[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9668-S9670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AMENDMENT ACT OF 1996
Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the consideration of calendar 542, S. 1873.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 1873) to amend the National Environmental
Education Act to extend programs under the Act, and for other
purposes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate
consideration of the bill?
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill,
which had been reported from the Committee on Environment and Public
Works, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting clause and
insert in lieu thereof the following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Environmental
Education Amendments Act of 1996''.
SEC. 2. OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.
Section 4 of the National Environmental Education Act (20
U.S.C. 5503) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1) by inserting after ``support'' the
following: ``balanced and scientifically sound'';
(B) by striking paragraph (6);
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (13) as
paragraphs (6) through (12), respectively; and
(D) in paragraph (12) (as so redesignated), by inserting
before the period the following: ``through the headquarters
and the regional offices of the Agency''; and
(2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
``(c) Staff.--The Office of Environmental Education shall--
``(1) include a headquarters staff of not more than 10
full-time equivalent employees; and
``(2) be supported by 1 full-time equivalent employee in
each Agency regional office.
``(d) Activities.--The Administrator may carry out the
activities specified in subsection (b) directly or through
awards of grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts.''.
SEC. 3. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS.
Section 6 of the National Environmental Education Act (20
U.S.C. 5505) is amended--
(1) in the second sentence of subsection (i), by striking
``25 percent'' and inserting ``15 percent''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(j) Lobbying Activities.--A grant under this section may
not be used to support a lobbying activity (as described in
the documents issued by the Office of Management and Budget
and designated as OMB Circulars No. A-21 and No. A-122).''.
SEC. 4. ENVIRONMENTAL INTERNSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS.
(a) In General.--The National Environmental Education Act
is amended--
(1) by striking section 7 (20 U.S.C. 5506); and
(2) by redesignating sections 8 through 11 (20 U.S.C. 5507
through 5510) as sections 7 through 10, respectively.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--The National Environmental
Education Act is amended--
(1) in the table of contents in section 1(b) (20 U.S.C.
prec. 5501)--
(A) by striking the item relating to section 7; and
(B) by redesignating the items relating to sections 8
through 11 as items relating to sections 7 through 10,
respectively;
(2) in section 4(b) (20 U.S.C. 5503(b))--
(A) in paragraph (6) (as redesignated by section 2(1)(C)),
by striking ``section 8 of this Act'' and inserting ``section
7''; and
(B) in paragraph (7) (as so redesignated), by striking
``section 9 of this Act'' and inserting ``section 8'';
(3) in section 6(c)(3) (20 U.S.C. 5505(c)(3)), by striking
``section 9(d) of this Act'' and inserting ``section 8(d)'';
(4) in the matter preceding subsection (c)(3)(A) of section
9 (as redesignated by subsection (a)(2)), by striking
``section 10(a) of this Act'' and inserting ``subsection
(a)''; and
(5) in subsection (c)(2) of section 10 (as redesignated by
subsection (a)(2)), by striking ``section 10(d) of this Act''
and inserting ``section 9(d)''.
SEC. 5. NATIONAL EDUCATION AWARDS.
Section 7 of the National Environmental Education Act (as
redesignated by section 4(a)(2)) is amended to read as
follows:
``SEC. 7. NATIONAL EDUCATION AWARDS.
``The Administrator may provide for awards to be known as
the `President's Environmental
[[Page S9669]]
Youth Awards' to be given to young people in grades
kindergarten through 12 for outstanding projects to promote
local environmental awareness.''.
SEC. 6. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL AND TASK
FORCE.
Section 8 of the National Environmental Education Act (as
redesignated by section 4(a)(2)) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(2), by striking the first and second
sentences and inserting the following: ``The Advisory Council
shall consist of not more than 11 members appointed by the
Administrator after consultation with the Secretary. To the
extent practicable, the Administrator shall appoint to the
Advisory Council at least 1 representative from each of the
following sectors: primary and secondary education; colleges
and universities; not-for-profit organizations involved in
environmental education; State departments of education and
natural resources; business and industry; and senior
Americans.'';
(2) in subsection (c), by striking paragraph (2) and
inserting the following:
``(2) Membership.--Membership on the Task Force shall be
open to representatives of any Federal agency actively
engaged in environmental education.''; and
(3) in subsection (d), by striking paragraph (1) and
inserting the following:
``(1) Biennial meetings.--The Advisory Council shall hold a
biennial meeting on timely issues regarding environmental
education and issue a report and recommendations on the
proceedings of the meeting.''.
SEC. 7. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING
FOUNDATION.
(a) Change in Name.--
(1) In general.--The first sentence of subsection (a)(1)(A)
of section 9 of the National Environmental Education Act (as
redesignated by section 4(a)(2)) is amended by striking
``National Environmental Education and Training Foundation''
and inserting ``Foundation for Environmental Education''.
(2) Conforming amendments.--The National Environmental
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5501 et seq.) is amended--
(A) in the item relating to section 9 (as redesignated by
section 4(b)(1)(B)) of the table of contents in section 1(b)
(20 U.S.C. prec. 5501), by striking ``National Environmental
Education and Training Foundation'' and inserting
``Foundation for Environmental Education'';
(B) in section 3 (20 U.S.C. 5502)--
(i) by striking paragraph (12) and inserting the following:
``(12) Foundation.--`Foundation' means the Foundation for
Environmental Education established by section 9; and''; and
(ii) in paragraph (13), by striking ``National
Environmental Education and Training Foundation'' and
inserting ``Foundation for Environmental Education'';
(C) in the heading of section 9 (as redesignated by section
4(a)(2)), by striking ``NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND
TRAINING FOUNDATION'' and inserting ``FOUNDATION FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION''; and
(D) in subsection (c) of section 10 (as redesignated by
section 4(a)(2)), by striking ``National Environmental
Education and Training Foundation'' and inserting
``Foundation for Environmental Education''.
(b) Board of Directors; Number of Directors.--The first
sentence of subsection (b)(1)(A) of section 9 of the National
Environmental Education Act (as redesignated by section
4(a)(2)) is amended by striking ``13'' and inserting ``19''.
(c) Acknowledgment of Donations.--Section 9(d) of the
National Environmental Education Act (as redesignated by
section 4(a)(2)) is amended by striking paragraph (3) and
inserting the following:
``(3) Acknowledgment of donors.--The Foundation may
acknowledge receipt of donations by means of a listing of the
names of donors in materials distributed by the Foundation,
but any such acknowledgment--
``(A) shall not appear in educational material to be
presented to students; and
``(B) shall not identify a donor by means of a logo,
letterhead, or other corporate commercial symbol, slogan, or
product.''.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 10 of the National Environmental Education Act (as
redesignated by section 4(a)(2)) is amended by striking
subsections (a) and (b) and inserting the following:
``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated
to the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out this
Act--
``(1) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1997, 1998,
1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002; and
``(2) such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years
2003 through 2007.
``(b) Limitations.--
``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), of the amounts
appropriated under subsection (a) for a fiscal year--
``(A) not more than 25 percent may be used for the
activities of the Office of Environmental Education;
``(B) not more than 25 percent may be used for the
operation of the environmental education and training
program;
``(C) not less than 40 percent shall be used for
environmental education grants; and
``(D) 10 percent shall be used for the Foundation for
Environmental Education.
``(2) Administrative expenses.--Of the amounts made
available under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year for the
activities of the Office of Environmental Education, not more
than 25 percent may be used for administrative expenses.''.
SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall take effect as of the
later of--
(1) October 1, 1996; or
(2) the date of enactment of this Act.
Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, today the Senate is passing an important
piece of legislation, S. 1873, the National Environmental Education Act
amendments. I introduced this bill on June 13 along with my colleagues,
Senators Chafee, Lieberman, Faircloth, Kempthorne, Moynihan, Reid, and
Lugar. Since that date nine more senators have joined me in this
bipartisan show of support for this legislation.
This bill will reauthorize the educational efforts at the National
Environmental Education and Training Foundation and the EPA's Office of
Environmental Education. These programs support environmental education
at the local level. They provide grant money and seed money to
encourage local primary and secondary schools and universities to
educate children on environmental issues.
With the importance of the environment and the continuing debate on
how best to protect it, it is vital to educate our children so that
they truly understand how the environment functions.
Over the last few years environmental education has been criticized
for being one-sided and heavy-handed. People have accused environmental
advocates of trying to brainwash children and of pushing an
environmental agenda that is not supported by the facts or by science.
They also accuse the Federal Government of setting one curriculum
standard and forcing all schools to subscribe to their views. This is
not how these two environmental education programs have worked, and I
have taken specific steps to ensure that they never work this way.
The programs that this act reauthorizes have targeted the majority of
their grants at the local level, allowing the teachers in our community
schools to design their environmental programs to teach our children,
and this is where the decisions should be made. In addition, the grants
have not been used for advocacy or to lobby the Government, as other
grant programs have been accused of doing.
This legislation accomplishes two important functions. First, it
cleans up the current law to make the programs run more efficiently.
And second, it places two very important safeguards in the program to
ensure its integrity in the future.
I have placed in this bill language to ensure that the EPA programs
are balanced and scientifically sound. It is important that
environmental education is presented in an unbiased and balanced
manner. The personal values and prejudices of the educators should not
be instilled in our children. Instead we must teach them to think for
themselves after they have been presented with all of the facts and
information. Environmental ideas must be grounded in sound science and
not emotional bias. While these programs have not been guilty of this
in the past, this is an important safeguard to protect the future of
environmental education.
Second, I have included language which prohibits any of the funds to
be used for lobbying efforts. While these programs have not used the
grant process to lobby the Government, there are other programs which
have been accused of this and this language will ensure that this
program never becomes a vehicle to lobby Congress or the Executive
branch.
This bill also makes a number of housekeeping changes to the programs
which are supported by both the EPA and the Education Foundation which
will both streamline the programs and make them more efficient.
For those people who remain concerned about the Federal role in
environmental education let me assure everyone that I will be
personally monitoring these programs. If there are abuses or
questionable grants or programs I will be the first to call for an
investigation or to invoke the oversight functions of Congress.
Educating our children is a serious matter and should not be abused by
anyone. It is my intent and goal that these programs provide objective
material in a balanced and scientifically sound manner that does not
instill any particular viewpoint in our Nation's youths. We need to
teach our children the facts and let them reach their own conclusions,
and I believe this bill accomplishes this goal.
I thank my colleagues for supporting this bill and I hope the House
can act
[[Page S9670]]
quickly and this legislation can be signed into law.
Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I join Senator Inhofe in urging the Senate
to pass S. 1873, the National Environmental Education Act Amendments of
1996. I commend Senator Inhofe for his leadership on this bill. Mr.
Inhofe and other members of the Senate Environment and Public Works
Committee have crafted a reauthorization of the National Environmental
Education Act of 1990. It is a bipartisan bill sponsored by 11 members
of the Environment and Public Works Committee, including myself and
Senators Inhofe, Baucus, Lieberman, Faircloth, Kempthorne, Moynihan,
Reid, Lautenberg, Smith, and Graham.
S. 1873 extends the authorization for programs authorized by the
National Environmental Education Act until 2007. The bill also includes
a number of changes to make programs authorized under the act operate
more effectively and efficiently.
The goal of the National Environmental Education Act is to increase
public understanding of the environment and to advance and develop
environmental education and training.
The act has been successful in supporting environmental education
through grants and training programs aimed at schools, nature centers,
museums, and other educational organizations. The act has benefited
thousands of teachers and millions of students--children and adults.
Educational programs supported through this act increase the public's
awareness and knowledge about environmental issues, and provide them
with the skills needed to make informed decisions.
I urge my colleagues to support passage of this important
environmental education legislation.
Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
committee substitute be agreed to, the bill be deemed read the third
time, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any
statements relating to this bill appear at the appropriate place in the
Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The bill (S. 1873), as amended, was deemed read the third time and
passed.
____________________