 
used for those purposes.
  Mr. President, this is a win-win for everyone--for wildlife and for 
tax payers--and I urge my colleagues to support it and work for its 
quick enactment.
  Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Wildlife and

[[Page S4315]]

Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act of 2000 with my 
colleague, Senator Larry Craig, to bring accountability back to the 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's administration of the Pittman-
Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and the Dingell-Johnson Sportfish 
Restoration Act. For years, the Fish and Wildlife Service has 
apparently misused millions of dollars from these accounts, betraying 
the trust of America's sportsman.
  Congressional investigations and a General Accounting Office audit of 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have revealed that, contrary to 
existing law, money has been routinely diverted to administrative slush 
funds, withheld from states, and generally misused for purposes 
unrelated to either sportfishing or wildlife conservation. In addition, 
the GAO called the Division of Federal Aid, ``if not the worst, one of 
the worst-managed programs we have encountered.'' As an avid 
outdoorsman, I am particularly disturbed by this abuse.
  Since 1937, sportsman have willingly paid an excise tax on hunting, 
and later fishing, equipment. These hunters, shooters, and anglers paid 
this tax with the understanding that the money would be used for state 
fish and wildlife conservation programs. This partnership has been 
instrumental in providing generations of Americans a quality 
recreational experience. Through the years, it has been an experience 
that I have enjoyed with both my parents and my children.
  The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program, commonly known as 
the Pittman-Robertson Act, provides funding for wildlife habitat 
restoration and improvement, wildlife management research, hunter 
education, and public target ranges. Funds for the Pittman-Robertson 
Act are derived from an 11 percent excise tax on sporting arms, 
ammunition, and archery equipment, and a 10 percent tax on handguns.
  The Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program, often referred to 
as the Dingell-Johnson and Wallop-Breaux Acts, is funded through a 10 
percent excise tax on fishing equipment and a 3 percent tax on electric 
trolling motors, sonor fish finders, taxes on motorboat fuels, and 
import duties on fishing and pleasure boats. Through the cost 
reimbursement program, states use these funds to enhance sport fishing. 
These enhancements come through fish stocking, acquisition and 
improvement of habitat educational programs, and development of 
recreational facilities that directly support sport fishing, such as 
boat ramps and fishing piers.
  Under the law, revenue from these taxes are expected to be returned 
to state and local fish and game organizations for programs to manage 
and enhance sport fish and game species. The Fish and Wildlife Service 
is supposed to deduct only the cost of administering the programs, up 
to 8 percent of Pittman-Robertson revenues and 6 percent of Dingell-
Johnson funds.
  Unfortunatly, these funds have been misdirected and misused by the 
Fish and Wildlife Service. Through their investment in the Federal Aid 
program, America's hunters and fisherman have proved themselves to be 
our nation's true conservationists. Through its misuse of these funds, 
the Fish and Wildlife Service has proven itself to be a negligent 
steward of the public trust.
  The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act, 
would restore accountability to the administration of Federal Aid 
funds. By limiting the amount of revenue that may be used on 
administration, and the accounts that these funds may be used for, this 
bill will reign in the opportunities for misuse by the Fish and 
Wildlife Service. Our legislation will also make legal a multi-state 
conservation grant program to allow streamlined funding for projects 
that involve multiple states. Additionally, the bill will increase 
funding for firearm and bow hunter safety programs.
  This bill seeks to re-establish a trust between the hunters and 
anglers who pay the excise taxes and the federal government. It is an 
opportunity to repair a system that has been lauded as one of the 
nation's most successful conservation efforts. I hope my colleagues 
will join with us in a bipartisan effort to restore accountability and 
responsibility to the Federal Aid programs and the Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
                                 ______