[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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