[Senate Report 106-457]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 904
106th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 106-457
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JUNIOR DUCK STAMP CONSERVATION AND DESIGN PROGRAM ACT
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October 2 (legislative day, September 22), 2000.--Ordered to be printed
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Mr. Smith of New Hampshire, from the Committee on Environment and
Public Works, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[to accompany H.R. 2496]
The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was
referred a bill to reauthorize the Junior Duck Stamp
Conservation and Design Program Act of 1994, having considered
the same, reports favorably thereon and recommends that the
bill do pass.
General Statement
Early America had an abundance of marshes and wetlands that
provided a home for an astonishing number of wild ducks, geese,
swans, brants and other waterfowl. As more and more settlers
arrived on America's shores much of our critical wildlife
habitat was leveled, plowed or dammed. In addition, frequent
bouts of extreme weather took its toll. Degradation of
waterfowl habitat continued throughout the 19th and into the
20th century. By the late 1920's, hunters, conservationists and
government officials became concerned at the alarming decrease
of waterfowl species.
To address the problem, Congress passed the Migratory Bird
Conservation Act of 1929. The Act authorized the Department of
the Agriculture to acquire and preserve wetlands as waterfowl
habitat. Although the Act was a step in the right direction, it
did not provide a permanent fund for the purchase of wetlands
and waterfowl habitat.
To rectify this situation, Jay ``Ding'' Darling, political
cartoonist and chief of the Bureau of Biological Survey,
conceived of an unique idea to raise funds. Ding Darling
thought that stamps sold to waterfowl hunters would generate
funds to preserve the habitat. Based on Ding Darling's idea,
Congress passed and President Roosevelt signed into law the
Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act on March 16, 1934. More
commonly known as the Duck Stamp Act, it requires that all
waterfowl hunters 16 years of age and over must annually
purchase and carry a Federal Duck Stamp. The revenue generated
from duck stamp sales is earmarked for the Migratory Bird
Conservation Fund to buy or lease waterfowl sanctuaries.
The first duck stamp was designed by Ding Darling at
President Roosevelt's request, and depicts two mallards about
to land on a marsh pond. Since 1949, a contest has been
conducted to determine what image will be depicted on the
stamp. Winners receive no compensation for their work except a
pane of their stamps.
The Duck Stamp Program was such a success that in 1994
Congress created the Junior Duck Stamp Program. This extremely
successful program allows children from kindergarten through
the twelfth grade to participate in an integrated art and
science curriculum designed to teach environmental art and
science to students. Each student chooses one waterfowl species
to focus their efforts on throughout their course of study. At
the culmination of the course they draw that particular
species. Each state selects a Best-of-Show winner and enters
the piece of artwork in a national competition. The national
winning design is used to create the Junior Duck Stamp and the
artist receives $2,500. The national first, second, and third
place winning students, one of their parents, and their art
teacher win a trip to Washington, D.C., to attend the award
ceremony.
Last year more than 44,000 thousand students entered the
State competitions. This program has been particularly
successful at introducing urban children to nature, encouraging
children to develop a connection to the environment, and
motivating students to take an active role in the conservation
of waterfowl species.
Authorization for the Act expires in fiscal year 2000.
Objectives of the Legislation
H.R. 2496 would reauthorize the Junior Duck Stamp program
through 2005 at its current level of authorization of $250,000.
In addition, this bill would allow the District of Columbia,
Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Somoa,
Guam, the Virgin Islands, and any other territories or
possessions of the United States to participate.
Regulatory Impact Statement
In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee makes an evaluation
of the regulatory impact of the reported bill. The reported
bill will have no regulatory impact. This bill will not have
any adverse impact on the personal privacy of individuals.
Mandates Assessment
In compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
(Public Law 104-4), the committee finds that H.R. 2496 would
impose no Federal intergovernmental unfunded mandates on State,
local, or tribal governments. All of its governmental
directives are imposed on Federal agencies. The bill does not
directly impose any private sector mandates.
Legislative History
On October 27, 1999, H.R. 2496 was referred to the Senate
Committee on Environment and Public Works. No hearings were
held on this bill. The Committee on Environment and Public
Works held a business meeting to consider this bill on
September 21; the business meeting was continued on September
28, 2000. On September 28, 2000, H.R. 2496 was favorably
reported by the committee on a voice vote.
Cost of Legislation
Section 403 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment
Control Act requires that a statement of the cost of the
reported bill, prepared by the Congressional Budget Office, be
included in the report. That statement follows:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, September 29, 2000.
Hon. Robert C. Smith, Chairman,
Committee on Environment and Public Works,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared
the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2496, an act to reauthorize
the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Act of
1994.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis,
who can be reached at 226-2860.
Sincerely,
Dan L. Crippen.
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
H.R. 2496, An Act to reauthorize the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and
Design Program Act of 1994, as ordered reported by the Senate
Committee on Environment Public Works on September 28, 2000
H.R. 2496 would reauthorize discretionary funding for
administration of the junior duck stamp program for fiscal
years 2001 through 2005 at the event authorization level of
$250,000 annually. Under existing law, this authorization will
expire after fiscal year 2000. Assuming appropriation of the
amounts authorized by H.R. 2496, CBO estimates that the Federal
Government would spend about $250,000 in each of fiscal years
2001 through 2005. In recent years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service has spent less than $200,000 to administer the program,
mostly to conduct the annual competition for the design of
junior duck stamps.
H.R. 2496 would not affect direct spending or receipts;
therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply. The
legislation contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
On October 15, 1999, CBO prepared a cost estimate for H.R.
2496, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Resources
on October 6, 1999. Our estimate of the costs of the two
versions of this legislation is the same.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis,
who can be reached at 226-2860. This estimate was approved by
Robert A. Sunshine, Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill
as reported are shown as follows: Existing law proposed to be
omitted is enclosed in [black brackets], new matter is printed
in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown
in roman:
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JUNIOR DUCK STAMP CONSERVATION AND DESIGN PROGRAM ACT OF 1994
[Public Law 103-340]
Section 1. Short title.
This Act may be cited as the ``Junior Duck Stamp
Conservation and Design Program Act of 1994''.
* * * * * * *
Sec. 2. Establishment of program.
(a) In general.-- * * *
* * * * * * *
(c) Effort to conduct program in all states--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall take appropriate steps
to seek to conduct the Program in all of the [50 States]
States.
(2) Annual report.--The Secretary shall annually submit a
report to the Congress on the status of the Program in each of
the [50 States] States.
* * * * * * *
Sec. 5. Definition of state.
For the purposes of this Act, the term ``State'' includes
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa,
Guam, the Virgin Islands, and any other territory or possession
of the United States.
Sec. [5] 6. Authorization of appropriations.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary
for administrative expenses of the Program $250,000 [for each
of the fiscal years 1995 through 2000] for each of the fiscal
years 2001 through 2005.