[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 139 (Wednesday, August 4, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S5873]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2548. Mr. BENNET (for himself and Mr. Hoeven) proposed an 
amendment to amendment SA 2137 proposed by Mr. Schumer (for Ms. Sinema 
(for herself, Mr. Portman, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Cassidy, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. 
Collins, Mr. Tester, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Warner, and Mr. Romney)) to the 
bill H.R. 3684, to authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, highway 
safety programs, and transit programs, and for other purposes; as 
follows:

        At the end of title VIII of division D, add the following:

     SEC. 408_____. JOINT CHIEFS LANDSCAPE RESTORATION PARTNERSHIP 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Chiefs.--The term ``Chiefs'' means the Chief of the 
     Forest Service and the Chief of the Natural Resources 
     Conservation Service.
       (2) Eligible activity.--The term ``eligible activity'' 
     means an activity--
       (A) to reduce the risk of wildfire;
       (B) to protect water quality and supply; or
       (C) to improve wildlife habitat for at-risk species.
       (3) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the Joint Chiefs 
     Landscape Restoration Partnership program established under 
     subsection (b)(1).
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Agriculture.
       (5) Wildland-urban interface.--The term ``wildland-urban 
     interface'' has the meaning given the term in section 101 of 
     the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511).
       (b) Establishment.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a Joint 
     Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership program to improve 
     the health and resilience of forest landscapes across 
     National Forest System land and State, Tribal, and private 
     land.
       (2) Administration.--The Secretary shall administer the 
     Program by coordinating eligible activities conducted on 
     National Forest System land and State, Tribal, or private 
     land across a forest landscape to improve the health and 
     resilience of the forest landscape by--
       (A) assisting producers and landowners in implementing 
     eligible activities on eligible private or Tribal land using 
     the applicable programs and authorities administered by the 
     Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service under 
     title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801 et 
     seq.), not including the conservation reserve program 
     established under subchapter B of chapter 1 of subtitle D of 
     that title (16 U.S.C. 3831 et seq.); and
       (B) conducting eligible activities on National Forest 
     System land or assisting landowners in implementing eligible 
     activities on State, Tribal, or private land using the 
     applicable programs and authorities administered by the Chief 
     of the Forest Service.
       (c) Selection of Eligible Activities.--The appropriate 
     Regional Forester and State Conservationist shall jointly 
     submit to the Chiefs on an annual basis proposals for 
     eligible activities under the Program.
       (d) Evaluation Criteria.--In evaluating and selecting 
     proposals submitted under subsection (c), the Chiefs shall 
     consider--
       (1) criteria including whether the proposal--
       (A) reduces wildfire risk in a municipal watershed or the 
     wildland-urban interface;
       (B) was developed through a collaborative process with 
     participation from diverse stakeholders;
       (C) increases forest workforce capacity or forest business 
     infrastructure and development;
       (D) leverages existing authorities and non-Federal funding;
       (E) provides measurable outcomes; or
       (F) supports established State and regional priorities; and
       (2) such other criteria relating to the merits of the 
     proposals as the Chiefs determine to be appropriate.
       (e) Outreach.--The Secretary shall provide--
       (1) public notice on the websites of the Forest Service and 
     the Natural Resources Conservation Service describing--
       (A) the solicitation of proposals under subsection (c); and
       (B) the criteria for selecting proposals in accordance with 
     subsection (d); and
       (2) information relating to the Program and activities 
     funded under the Program to States, Indian Tribes, units of 
     local government, and private landowners.
       (f) Exclusions.--An eligible activity may not be carried 
     out under the Program--
       (1) in a wilderness area or designated wilderness study 
     area;
       (2) in an inventoried roadless area;
       (3) on any Federal land on which, by Act of Congress or 
     Presidential proclamation, the removal of vegetation is 
     restricted or prohibited; or
       (4) in an area in which the eligible activity would be 
     inconsistent with the applicable land and resource management 
     plan.
       (g) Accountability.--
       (1) Initial report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
     of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
     Congress a report providing recommendations to Congress 
     relating to the Program, including a review of--
       (A) funding mechanisms for the Program;
       (B) staff capacity to carry out the Program;
       (C) privacy laws applicable to the Program;
       (D) data collection under the Program;
       (E) monitoring and outcomes under the Program; and
       (F) such other matters as the Secretary considers to be 
     appropriate.
       (2) Additional reports.--For each of fiscal years 2022 and 
     2023, the Chiefs shall submit to the Committee on 
     Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture 
     and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives a report describing projects for which 
     funding is provided under the Program, including the status 
     and outcomes of those projects.
       (h) Funding.--
       (1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the Program 
     $90,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023.
       (2) Additional funds.--In addition to the funds described 
     in paragraph (1), the Secretary may obligate available funds 
     from accounts used to carry out the existing Joint Chiefs' 
     Landscape Restoration Partnership prior to the date of 
     enactment of this Act to carry out the Program.
       (3) Duration of availability.--Funds made available under 
     paragraph (1) shall remain available until expended.
       (4) Distribution of funds.--Of the funds made available 
     under paragraph (1)--
       (A) not less than 40 percent shall be allocated to carry 
     out eligible activities through the Natural Resources 
     Conservation Service;
       (B) not less than 40 percent shall be allocated to carry 
     out eligible activities through the Forest Service; and
       (C) the remaining funds shall be allocated by the Chiefs to 
     the Natural Resources Conservation Service or the Forest 
     Service--
       (i) to carry out eligible activities; or
       (ii) for other purposes, such as technical assistance, 
     project development, or local capacity building.
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