[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 13, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H5515-H5516]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1500
       NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE VOLUNTEER IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2010

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4973) to amend the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to 
reauthorize volunteer programs and community partnerships for national 
wildlife refuges, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4973

       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 ``National Wildlife Refuge 
     Volunteer Improvement Act of 2010''.

     SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS TO IMPLEMENT 
                   VOLUNTEER, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AND EDUCATION 
                   PROGRAMS UNDER FISH AND WILDLIFE ACT OF 1956.

       (a) Reauthorization.--Section 7(f) of the Fish and Wildlife 
     Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(f)) is amended to read as 
     follows:
       ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior to carry 
     out subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f), $2,000,000 for 
     each of fiscal years 2011 through 2014.''.
       (b) Technical Corrections.--Section 7 of the Fish and 
     Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f) is amended in 
     subsections (b)(2)(B)(ii) and (d)(2)(C)(i) by striking 
     ``National Wildlife Refuge Administration Act of 1966'' each 
     place it appears and inserting ``National Wildlife Refuge 
     System Administration Act of 1966''.

     SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM 
                   VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP ENHANCEMENT 
                   ACT OF 1998.

       Section 4(a) of the National Wildlife Refuge System 
     Volunteer and Community Partnership Enhancement Act of 1998 
     (16 U.S.C. 742f-1) is amended--
       (1) in the subsection heading by striking ``Projects'' and 
     inserting ``National Volunteer Coordination Program'';
       (2) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
       ``(1) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, and in conformance with the

[[Page H5516]]

     strategy developed under paragraph (2) and consistent with 
     the authorities regarding gifts, volunteer services, 
     community partnerships, and refuge education enhancement 
     under section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 
     U.S.C. 741f), the Secretary of the Interior, through the 
     Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 
     shall carry out a National Volunteer Coordination Program 
     within the National Wildlife Refuge System to--
       ``(A) augment and support the capabilities and efforts of 
     Federal employees to implement resource management, 
     conservation, and public education programs and activities 
     across the National Wildlife Refuge System;
       ``(B) provide meaningful opportunities for volunteers to 
     support the resource management, conservation, and public 
     education programs and activities of national wildlife 
     refuges or complexes of geographically related national 
     wildlife refuges in each United States Fish and Wildlife 
     Service region; and
       ``(C) fulfill the purpose and mission of the National 
     Wildlife Refuge System under the National Wildlife Refuge 
     System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et 
     seq.).'';
       (3) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows
       ``(2) Volunteer coordination strategy.--
       ``(A) In general.--No later than one year after date of 
     enactment of this paragraph, the Director shall publish in 
     the Federal Register a national strategy for the coordination 
     and utilization of volunteers within the National Wildlife 
     Refuge System.
       ``(B) Consultation required.--The strategy shall be 
     developed in consultation with State fish and wildlife 
     agencies, Indian tribes, refuge friends groups or similar 
     volunteer organizations, and other relevant stakeholders.
       ``(C) Volunteer coordinators.--The Director shall provide, 
     subject to the availability of appropriations, no less than 
     one regional volunteer coordinator for each United States 
     Fish and Wildlife Service region to implement the strategy 
     published under this paragraph. Such coordinators may be 
     responsible for assisting partner organizations in developing 
     and implementing volunteer projects and activities under 
     cooperative agreements under section 7(d) of the Fish and 
     Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(d)).''; and
       (4) in paragraph (4), by striking ``for for each fiscal 
     year through fiscal year 2009'' and inserting ``for each 
     fiscal year through fiscal year 2014''.

     SEC. 4. VOLUNTEER, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND EDUCATION 
                   PROGRAMS REPORT.

       (a) In General.--Section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 
     1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(e)) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (f) (as amended by this 
     Act) as subsection (g); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(f) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this subsection and every 5 years thereafter, 
     the Secretary of the Interior shall submit a report to the 
     Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public 
     Works of the Senate--
       ``(1) evaluating the accomplishments of the volunteer 
     program, the community partnerships program, and the refuge 
     education programs authorized under this section, and of the 
     National Volunteer Coordination Program and volunteer 
     coordination strategy under section 4(a) of the National 
     Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer and Community Partnership 
     Enhancement Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 742f-1); and
       ``(2) making recommendations to improve the effectiveness 
     of such programs, including regarding implementing 
     subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1) of 
     subsection (e).''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 4(a) of the National 
     Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer and Community Partnership 
     Enhancement Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 742f-1) is further amended 
     by striking paragraph (3), and by redesignating paragraph (4) 
     (as amended by this Act) as paragraph (3).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Guam (Ms. Bordallo) and the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Lummis) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Guam.


                             General Leave

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Guam?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4973, the National Wildlife Refuge 
Volunteer Improvement Act, was introduced by our colleague from 
Maryland, Representative Frank Kratovil.
  The National Wildlife Refuge System encompasses a national network of 
public lands and waters set aside to conserve habitat and protect 
natural resources and, consequently, plays an integral role in our 
national network of Federal public lands.
  During these difficult economic times, the government has looked for 
efficient and practical solutions to lower costs while maintaining 
critical refuge systems services. The National Wildlife Refuge 
Volunteer Program serves this purpose. Last year, volunteers 
contributed to more than 1.5 million hours of support, the equivalent 
of nearly 750 full-time employees. This is better than $7 returned on 
each dollar invested.
  The pending measure would make the volunteer program permanent, 
establish a volunteer coordination strategy, and formalize a reporting 
schedule to ensure oversight and accountability.
  I commend Mr. Kratovil for his important work on behalf of this 
initiative, and I ask Members on both sides to support passage of this 
bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LUMMIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4973. While individuals have 
been volunteering their time and talents to the National Wildlife 
Refuge System for nearly 30 years, the value of their work has 
significantly increased from $1.1 million to $30.3 million. Volunteers 
now perform about 20 percent of the work done on refuges, and for each 
refuge employee, there are nine volunteers. Without these dedicated men 
and women, many visitor centers would be open less frequently, fewer 
recreational opportunities would be available, many hunting programs 
would not occur, and important fish and wildlife population surveys 
would not be completed.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 
4973, the National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer Improvement Act of 2010. I 
would like to thank Congressman Kratovil for introducing this important 
bill and acknowledging the importance of the preservation of wildlife 
to our nation.
  This bill would reauthorize volunteer programs and community 
partnerships for national wildlife refuges. Volunteers are essential to 
the operation of these refuges and the preservation of our environment. 
Wildlife Refuge volunteers assist with laboratory research, 
photographing natural resources, conducting population services, and 
leading tours for visitors. Volunteers help provide important services 
to the public at no cost to taxpayers. Their service improves the 
quality of the visitor experience at our National Wildlife Refuges. 
This bill would also require the Director of the United States Fish and 
Wildlife Service to publish a national strategy for the use and 
coordination of volunteers.
  The National Wildlife Refuge system is the premier system of public 
lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and 
plants. The mission of the Refuge System is to manage a national 
network of lands and waters for the conservation, management, and where 
appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and 
their habitat. It is the volunteers that help make this mission 
possible and this bill will make sure that these volunteers have the 
resources they need. I strongly support our National Wildlife Refuge 
system and am heartened that so many Americans choose to volunteer 
their time on National Wildlife Refuges.
  I feel strongly about the importance of protecting our natural world. 
I encourage my colleagues to support this bill in efforts to preserve 
our environment, one small step at a time.
  Mrs. LUMMIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I again urge Members to support the bill, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4973, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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