[Senate Report 111-52]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 117
111th Congress Report
SENATE
1st Session 111-52
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THE GREAT CATS AND RARE CANIDS ACT OF 2009
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July 20, 2009.--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 S. 529]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Environment and Public Works, having
considered the bill (S. 529) to assist in the conservation of
rare felids and rare canids by supporting and providing
financial resources for the conservation programs of nations
within the range of rare felid and rare canid populations and
projects of persons with demonstrated expertise in the
conservation of rare felid and rare canid populations, reports
favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the
bill do pass.
PURPOSES OF THE LEGISLATION
S. 529 would provide financial assistance to conserve
certain species of threatened and endangered rare felids (cats)
and rare canids (members of the dog family). The bill would
establish a Great Cats and Rare Canids 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 the bill, eight species of rare cats are eligible for
assistance. These include the lion, cheetah, leopard, snow
leopard and jaguar. Additionally, seven species of rare dogs
would also be eligible, including the African wild dog, dhole,
maned wolf and bush dog.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Short title
This section provides that the bill may be cited as the
``Great Cats and Rare Canids Act of 2009.''
Section 2. Purposes
Section 2 states that the purposes of the bill are to
provide financial resources to assist in the restoration and
conservation of populations of rare felids and rare canids in
the wild.
Section 3. Definitions
This section defines specific terms in the legislation.
Section 4. Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Fund
This section authorizes the establishment of a Great Cats
and Rare Canids Fund within the Multinational Species
Conservation Fund.
Section 5. Financial assistance
This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to
provide financial assistance for projects that conserve rare
felids and rare canids and specifies eligible project
applicants and required information for project applications.
This section sets forth limitations on use for captive breeding
and prohibits any grant under this program from being spent in
a country the government of which the Secretary of State has
determined has repeatedly provided support for acts of
international terrorism under certain statutes. It also
authorizes the establishment of an advisory group to assist the
Secretary in carrying out the purposes of the Act.
Section 6. Study of conservation status of felid and canid species
This section requires the Secretary to initiate a study
within 90 days of the date of enactment and report to the
Congress on the conservation status of rare felid and rare
canid species listed under the IUCN Red List that are not
eligible under this legislation and include recommendations for
additional species to be added to the lists of rare felids or
rare canids defined in the bill.
Section 7. Authorization of appropriations
The legislation would authorize $5 million per year of
appropriations for each fiscal year from 2010 to 2014. Such
sums as are necessary are authorized to carry out the study
authorized in Section 6 of the bill.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
In the 110th Congress, similar legislation, H.R. 1464, was
introduced by Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM) as well as companion
legislation by Senator Joseph Lieberman. H.R. 1464 passed the
House of Representatives on May 20, 2008 and was received, read
twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and
Public Works. The Committee ordered the bill reported favorably
as amended by voice vote on September 17, 2008.
Senator Joseph I. Lieberman introduced S. 529 on March 5,
2009. Companion legislation was introduced in the House of
Representatives by Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) on January 9, 2009.
H.R. 411 passed the House of Representatives on April 21, 2009
and was received in the Senate and read twice and referred to
the Committee on Environment and Public Works on April 22,
2009. The Committee met on May 14, 2009, and ordered S. 529
reported favorably by voice vote.
ROLLCALL VOTES
There were no rollcall votes. The measure was approved by
the Committee on Environment and Public Works at a business
meeting, a quorum being present, by voice vote on May 14, 2009.
REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT
In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee finds that S. 529
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 noted that the Congressional
Budget Office has found, ``S. 529 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
May 19, 2009.
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 S. 529, the Great Cats
and Rare Canids Act of 2009.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Elmendorf.
Enclosure.
S. 529--Great Cats and Rare Canids Act of 2009
Summary: S. 529 would require the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS) to establish a grant program to protect and
conserve rare species of cats (such as leopards) and canids
(such as wolves). For that purpose, the bill would authorize
the appropriation of $5 million for each of fiscal years 2010
through 2014. In addition, the bill would authorize whatever
amounts are necessary for a study of species that might be
eligible for assistance.
Assuming appropriation of the amounts authorized for grants
or estimated to be needed for the required study, CBO estimates
that implementing S. 529 would increase discretionary spending
by $20 million over the 2010-2014 period and by $6 million
after 2014. The bill also would authorize the USFWS to collect
and spend donations from non-federal sources, but CBO estimates
that any new offsetting receipts and associated direct spending
would be minimal and would have no net effect on the federal
budget.
The bill 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 S. 529 is shown in the following table. The
costs of this 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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2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2010-2014
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CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Estimated Authorization Level..................... 6 5 5 5 5 26
Estimated Outlays................................. 3 3 4 5 5 20
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Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that the
authorized amounts will be provided as specified in the bill
for fiscal years 2011 through 2014. Based on the cost of
similar activities, we estimate that additional funding of $1
million would be needed in fiscal year 2010 for the required
study on feline and canine species. Estimated outlays are based
on historical spending patterns for similar programs.
Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 529
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as
defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or
tribal governments.
Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Deborah Reis; Impact
on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Ryan Miller; Impact on
the Private Sector: Amy Petz.
Estimate approved by: Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of Rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee notes that no
changes to existing law are made by this bill.