[Senate Report 111-54]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                       Calendar No. 119
111th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session                                                     111-54

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



 
                   THE CRANE CONSERVATION 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 H.R. 388]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was 
referred the bill (H.R. 388) to assist in the conservation of 
cranes by supporting and providing, through projects of persons 
and organizations with expertise in crane conservation, 
financial resources for the conservation programs of countries 
the activities of which directly or indirectly affect cranes 
and the ecosystems of cranes, reports favorably thereon without 
amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

                      PURPOSES OF THE LEGISLATION

    H.R. 388 would provide financial assistance to conserve 
cranes. The bill would establish a Crane Conservation 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 this bill, cranes become eligible for assistance 
under the MSCF.

                      SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title

    This section provides that the bill may be cited as the 
``Crane Conservation Act of 2009.''

Section 2. Purposes

    This section provides that the purposes of the bill are to 
provide financial resources to assist in the restoration and 
conservation of populations of cranes in the wild.

Section 3. Definitions

    This section defines specific terms in the legislation.

Section 4. Crane conservation assistance

    This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to 
provide financial assistance for projects that conserve cranes 
and specifies eligible project applicants and required 
information for project applications.

Section 5. Crane Conservation Fund

    This section authorizes the establishment of a Crane 
Conservation Fund within the Multinational Species Conservation 
Fund.

Section 6. Advisory group

    This section authorizes the Secretary to convene an 
advisory group to assist in carrying out the purposes and 
requirements of this Act.

Section 7. Funding

    The legislation would authorize $5 million per year of 
appropriations for each fiscal year from 2010 to 2014.

                          LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

    In the 110th Congress, similar legislation, H.R. 1771, was 
introduced by Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and passed the House of 
Representatives on May 21, 2008. Companion legislation was 
introduced by Senator Russ Feingold. H.R. 1771 was received, 
read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Environment 
and Public Works. The Committee ordered the bill reported 
favorably by voice vote on September 17, 2008.
    H.R. 388 was introduced on January 9, 2009 by Rep. Tammy 
Baldwin (D-WI). Companion legislation was introduced in the 
Senate by Senator Russ Feingold on January 9, 2009. H.R. 388 
passed the House of Representatives on April 21, 2009 and was 
received, read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on 
Environment and Public Works on April 22, 2009. The Committee 
met on May 14, 2009, when H.R. 388 was ordered 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 H.R. 80 
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, ``H.R. 388 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 H.R. 388, the Crane 
Conservation 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.

H.R. 388--Crane Conservation Act of 2009

    Summary: H.R. 388 would require the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (USFWS) to establish a grant program to protect and 
conserve wild cranes. The act would authorize the appropriation 
of $5 million for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014 for 
financial assistance to eligible government agencies, 
international or foreign organizations, or private entities 
engaged in such activities. Assuming appropriation of the 
authorized amounts, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 388 
would increase discretionary spending by $19 million over the 
2010-2014 period and by $6 million after 2014.
    The act 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.
    H.R. 388 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. 388 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

Authorization Level.....................................        5        5        5        5        5        25
Estimated Outlays.......................................        2        3        4        5        5        19
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Basis of Estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that the 
authorized amounts will be provided as specified in the act. 
Estimated outlays are based on historical spending patterns for 
similar programs.
    Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 388 
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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