[House Report 116-481]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


116th Congress }                                          { Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
  2nd Session  }                                          { 116-481
=====================================================================
 
                   SAFEGUARDING AMERICA'S FUTURE AND 
                            ENVIRONMENT ACT

                                _______
                                

 September 1, 2020.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

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

                              R E P O R T

                             together with

                            DISSENTING VIEWS

                        [To accompany H.R. 2748]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 2748) to establish an integrated national 
approach to respond to ongoing and expected effects of extreme 
weather and climate change by protecting, managing, and 
conserving the fish, wildlife, and plants of the United States, 
and to maximize Government efficiency and reduce costs, in 
cooperation with State, local, and Tribal Governments and other 
entities, and for other purposes, having considered the same, 
reports favorably thereon with an amendment and recommends that 
the bill as amended do pass.
    The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``Safeguarding America's Future and 
Environment Act'' or the ``SAFE Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS, PURPOSES, AND POLICY.

  (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
          (1) healthy, diverse, and productive communities of fish, 
        wildlife, and plants provide significant benefits to the people 
        and economy of the United States, including--
                  (A) abundant clean water supplies;
                  (B) flood and coastal storm protection;
                  (C) clean air;
                  (D) a source of food, fiber, medicines, and 
                pollination of the crops and other plants of the United 
                States;
                  (E) outdoor recreation, which is a source of jobs and 
                economic stimulus;
                  (F) hunting and fishing opportunities and support for 
                subsistence communities;
                  (G) opportunities for scientific research and 
                education;
                  (H) world-class tourism destinations that support 
                local economies; and
                  (I) sequestration and storage of carbon to help 
                mitigate changes to the global climate system;
          (2) the United States Geological Survey, National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration, National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration, and other agencies within the United States 
        Global Change Research Program have observed that the fish, 
        wildlife, and plants of the United States are facing increasing 
        risks from changing patterns of extreme weather and climate, 
        including--
                  (A) severe droughts and heatwaves;
                  (B) severe storms and floods;
                  (C) frequent and severe wildfires;
                  (D) more frequent and severe outbreaks of forest 
                pests and invasive species;
                  (E) flooding and erosion of coastal areas due to 
                rising sea levels;
                  (F) melting glaciers and sea ice;
                  (G) thawing permafrost;
                  (H) shifting distributions of fish, wildlife, and 
                plant populations;
                  (I) disruptive shifts in the timing of fish, 
                wildlife, and plant natural history cycles, such as 
                blooming, breeding, and seasonal migrations;
                  (J) increasing ocean temperatures and acidification;
                  (K) altered patterns of rain, snow, runoff, and 
                streamflow; and
                  (L) habitat loss, degradation, fragmentation, and 
                movement; and
          (3) the Federal Government should provide leadership in 
        preparing for and responding to the effects described in 
        paragraph (2) to ensure that present and future generations 
        continue to receive the benefits of the abundant and diverse 
        fish, wildlife, and plant resources of the United States.
  (b) Purposes.--The purpose of this Act is to establish an integrated 
national approach--
          (1) to respond to ongoing and expected effects of extreme 
        weather and climate change by protecting, managing, and 
        conserving the fish, wildlife, and plants of the United States; 
        and
          (2) to maximize Government efficiency and reduce costs, in 
        cooperation with State, local, and Tribal Governments and other 
        entities.
  (c) National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Change Adaptation 
Policy.--It is the policy of the Federal Government, in cooperation 
with State and local governments, Indian Tribes, and other interested 
stakeholders to evaluate and reduce the increased risks and 
vulnerabilities associated with climate change and extreme weather 
events, and to use all practicable means to protect, manage, and 
conserve healthy, diverse, and productive fish, wildlife, and plant 
populations.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

  In this Act:
          (1) Adaptation.--The term ``adaptation'' means--
                  (A) the process of adjustment to actual or expected 
                climate and the effects of climate change; and
                  (B) with respect to fish, wildlife, and plants, 
                protection, management, and conservation efforts 
                designed to maintain or enhance the ability of fish, 
                wildlife, and plants to withstand, adjust to, or 
                recover from the effects of extreme weather and climate 
                change (including, where applicable, ocean 
                acidification, drought, flooding, and wildfire).
          (2) Center.--The term ``Center'' means the National Climate 
        Change and Wildlife Science Center established under section 
        6(a)(1).
          (3) Committee.--The term ``Committee'' means the Advisory 
        Committee on Climate Change and Natural Resource Sciences 
        established under section 6(b)(1).
          (4) Ecological processes.--The term ``ecological processes'' 
        means biological, chemical, or physical interaction between the 
        biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem, including--
                  (A) decomposition;
                  (B) disease epizootiology;
                  (C) disturbance regimes, such as fire and flooding;
                  (D) gene flow;
                  (E) hydrological cycling;
                  (F) larval dispersal and settlement;
                  (G) nutrient cycling;
                  (H) pollination;
                  (I) predator-prey relationships; and
                  (J) soil formation.
          (5) Habitat.--The term ``habitat'' means the physical, 
        chemical, and biological properties that fish, wildlife, or 
        plants use for growth, reproduction, survival, food, water, or 
        cover (whether on land, in water, or in an area or region).
          (6) Habitat connectivity.--The term ``habitat connectivity'' 
        means areas that facilitate terrestrial, marine, estuarine, and 
        freshwater fish, wildlife, or plant movement that is 
        necessary--
                  (A) for migration, gene flow, or dispersal; or
                  (B) to respond to the ongoing and expected effects of 
                climate change (including, where applicable, ocean 
                acidification, drought, flooding, and wildfire).
          (7) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination 
        and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304(e)).
          (8) National strategy.--The term ``National Strategy'' means 
        the National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation 
        Strategy released March 26, 2013.
          (9) Resilience; resilient.--The terms ``resilience'' and 
        ``resilient'' mean the ability to anticipate, prepare for, and 
        adapt to changing conditions and withstand, respond to, and 
        recover rapidly from disruptions.
          (10) State.--The term ``State'' means--
                  (A) a State of the United States;
                  (B) the District of Columbia;
                  (C) American Samoa;
                  (D) Guam;
                  (E) the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands;
                  (F) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and
                  (G) the United States Virgin Islands.
          (11) Working group.--The term ``Working Group'' means the 
        National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy 
        Joint Implementation Working Group established under section 
        4(a).

SEC. 4. NATIONAL FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PLANTS CLIMATE ADAPTATION STRATEGY 
                    JOINT IMPLEMENTATION WORKING GROUP.

  (a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the President shall establish a National Fish, 
Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy Joint Implementation 
Working Group composed of the heads of Federal and State agencies or 
departments with jurisdiction over fish, wildlife, and plant resources 
of the United States, and Tribal representatives, as follows:
          (1) The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
          (2) The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
        Agency.
          (3) The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration.
          (4) The Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality.
          (5) The Chief of Engineers.
          (6) The Chief of the Forest Service.
          (7) The Commissioner of Reclamation.
          (8) The Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
          (9) The Director of the Bureau of Land Management.
          (10) The Director of the National Park Service.
          (11) The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife 
        Service.
          (12) The Director of the United States Geological Survey.
          (13) The Secretary of Agriculture.
          (14) The Secretary of Defense.
          (15) State representatives from each regional association of 
        State fish and wildlife agencies.
          (16) Not less than 2 Tribal representatives.
  (b) Duties.--The Working Group shall serve as a forum for interagency 
consultation on, and the coordination of, the development and 
implementation of the National Strategy.
  (c) Co-Chairs.--There shall be 4 co-chairs, of whom--
          (1) two shall be representatives of the Federal Government;
          (2) one shall be a representative of a State; and
          (3) one shall be a Tribal representative.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PLANTS CLIMATE ADAPTATION 
                    STRATEGY.

  (a) In General.--The Working Group shall adopt the National Strategy 
to protect, manage, and conserve fish, wildlife, and plants to maintain 
the inherent resilience and adaptability of fish, wildlife, and plants 
to withstand the ongoing and expected effects of extreme weather and 
climate change.
  (b) Review and Revision.--Not later than 1 year after each release of 
the assessment required under section 106 of the Global Change Research 
Act of 1990 (15 U.S.C. 2936), the Working Group shall--
          (1) use sound science to review and revise the National 
        Strategy to incorporate--
                  (A) new information regarding the ongoing and 
                expected effects of climate change on fish, wildlife, 
                and plants; and
                  (B) advances in the development of fish, wildlife, 
                and plant adaptation strategies; and
          (2) in carrying out paragraph (1), provide public notice and 
        opportunity for comment.
  (c) Contents.--A revised National Strategy shall--
          (1) assess the vulnerability of fish, wildlife, and plants to 
        climate change, including short-term, medium-term, long-term, 
        and cumulative impacts;
          (2) describe current observation and monitoring activities at 
        the Federal, State, Tribal, and local levels relating to the 
        ongoing and expected effects of climate change on fish, 
        wildlife, and plants;
          (3) identify and prioritize research and data needs;
          (4) identify fish, wildlife, and plants likely to have the 
        greatest need for protection, restoration, and conservation due 
        to the ongoing and expanding effects of extreme weather and 
        climate change;
          (5) include specific protocols for integrating fish, 
        wildlife, and plant adaptation strategies and activities into 
        the conservation and management of natural resources by Federal 
        agencies to ensure consistency across agency jurisdictions;
          (6) identify opportunities for maintaining, restoring, or 
        enhancing fish, wildlife, and plants to reduce the risks of 
        extreme weather and climate change on other vulnerable sectors 
        of society;
          (7) identify Federal policies and actions that may reduce 
        resilience and increase the vulnerability of fish, wildlife, 
        and plants to extreme weather and climate change;
          (8) include specific actions that Federal agencies shall take 
        to protect, conserve, and manage fish, wildlife, and plants to 
        maintain the inherent resilience and adaptability of fish, 
        wildlife, and plants to withstand, adjust to, or recover from 
        the ongoing and expected effects of climate change, including a 
        timeline to implement those actions;
          (9) include specific mechanisms for ensuring communication 
        and coordination--
                  (A) among Federal agencies; and
                  (B) between Federal agencies and State agencies, 
                territories of the United States, Indian Tribes, 
                private landowners, conservation organizations, and 
                other countries that share jurisdiction over fish, 
                wildlife, and plants with the United States;
          (10) include specific actions to develop and implement 
        coordinated fish, wildlife, and plants inventory and monitoring 
        protocols through interagency coordination and collaboration 
        with States and local governments, Indian Tribes, and private 
        organizations; and
          (11) include procedures for guiding the development of 
        detailed strategy implementation plans required under section 
        7.
  (d) Implementation.--
          (1) In general.--Consistent with other laws and Federal trust 
        responsibilities concerning Indian land or rights of Indians 
        under treaties with the United States, each Federal agency 
        shall integrate the elements of the National Strategy that 
        relate to conservation, management, and protection of fish, 
        wildlife, and plants into agency plans, environmental reviews, 
        and programs.
          (2) Public report.--The Working Group shall, on a biannual 
        basis, between revisions to the National Strategy, make 
        available to the public a report documenting any actions 
        implementing the Strategy.
          (3) Coordination.--The Working Group shall coordinate the 
        implementation of the National Strategy with Federal agencies 
        not represented on the Working Group to achieve the policy of 
        the United States described in section 2(c).

SEC. 6. FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PLANTS ADAPTATION SCIENCE AND INFORMATION.

  (a) National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center.--
          (1) Authorization.--The Secretary of the Interior, in 
        collaboration with the States, Indian Tribes, and other partner 
        organizations, shall establish a National Climate Change and 
        Wildlife Science Center.
          (2) Duties of center.--The Center shall assess and develop 
        scientific information, tools, strategies, and techniques to 
        support the Working Group, Federal and State agencies, Tribes, 
        regionally based science and conservation centers, regional 
        coordinating entities, and other interested parties in 
        addressing the effects of extreme weather and climate change on 
        fish, wildlife, and plants.
          (3) General authority to enter into contracts, grants, and 
        cooperative agreements.--The Secretary may enter into 
        contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements with State 
        agencies, State cooperative extension services, institutions of 
        higher education, other research or educational institutions 
        and organizations, Tribal organizations, Federal and private 
        agencies and organizations, individuals, and any other 
        contractor or recipient, to further the duties under paragraph 
        (2) without regard to--
                  (A) any requirements for competition;
                  (B) section 6101 of title 41, United States Code; or
                  (C) subsections (a) and (b) of section 3324 of title 
                31, United States Code.
  (b) Advisory Committee on Climate Change and Natural Resource 
Sciences.--
          (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, and pursuant to the Federal Advisory 
        Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), the Secretary of the Interior 
        shall establish an Advisory Committee on Climate Change and 
        Natural Resource Sciences.
          (2) Membership.--The Committee shall be comprised of 25 
        members who--
                  (A) represent--
                          (i) Federal agencies;
                          (ii) State, local, and Tribal Governments;
                          (iii) nongovernmental organizations;
                          (iv) academic institutions; and
                          (v) the private sector; and
                  (B) have expertise in--
                          (i) biology (including fish, wildlife, plant, 
                        aquatic, coastal, and marine biology);
                          (ii) ecology;
                          (iii) climate change (including, where 
                        applicable, ocean acidification, drought, 
                        flooding, and wildfire); and
                          (iv) other relevant scientific disciplines.
          (3) Chair.--The Secretary of the Interior shall appoint a 
        Committee Chair from among the members of the Committee.
          (4) Duties.--The Committee shall--
                  (A) advise the Working Group on the state of the 
                science regarding--
                          (i) the ongoing and expected effects of 
                        extreme weather and climate change on fish, 
                        wildlife, and plants; and
                          (ii) scientific strategies and mechanisms for 
                        fish, wildlife, and plant adaptation;
                  (B) identify and recommend priorities for ongoing 
                research needs on the issues described in subparagraph 
                (A) to inform the research priorities of the Center 
                described in subsection (a) and other Federal climate 
                science institutions; and
                  (C) review and comment on each revised National 
                Strategy before that National Strategy is finalized.
          (5) Collaboration.--The Committee shall collaborate with 
        climate change and fish, wildlife, and plant research entities 
        in other Federal agencies and departments.
          (6) Availability to public.--The advice and recommendations 
        of the Committee shall be made available to the public.

SEC. 7. STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

  (a) Development.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act and not later than 1 year after the date of each revision 
of the National Strategy, the Working Group shall--
          (1) complete a strategy implementation plan;
          (2) provide opportunities for public review and comment on 
        the plan; and
          (3) submit the plan to the President for approval.
  (b) Requirements.--The strategy implementation plan shall--
          (1) identify and prioritize specific conservation and 
        management strategies and actions that address the ongoing and 
        expected effects of extreme weather and climate change on fish, 
        wildlife, and plants, including--
                  (A) protection, management, and conservation of 
                terrestrial, marine, estuarine, and freshwater habitats 
                and ecosystems;
                  (B) establishment of terrestrial, marine, estuarine, 
                and freshwater habitat connectivity corridors;
                  (C) restoration and conservation of ecological 
                processes;
                  (D) protection of a broad diversity of species of 
                fish, wildlife, and plant populations; and
                  (E) protection of fish, wildlife, and plant health, 
                recognizing that climate can alter the distribution and 
                ecology of parasites, pathogens, and vectors;
          (2) establish methods--
                  (A) to assess the effectiveness of strategies and 
                conservation actions implemented by the agencies to 
                protect, manage, and conserve fish, wildlife, and 
                plants; and
                  (B) to update those strategies and actions to respond 
                to new information and changing conditions;
          (3) describe current and proposed mechanisms to enhance 
        cooperation and coordination of fish, wildlife, and plant 
        adaptation efforts with other Federal agencies, State and local 
        governments, Indian Tribes, and nongovernmental stakeholders;
          (4) include written guidance to resource managers; and
          (5) identify and assess data and information gaps necessary 
        to develop fish, wildlife, and plant adaptation plans and 
        strategies.
  (c) Implementation.--
          (1) In general.--On approval by the President, each Federal 
        agency shall, consistent with existing authority, implement the 
        strategy implementation plan under subsection (a)(1) through 
        existing and new plans, policies, programs, activities, and 
        actions.
          (2) Consideration of effects.--To the maximum extent 
        practicable and consistent with existing authority, fish, 
        wildlife, and plant conservation and management decisions made 
        by each Federal agency shall consider and promote resilience to 
        the ongoing and expected effects of extreme weather and climate 
        change.
  (d) Revision and Review.--Not later than 1 year after the National 
Strategy is revised under section 5(b), the Working Group shall review 
and revise the strategy implementation plan under subsection (a)(1) to 
incorporate the best available science, including advice and 
information pursuant to section 6 and other information, regarding the 
ongoing and expected effects of climate change on fish, wildlife, and 
plants.

SEC. 8. STATE FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PLANTS ADAPTATION PLANS.

  (a) Requirement.--To be eligible to receive funds pursuant to 
subsection (d), not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act and not later than 1 year after the date of each revision of 
the National Strategy, each State shall prepare and submit to the 
Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce, a State fish, 
wildlife, and plant adaptation plan detailing current and future 
efforts of the State to address the ongoing and expected effects of 
climate change on fish, wildlife, and plants and coastal areas within 
the jurisdiction of the State.
  (b) Review or Approval.--The Secretary of the Interior and the 
Secretary of Commerce shall--
          (1) review each State adaptation plan; and
          (2) approve a State adaptation plan if the plan--
                  (A) meets the requirements of subsection (c); and
                  (B) is consistent with the National Strategy.
  (c) Contents.--A State adaptation plan shall--
          (1) meet the requirements described in section 7(b), except 
        that the requirements of that section relating to marine 
        habitats or ecosystems shall not apply to a State in which 
        those habitats or ecosystems do not exist;
          (2) include the adaptation provisions of any State 
        comprehensive wildlife conservation strategy (or State wildlife 
        action plan) that has been--
                  (A) submitted to the Director of the United States 
                Fish and Wildlife Service; and
                  (B) approved, or is pending approval, by the Director 
                of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service;
          (3) include the adaptation provisions of a statewide 
        assessment and strategy for forest resources required under 
        section 2A of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 
        (16 U.S.C. 2101a) that has been--
                  (A) submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture; and
                  (B) approved, or is pending approval, by the 
                Secretary of Agriculture; and
          (4) in the case of a State with coastal areas, include the 
        adaptation provisions of a Coastal Zone Management Plan or a 
        Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program Plan that has 
        been--
                  (A) submitted to the Administrator of the National 
                Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and
                  (B) approved, or is pending approval, by the 
                Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                Administration.
  (d) Distribution of Funds to States.--Any funds made available 
pursuant to this Act shall be--
          (1) used to carry out activities in accordance with 
        adaptation plans approved under this section; and
          (2) made available through--
                  (A) the State and Tribal wildlife grant program under 
                title I of division F of the Consolidated 
                Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110-161; 121 Stat. 
                2103); and
                  (B)(i) the grant program under section 306 of the 
                Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1455);
                  (ii) the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation 
                Program established under title II of the Department of 
                Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002 
                (16 U.S.C. 1456d); and
                  (iii) programs established under the Cooperative 
                Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2101 et 
                seq.).
  (e) Public Input.--In developing an adaptation plan, a State shall 
solicit and consider input from the public and independent scientists.
  (f) Coordination With Other Plans.--A State adaptation plan shall, 
where appropriate, integrate the goals and measures set forth in other 
climate adaptation, hazard mitigation, and fish, wildlife, and plant 
conservation strategies and plans.
  (g) Updates.--Each State adaptation plan shall be updated at least 
every 4 years.

                          PURPOSE OF THE BILL

    The purpose of H.R. 2748 is to establish an integrated 
national approach to respond to ongoing and expected effects of 
extreme weather and climate change by protecting, managing, and 
conserving the fish, wildlife, and plants of the United States, 
and to maximize government efficiency and reduce costs, in 
cooperation with state, local, and tribal governments and other 
entities, and for other purposes.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    Economies around the country are built on the existence of 
healthy, diverse, and productive communities of fish, wildlife, 
and plants. Plants and wildlife provide food, clean water, air, 
medicine, energy, and more. In the face of climate change, 
plants and wildlife are facing increasing threats causing 
shifts in population distributions, habitat loss, 
fragmentation, and degradation.\1\ The Intergovernmental 
Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services 
(IPBES) Global Assessment estimates that the current rate of 
global species extinction is tens to hundreds of times higher 
than it has been on average over the past 10 million years.\2\ 
Strengthening the resiliency of fish, wildlife, and plant 
populations against climate change is critical for ensuring 
that present and future generations can benefit from the 
abundant services they provide.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\See, e.g., Brett R. Scheffers et al., The Broad Footprint of 
Climate Change from Genes to Biomes to People, 354(6313) Science 
(2016), doi: 10.1126/science.aaf7671, https://science.sciencemag.org/
content/354/6313/aaf7671; Douglas Lipton, Madeleine A. Rubenstein & 
Sarah R. Weiskopf et al., U.S. Glob. Change Res. Program, Impacts, 
Risks, and Adaptation in the United States: Fourth National Climate 
Assessment, vol. II, ch. 7: Ecosystems, Ecosystem Services, and 
Biodiversity (D.R. Reidmiller, C.W. Avery, D.R. Easterling, K.E. 
Kunkel, K.L.M. Lewis, T.K. Maycock, and B.C. Stewart eds., 2018), 
https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/chapter/7/.
    \2\IPBES, Summary for Policymakers of the Global Assessment Report 
on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services 12 (2019), https://ipbes.net/
sites/default/files/inline/files/
ipbes_global_assessment_report_summary_for_policymakers.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    H.R. 2748 creates a working group across the federal 
government and a federal strategy to improve the resilience, 
survivability, and adaptability of fish, wildlife, and plants 
in the face of climate change.\3\ This bill requires the 
National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation 
Strategy,\4\ which was released in 2013, to be updated 
following the release of each National Climate Assessment.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \3\Cf. H.R. Rep. No. 111-316, at 76-77 (2009), (urging the Council 
on Environmental Quality and the Department of the Interior to 
``develop a national, government-wide strategy to address climate 
impacts on fish, wildlife, plants, and associated ecological 
processes,'' id. at 77), https://www.congress.gov/111/crpt/hrpt316/
CRPT-111hrpt316.pdf.
    \4\Nat'l Fish, Wildlife & Plants Climate Adaptation Partnership, 
National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy (2013), 
http://www.wildlifeadaptationstrategy.gov/strategy.php.
    \5\For the most recent National Climate Assessment, see U.S. Glob. 
Change Res. Program, Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United 
States: Fourth National Climate Assessment (2018), https://
www.globalchange.gov/nca4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 2748 was introduced on May 15, 2019, by Representative 
Matt Cartwright (D-PA). The bill was referred solely to the 
Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the 
Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources; the Subcommittee 
for Indigenous Peoples of the United States; the Subcommittee 
on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands; and the 
Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife. On September 24, 
2019, the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife held a 
hearing on the bill. On January 29, 2020, the Natural Resources 
Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittees were 
discharged by unanimous consent. Representative Cartwright 
offered an amendment designated Cartwright #1. The amendment 
was agreed to by voice vote. The bill, as amended, was adopted 
and ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives 
by a roll call vote of 22 yeas and 15 nays, as follows:


                                HEARINGS

    For the purposes of section 103(i) of H. Res. 6 of the 
116th Congress--the following hearing was used to develop or 
consider H.R. 2748: legislative hearing by the Subcommittee on 
Water, Oceans, and Wildlife held on September 24, 2019.

                      SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

    Section 1. Short title
    Section 2. Finding, Purposes, and Policy
    Section 3. Definitions
    Section 4. National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate 
Adaptation Strategy Joint Implementation Working Group. This 
section establishes the National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants 
Climate Adaptation Strategy Joint Implementation Working Group 
to adopt and periodically revise the 2013 National Fish, 
Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy (see section 
5). The Working Group includes heads of federal and state 
agencies or departments with jurisdiction over fish, wildlife, 
and plant resources, as well as tribal representatives.
    Section 5. National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate 
Adaptation Strategy. This section directs the Working Group 
established in section 4 to adopt the National Fish, Wildlife, 
and Plants Climate Adaption Strategy (National Strategy) and 
revise it no later than one year after the release of each 
National Climate Assessment mandated by the Global Change 
Research Act of 1990.\6\ This section requires that the 
National Strategy revisions:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \6\Pub. L. No. 101-606, tit. I, Sec.  106, 104 Stat. 3096, 3101 
(1990), https://uscode.house.gov/statviewer.htm?volume=104&page=3101 
(codified at 15 U.S.C. Sec. 2936).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Assess the vulnerability of fish, wildlife, 
        and plants to climate change, including short-term, 
        medium-term, long-term, and cumulative impacts, as well 
        as activities that agencies, states, and tribal 
        governments are implementing to protect identified 
        species at risk.
           Identify fish, wildlife, and plants most at 
        risk and outline protocols for integrating adaptation 
        strategies into federal conservation and management of 
        natural resources.
           Identify federal policies that may reduce 
        resilience of fish, wildlife, and plants to climate 
        change, and identify opportunities that could maintain, 
        restore, or enhance resiliency.
           Identify specific actions that federal 
        agencies can take to protect, conserve, and manage 
        fish, wildlife, and plants from impacts of climate 
        change.
    Section 6. Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Adaptation Science 
and Information. This section directs the Secretary of the 
Interior to establish a National Climate Change and Wildlife 
Science Center in coordination with states, Indian tribes, and 
partner organizations to develop scientific information, tools, 
strategies, and techniques to support the Working Group and 
other entities in addressing the effects of extreme weather and 
climate change on fish, wildlife, and plants. Additionally, the 
Secretary of the Interior is directed to establish an Advisory 
Committee on Climate Change and Natural Resource Sciences 
comprised of twenty-five members from federal agencies; state, 
local, and tribal governments; nongovernmental organizations; 
the private sector; and academic institutions. The Advisory 
Committee is tasked with assisting and informing the efforts of 
the Working Group and the Science Center.
    Section 7. Strategy Implementation Plans. This section 
requires the Working Group to complete a strategy 
implementation plan one year after implementation of the bill, 
and on the anniversary of the date of each revision of the 
National Strategy, which must be available to the public and 
submitted to the President for approval. The strategy 
implementation plan must identify conservation and management 
strategies and actions that address the effects of extreme 
weather and climate change on fish, wildlife, and plants as 
well as the effectiveness of such strategies and actions. Each 
federal agency is required to implement the strategy 
implementation plan upon its approval by the President.
    Section 8. State Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Adaptation 
Plans. This section conditions certain existing federal grants 
on each state developing and submitting a fish, wildlife, and 
plant adaptation plan to the Secretary of the Interior and the 
Secretary of Commerce detailing current and future efforts to 
address the ongoing effects of climate change. State adaptation 
plans shall include the same requirements as implementation 
plans established in Section 7, as well as the adaptation 
provisions of any state wildlife conservation plan, and shall 
be updated every four years. States with approved adaptation 
plans under this section would be eligible for grant funding 
through existing grant programs.

            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.

                  COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND 
                        CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT

    1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act. 
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
sections 308(a) and 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974, the Committee has received the following estimate for the 
bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                     Washington, DC, June 25, 2020.
Hon. Raul M. Grijalva,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2748, the SAFE 
Act.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Madeleine 
Fox.
            Sincerely,
                                         Phillip L. Swagel,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

    
    

    H.R. 2748 would establish three groups to work on the 
expected effects of climate change. One group, the National 
Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy Joint 
Implementation Working Group, would be required to create and 
implement a national strategy with respect to climate change 
and to report biannually on its activities. The National 
Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center and an advisory 
committee on Climate Change and Natural Resources would provide 
support for the working group.
    Using information about the cost of similar activities, CBO 
estimates that creating the working group and national strategy 
would cost about $500,000 annually and $3 million over the 
2020-2025 period. The report and the advisory committee on 
climate change would each cost less than $500,000 annually, but 
together would cost about $3 million over the 2020-2025 period. 
The proposed National Climate Change and Wildlife Science 
Center already exists as the Climate Adaptation Science Center; 
thus, CBO estimates there would be no significant cost to 
implement that provision. In total, CBO estimates that 
implementing H.R. 2748 would cost $6 million over the 2020-2025 
period; that spending would be subject to the availability of 
appropriated funds.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Madeleine Fox. 
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy 
Director of Budget Analysis.
    2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goals and 
objectives of this bill are to establish an integrated national 
approach to respond to ongoing and expected effects of extreme 
weather and climate change by protecting, managing, and 
conserving the fish, wildlife, and plants of the United States, 
and to maximize government efficiency and reduce costs, in 
cooperation with state, local, and tribal governments and other 
entities.

                           EARMARK STATEMENT

    This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks, 
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined 
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives.

                 UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT STATEMENT

    This bill contains no unfunded mandates.

                FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT STATEMENT

    Section 4 of the bill establishes a National Fish, 
Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy Joint 
Implementation Working Group, and Section 5 of the bill 
establishes an Advisory Committee on Climate Change and Natural 
Resource Sciences. In reporting the bill favorably to the House 
of Representatives, the Committee on Natural Resources finds 
that the functions of the Working Group and the Advisory 
Committee would be better performed by the proposed Working 
Group and Advisory Committee than by one or more agencies or an 
existing advisory committee.

                           EXISTING PROGRAMS

    This bill does not establish or reauthorize a program of 
the federal government known to be duplicative of another 
program.

                  APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

               PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL, OR TRIBAL LAW

    Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or 
tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's 
purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the 
U.S. Constitution.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

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

                            DISSENTING VIEWS

    According to testimony from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, ``This bill appears to be duplicative of many on-going 
efforts related to adaptation strategies for fish, wildlife, 
and plants.'' This work is already being done, clearly this 
legislation is not needed. For these reasons, Republicans 
oppose this legislation.

                                   Rob Bishop (UT).
                                   Louie Gohmert.
                                   Tom McClintock.
                                   Paul A. Gosar.

                                  [all]