[Senate Report 111-52]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                       Calendar No. 117
111th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session                                                     111-52

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



 
               THE GREAT CATS AND RARE CANIDS ACT OF 2009

                                _______
                                

                  July 20, 2009.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

    Mrs. Boxer, from the Committee on Environment and Public Works, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 529]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Environment and Public Works, having 
considered the bill (S. 529) 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, reports 
favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the 
bill do pass.

                      PURPOSES OF THE LEGISLATION

    S. 529 would provide financial assistance to conserve 
certain species of threatened and endangered rare felids (cats) 
and rare canids (members of the dog family). The bill would 
establish a Great Cats and Rare Canids Fund as an account 
within the Multinational Species Conservation Fund.

                    GENERAL STATEMENT AND BACKGROUND

    Wildlife populations across the globe have been in decline 
due to many stresses. To help address this problem, Congress 
established conservation funds for individual species or groups 
of species--the Multinational Species Conservation Fund (MSCF).
    Under the MSCF, Federal resources provide financial 
assistance to support international conservation efforts to 
help wildlife. By providing resources to keystone wildlife 
species, other wildlife--and their habitat and ecosystems--can 
also be protected and conserved.
    Under the bill, eight species of rare cats are eligible for 
assistance. These include the lion, cheetah, leopard, snow 
leopard and jaguar. Additionally, seven species of rare dogs 
would also be eligible, including the African wild dog, dhole, 
maned wolf and bush dog.

                      SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title

    This section provides that the bill may be cited as the 
``Great Cats and Rare Canids Act of 2009.''

Section 2. Purposes

    Section 2 states that the purposes of the bill are to 
provide financial resources to assist in the restoration and 
conservation of populations of rare felids and rare canids in 
the wild.

Section 3. Definitions

    This section defines specific terms in the legislation.

Section 4. Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Fund

    This section authorizes the establishment of a Great Cats 
and Rare Canids Fund within the Multinational Species 
Conservation Fund.

Section 5. Financial assistance

    This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to 
provide financial assistance for projects that conserve rare 
felids and rare canids and specifies eligible project 
applicants and required information for project applications. 
This section sets forth limitations on use for captive breeding 
and prohibits any grant under this program from being spent in 
a country the government of which the Secretary of State has 
determined has repeatedly provided support for acts of 
international terrorism under certain statutes. It also 
authorizes the establishment of an advisory group to assist the 
Secretary in carrying out the purposes of the Act.

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

    This section requires the Secretary to initiate a study 
within 90 days of the date of enactment and report to the 
Congress on the conservation status of rare felid and rare 
canid species listed under the IUCN Red List that are not 
eligible under this legislation 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 of 
appropriations for each fiscal year from 2010 to 2014. Such 
sums as are necessary are authorized to carry out the study 
authorized in Section 6 of the bill.

                          LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

    In the 110th Congress, similar legislation, H.R. 1464, was 
introduced by Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM) as well as companion 
legislation by Senator Joseph Lieberman. H.R. 1464 passed the 
House of Representatives on May 20, 2008 and was received, read 
twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and 
Public Works. The Committee ordered the bill reported favorably 
as amended by voice vote on September 17, 2008.
    Senator Joseph I. Lieberman introduced S. 529 on March 5, 
2009. Companion legislation was introduced in the House of 
Representatives by Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) on January 9, 2009. 
H.R. 411 passed the House of Representatives on April 21, 2009 
and was received in the Senate and read twice and referred to 
the Committee on Environment and Public Works on April 22, 
2009. The Committee met on May 14, 2009, and ordered S. 529 
reported favorably by voice vote.

                             ROLLCALL VOTES

    There were no rollcall votes. The measure was approved by 
the Committee on Environment and Public Works at a business 
meeting, a quorum being present, by voice vote on May 14, 2009.

                      REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT

    In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee finds that S. 529 
does not create any additional regulatory burdens, nor will it 
cause 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 noted that the Congressional 
Budget Office has found, ``S. 529 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.''

                  CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE

                                                      May 19, 2009.
Hon. Barbara Boxer,
Chairman, Committee on Environment and Public Works,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
    Dear Madam Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 529, the Great Cats 
and Rare Canids Act of 2009.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
            Sincerely,
                                              Douglas W. Elmendorf.
    Enclosure.

S. 529--Great Cats and Rare Canids Act of 2009

    Summary: S. 529 would require the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (USFWS) to establish a grant program to protect and 
conserve rare species of cats (such as leopards) and canids 
(such as wolves). For that purpose, the bill would authorize 
the appropriation of $5 million for each of fiscal years 2010 
through 2014. In addition, the bill would authorize whatever 
amounts are necessary for a study of species that might be 
eligible for assistance.
    Assuming appropriation of the amounts authorized for grants 
or estimated to be needed for the required study, CBO estimates 
that implementing S. 529 would increase discretionary spending 
by $20 million over the 2010-2014 period and by $6 million 
after 2014. The bill also would authorize the USFWS to collect 
and spend donations from non-federal sources, but CBO estimates 
that any new offsetting receipts and associated direct spending 
would be minimal and would have no net effect on the federal 
budget.
    The bill 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 S. 529 is shown in the following table. The 
costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300 
(natural resources and environment).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
                                                   -------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      2010      2011      2012      2013      2014     2010-2014
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION

Estimated Authorization Level.....................         6         5         5         5         5          26
Estimated Outlays.................................         3         3         4         5         5          20
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that the 
authorized amounts will be provided as specified in the bill 
for fiscal years 2011 through 2014. Based on the cost of 
similar activities, we estimate that additional funding of $1 
million would be needed in fiscal year 2010 for the required 
study on feline and canine species. Estimated outlays are based 
on historical spending patterns for similar programs.
    Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 529 
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: Ryan Miller; Impact on 
the Private Sector: Amy Petz.
    Estimate approved by: Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.

                        Changes in Existing Law

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of Rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee notes that no 
changes to existing law are made by this bill.

                                  
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