[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 57 (Wednesday, April 9, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S5069]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. ALLARD:
  S. 833. A bill to increase the penalties to be imposed for a 
violation of fire regulations applicable to the public lands, National 
Parks System lands, or National Forest System lands when the violation 
results in damage to public or private property, to specify the purpose 
for which collected fines may be used, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
   Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Public 
Lands Fire Regulations Enforcement Act of 2003, a bill that I am 
introducing, be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 833

       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 ``Public Lands Fire 
     Regulations Enforcement Act of 2003''.

     SEC. 2. PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION OF PUBLIC LAND FIRE 
                   REGULATIONS RESULTING IN PROPERTY DAMAGE.

       (a) Increased Penalties on Interior Lands.--Notwithstanding 
     section 303(a) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
     of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1733(a)) or section 3 of the Act of August 
     25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 3), a violation of the rules regulating 
     the use of fire by visitors and other users of lands 
     administered by the Bureau of Land Management or National 
     Park System lands shall be punished by a fine of not less 
     than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than one year, or 
     both, if the violation results in damage to public or private 
     property.
       (b) Increased Penalties on National Forest System Lands.--
     Notwithstanding the eleventh undesignated paragraph under the 
     heading ``SURVEYING THE PUBLIC LANDS'' of the Act of June 4, 
     1897 (16 U.S.C. 551), a violation of the rules regulating the 
     use of fire by visitors and other users of National Forest 
     System lands shall be punished by a fine of not less than 
     $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, 
     if the violation results in damage to public or private 
     property.
       (c) Relation to Other Sentence of Fine Authority.--The 
     maximum fine amount specified in subsections (a) and (b) 
     applies in lieu of the fine otherwise applicable under 
     section 3571 of title 18, United States Code.
       (d) Use of Collected Fines.--Any moneys received by the 
     United States as a result of a fine imposed for a violation 
     of fire rules applicable to lands administered by the Bureau 
     of Land Management, National Park System lands, or National 
     Forest System lands shall be available to the Secretary of 
     the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, as the case may 
     be, without further appropriation and until expended, for the 
     following purposes:
       (1) To cover the cost to the United States of any 
     improvement, protection, or rehabilitation work rendered 
     necessary by the action that resulted in the fine.
       (2) To reimburse the affected agency for the cost of the 
     response to the action that resulted in the fine, including 
     investigations, damage assessments, and legal actions.
       (3) To increase public awareness of rules, regulations, and 
     other requirements regarding the use of fire on public lands.
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