[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 123 (Monday, July 23, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H6625-H6627]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PITTMAN-ROBERTSON WILDLIFE RESTORATION ACT AND DINGELL-JOHNSON SPORT 
                    FISH RESTORATION ACT AMENDMENTS

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5875) to amend the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration 
Act and the Dingell-Johnson Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act, 
to provide parity for United States territories and the District of 
Columbia, to make technical corrections to such Acts and related laws, 
and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5875

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. APPORTIONMENT UNDER PITTMAN-ROBERTSON WILDLIFE 
                   RESTORATION ACT.

       (a) Equivalent Minimum Apportionment Among States and 
     Territories of Tax Revenues Accruing to Fund.--The first 
     subsection (c) of section 4 of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife 
     Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669c), relating to apportionment 
     of certain revenues accruing to the fund, is amended by 
     striking ``among the States'' and all that follows through 
     the end of the first sentence and inserting: ``among the 
     States and each of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana 
     Islands, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands in 
     proportion to the ratio that the population of each State and 
     each such territory bears to the population of all the States 
     and such territories, except that each State shall be 
     apportioned not more than 3 percent of such revenues, and 
     each State and each such territory shall be apportioned not 
     less than 1 percent of such revenues.''.
       (b) Apportionment of Wildlife Conservation and Restoration 
     Account Among Territories and the District of Columbia.--The 
     second subsection (c) of section 4 of the Pittman-Robertson 
     Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669c), as added by 
     section 902(e) of H.R. 5548, as introduced in the 106th 
     Congress and enacted into law by section 1(a)(2) of Public 
     Law 106-55, and relating to apportionment of the Wildlife 
     Conservation and Restoration Account, is amended by striking 
     paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
       ``(1) The Secretary of the Interior shall apportion from 
     the Wildlife Conservation and

[[Page H6626]]

     Restoration Account to each of the District of Columbia, 
     American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto 
     Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands a sum equal to not 
     more than one-half of 1 percent of such Account.''.
       (c) Repeal of Percentage Restrictions on Apportionments to 
     Territories.--Section 8A of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife 
     Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669g-1) is amended by striking 
     ``as he shall determine, not exceeding'' and all that follows 
     through ``, in any one year,'' and inserting ``as the 
     Secretary shall determine for each year,''.

     SEC. 2. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO PITTMAN-ROBERTSON WILDLIFE 
                   RESTORATION ACT.

       (a) The first section and section 12 of the Pittman-
     Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669, 669i) are 
     each amended by striking ``Secretary of Agriculture'' each 
     place it appears and inserting ``Secretary of the Interior''.
       (b) Paragraph (2) of section 3(a) of such Act (16 U.S.C. 
     669b(a)) is amended--
       (1) by moving such paragraph 2 ems to the left; and
       (2) by striking ``16 U.S.C. 669(b)(1))'' and inserting 
     ``subsection (b)(1)''.
       (c)(1) Section 4 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 669c) is amended by 
     redesignating the second subsection (c) (as added by section 
     902(e) of H.R. 5548, as introduced in the 106th Congress and 
     enacted into law by section 1(a)(2) of Public Law 106-55; 
     relating to apportionment of the Wildlife Conservation and 
     Restoration Account) and subsection (d) as subsections (d) 
     and (e), respectively.
       (2) Section 2(6) of such Act (16 U.S.C. 669a(6)) is amended 
     by striking ``section 304(d)'' and inserting ``section 
     4(e)''.
       (3) Section 3(c)(2) of such Act (16 U.S.C. 669b(c)(2)) is 
     amended by striking ``sections 4(d) and (e) of this Act,'' 
     and inserting ``section 4(e),''.
       (d) Subsection (d) of section 4 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 
     669c), as redesignated by subsection (c)(1) of this section, 
     is further amended in paragraph (2)(A)--
       (1) in clause (i)--
       (A) by striking ``one-third of which is based'' and 
     inserting ``One-third of such amount shall be apportioned 
     based''; and
       (B) by striking ``; and'' and inserting a period; and
       (2) in clause (ii), by striking ``two-thirds of which is 
     based'' and inserting ``Two-thirds of such amount shall be 
     apportioned based''.
       (e) Section 6 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 669e) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by inserting ``(1)'' before the first sentence;
       (B) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2), as in effect 
     before the enactment of this paragraph, as subparagraphs (A) 
     and (B) of paragraph (1) (as designated by the amendment made 
     by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph), and moving such 
     subparagraphs 2 ems to the right; and
       (C) by inserting ``(2)'' before ``The Secretary of the 
     Interior shall approve''; and
       (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``option (1) of 
     subsection (a) of this section,'' and inserting ``subsection 
     (a)(1)(A),''.

     SEC. 3. APPORTIONMENT UNDER DINGELL-JOHNSON SPORT FISH 
                   RESTORATION ACT.

       Section 12 of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration 
     Act (16 U.S.C. 777K) is amended by striking ``as he shall 
     determine, not exceeding for Puerto Rico'' and all that 
     follows through ``in any one year, but the Secretary'' and 
     inserting ``as the Secretary shall determine, except the 
     Secretary''.

     SEC. 4. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS RELATING TO DINGELL-JOHNSON 
                   SPORT FISH RESTORATION ACT.

       (a) Corrections to Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration 
     Act.--Section 4(a)(1) of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish 
     Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777c(a)(1)) is amended by striking 
     ``Protection,'' and inserting ``Protection''.
       (b) Corrections to Related Laws.--
       (1) Section 111(f)(3) of Public Law 101-593 (16 U.S.C. 
     777e-1(f)(3)) is amended by striking ``section'' and 
     inserting ``subsection''.
       (2) Section 7404(d)(1) of Public Law 105-178 (16 U.S.C. 
     777g-1(d)(1)) is amended by striking ``section 4(a)(4)'' and 
     inserting ``section 4(a)(3)(A)''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. McClintock) and the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. 
Bordallo) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days 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 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5875, introduced by my colleague from Guam (Ms. 
Bordallo), addresses the existing disparity between the 50 States and 
the U.S. territories with regard to the formulas within the Pittman-
Robertson and Dingell-Johnson conservation programs. While the 
territories are included in the statutory definition as States, they 
are not afforded an opportunity to receive an equal share of Pittman-
Robertson and Dingell-Johnson funding.
  The legislation provides the Secretary of the Interior with greater 
flexibility in apportioning conservation funds and requires parity 
between the States and the territories with respect to funding for 
basic hunter education programs.
  Under current law, each State is guaranteed at least a 1 percent 
share of yearly Pittman-Robertson apportionment. However, the current 
statute caps Puerto Rico's share at one-fourth of 1 percent and the 
four other U.S. territory shares at just one-sixth of 1 percent. In 
other words, they pay the fees and the taxes, but they don't get equal 
access to the funds.
  H.R. 5875 specifically removes the existing caps on funds for basic 
hunter education programs and would mandate that each territory and 
State receive not less than 1 percent in any given year. The bill also 
removes additional restrictions on apportionments for wildlife and 
sport fishing restoration projects.
  The absence of caps will allow the Secretary of the Interior to 
exercise discretion in apportioning Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-
Johnson funds to the five U.S. territories in proportion to their 
populations, as it is done currently for each of the 50 States.
  The user-pays approach facilitated by Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-
Johnson has consistently delivered significant benefits to hunters, 
recreational shooters, and all citizens through the delivery of on-the-
ground wildlife and habitat conservation activities.
  It is time we make the apportionment of these important funds fair to 
all 50 States and the territories. I urge adoption of the measure, and 
I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that the full House will soon vote on 
my bill, H.R. 5875, supported by all six Members of Congress 
representing the U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. My 
bipartisan bill will ensure that Guam, the other U.S. territories, and 
D.C. receive their fair share of annual funding under the Pittman-
Robertson and Dingell-Johnson acts.
  This Federal funding supports fish and wildlife conservation and 
enhances hunting, sport fishing, boating, and other outdoor 
recreational opportunities at no cost to taxpayers.
  Each State and territorial fish and wildlife agency receives a yearly 
allocation of this Federal funding. However, current Federal law places 
arbitrary caps on how much funding the five territories and D.C. may 
receive, forcing us to split the smallest State's share six ways. My 
bipartisan bill will fix this by providing each territory and D.C. the 
same funding percentage guaranteed for each State.
  My bill will also allow the Secretary of the Interior to exercise his 
or her full discretion in allocating this funding based on the same 
criteria applied to the States.
  Lastly, H.R. 5875 will make technical changes in the U.S. Code to 
correct errors in these two Federal laws.
  I thank our Natural Resources Committee chairman, Mr.  Rob Bishop, 
for his partnership in bringing my bill to the floor.
  I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bipartisan bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, Representative McClintock 
from California, for his very favorable comments on this bill, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman for 
bringing this bill to the House. This really is an injustice to think 
that the people of the territories pay the full amount of the fees and 
yet only get a fraction of the benefits that are afforded to the States 
that are paying the same fees. This corrects that injustice.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the bill's adoption, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5875, as amended.

[[Page H6627]]

  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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