[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 4509-4510]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT ACT OF 2005

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 584) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior 
to recruit volunteers to assist with, or facilitate, the activities of 
various agencies and offices of the Department of the Interior.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 584

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Department of the Interior 
     Volunteer Recruitment Act of 2005''.

     SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

       The purpose of this Act is to authorize the Secretary of 
     the Interior to recruit and use volunteers to assist with, or 
     facilitate, the programs of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the 
     United States Geological Survey, the Bureau of Reclamation, 
     and the Office of the Secretary.

     SEC. 3. VOLUNTEER AUTHORITY.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior may recruit, 
     train, and accept, without regard to the civil service 
     classification laws, rules, or regulations, the services of 
     individuals, contributed without compensation as volunteers, 
     for aiding in or facilitating the activities administered by 
     the Secretary through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the 
     United States Geological Survey, the Bureau of Reclamation, 
     and the Office of the Secretary.
       (b) Restrictions on Activities of Volunteers.--
       (1) In general.--In accepting such services of individuals 
     as volunteers, the Secretary shall not permit the use of 
     volunteers in law enforcement work, in regulatory and 
     enforcement work, in policymaking processes, or to displace 
     any employee.
       (2) Private property.--No volunteer services authorized by 
     this Act may be conducted on private property unless the 
     officer or employee charged with supervising the volunteer 
     obtains appropriate consent to enter the property from the 
     property owner.
       (3) Hazardous duty.--The Secretary may accept the services 
     of individuals in hazardous duty only upon a determination by 
     the Secretary that such individuals are skilled in performing 
     hazardous duty activities.
       (4) Supervision.--The Secretary shall ensure that an 
     appropriate officer or employee of the United States provides 
     adequate and appropriate supervision of each volunteer whose 
     services the Secretary accepts.
       (c) Provision of Services and Costs.--The Secretary may 
     provide for services and costs incidental to the utilization 
     of volunteers, including transportation, supplies, uniforms, 
     lodging, subsistence (without regard to place of residence), 
     recruiting, training, supervision, and awards and recognition 
     (including nominal cash awards).
       (d) Federal Employment Status of Volunteers.--
       (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a 
     volunteer shall not be deemed a Federal employee and shall 
     not be subject to the provisions of law relating to Federal 
     employment, including those provisions relating to hours of 
     work, rates of compensation, leave, unemployment 
     compensation, and Federal employee benefits.
       (2) Volunteers shall be deemed employees of the United 
     States for the purposes of--
       (A) the tort claims provisions of title 28, United States 
     Code;
       (B) subchapter I of chapter 81 of title 5, United States 
     Code; and
       (C) claims relating to damage to, or loss of, personal 
     property of a volunteer incident to volunteer service, in 
     which case the provisions of section 3721 of title 31, United 
     States Code, shall apply.
       (3) Volunteers under this Act shall be subject to chapter 
     11 of title 18, United States Code, unless the Secretary, 
     with the concurrence of the Director of the Office of 
     Government Ethics, determines in writing published in the 
     Federal Register that the provisions of that chapter, except 
     section 201, shall not apply to the actions of a class or 
     classes of volunteers who carry out only those duties or 
     functions specified in the determination.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Jones) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands 
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones).


                             General Leave

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and 
extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 584.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from North Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 584, introduced by the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Pombo), would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish 
voluntary programs in the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the U.S. Geological 
Survey, the Bureau of Reclamation and the Office of the Secretary. With 
this authority, these four bureaus would be able to parallel the 
successful volunteer programs in the National Park Service and the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service to recruit volunteers to assist with or 
facilitate the activities within the agencies.

[[Page 4510]]

  Over 200,000 volunteers annually serve as campground hosts, clear 
trails, help with seasonal bird surveys, collect new information for 
maps and assist with many other day-to-day activities. Simply put, 
volunteers provide the Department of the Interior vital services to 
help it meet its mission responsibilities. Volunteer programs within 
the Department also provide outstanding opportunities for community 
service and public involvement in conservation programs.
  H.R. 584 is identical to legislation that was supported by the 
majority and minority and passed the House of Representatives with a 
voice vote during the 108th Congress. I urge adoption of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the majority has explained the purpose of this 
legislation which the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo) introduced 
at the administration's request. The gentleman from California (Mr. 
Pombo) succeeded in moving this legislation through the House during 
the last Congress, including several changes made at the request of the 
minority. We appreciate the chairman's decision to include those 
changes in H.R. 584 as well, and urge our colleagues to support this 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional 
speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 584.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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