[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S3579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2188. Ms. CORTEZ MASTO submitted an amendment intended to be 
proposed by her to the bill S. 4049, to authorize appropriations for 
fiscal year 2021 for military activities of the Department of Defense, 
for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department 
of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal 
year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       At the end of subtitle D of title XXVIII, add the 
     following:

     SEC. 28___. DESERT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.

       (a) United States Fish and Wildlife Service Access.--
     Section 3011(b)(5)(D) of the Military Lands Withdrawal Act of 
     1999 (Public Law 106-65; 113 Stat. 888) is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking 
     ``effect'' and inserting ``affect any of''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(iv) The ability of the Secretary of the Interior to 
     ensure access by nonmilitary personnel for a minimum of 15 
     percent of annual calendar days, which shall be enumerated in 
     an annual access schedule jointly prepared by the Secretary 
     of the Interior and the Secretary of the Air Force, to the 
     portions of the joint use area of the Desert National 
     Wildlife Refuge where the Secretary of the Interior exercises 
     primary jurisdiction to carry out the management 
     responsibilities of the Secretary of the Interior for the 
     Desert National Wildlife Refuge, including--

       ``(I) desert bighorn sheep surveys;
       ``(II) water catchment (guzzler) project maintenance;
       ``(III) annual desert bighorn sheep hunts;
       ``(IV) biological surveys;
       ``(V) surveys and treatment of invasive plants;
       ``(VI) research on desert bighorn sheep and other wildlife 
     species;
       ``(VII) access for members of affected Indian tribes to 
     visit culturally important sites;
       ``(VIII) cultural resource monitoring and surveys;
       ``(IX) vegetation, soil, springs, and groundwater 
     contaminant surveys;
       ``(X) groundwater well monitoring; and
       ``(XI) other scientific research.''.

       (b) Access to the Refuge Generally.--Section 3011(b)(5) of 
     the Military Lands Withdrawal Act of 1999 (Public Law 106-65; 
     113 Stat. 887) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(G) Access to the refuge generally.--
       ``(i) Public access.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
     facilitate timely public access in portions of the joint use 
     area of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge that are not 
     closed in accordance with subparagraph (C) for military 
     purposes for Tribal, recreational (including hunting), 
     educational, and research purposes--

       ``(I) in accordance with the laws (including regulations) 
     generally applicable to the Desert National Wildlife Refuge 
     and the National Wildlife Refuge System; and
       ``(II) consistent with the annual access schedules required 
     under subparagraph (D)(iv).

       ``(ii) Access for state of nevada and indian tribes.--The 
     Secretary of the Interior shall facilitate timely access, as 
     determined by the Secretary of the Interior, to the portions 
     of the joint use area of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge 
     where the Secretary of the Interior exercises primary 
     jurisdiction, consistent with the annual access schedules 
     required under subparagraph (D)(iv) and subject to such terms 
     and conditions as to which the Secretary of the Interior and 
     Secretary of the Air Force may mutually agree, to--

       ``(I) representatives from the Nevada Department of 
     Wildlife to carry out related management responsibilities to 
     care for wildlife and wildlife habitat; and
       ``(II) Indian tribes in the vicinity of those portions of 
     the joint use area to carry out cultural and religious 
     activities.''.

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