[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 476 Engrossed Amendment House (EAH)]
103d CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 476
_______________________________________________________________________
AMENDMENTS
In the House of Representatives, U. S.,
March 21, 1994.
Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S. 476) entitled ``An
Act to reauthorize and amend the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Establishment Act'', do pass with the following
AMENDMENTS:
Strike out all after the enacting clause, and insert:
TITLE I--AMENDMENTS TO NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION
ESTABLISHMENT ACT
SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation Improvement Act of 1994''.
SEC. 102. COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS WITH NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC
ADMINISTRATION.
Section 2(b) of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701) is amended by inserting ``and the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration'' after ``the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service''.
SEC. 103. MEMBERSHIP OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF FOUNDATION.
(a) Consultations Regarding Appointments.--
(1) In general.--Section 3(b) of the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3702(b)) is
amended by adding at the end the following: ``The Secretary of
the Interior shall consult with the Under Secretary of Commerce
for Oceans and Atmosphere before appointing any Director of the
Board.''.
(2) Application.--The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall
apply to appointments of Directors of the Board of Directors of
the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation made after the date
of the enactment of this Act.
(b) Expansion of Board.--Section 3(a) of the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3702(a)) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking
``nine'' and inserting ``15''; and
(2) in paragraph (2) by striking ``three'' and inserting
``4''.
(c) Initial Terms.--Of the Directors on the Board of Directors of
the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation first appointed pursuant to
the amendment made by subsection (b)(1), notwithstanding the second
sentence of section 3(b) of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3702(b))--
(1) 2 shall be appointed to a term of 2 years;
(2) 2 shall be appointed to a term of 4 years; and
(3) 2 shall be appointed to a term of 6 years;
as specified by the Secretary of the Interior at the time of
appointment.
(d) Completion of Appointments.--The Secretary of the Interior
shall appoint the additional members of the Board of Directors of the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation authorized by the amendment made
by subsection (a), by not later than 60 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(e) Authority of Board Not Affected.--The authority of the Board of
Directors of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to take any
action otherwise authorized by law shall not be affected by reason of
the Secretary of the Interior not having completed the appointment of
Directors of the Board of Directors of the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation pursuant to the amendment made by subsection (b)(1).
SEC. 104. REAUTHORIZATION OF NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION
ESTABLISHMENT ACT.
(a) Reauthorization.--Section 10 of the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3709) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a) by striking ``not to exceed
$15,000,000'' and all that follows through the end of the
sentence and inserting ``$25,000,000 for each of fiscal years
1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Additional Authorization.--The amounts authorized to be
appropriated under this section are in addition to any amounts provided
or available to the Foundation under any other Federal law.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--Section 10(b)(1) of the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3709(b)(1)) is amended
by striking ``paragraphs (2) and (3),'' and inserting ``paragraph
(2),''.
SEC. 105. CONVEYANCE OF SENECAVILLE NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY.
(a) Conveyance Authorized.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law and within 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of the Interior shall convey to the State of Ohio without
reimbursement all right, title, and interest of the United States in
and to the property known as the Senecaville National Fish Hatchery,
located in Senecaville, Ohio, including--
(1) all easements and water rights relating to that
property, and
(2) all land, improvements, and related personal property
comprising that hatchery.
(b) Use of Property.--All property and interests conveyed under
this section shall be used by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources
for the Ohio fishery resources management program.
(c) Reversionary Interest.--All right, title, and interest in and
to all property and interests conveyed under this section shall revert
to the United States on any date on which any of the property or
interests are used other than for the Ohio fishery resources management
program.
TITLE II--BROWNSVILLE WETLANDS POLICY CENTER
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Brownsville Wetlands Policy Act of
1994''.
SEC. 202. ESTABLISHMENT OF WETLANDS POLICY CENTER AT THE PORT OF
BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS.
(a) Establishment of Center.--For purposes of utilizing grants made
by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service there may be established
in accordance with this title, on property owned or held in trust by
the Brownsville Navigation District at the Port of Brownsville, Texas,
a wetlands policy center which shall be known as the ``Brownsville
Wetlands Policy Center at the Port of Brownsville, Texas'' (in this
title referred to as the ``Center''). The Center shall be operated and
maintained by the Port of Brownsville with programs to be administered
by the University of Texas at Brownsville.
(b) Mission of the Center.--The primary mission of the Center shall
be to utilize the unique wetlands property at the Port of Brownsville
and adjacent waters of South Texas to focus on wetland matters for the
purposes of protecting, restoring, and maintaining the Lagoon
Ecosystems of the Western Gulf of Mexico Region.
(c) Board of Directors.--The Center shall be governed by a Board of
Directors to oversee the management and financial affairs of the
Center. The Board of Directors shall be cochaired by the Port of
Brownsville, the University of Texas at Brownsville, and the designee
of the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, and shall include as
members other representatives considered appropriate by those cochairs.
(d) Oversight of the Center.--
(1) Annual report.--The Board of Directors of the Center
shall prepare an annual report and submit it through the
Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to the
Congress.
(2) Contents.--Annual reports under this subsection shall
cover the programs, projects, activities, and accomplishments
of the Center. The reports shall include a review of the budget
of the Center, including all sources of funding received to
carry out Center operations.
(3) Availability of information.--The Board of Directors of
the Center shall make available all pertinent information and
records to allow preparation of annual reports under this
subsection.
(4) General accounting office.--The Comptroller General of
the United States shall periodically submit to the Congress
reports on the operations of the Center.
SEC. 203. GRANTS.
The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service shall,
subject to the availability of appropriations, make grants to the
Center for use for carrying out activities of the Center.
SEC. 204. LEASE.
The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service,
subject to the availability of appropriations, may enter into a long-
term lease with the Port of Brownsville for use by the Center of
wetlands property owned by the Port of Brownsville. Terms of the lease
shall be negotiated, and the lease shall be signed by both parties,
prior to the disposal of any Federal funds pursuant to this title. The
lease shall include a provision authorizing the Director to terminate
the lease at any time.
SEC. 205. OTHER REQUIREMENTS.
As conditions of receiving assistance under this title--
(1) the University of Texas at Brownsville shall make
available to the Center for fiscal years 1994, 1995, 1996, and
1997--
(A) administrative office space;
(B) classroom space; and
(C) other in-kind contributions for the Center,
including overhead and personnel; and
(2) the Port of Brownsville shall make available up to
7,000 acres of Port Property for the programs, projects, and
activities of the Center.
The Board of Directors of the Center shall include in their annual
report under section 202(d) a statement of whether these conditions
have been met.
SEC. 206. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service $5,000,000 for fiscal year
1994, $4,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, $4,000,000 for fiscal year 1996;
and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 1997, for making
grants to the Center under section 203, including for use for the
establishment, operation, maintenance, and management of the Center.
SEC. 207. RELATIONSHIP OF CENTER WITH THE CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
STUDIES AND SERVICES, CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS.
None of the funds appropriated pursuant to this title may be used
to relocate any of the administrative operations of the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service from the Center for Environmental Studies and
Services Building on the campus of Corpus Christi State University, to
the Brownsville Wetlands Policy Center at the Port of Brownsville,
Texas, established pursuant to this title.
TITLE III--WALTER B. JONES CENTER FOR THE SOUNDS AT THE POCOSIN LAKES
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
SEC. 301. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, located in
northeastern North Carolina, provides unique opportunities for
observing and interpreting the biological richness of the
region's estuaries and wetlands.
(2) Although there are 10 national wildlife refuges in
eastern North Carolina, not one has an educational or
interpretative center for visitors.
(3) The State of North Carolina, Tyrrell County, the town
of Columbia, the Conservation Fund, and private citizens have
proposed to enter into a partnership with the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service to establish an educational and
interpretative facility to be known as the Center for the
Sounds.
(4) Establishment of the Center for the Sounds would bestow
economic benefits upon Tyrrell County and the town of Columbia.
(5) The Federal Government has designated the Albemarle-
Pamlico estuary system of northeastern North Carolina as an
estuary of national concern.
(6) Throughout his congressional career, the Honorable
Walter B. Jones was a strong supporter of the National Wildlife
Refuge System.
(7) During his years of service in the House of
Representatives, Walter B. Jones supported the establishment
and expansion of National Wildlife Refuges in eastern North
Carolina; these include 6 new National Wildlife Refuges
established in his district, including the Alligator River
National Wildlife Refuge and the Pocosin Lakes National
Wildlife Refuge, which are respectively the third largest and
fifth largest National Wildlife Refuges east of the Mississippi
River.
(8) Walter B. Jones helped increase refuge acreage in his
district by over 303,000 acres, thus ensuring the protection of
these lands for wildlife habitat and public recreation.
(9) Walter B. Jones' support for reintroducing endangered
red wolves into the wild at Alligator River National Wildlife
Refuge was a major factor in securing public acceptance of, and
support for, this first successful effort to reintroduce
endangered predators into formerly occupied habitat.
(10) Walter B. Jones devoted much of his congressional
career, including his years as Chairman of the Merchant Marine
and Fisheries Committee, to the conservation of fish and
wildlife, for the benefit of the Nation and the people of North
Carolina.
(11) Walter B. Jones should most appropriately be
recognized for his work on behalf of fish and wildlife
conservation by having the Center for the Sounds at the Pocosin
Lakes National Wildlife Refuge System named in his honor.
SEC. 302. AUTHORITY TO CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE FACILITY.
The Secretary of the Interior may, subject to the availability of
appropriations, construct and operate a facility at the Pocosin Lakes
National Wildlife Refuge in Tyrrell County, North Carolina, which shall
be known as the ``Walter B. Jones Center for the Sounds'', for the
following purposes:
(1) Providing public opportunities, facilities, and
resources to study the natural history and natural resources of
northeastern North Carolina.
(2) Offering a variety of environmental educational
programs and interpretive exhibits.
(3) Fostering an awareness and understanding of the
interactions among wildlife, estuarine and wetland ecosystems,
and human activities.
(4) Providing office space and facilities for refuge
administration, research, education, and related activities.
SEC. 303. DESIGN.
The Secretary of the Interior shall ensure that the design, size,
and location of a facility constructed under this title are consistent
with the cultural and natural history of the area with which the
facility will be concerned.
SEC. 304. COST SHARING.
The Secretary of the Interior may accept contributions of funds
from non-Federal sources to pay the costs of operating and maintaining
the facility authorized under this title, and shall take appropriate
steps to seek to obtain such contributions.
SEC. 305. REPORT.
Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit a report to the
Congress on progress made in designing and constructing a facility
under this title, including steps taken under section 304 to obtain
contributions and any such contributions that have been pledged to or
received by the United States.
Amend the title so as to read: ``An Act to reauthorize and amend
the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act, and for
other purposes.''.
Attest:
Clerk.