[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 33 (Thursday, March 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E503-E504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION 
                          REAUTHORIZATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. RICHARD W. POMBO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 2005

  Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce today, along with 
my colleagues Wayne Gilchrest and Norm Dicks, legislation to 
reauthorize the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
  The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation was established in 1984 
when President Ronald Reagan signed into law legislation introduced by 
then Congressman John Breaux. Since that time, the foundation has 
financed more than 7,200 conservation projects both here in the United 
States and throughout the world. By leveraging a small amount of 
Federal assistance each year, they have been able to successfully raise 
millions of private dollars which have been spent to encourage Coral 
Reef conservation, enact an early warning system for invasive species, 
support oyster restoration in the Chesapeake Bay, help save endangered 
wild tigers and assist in the conservation of habitat critical for 
endangered marine sea turtles.
  The foundation is governed by a board of directors consisting of 25 
Americans who are dedicated to conservation. These distinguished men 
and women serve without compensation. In addition, the foundation is 
prohibited from using any Federal money to pay administrative expenses 
and both the foundation and its grantees may not use any Federal 
dollars to engage in litigation or lobbying activities.
  In my own State of California, the foundation has approved hundreds 
of conservation projects. These projects have included: California 
Rangeland Trust, California Saltwater Wetlands Habitat restoration, 
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, Point San Luis Lighthouse 
improvements, San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge and Upper 
Sacramento River Riparian restoration.
  The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Reauthorization Act is a 
simple, bipartisan and non-controversial bill. It will extend the 
existing authorization levels for an additional 5 years, clarify the 
requirement that Congress must be given a 30-day congressional notice 
requirement prior to the issuance of any conservation grant or 
expenditure of funds and modify the matching requirement to ensure that 
the foundation is not required to satisfy this provision in those cases 
where it does not receive any contributions.

[[Page E504]]

  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation so that 
the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation can continue its worthwhile 
conservation efforts in the future.
  Additional co-sponsors of National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 
Reauthorization Act of 2005: Congressman Norman D. Dicks.

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