[Senate Report 110-493]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 1069
110th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 110-493
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THE CRANE CONSERVATION ACT OF 2008
_______
September 24 (legislative day, September 17), 2008.--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. 1771]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was
referred the bill (H.R. 1771) 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 and
recommends that the bill do pass.
PURPOSES OF THE LEGISLATION
H.R. 1771 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 2008.''
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 2009 to 2013.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
H.R. 1771 was introduced on March 29, 2007 by Rep. Tammy
Baldwin (D-WI). Companion legislation was introduced in the
Senate by Senator Russ Feingold on March 29, 2007. H.R. 1771
passed the House of Representatives on May 21, 2008 and was
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the
Committee on Environment and Public Works on May 22, 2008. The
Committee met on September 17, 2008, when H.R. 1771 was ordered
reported favorably by voice vote.
ROLLCALL VOTES
There were no rollcall votes. The measure was approved 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 the
legislation does not impose regulatory costs, and agrees with
the Congressional Budget Office that ``H.R. 1771 contains no .
. . private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act (UMRA). . . .''
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 that ``H.R. 1771 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
September 19, 2008.
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. 1771, the Crane
Conservation Act of 2008.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
Sincerely,
Peter R. Orszag.
Enclosure.
H.R. 1771--Crane Conservation Act of 2008
Summary: H.R. 1771 would require the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service 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 2009 through 2013 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. 1771
would increase discretionary spending by $19 million over the
2009-2013 period and by $6 million after 2013.
The act also would authorize the agency to accept and spend
(without further appropriation) donations from nonfederal
sources. Enacting this provision could increase both revenues
(from donations) and direct spending (of those revenues), but
we estimate that such increases would have no net effect on the
federal budget.
H.R. 1771 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. 1771 is shown in the following table.
For this estimate, CBO assumes that the legislation will be
enacted near the beginning of fiscal year 2009 and that
authorized amounts will be provided as specified in the bill.
Estimated outlays are based on historical spending patterns for
similar programs. The costs of this legislation fall within
budget function 300 (natural resources and environment).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
-----------------------------------------------------
2009-
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2013
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CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Authorization Level....................................... 5 5 5 5 5 25
Estimated Outlays......................................... 2 3 4 5 5 19
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Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 1771
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as
defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or
tribal governments.
Previous CBO estimate: On May 5, 2008, CBO transmitted a
cost estimate for H.R. 1771 as ordered reported by the House
Committee on Natural Resources on April 30, 2008. The two
versions of H.R. 1771 are very similar but include different
authorization periods. The CBO cost estimates reflect that
difference.
Estimate prepared by: Federal costs: Deborah Reis; Impact
on state, local, and tribal governments: Melissa Merrill;
Impact on the private sector: Amy Petz.
Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Assistant Director
for Budget Analysis.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
Section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate
requires the committee to publish changes in existing law made
by the bill as reported. Passage of this bill will make no
changes to existing law.