[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 17839-17841]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY SYSTEM VOLUNTEER ACT OF 2006

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 5381) to establish a volunteer program and 
promote community partnerships for the benefit of national fish 
hatcheries and fisheries program offices, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 5381

       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 ``National Fish Hatchery 
     System Volunteer Act of 2006''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) The National Fish Hatchery System (in this Act referred 
     to as the ``System'')--
       (A) consists of more than 60 hatcheries, seven fish 
     technology centers, 9 fish health centers, and other 
     fisheries program offices;
       (B) plays an integral role in the recovery of more than 50 
     threatened species and endangered species and the restoration 
     of over 100 native species;
       (C) provides healthy fish populations that support 
     recreational fishing opportunities, many of which are related 
     to Federal water control structures; and
       (D) works with over 250 partners to help mitigate the 
     impacts of aquatic habitat loss and invasive species.
       (2) The System faces many challenges, including aging 
     facilities, some of which date back to the late 1800s, and 
     maintenance of intensive infrastructures such as wells, 
     pumps, valves, pipes, filters, heaters, chillers, and 
     treatment systems that must keep clean water moving 24 hours 
     a day, 365 days a year.
       (3) By encouraging volunteer programs and donations and 
     fostering non-Federal partnerships with hatchery facilities, 
     Federal funding for the hatcheries can be supplemented.
       (4) By encouraging hatchery educational programs, public 
     awareness of the resources of the System and public 
     participation in the conservation of aquatic resources can be 
     promoted.
       (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are the following:
       (1) To encourage the use of volunteers to assist the United 
     States Fish and Wildlife Service in the management of 
     hatcheries within the System.
       (2) To facilitate partnerships between the System and non-
     Federal entities to promote public awareness of the resources 
     of the System and public participation in the conservation of 
     those resources.
       (3) To encourage donations and other contributions by 
     individuals and organizations to the System.

     SEC. 3. GIFTS TO SYSTEM AND PARTICULAR NATIONAL FISH 
                   HATCHERIES.

       (a) Authorization of Gifts, Devises, and Bequests for 
     System.--In furtherance of the purposes of this Act, the 
     Secretary of the Interior may accept any gifts, devises, or 
     bequests of real and personal property, or proceeds 
     therefrom, or interests therein, for the benefit of the 
     National Fish Hatchery System. Such acceptance may be subject 
     to the terms of any restrictive or affirmative covenant, or 
     condition of servitude, if such terms are deemed by the 
     Secretary to be in accordance with law and compatible with 
     the purpose for which acceptance is sought.
       (b) Use of Gifts, Devises, and Bequests.--
       (1) In general.--Any gifts and bequests of money and 
     proceeds from the sales of other property received as gifts 
     or bequests pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited in 
     a separate account in the Treasury and may be expended 
     without further appropriation by the Secretary for the 
     benefit of the System programs administered by the United 
     States Fish and Wildlife Service.
       (2) Gifts, devises, and bequests for particular 
     facilities.--
       (A) Disbursal.--Any gift, devise, or bequest made for the 
     benefit of a facility of the System shall be disbursed only 
     for the benefit of that facility and without further 
     appropriations.
       (B) Matching.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations and the requirements of the Fish and Wildlife 
     Coordination Act (16 U.S.C 661 et seq.) and other applicable 
     law, the Secretary may provide funds to match gifts, devises, 
     and bequests made for the benefit of a facility of the 
     System. With respect to each gift, devise, or bequest, the 
     amount of Federal funds may not exceed the amount (or, in the 
     case of property or in-kind services, the fair market value) 
     of the gift, devise, or bequest.

     SEC. 4. VOLUNTEER ENHANCEMENT PILOT PROJECTS.

       (a) In General.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, the Secretary of the Interior shall carry out 
     a pilot project at 1 or more facilities of the System. Each 
     pilot project shall provide for a volunteer coordinator for 
     the hatchery facility. The volunteer coordinator shall be 
     responsible for recruiting, training, and supervising 
     volunteers. The volunteer coordinator may be responsible for 
     assisting partner organizations in developing projects and 
     programs under cooperative agreements under section 7(d) of

[[Page 17840]]

     the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(d)) and 
     coordinating volunteer activities with partner organizations 
     to carry out the projects and programs.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to 
     the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives 
     and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the 
     Senate evaluating and making recommendations regarding the 
     pilot projects.

     SEC. 5. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP ENHANCEMENT.

       (a) Projects and Programs.--Subject to the requirements of 
     the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661 et 
     seq.) and other applicable law, and such terms and conditions 
     as the Secretary of the Interior determines to be 
     appropriate, the Secretary may approve projects and programs 
     for a facility of the System that--
       (1) promote the stewardship of resources of the hatchery 
     through habitat maintenance, restoration, and improvement, 
     biological monitoring, or research;
       (2) support the operation and maintenance of the hatchery 
     through constructing, operating, maintaining, or improving 
     the facilities and services of the hatchery;
       (3) increase the awareness and understanding of the 
     hatchery and the System, through the development, 
     publication, or distribution of educational materials and 
     products;
       (4) advance education concerning the purposes of the 
     hatchery and the mission of the System, through the use of 
     the hatchery as an outdoor classroom and development of other 
     educational programs; or
       (5) contribute financial resources to the hatchery, under 
     the terms that require that the net revenues be used 
     exclusively for the benefit of the hatchery, through donation 
     of net revenues from the sale of educational materials and 
     products and through encouragement of gifts, devises, and 
     bequests.
       (b) Treasury Account.--Amounts received by the Secretary of 
     the Interior as a result of projects and programs under 
     subsection (a) shall be deposited in a separate account in 
     the Treasury. Amounts in the account that are attributable to 
     activities at a particular facility of the System shall be 
     available to the Secretary of the Interior, without further 
     appropriation, to pay the costs of incidental expenses 
     related to volunteer activities, and to carry out cooperative 
     agreements for the hatchery facility.

     SEC. 6. HATCHERY EDUCATION PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.

       (a) Guidance.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
     develop guidance for the hatchery education programs to 
     further the mission of the System and the purposes of 
     individual hatcheries through--
       (1) providing outdoor classroom opportunities for students 
     on fish hatcheries that combine educational curricula with 
     the personal experiences of students relating to fish, 
     aquatic species, and their habitat, and to the cultural and 
     historical resources of the hatcheries;
       (2) promoting understanding and conservation of fish, 
     aquatic species, and the cultural and historical resources of 
     the hatcheries; and
       (3) improving scientific literacy in conjunction with both 
     formal and nonformal education programs.
       (b) Hatchery Programs.--Based on the guidance developed 
     under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Interior may, with 
     assistance from the Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance 
     Program, develop or enhance hatchery educational programs as 
     appropriate, based on the resources of individual hatcheries 
     and the opportunities available for such programs in State, 
     local, and private schools. In developing and implementing 
     each program, the Secretary should cooperate with State and 
     local education authorities, and may cooperate with partner 
     organizations in accordance with subsection (d).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Jones) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. 
Grijalva) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina.


                             General Leave

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may 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 North Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present H.R. 5381 introduced by a 
distinguished colleague, Jim Saxton of New Jersey, to enhance the 
existing volunteer program within the National Fish Hatchery System.
  The National Fish Hatchery System Volunteer Act is modeled after the 
highly successful Refuge Volunteer Act. This legislation will allow the 
national fish hatcheries to replicate the success of the refuge 
volunteer program. In 1982, about 4,000 volunteers worked at one or 
more of our refuges. Today, that figure is 37,000 and growing each 
year.
  Based on testimony, we know that there are 18 Friends of the Hatchery 
organizations out of the 150 eligible facilities throughout the system. 
While the National Fish Hatchery System has an existing volunteer 
policy, its limited statutory authority is inadequate. At the same 
time, the need for volunteers is critical because the vast majority of 
our hatcheries are more than 50 years old, they require constant 
attention and maintenance, and the number of full-time hatchery 
employees has declined by more than 12 percent over the past decade.
  There is no question that during these difficult budgetary times the 
National Fish Hatchery System could utilize the talents, experience, 
and expertise of thousands of volunteers.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1530

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, it is always important to provide opportunities for the 
public to participate in conservation activity, yet in the case of our 
Federal fish hatcheries, the development of an enthused and motivated 
cadre of volunteers will help to partially address the chronic 
operations budget shortfall that severely limits existing visitor 
service programs.
  One shining example of how a volunteer effort can enable a hatchery 
to become part of the fabric of its surrounding community is found at 
the White Sulphur Springs Natural Fish Hatchery in West Virginia. This 
hatchery, which is located in the district of the ranking Democrat 
member of the Resources Committee, Nick Rahall, has partnered for years 
with civic organizations such as the Rotary Club, its local friends 
group to coordinate widely popular recreational events such as annual 
fishing derbies, the hatchery's Centennial Celebration, and annual 
Freshwater Folk Festivals.
  Clearly, as the volunteer program at White Sulphur Springs Natural 
Fish Hatchery demonstrates, our natural fish hatcheries could benefit 
from enhanced opportunities for volunteer participation, and I urge 
Members to support this legislation which seeks to make that goal a 
reality.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5381--The National Fish Hatchery System 
Volunteer Act of 2006 will enhance a volunteer program and promote 
community partnerships for the benefit of our Fish and Wildlife Service 
(FWS) fish hatcheries and fisheries program offices across the nation. 
H.R. 5381 is modeled on the successful partnership and volunteer laws 
for the National Wildlife Refuges. I was proud to sponsor the 
legislation that established the partnership and volunteer laws for the 
refuges and am equally proud to be the sponsor of the bill under 
consideration today.
  The FWS National Fish Hatchery System consists of more than 60 
hatcheries, 7 fish technology centers, 9 fish health centers and other 
fisheries program offices. The system plays an integral role in the 
recovery of more than 50 threatened and endangered species and the 
restoration of more than 100 native species. It helps to provide 
healthy fish populations that support recreational fishing 
opportunities, working with over 250 partners to help mitigate the 
impacts of aquatic habitat loss and invasive species. Currently, the 
system faces many challenges, including aging facilities and 
infrastructure.
  In 1998 and 2004, Congress passed legislation that enhanced the 
ability of the National Wildlife Refuge System to use volunteers and 
work with partner groups. These acts gave authority for the refuge 
system to: accept gifts and bequests from individuals to specific 
refuges; carry out volunteer enhancement programs; enter into 
cooperative agreements with partner organizations; and develop guidance 
for refuge education programs.
  The purpose of this legislation is to provide the National Fisheries 
Program the same authorities that were given to the National Wildlife 
Refuge System. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

[[Page 17841]]


  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional 
requests for time, 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. 5381, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to enhance 
an existing volunteer program of the United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service and promote community partnerships for the benefit of national 
fish hatcheries and fisheries program offices''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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