The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE ASSISTANCE AMENDMENTS OF 2007” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H2634-H2636 on March 19, 2007.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE ASSISTANCE AMENDMENTS OF 2007
Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1006) to amend the provisions of law relating to the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1006
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Amendments of 2007''.
SEC. 2. STRANDING AND ENTANGLEMENT RESPONSE.
(a) Collection and Updating of Information.--Section 402(b)(1)(A) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421a(b)(1)(A)) is amended by inserting ``or entangled'' after ``stranded''.
(b) Entanglement Response Agreements.--
(1) In general.--Section 403 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 1421b) is amended--
(A) by amending the section heading to read as follows:
``SEC. 403. STRANDING OR ENTANGLEMENT RESPONSE AGREEMENTS.'';
and
(B) in subsection (a) by inserting ``or entanglement'' before the period.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents at the end of the first section is amended by striking the item relating to section 403 and inserting the following:
``Sec. 403. Stranding or entanglement response agreements.''.
(c) Liability.--Section 406(a) of such Act (16 U.S.C. 1421e(a)) is amended by inserting ``or entanglement'' after
``stranding''.
(d) Entanglement Defined.--
(1) In general.--Section 410 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 1421h) is amended--
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (6) in order as paragraphs (2) through (7); and
(B) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so redesignated) the following:
``(1) The term `entanglement' means an event in the wild in which a living or dead marine mammal has gear, rope, line, net, or other material wrapped around or attached to it and is--
``(A) on a beach or shore of the United States; or
``(B) in waters under the jurisdiction of the United States.''.
(2) Conforming amendment.--Section 408(a)(2)(B)(i) of such Act (16 U.S.C. 1421f-1(a)(2)(B)(i)) is amended by striking
``section 410(6)'' and inserting ``section 410(7)''.
(e) John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program.--
(1) Authorization of appropriations for grant program.--Section 408(h) of such Act (16 U.S.C. 1421f-1(h)) is amended--
(A) by striking ``$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2001 through 2003'' and inserting ``$7,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2010''; and
(B) in paragraph (1) by striking ``$4,000,000'' and inserting ``$6,000,000''.
(2) Administrative costs and expenses.--Section 408 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 1421f-1) is amended--
(A) by adding at the end of subsection (a)(1) the following: ``All funds available to implement this section shall be distributed to eligible stranding network participants for the purposes set forth in this paragraph and paragraph (2), except as provided in subsection (f).''; and
(B) by amending subsection (f) to read as follows:
``(f) Administrative Costs and Expenses.--Of the amounts available each fiscal year to carry out this section, the Secretary may expend not more than 6 percent or $80,000, whichever is greater, to pay the administrative costs and administrative expenses to implement the grant program under subsection (a). Any such funds retained by the Secretary for a fiscal year for such costs and expenses that are not used for such costs and expenses before the end of the fiscal year shall be provided as grants under subsection (a).''.
(3) Emergency assistance.--Section 408 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 1421f-1) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3), and by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
``(2) Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary may also enter into cooperative agreements, contracts, or such other agreements or arrangements as the Secretary considers appropriate to address stranding events requiring emergency assistance.'';
(B) in subsection (d) by inserting ``(1)'' before the text, and by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Funding for emergency stranding projects shall not be subject to the funding limit established in paragraph (1).'';
(C) in subsection (e)--
(i) in paragraph (1) by striking ``The non-Federal'' and inserting ``Except as provided in paragraph (2), the non-Federal'';
(ii) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
(iii) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
``(2) Emergency assistance.--No non-Federal contribution shall be required for funding for a response to an emergency stranding event.''; and
(D) in subsection (g) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3) and inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
``(2) Emergency assistance.--The term `emergency assistance' means assistance provided for a stranding event that--
``(A) is not an unusual mortality event as defined in section 409(6);
``(B) leads to an immediate increase in required costs for stranding response, recovery, or rehabilitation in excess of regularly scheduled costs;
``(C) may be cyclical or endemic; and
``(D) may involve out-of-habitat animals.''.
(4) Contributions.--Section 408 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 1421f-1) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(i) Contributions.--For purposes of carrying out this section, the Secretary may solicit, accept, receive, hold, administer, and use gifts, devises, and bequests.''.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations for Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Fund.--Section 409(3) of such Act (16 U.S.C. 1421g(3)) is amended by striking ``fiscal year 1993'' and inserting ``each of fiscal years 2007 through 2010''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
General Leave
Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arizona?
There was no objection.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I commend the ranking Republican on the Committee on Natural Resources, Congressman Don Young, for introducing H.R. 1006, the Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Amendments of 2007. The bill would extend through fiscal year 2010 the authorization of appropriations for the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Fund and the Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Fund.
H.R. 1006 would direct the relevant Secretary to collect and update procedures for rescuing and rehabilitating marine mammals entangled in fishing gear, rope, line, net or other material. The bill also authorizes the Secretary to enter into agreements for marine mammal stranding events requiring emergency assistance.
In the 109th Congress, the House passed a similar provision in H.R. 4075, by voice vote, on July 17, 2006. We support this bill and commend Congressman Don Young for his leadership on this issue.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1006, the Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Act amendments.
This legislation, introduced by the distinguished Ranking Republican on the Natural Resources Committee, Don Young, and the ranking Republican on the Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans Subcommittee, Henry Brown, will extend the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program.
The Prescott Grant program was first authorized in 2000 to assist the National Marine Fisheries Service with recovery and rehabilitation of stranded marine mammals. The Prescott Grant program has been very successful in supporting facilities around the Nation which volunteer space and staff time to rehabilitate these sea creatures and return many of them to the wild.
The National Marine Fisheries Service has received $4 million in appropriations each year for the Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grants. In 2006, the Service issued 42 grants to facilities in coastal States. While the Prescott Grant program has been successful in these areas, there are still areas of the country that do not have appropriate coverage; the Alaska region and the Southeast region are two examples.
This legislation will increase funding for the Department of Commerce to address this lack of coverage and will also increase the number of grants that can be issued each year. The legislation will also cap administrative costs and roll over any unused funds into the grant program. The administration will have the authority to enter into cooperative agreements with trained personnel to allow for removal of floating debris from marine mammals to prevent the stranding and/or the death of those animals.
This legislation also authorizes emergency assistance funding. In addition, it will reauthorize funding for the Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Fund, which allows the agency to respond to mass stranding events and reimburse facilities that have assisted in the response activity.
This is an important conservation bill. I urge an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 1006.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of our time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1006.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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