[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 71 (Thursday, May 17, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S3292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS BACKCOUNTRY ACCESS ACT

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to Calendar No. 394, H.R. 4849.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 4849) to direct the Secretary of the Interior 
     to issue commercial use authorizations to commercial stock 
     operators for operations in designated wilderness within the 
     Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and for other 
     purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a Boxer-
Feinstein substitute amendment, which is as the desk, be agreed to; the 
bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed; the motions to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or 
debate; that any statements related to the bill be printed in the 
Record at the appropriate place.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 2112) was agreed to, as follows:

                (Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Sequoia and King Canyon 
     National Parks Backcountry Access Act''.

     SEC. 2. COMMERCIAL SERVICES AUTHORIZATIONS IN WILDERNESS 
                   WITHIN THE SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL 
                   PARKS.

       (a) Continuation of Authority.--Until the date on which the 
     Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this Act as the 
     ``Secretary'') completes any analysis and determination 
     required under the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), 
     the Secretary shall continue to issue authorizations to 
     provide commercial services for commercial stock operations 
     (including commercial use authorizations and concession 
     contracts) within any area designated as wilderness in the 
     Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (referred to in this 
     section as the ``Parks)'' at use levels determined by the 
     Secretary to be appropriate and subject to any terms and 
     conditions that the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
       (b) Wilderness Stewardship Plan.--Not later than 3 years 
     after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
     complete a wilderness stewardship plan with respect to the 
     Parks.
       (c) Termination of Authority.--The authority of the 
     Secretary to issue authorizations under subsection (a) shall 
     terminate on the earlier of--
       (1) the date on which the Secretary begins to issue 
     authorizations to provide commercial services for commercial 
     stock operations within any areas designated as wilderness in 
     the Parks, as provided in a record of decision issued in 
     accordance with a wilderness stewardship plan completed under 
     subsection (b); or
       (2) the date that is 4 years after the date of enactment of 
     this Act.
  The amendment was ordered to be engrossed and the bill to be read a 
third time.
  The bill (H.R. 4849), as amended, was read the third time and passed.

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