[Senate Report 115-350]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 580
115th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 115-350
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MIGRATORY BIRDS OF THE AMERICAS CONSERVATION ACT
_______
November 13, 2018.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Barrasso, from the Committee on Environment and Public Works,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 1537]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was
referred the bill (S. 1537) to amend the Neotropical Migratory
Bird Conservation Act to reauthorize the Act, having considered
the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and
recommends that the bill do pass.
General Statement and Background
Neotropical migratory birds are bird species that breed in
North America and winter in the tropics. Some of these species
are federally listed as threatened or endangered under the
Endangered Species Act, and many are popular for bird watching.
These birds also play an important role in pest control and
pollination for agriculture.
The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA)
provides grants to support conservation of migratory bird
populations and fosters international cooperation for
initiatives that will maintain healthy bird populations. Since
2002, the Act has provided over $66 million in grant funding,
along with $250 million in matching funds from public and
private partners--a match ratio of 3.8 to 1. These funds have
gone to 570 projects in 36 countries and have benefited
hundreds of species that breed in North America and live during
the winter in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, or South
America. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
projects funded through the NMCBA have benefited over 4.5
million acres of bird habitat.
Congress originally enacted the Neotropical Migratory Bird
Conservation Act in 2000 and reauthorized it in 2006. The
authorization level was $5 million for each of fiscal years
2006 and 2007, $5.5 million for fiscal year 2008, $6 million
for fiscal year 2009, and $6.5 million for fiscal year 2010.
Objectives of the Legislation
The objective of this legislation is to reauthorize
appropriations for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation
Act and to ensure that three-quarters of the appropriated funds
go to conservation projects located outside the United States.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Short title
This section states that this Act may be cited as the
``Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation Act''.
Section 2. Reauthorization of Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation
Act
Subsection (a) amends section 10 of the Neotropical
Migratory Bird Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 6109) by authorizing
$6.5 million in appropriations to carry out the Act for each of
fiscal years 2019 through 2023.
Subsection (b) requires that at least 75 percent of the
funds made available under subsection (a) be used for projects
carried out at a location outside the United States.
Legislative History
S. 1537, the Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation
Act, was introduced by Senators Cardin, Carper, Coons,
Feinstein, Franken, Leahy, Nelson, Portman, Udall, and Van
Hollen on July 12, 2017. The bill was referred to the Committee
on Environment and Public Works. The bill was subsequently
cosponsored by Senators Markey, Merkley, and Whitehouse. The
Committee ordered S. 1537 to be reported favorably on September
18, 2018.
Hearings
On July 19, 2017, the Committee on Environment and Public
Works held an oversight hearing entitled, ``Legislative Hearing
on S. 1514, the Hunting Heritage and Environmental Legacy
Preservation (HELP) for Wildlife Act.'' Section 6 of S. 1514
included substantially similar legislative language to that of
S. 1537.
Rollcall Votes
On September 18, 2018, the Committee conducted a business
meeting to consider S. 1537. The Committee ordered the bill to
be reported favorably by voice vote.
Regulatory Impact Statement
In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee finds that S. 1537
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 notes that the Congressional
Budget Office found that S. 1537 contains no intergovernmental
or private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA and would impose
no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
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, if available. That statement follows:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, September 21, 2018.
Hon. John Barrasso,
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 S. 1537, the Migratory
Birds of the Americas Conservation Act.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Janani
Shankaran.
Sincerely,
Keith Hall,
Director.
Enclosure.
S. 1537--Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation Act
S. 1537 would authorize the appropriation of $6.5 million a
year through 2023 for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS) to provide grants for the conservation of neotropical
migratory birds. In 2018, the USFWS received appropriations
totaling $4 million to carry out that program. As shown in the
following table and based on historical spending patterns, CBO
estimates that implementing S. 1537 would cost $29 million over
the 2019-2023 period, assuming appropriation of the authorized
amounts. The costs of the legislation fall within budget
function 300 (natural resources and environment).
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By fiscal year, in millions of dollars----
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2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2019-2023
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INCREASES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Authorization Level...................... 0 7 7 7 7 7 33
Estimated Outlays........................ 0 4 6 7 7 7 29
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Components may not sum to totals because of rounding.
Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
CBO estimates that enacting S. 1537 would not increase net
direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2029.
S. 1537 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
On September 8, 2017, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for
S. 1514, the HELP for Wildlife Act, as ordered reported by the
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on July 26,
2017. Section 6 of S. 1514 is similar to S. 1537 and CBO's
estimates of the budgetary effects are the same.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Janani
Shankaran. The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss,
Deputy 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:
* * * * * * *
Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act
* * * * * * *
[SEC. 10. [16 U.S.C. 6109] AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
[(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
the Account to carry out this Act for each of fiscal years 2006
through 2010 the amount specified for that fiscal year in
subsection (b), to remain available until expended, of which
not less than 75 percent of the amounts made available for each
fiscal year shall be expended for projects carried out outside
the United States.
[(b) Authorized Amount.-- The amount referred to in
subsection (a) is--
[(1) $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 and
2007;
[(2) $5,500,000 for fiscal year 2008;
[(3) $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; and
[(4) $6,500,000 for fiscal year 2010.
[(c) Availability.--Amounts appropriated under this section
may remain available until expended.
[(d) Allocation.--Of amounts appropriated under this section
for each fiscal year, not less than 75 percent shall be
expended for projects carried out outside the United States.]
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this Act $6,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2019
through 2023.
(b) Use of Funds.--Of the amounts made available under
subsection (a) for each fiscal year, not less than 75 percent
shall be expended for projects carried out at a location
outside of the United States.
* * * * * * *
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