[House Report 110-657]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                                                       
110th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session                                                     110-657

======================================================================



 
                 GREAT CATS AND RARE CANIDS ACT OF 2008

                                _______
                                

  May 19, 2008.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

  Mr. Rahall, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 1464]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

  The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the 
bill (H.R. 1464) to assist in the conservation of rare felids 
and rare canids by supporting and providing financial resources 
for the conservation programs of nations within the range of 
rare felid and rare canid populations and projects of persons 
with demonstrated expertise in the conservation of rare felid 
and rare canid populations, having considered the same, report 
favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill 
as amended do pass.

  The amendments is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``Great Cats and Rare Canids Act of 
2008.''

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

  Congress finds the following:
          (1) Many wild populations of felids and canids, once 
        considered common, are in decline, and many have declined to 
        the point that their long-term survival in the wild is in 
        serious jeopardy.
          (2) Of the 37 wild felid species worldwide, all are currently 
        recognized as species in need of protection under the IUCN Red 
        List, the lists of species in CITES appendices I, II, and III, 
        or the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Of the 35 wild canid 
        species worldwide, nearly 50 percent are recognized as in need 
        of such protection.
          (3) In addition to their intrinsic value, felids and canids 
        are important aesthetic, economic, and ecological global 
        resources that need to be conserved.
          (4) Large felids and canids are considered both umbrella and 
        indicator species. Healthy populations of these species act as 
        an important indicator of the integrity of entire ecosystems 
        and, because they require large wild spaces to persist, benefit 
        entire ecosystems and a large number of other species. Measures 
        taken to benefit these keystone species will ultimately benefit 
        a great number of other species.
          (5) Rare felids and rare canids face an array of threats, 
        including loss of habitat and natural prey, intentional and 
        unintentional takings by humans, disease transmission, and a 
        vast number of other threats. These threats need to be 
        addressed in a coordinated fashion.
          (6) Conservation of rare felid and rare canid populations 
        requires global commitment. Adequate funding for conservation 
        is sorely lacking, and many range countries for those species 
        do not have adequate infrastructure to protect species of 
        concern. Those countries that do provide assistance to 
        threatened populations need further assistance in implementing 
        effective conservation strategies.
          (7) In particular, in developing nations with limited 
        resources, poverty, population growth, and habitat loss all 
        present significant challenges to conservation of rare felids 
        and rare canids.
          (8) Although some protections and initiatives exist to 
        conserve rare felid and rare canid populations and their 
        habitat, those efforts can be significantly strengthened and 
        enhanced by increased coordination and the infusion of targeted 
        funding to benefit species of concern.

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

  The purposes of this Act are to provide financial resources and to 
foster international cooperation--
          (1) to restore and perpetuate healthy populations of rare 
        felids and rare canids in the wild; and
          (2) to assist in the conservation of rare felid and rare 
        canid populations worldwide.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

  In this Act:
          (1) CITES.--The term ``CITES'' means the Convention on 
        International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and 
        Flora, done at Washington March 3, 1973 (27 UST 1087; TIAS 
        8249), including its appendices.
          (2) Conservation.--The term ``conservation''--
                  (A) means the methods and procedures necessary to 
                bring a species of rare felid or rare canid to the 
                point at which there are sufficient populations in the 
                wild to ensure the long-term viability of the species;
                  (B) includes all activities associated with 
                protection and management of a rare felid or rare canid 
                population, including--
                          (i) maintenance, management, protection, and 
                        restoration of rare felid or rare canid 
                        habitat;
                          (ii) research and monitoring;
                          (iii) law enforcement;
                          (iv) community outreach and education;
                          (v) conflict resolution initiatives; and
                          (vi) strengthening the capacity of local 
                        communities, governmental agencies, 
                        nongovernmental organizations and other 
                        institutions to implement conservation 
                        programs.
          (3) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Great Cats and Rare 
        Canids Conservation Fund established by section 6.
          (4) IUCN red list.--The term ``IUCN Red List'' means the Red 
        List of Threatened Species Maintained by the World Conservation 
        Union.
          (5) Rare canid.--The term ``rare canid''--
                  (A) means any canid species, subspecies, or 
                population that--
                          (i) is not native to the area comprised of 
                        the United States and Canada; and
                          (ii) is included in the IUCN Red List, 
                        Appendix I, II, or III of CITES, or any list 
                        published under section 4(c) of the Endangered 
                        Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1532(c)); and
                  (B) includes such a subspecies or population of dhole 
                (Cuon alpinus), gray wolf (Canis lupus), Ethiopian wolf 
                (Canis simensis), bush dog (Speothos venaticus), 
                African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), or maned wolf 
                (Chrysocyon brachyurus).
          (6) Rare felid.--The term ``rare felid''--
                  (A) subject to subparagraph (C), means any felid 
                species, subspecies, or population that--
                          (i) is not native to the area comprised of 
                        the United States and Canada; and
                          (ii) is included in the IUCN Red List, 
                        Appendix I, II, or III of CITES, or any list 
                        published under section 4(c) of the Endangered 
                        Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1532(c));
                  (B) includes such a subspecies or population of lion 
                (Panthera leo), leopard (Panthera pardus), jaguar 
                (Panthera onca), snow leopard (Uncia uncia), clouded 
                leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), cheetah (Acinonyx 
                jubatus), or Iberian lynx (Lynx pardina); and
                  (C) does not include any tiger (Panthera tigris).
          (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' refers to the 
        Secretary of the Interior.

SEC. 5. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

  (a) In General.--Subject to the availability of funds and in 
consultation with other appropriate Federal officials, the Secretary 
shall use amounts in the Fund to provide financial assistance for 
projects for the conservation of rare felid and rare canids for which 
project proposals are approved by the Secretary in accordance with this 
section.
  (b) Project Proposals.--
          (1) Eligible applicants.--A proposal for a project for the 
        conservation of rare felid and canids may be submitted to the 
        Secretary by--
                  (A) any wildlife management authority of a country 
                that has within its boundaries any part of the range of 
                a rare felid or rare canid species, respectively; and
                  (B) any person or group with the demonstrated 
                expertise required for the conservation in the wild of 
                rare felids or rare canids, respectively.
          (2) Project proposals.--To be considered for financial 
        assistance for a project under this Act, an applicant shall 
        submit a project proposal that includes--
                  (A) a concise statement of the purposes of the 
                project;
                  (B) the name of the individual responsible for 
                conducting the project;
                  (C) a description of the qualifications of the 
                individuals who will conduct the project;
                  (D) a concise description of--
                          (i) methods for project implementation and 
                        outcome assessment;
                          (ii) staffing for the project;
                          (iii) the logistics of the project; and
                          (iv) community involvement in the project;
                  (E) an estimate of funds and time required to 
                complete the project;
                  (F) evidence of support for the project by 
                appropriate governmental entities of the countries in 
                which the project will be conducted, if the Secretary 
                determines that such support is required for the 
                success of the project;
                  (G) information regarding the source and amount of 
                matching funding available for the project; and
                  (H) any other information that the Secretary 
                considers to be necessary for evaluating the 
                eligibility of the project for funding under this Act.
  (c) Project Review and Approval.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall--
                  (A) not later than 30 days after receiving a project 
                proposal, provide a copy of the proposal to the 
                appropriate Federal officials; and
                  (B) review each project proposal in a timely manner 
                to determine if the proposal meets the criteria 
                specified in subsection (d).
          (2) Consultation; approval or disapproval.--Not later than 
        180 days after receiving a project proposal, and subject to the 
        availability of funds, the Secretary, after consulting with 
        other appropriate Federal officials, shall--
                  (A) ensure the proposal contains assurances that the 
                project will be implemented in consultation with 
                relevant wildlife management authorities and other 
                appropriate government officials with jurisdiction over 
                the resources addressed by the project;
                  (B) approve or disapprove the proposal; and
                  (C) provide written notification of the approval or 
                disapproval to the person who submitted the proposal, 
                other appropriate Federal officials, and each country 
                within whose borders the project will take place.
  (d) Criteria for Approval.--The Secretary may approve a project 
proposal under this section if the project will contribute to 
conservation of rare felids or rare canids in the wild by assisting 
efforts to--
          (1) implement conservation programs;
          (2) address the conflicts between humans and rare felids or 
        rare canids, respectively, that arise from competition for the 
        same habitat or resources;
          (3) enhance compliance with CITES, the Endangered Species Act 
        of 1973, and other applicable laws that prohibit or regulate 
        the taking or trade of rare felids and rare canids or regulate 
        the use and management of rare felid and rare canid habitat;
          (4) develop sound scientific information on, or methods for 
        monitoring--
                  (A) the condition and health of rare felid or rare 
                canid habitat;
                  (B) rare felid or rare canid population numbers and 
                trends; and
                  (C) the ecological characteristics and requirements 
                of populations of rare felids or rare canids for which 
                there are little or no data;
          (5) promote cooperative projects among government entities, 
        affected local communities, nongovernmental organizations, and 
        other persons in the private sector; or
          (6) funds will not be appropriated for the purchase or lease 
        of lands to be used as suitable habitat for felids or canids.
  (e) Project Sustainability.--In approving project proposals under 
this section, the Secretary shall give preference to conservation 
projects that are designed to ensure effective, long-term conservation 
of rare felids and rare canids and their habitats.
  (f) Matching Funds.--In determining whether to approve project 
proposals under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to 
projects for which there exists some measure of matching funds.
  (g) Project Reporting.--
          (1) In general.--Each person that receives assistance under 
        this section for a project shall submit to the Secretary 
        periodic reports (at such intervals as the Secretary considers 
        necessary) that include all information that the Secretary, 
        after consultation with other appropriate government officials, 
        determines is necessary to evaluate the progress and success of 
        the project for the purposes of ensuring positive results, 
        assessing problems, and fostering improvements.
          (2) Availability to the public.--Reports under paragraph (1), 
        and any other documents relating to projects for which 
        financial assistance is provided under this Act, shall be made 
        available to the public.
  (h) Limitations on Use for Captive Breeding or Display.--Amounts 
provided as a grant under this Act--
          (1) may not be used for captive breeding or display of rare 
        felids and rare canids other than captive breeding for release 
        into the wild; and
          (2) may be used for captive breeding of a species for release 
        into the wild only if no other conservation method for the 
        species is biologically feasible.
  (i) Limitation on Assistance for Certain Species.--Of amounts 
available for a fiscal year for providing financial assistance under 
this section, the Secretary may not use more than 25 percent to provide 
assistance for projects that target rare canid and rare felid species 
that are not listed in paragraph (5)(B) or (6)(B), respectively, of 
section 4.
  (j) Advisory Group.--
          (1) In general.--To assist in carrying out this Act, the 
        Secretary may convene an advisory group consisting of 
        individuals representing public and private organizations 
        actively involved in the conservation of felids and canids.
          (2) Public participation.--
                  (A) Meetings.--The advisory group shall--
                          (i) ensure that each meeting of the advisory 
                        group is open to the public; and
                          (ii) provide, at each meeting, an opportunity 
                        for interested persons to present oral or 
                        written statements concerning items on the 
                        agenda.
                  (B) Notice.--The Secretary shall provide to the 
                public timely notice of each meeting of the advisory 
                group, including the meeting agenda.
                  (C) Minutes.--Minutes of each meeting of the advisory 
                group shall be kept by the Secretary and shall be made 
                available to the public.
          (3) Exemption from federal advisory committee act.--The 
        Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply 
        to the advisory group.

SEC. 6. GREAT CATS AND RARE CANIDS CONSERVATION FUND.

  (a) Establishment.--There is established, in the Multinational 
Species Conservation Fund established in title I of the Department of 
the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 under the 
heading ``MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND'', a separate account 
to be known as the ``Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Fund'', 
consisting of--
          (1) amounts transferred to the Secretary of the Treasury for 
        deposit into such account under subsection (e);
          (2) amounts appropriated to such account under section 7; and
          (3) any interest earned on investment of amounts in the 
        account under subsection (c).
  (b) Expenditures From Fund.--
          (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), upon request by 
        the Secretary, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer 
        from the Fund to the Secretary, without further appropriation, 
        such amounts as the Secretary determines are necessary to 
        provide assistance under section 4.
          (2) Administrative expenses.--Of the amounts in the Fund 
        available for each fiscal year, the Secretary may expend not 
        more than three percent, or up to $100,000, whichever is 
        greater, to pay the administrative expenses necessary to carry 
        out this Act.
  (c) Investment of Amounts.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall invest 
        such portion of the Fund as is not, in the judgment of the 
        Secretary of the Treasury, required to meet current 
        withdrawals. Investments may be made only in interest-bearing 
        obligations of the United States.
          (2) Acquisition of obligations.--For the purpose of 
        investments under paragraph (1), obligations may be acquired--
                  (A) on original issue at the issue price; or
                  (B) by purchase of outstanding obligations at the 
                market price.
          (3) Sale of obligations.--Any obligation acquired by the Fund 
        may be sold by the Secretary of the Treasury at the market 
        price.
          (4) Credits to fund.--The interest on, and the proceeds from 
        the sale or redemption of any obligations held in the Fund 
        shall be credited to and form a part of the Fund.
  (d) Transfers of Amounts.--
          (1) In general.--The amounts required to be transferred to 
        the Fund under this section shall be transferred at least 
        monthly from the general fund of the Treasury to the Fund on 
        the basis of estimates made by the Secretary of the Treasury.
          (2) Adjustments.--Proper adjustment shall be made in amounts 
        subsequently transferred to the extent prior estimates were in 
        excess of or less than the amounts required to be transferred.
  (e) Acceptance and Use of Donations.--The Secretary may accept and 
use donations to provide assistance under section 4, and may make 
public on the Internet website and in publications of the Department of 
the Interior that the Secretary is authorized to accept and use such 
donations. Amounts received by the Secretary in the form of such 
donations shall be transferred to the Secretary of the Treasury for 
deposit into the Fund.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OR APPROPRIATIONS.

  There are authorized to be appropriated to the Fund $5,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012 to carry out this Act.

SEC. 8. INELIGIBLE COUNTRIES.

  Amounts provided as a grant under this Act may not be spent on 
projects in Iran, Syria, Cuba, Sudan and North Korea.

                          PURPOSE OF THE BILL

    The purpose of H.R. 1464 is to assist in the conservation 
of rare felids and rare canids by supporting and providing 
financial resources for the conservation programs of nations 
within the range of rare felid and rare canid populations and 
projects of persons with demonstrated expertise in the 
conservation of rare felid and rare canid populations.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    Throughout the world, wildlife populations are under 
increasing stress from the encroachment of expanding human 
populations. As a result, many wildlife populations have 
declined, some precipitously, due to habitat loss or 
degradation, poaching and illegal trade, disease, political 
instability and hostile interactions with expanding human 
settlements and agriculture. The decline of populations of 
charismatic ``keystone'' wildlife species such as tigers, 
rhinoceros, elephant, great apes and sea turtles has focused 
greater attention on the need to protect wildlife and wildlife 
habitat abroad.
    The Congress has responded by creating distinct 
conservation funds within the Multinational Species 
Conservation Fund (MSCF) to provide financial assistance to 
support conservation activities to protect, recover and restore 
wildlife species and their habitats. The MSCF was created by 
Congress in 1999 as part of Title I of the Department of the 
Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (16 U.S.C. 
4246). Within the fund are specific wildlife conservation 
accounts authorized under separate statutes that receive annual 
appropriations from Congress to support conservation activities 
to protect, recover or restore threatened and endangered 
species, specifically tigers, rhinoceroses, African elephants, 
Asian elephants, great apes and sea turtles.\1\ These wildlife 
species are all considered ``keystone'' or ``umbrella'' species 
which means that they enrich ecosystem function in a unique or 
significant manner through their activities, and their effect 
is disproportionate to their numerical number.\2\
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    \1\An additional fund authorized under the Neotropical Migratory 
Bird Conservation Act was removed from the MSCF in 2006.
    \2\National Wildlife Federation, 2007. Species At Risk (http://
www.nwf.org/wildlife/pdfs/speciesatrisk.pdf)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    More than $115 million in matching or in-kind support has 
been obtained since the first grant was awarded under the 
African Elephant Conservation Act in 1990, nearly tripling the 
effect of the $43 million in federal appropriated funds. More 
than 500 partners have worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service in 44 countries to protect and conserve these species. 
In addition, coordination with other federal agencies overseas, 
such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), 
has linked up species conservation and habitat management with 
economic development within countries with these species. In 
general, these funds are viewed as effective tools to leverage 
additional resources to implement projects that address the 
greatest conservation need.
    All of the felid and canid species included in this 
legislation suffer from multiple stressors that have negatively 
affected their population size, distribution and potential for 
recovery which cumulatively has resulted in their being listed 
as threatened or endangered and in need of protection. Factors 
commonly acknowledged as responsible for these declines include 
habitat loss and fragmentation, diminished prey-base, poaching 
and illegal wildlife trade, environmental pollution and 
pesticides, disease, political instability, and growing human-
wildlife conflicts. Species of predatory carnivores have been 
purposefully targeted for eradication in order to promote 
pastoral industries and expanded human settlement. H.R. 1464 
would expand the number of funds within the MSCF to provide 
similar financial assistance to conserve additional threatened 
and endangered species, notably great felids (cats) and rare 
canids. Summaries of the conservation status of the target 
wildlife species follows.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \3\Wildlife Conservation Society. Fact sheet. 2007
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Great Cats: Seven species within the family Felidae would 
be eligible for assistance under both H.R. 1464 and include the 
lion, cheetah, leopard, clouded leopard, snow leopard, Iberian 
lynx and jaguar. These species are distributed in fragmented 
habitats found across sub-Sahara Africa, the Middle East and 
South Asia, Central and South America and the Iberian Peninsula 
in Europe. All of these species are recognized as threatened or 
endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, the 
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild 
Fauna and Flora (CITES), and/or the World Conservation Union 
(IUCN) Red List of Endangered Species.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \4\IUCN--the World Conservation Union, through its Species Survival 
Commission has for the past four decades scientifically assessed on a 
global scale the conservation status of species, subspecies, varieties 
and selected subpopulations to highlight taxa of wildlife that are 
threatened with extinction in order to promote their conservation and 
maintain global biodiversity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Rare Canids: Six species within the family Canidae would be 
eligible for assistance under H.R. 1464. These species include 
the African wild dog, Ethiopian wolf, European gray wolf, 
dhole, maned wolf and bush dog. While their ecological role is 
poorly understood and often unappreciated, wild dogs function 
as genuine ``keystone'' species and are equally deserving of 
protection. In fact, the African wild dog and Ethiopian wolf 
are two of the most endangered animals on the African 
continent. All of these species are recognized as threatened or 
endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, the 
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild 
Fauna and Flora (CITES), and/or the IUCN Red List of Endangered 
Species.
    This legislation assists in the conservation of rare cats 
and rare dogs by providing financial resources for conservation 
programs within range States and to support projects that 
conserve rare cat and rare dog populations and their habitats. 
No cat or dog species native to the United States or Canada 
would be eligible for grant assistance.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 1464 was introduced on March 9, 2007, by Rep. Tom 
Udall (D-NM). The bill was referred to the Committee on 
Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on 
Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans. On September 6, 2007, the 
Fisheries Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. The bill 
received the qualified support of the administration and all 
other witnesses verified the need for the legislation and 
testified in support of the bill.
    On October 4, 2007, the Subcommittee met to mark up the 
bill. The Subcommittee's Ranking Member, Rep. Henry Brown (R-
SC) offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute to make 
ineligible for funding those species whose populations are not 
endangered, clarify the use of funds for captive breeding 
activities, strike the bill's findings, and require the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service to complete a study of conservation 
status of rare felid and canid species. The amendment was 
adopted by voice vote. The bill was then forwarded as amended 
to the Full Committee by voice vote.
    On April 30, 2008, the Full Natural Resources Committee met 
to consider the bill. Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans 
Subcommittee Chairwoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-GU) offered an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute to add one additional 
species (Borneo bay cat and Darwin's fox) to each respective 
list; strike the eligibility criteria for non-listed species; 
and add the European Union to the list of regions where canid 
species would be ineligible to receive grant assistance. Rep. 
Steve Pearce (R-NM) offered an amendment to the amendment that 
would have amended the bill to insert a restrictive definition 
for determining a country's eligibility to receive grant 
assistance. The amendment was ruled non-germane. Rep. Pearce 
then offered a second amendment to the amendment to insert at 
the end of the bill a list of specific ineligible countries 
that included, Iran, Syria, Cuba, Sudan, and North Korea. The 
amendment was adopted by voice vote. The bill, as amended, was 
then ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives 
by voice vote.

                      SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title

    This section provides that the bill may be cited as the 
``Great Cat and Rare Canids Act of 2007.''

Section 2. Purposes

    Section 2 states that the purposes of the bill are to 
provide financial resources and to foster international 
cooperation to restore and perpetuate healthy populations of 
rare felids and canids in the wild and to assist in the 
conservation of rare felid and rare canid populations 
worldwide.

Section 3. Definitions

    This section defines specific terms to be used in the 
legislation, including ``CITES,'' ``Conservation,'' ``Fund,'' 
``IUCN Red List,'' ``Rare Canid,'' ``Rare Felid,'' and 
``Secretary.''

Section 4. Financial assistance

    This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to 
provide financial assistance subject to the availability of 
appropriations for projects for the conservation of rare felids 
and rare canids. The section specifies eligible project 
applicants and provides a detailed list of required information 
to be included in project applications. The Secretary is 
required to approve or disapprove all applications no later 
than 180 days after receiving the application and must provide 
written notification to the applicant, other appropriate 
federal officials and each country within which the project 
will take place.
    This section also provides the Secretary with criteria to 
evaluate and approve project applications, including a 
determination that funds will not be used for the purchase or 
lease of land. Special preference shall be given under this 
section to projects that are designed to ensure effective, 
long-term conservation of rare felids and rare canids and their 
habitats and applications for which there exist non-federal 
matching funds. Approved projects are required under this 
section to report regularly to the Secretary to assess 
progress, foster improvements and ensure positive results. Such 
reports would be available to the public. Funds awarded by the 
Secretary under this section could not be used for captive 
breeding activities other than for release into the wild or if 
no other conservation method is available and biologically 
feasible to perpetuate the species. This section would also 
authorize the Secretary to convene an advisory group exempt 
from requirements under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to 
incorporate stakeholder participation.

Section 5. Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Fund

    This section would authorize establishment of a Great Cats 
and Rare Canids Fund as a separate account in the Multinational 
Species Conservation Fund that would consist of amounts 
appropriated by Congress, amounts donated, and any interest 
earned on the investment of funds. All funding available to the 
Secretary for program administration is limited to three 
percent or $100,000 annually, whichever is greater. The 
Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to invest un-used 
portions of the Fund in interest bearing obligations and 
interest earned shall be credited to the Fund. The Secretary of 
the Treasury would be required to transfer funds to the Fund on 
no less than a monthly schedule.

Section 6. Study of conservation status of felid and canid species

    This section would direct the Secretary to complete a study 
and report to the Congress on the conservation status of felid 
and canid species listed under the IUCN Red List that are not 
eligible under this bill and include recommendations for 
additional species to be added to the lists of rare felids or 
rare canids defined in the bill.

Section 7. Authorization of appropriations

    The legislation would authorize $5 million per year to be 
appropriated to carry out the Act for each fiscal year from 
2008 to 2012. Such sums as are necessary are authorized to 
carry out the study authorized in Section 6 of the bill.

            COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

    Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and 
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.

                  FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

    The functions of the proposed advisory committee authorized 
in the bill are not currently being nor could they be performed 
by one or more agencies, an advisory committee already in 
existence or by enlarging the mandate of an existing advisory 
committee.

                   CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

    Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United 
States grants Congress the authority to enact this bill.

                    COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII

    1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and 
a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be 
incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) 
of that Rule provides that this requirement does not apply when 
the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted 
cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
    2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2) 
of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this 
bill does not contain any new budget authority, spending 
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in 
revenues or tax expenditures.
    3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or 
objective of this bill is to assist in the conservation of rare 
felids and rare canids by supporting and providing financial 
resources for the conservation programs of nations within the 
range of rare felid and rare canid populations and projects of 
persons with demonstrated expertise in the conservation of rare 
felid and rare canid populations.
    4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause 
3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives and section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act 
of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate 
for this bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office:

H.R. 1464 Great Cats and Rare Canids Act of 2007

    Summary: H.R. 1464 would require the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service to establish a grant program to protect and conserve 
rare species of cats (such as leopards) and canids (such as 
wolves) in the wild. The bill would authorize the appropriation 
of $5 million a year through 2012 for financial assistance to 
eligible government agencies, international or foreign 
organizations, or private entities engaged in such activities. 
Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts (beginning in 
2009), CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1464 would increase 
discretionary spending by $19 million over the 2009-2013 period 
and by $1 million after 2013.
    H.R. 1464 also would authorize the agency to invest 
unneeded balances of appropriated funds in federal securities 
and spend any proceeds from those investments without further 
appropriation. Enacting this legislation would therefore 
increase direct spending by an estimated $200,000 a year 
beginning in 2010. The bill also would authorize the agency to 
accept and spend (also without further appropriation) donations 
from nonfederal sources, but any increase in revenues (from 
donations) would be offset by additional direct spending of 
such amounts.
    H.R. 1464 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) 
and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal 
governments.
    Estimated Cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
budgetary impact of H.R. 1464 is shown in the following table. 
For this estimate, CBO assumes that the legislation will be 
enacted near the end of fiscal year 2008 and that authorized 
amounts will be provided as specified in the bill, beginning 
with fiscal year 2009. Estimated outlays are based on 
historical spending patterns for similar programs. The costs of 
this legislation fall within budget function 300 (natural 
resources and environment).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
                                                               -------------------------------------------------
                                                                  2009      2010      2011      2012      2013
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION\1\

Authorization Level...........................................         5         5         5         5         0
Estimated Outlays.............................................         2         3         4         5         5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Enacting H.R. 1464 also would increase direct spending by an estimated $200,000 a year, beginning in 2010,
  from the use of interest on appropriation balances.

    Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 1464 
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on State, local, or 
tribal governments.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Deborah Reis; Impact 
on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Neil Hood, Impact on 
the Private Sector: Amy Petz.
    Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Assistant Director 
for Budget Analysis.

                    COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4

    This bill contains no unfunded mandates.

                           EARMARK STATEMENT

    H.R. 1464 does not contain any congressional earmarks, 
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in 
clause 9(d), 9(e) or 9(f) of rule XXI.

                PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW

    This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or 
tribal law.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing 
law.

                                  
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