S.Amdt. 2591Senate109th Congress (2005-2007)

To modify the authorization of appropriations.

Submitted November 16, 2005

This amendment's own text couldn't be picked out of its Congressional Record passage, so the passage is shown in full.

PUBLIC LANDS CORPS HEALTHY FORESTS RESTORATION ACT OF 2005

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 1238) to amend the
Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 to provide for the conduct of projects
that protect forests, and for other purposes, which had been reported
from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, with amendments, as
follows:
       [Strike the parts shown in black brackets and insert the
     parts shown in italic.]

                                S. 1238

       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 ``Public Lands Corps Healthy
     Forests Restoration Act of 2005''.

     SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE PUBLIC LANDS CORPS ACT OF 1993.

       (a) Definitions.--Section 203 of the Public Lands Corps Act
     of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1722) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraphs (8), (9), (10), and (11) as
     paragraphs (9), (10), (11), and (13), respectively;
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (7) the following:
       ``(8) Priority project.--The term `priority project' means
     an appropriate conservation project conducted on eligible
     service lands to further 1 or more of the purposes of the
     Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6501 et
     seq.), as follows:
       ``(A) To reduce wildfire risk to a community, municipal
     water supply, or other at-risk Federal land.
       ``(B) To protect a watershed or address a threat to forest
     and rangeland health, including catastrophic wildfire.
       ``(C) To address the impact of insect or disease
     infestations or other damaging agents on forest and rangeland
     health.
       ``(D) To protect, restore, or enhance forest ecosystem
     components to--
       ``(i) promote the recovery of threatened or endangered
     species;
       ``(ii) improve biological diversity; or
       ``(iii) enhance productivity and carbon sequestration.'';
     and
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (11) (as redesignated by
     paragraph (1)) the following:
       ``(12) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means--
       ``(A) with respect to National Forest System land, the
     Secretary of Agriculture; and
       ``(B) with respect to Indian lands, Hawaiian home lands, or
     land administered by the Department of the Interior, the
     Secretary of the Interior.''.
       (b) Qualified Youth or Conservation Corps.--Section 204(c)
     of the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1723(c)) is
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``The Secretary of the Interior and the
     Secretary of Agriculture are'' and inserting the following:
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(2) Preference.--
       ``(A) In general.--For purposes of entering into contracts
     and cooperative agreements under paragraph (1), the Secretary
     may give preference to qualified youth or conservation corps
     located in a specific area that have a substantial portion of
     members who are economically, physically, or educationally
     disadvantaged to carry out projects within the area.
       ``(B) Priority projects.--In carrying out priority projects
     in a specific area, the Secretary shall, to the maximum
     extent practicable, give preference to qualified youth or
     conservation corps located in that specific area that have a
     substantial portion of members who are economically,
     physically, or educationally disadvantaged.''.
       (c) Conservation Projects.--Section 204(d) of the Public
     Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1723(d)) is amended--
       (1) in the first sentence--
       (A) by striking ``The Secretary of the Interior and the
     Secretary of Agriculture may each'' and inserting the
     following:
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may''; and
       (B) by striking ``such Secretary'' and inserting ``the
     Secretary'';
       (2) in the second sentence, by striking ``Appropriate
     conservation'' and inserting the following:
       ``(2) Projects on indian lands.--Appropriate
     conservation''; and
       (3) by striking the third sentence and inserting the
     following:
       ``(3) Disaster prevention or relief projects.--The
     Secretary may authorize appropriate conservation projects and
     other appropriate projects to be carried out on Federal,
     State, local, or private land as part of a Federal disaster
     prevention or relief effort.''.
       (d) Conservation Centers and Program Support.--Section 205
     of the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1724) is
     amended--
       (1) by striking the heading and inserting the following:

     ``SEC. 205. CONSERVATION CENTERS AND PROGRAM SUPPORT.'';

       (2) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
       ``(a) Establishment and Use.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may establish and use
     conservation centers owned and operated by the Secretary
     for--
       ``(A) use by the Public Lands Corps; and
       ``(B) the conduct of appropriate conservation projects
     under this title.
       ``(2) Assistance for conservation centers.--The Secretary
     may provide to a conservation center established under
     paragraph (1) any services, facilities, equipment, and
     supplies that the Secretary determines to be necessary for
     the conservation center.
       ``(3) Standards for conservation centers.--The Secretary
     shall--
       ``(A) establish basic standards of health, nutrition,
     sanitation, and safety for all conservation centers
     established under paragraph (1); and
       ``(B) ensure that the standards established under
     subparagraph (A) are enforced.
       ``(4) Management.--As the Secretary determines to be
     appropriate, the Secretary may enter into a contract or other
     appropriate arrangement with a State or local government
     agency or private organization to provide for the management
     of a conservation center.''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:

[[Page S13055]]

       ``(d) Assistance.--The Secretary may provide any services,
     facilities, equipment, supplies, technical assistance,
     oversight, monitoring, or evaluations that are appropriate to
     carry out this title.''.
       (e) Living Allowances and Terms of Service.--Section 207 of
     the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1726) is
     amended--
       (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
       ``(a) Living Allowances.--The Secretary shall provide each
     participant in the Public Lands Corps and each resource
     assistant with a living allowance in an amount established by
     the Secretary.''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(c) Hiring.--The Secretary may--
       ``(1) grant to a member of the Public Lands Corps credit
     for time served with the Public Lands Corps, which may be
     used toward future Federal hiring; and
       ``(2) provide to a former member of the Public Lands Corps
     noncompetitive hiring status for a period of not more than
     120 days after the date on which the member's service with
     the Public Lands Corps is complete.''.
       (f) Funding.--The Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 is
     amended--
       (1) in section 210 (16 U.S.C. 1729), by adding at the end
     the following:
       ``(c) Other Funds.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the
     authorization of appropriations under section 211 are in
     addition to amounts allocated to the Public Lands Corps
     through other Federal programs or projects.''; and
       (2) by inserting after section 210 the following:

     ``SEC. 211. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       ``(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated
     to carry out this title $15,000,000 for each fiscal year, of
     which $10,000,000 is authorized to carry out priority
     projects.
       ``(b) Disaster Relief or Prevention Projects.--
     Notwithstanding subsection (a), any amounts made available
     under that subsection shall be available for disaster
     prevention or relief projects.
       [(b)] (c) Availability of Funds.--Notwithstanding any other
     provision of law, amounts appropriated for any fiscal year to
     carry out this title shall remain available for obligation
     and expenditure until the end of the fiscal year following
     the fiscal year for which the amounts are appropriated.''.
       (g) Conforming Amendments.--The Public Lands Corps Act of
     1993 is amended--
       (1) in section 204 (16 U.S.C. 1723)--
       (A) in subsection (b)--
       (i) in the first sentence, by striking ``Secretary of the
     Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture'' and inserting
     ``Secretary'';
       (ii) in the third sentence, by striking ``Secretaries'' and
     inserting ``Secretary''; and
       (iii) in the fourth sentence, by striking ``Secretaries''
     and inserting ``Secretary''; and
       (B) in subsection (e), by striking ``Secretary of the
     Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture'' and inserting
     ``Secretary'';
       (2) in section 205 (16 U.S.C. 1724)--
       (A) in subsection (b), by striking ``Secretary of the
     Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture'' and inserting
     ``Secretary''; and
       (B) in subsection (c), by striking ``Secretary of the
     Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture'' and inserting
     ``Secretary'';
       (3) in section 206 (16 U.S.C. 1725)--
       (A) in subsection (a)--
       (i) in the first sentence--

       (I) by striking ``Secretary of the Interior and the
     Secretary of Agriculture are each'' and inserting ``Secretary
     is''; and
       (II) by striking ``such Secretary'' and inserting ``the
     Secretary'';

       (ii) in the third sentence, by striking ``Secretaries'' and
     inserting ``Secretary''; and
       (iii) in the fourth sentence, by striking ``Secretaries''
     and inserting ``Secretary''; and
       (B) in the first sentence of subsection (b), by striking
     ``Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture''
     and inserting ``the Secretary''; and
       (4) in section 210 (16 U.S.C. 1729)--
       (A) in subsection (a)--
       (i) in paragraph (1), by striking ``Secretary of the
     Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture are each'' and
     inserting ``Secretary is''; and
       (ii) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Secretary of the
     Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture are each'' and
     inserting ``Secretary is''; and
       (B) in subsection (b), by striking ``Secretary of the
     Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture'' and inserting
     ``Secretary''.

  The committee amendments were agreed to.
  The amendment (No. 2591) was agreed to, as follows:

        (Purpose: To modify the authorization of appropriations)

       On page 8, line 15, strike ``$15,000,000'' and insert
     ``$12,000,000''.
       On page 8, line 16, strike ``$10,000,000'' and insert
     ``$8,000,000''.
       On page 8, line 17, after ``projects'' insert the
     following: ``and $4,000,000 of which is authorized to carry
     out other appropriate conservation projects''.

  The bill (S. 1238), as amended, was read the third time and passed,
as follows:

                                S. 1238

       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 ``Public Lands Corps Healthy
     Forests Restoration Act of 2005''.

     SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE PUBLIC LANDS CORPS ACT OF 1993.

       (a) Definitions.--Section 203 of the Public Lands Corps Act
     of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1722) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraphs (8), (9), (10), and (11) as
     paragraphs (9), (10), (11), and (13), respectively;
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (7) the following:
       ``(8) Priority project.--The term `priority project' means
     an appropriate conservation project conducted on eligible
     service lands to further 1 or more of the purposes of the
     Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6501 et
     seq.), as follows:
       ``(A) To reduce wildfire risk to a community, municipal
     water supply, or other at-risk Federal land.
       ``(B) To protect a watershed or address a threat to forest
     and rangeland health, including catastrophic wildfire.
       ``(C) To address the impact of insect or disease
     infestations or other damaging agents on forest and rangeland
     health.
       ``(D) To protect, restore, or enhance forest ecosystem
     components to--
       ``(i) promote the recovery of threatened or endangered
     species;
       ``(ii) improve biological diversity; or
       ``(iii) enhance productivity and carbon sequestration.'';
     and
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (11) (as redesignated by
     paragraph (1)) the following:
       ``(12) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means--
       ``(A) with respect to National Forest System land, the
     Secretary of Agriculture; and
       ``(B) with respect to Indian lands, Hawaiian home lands, or
     land administered by the Department of the Interior, the
     Secretary of the Interior.''.
       (b) Qualified Youth or Conservation Corps.--Section 204(c)
     of the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1723(c)) is
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``The Secretary of the Interior and the
     Secretary of Agriculture are'' and inserting the following:
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(2) Preference.--
       ``(A) In general.--For purposes of entering into contracts
     and cooperative agreements under paragraph (1), the Secretary
     may give preference to qualified youth or conservation corps
     located in a specific area that have a substantial portion of
     members who are economically, physically, or educationally
     disadvantaged to carry out projects within the area.
       ``(B) Priority projects.--In carrying out priority projects
     in a specific area, the Secretary shall, to the maximum
     extent practicable, give preference to qualified youth or
     conservation corps located in that specific area that have a
     substantial portion of members who are economically,
     physically, or educationally disadvantaged.''.
       (c) Conservation Projects.--Section 204(d) of the Public
     Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1723(d)) is amended--
       (1) in the first sentence--
       (A) by striking ``The Secretary of the Interior and the
     Secretary of Agriculture may each'' and inserting the
     following:
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may''; and
       (B) by striking ``such Secretary'' and inserting ``the
     Secretary'';
       (2) in the second sentence, by striking ``Appropriate
     conservation'' and inserting the following:
       ``(2) Projects on indian lands.--Appropriate
     conservation''; and
       (3) by striking the third sentence and inserting the
     following:
       ``(3) Disaster prevention or relief projects.--The
     Secretary may authorize appropriate conservation projects and
     other appropriate projects to be carried out on Federal,
     State, local, or private land as part of a Federal disaster
     prevention or relief effort.''.
       (d) Conservation Centers and Program Support.--Section 205
     of the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1724) is
     amended--
       (1) by striking the heading and inserting the following:

     ``SEC. 205. CONSERVATION CENTERS AND PROGRAM SUPPORT.'';

       (2) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
       ``(a) Establishment and Use.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may establish and use
     conservation centers owned and operated by the Secretary
     for--
       ``(A) use by the Public Lands Corps; and
       ``(B) the conduct of appropriate conservation projects
     under this title.
       ``(2) Assistance for conservation centers.--The Secretary
     may provide to a conservation center established under
     paragraph (1) any services, facilities, equipment, and
     supplies that the Secretary determines to be necessary for
     the conservation center.
       ``(3) Standards for conservation centers.--The Secretary
     shall--
       ``(A) establish basic standards of health, nutrition,
     sanitation, and safety for all conservation centers
     established under paragraph (1); and
       ``(B) ensure that the standards established under
     subparagraph (A) are enforced.
       ``(4) Management.--As the Secretary determines to be
     appropriate, the Secretary

[[Page S13056]]

     may enter into a contract or other appropriate arrangement
     with a State or local government agency or private
     organization to provide for the management of a conservation
     center.''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(d) Assistance.--The Secretary may provide any services,
     facilities, equipment, supplies, technical assistance,
     oversight, monitoring, or evaluations that are appropriate to
     carry out this title.''.
       (e) Living Allowances and Terms of Service.--Section 207 of
     the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1726) is
     amended--
       (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
       ``(a) Living Allowances.--The Secretary shall provide each
     participant in the Public Lands Corps and each resource
     assistant with a living allowance in an amount established by
     the Secretary.''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(c) Hiring.--The Secretary may--
       ``(1) grant to a member of the Public Lands Corps credit
     for time served with the Public Lands Corps, which may be
     used toward future Federal hiring; and
       ``(2) provide to a former member of the Public Lands Corps
     noncompetitive hiring status for a period of not more than
     120 days after the date on which the member's service with
     the Public Lands Corps is complete.''.
       (f) Funding.--The Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 is
     amended--
       (1) in section 210 (16 U.S.C. 1729), by adding at the end
     the following:
       ``(c) Other Funds.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the
     authorization of appropriations under section 211 are in
     addition to amounts allocated to the Public Lands Corps
     through other Federal programs or projects.''; and
       (2) by inserting after section 210 the following:

     ``SEC. 211. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       ``(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated
     to carry out this title $12,000,000 for each fiscal year, of
     which $8,000,000 is authorized to carry out priority projects
     and $4,000,000 of which is authorized to carry out other
     appropriate conservation projects.
       ``(b) Disaster Relief or Prevention Projects.--
     Notwithstanding subsection (a), any amounts made available
     under that subsection shall be available for disaster
     prevention or relief projects.
       ``(c) Availability of Funds.--Notwithstanding any other
     provision of law, amounts appropriated for any fiscal year to
     carry out this title shall remain available for obligation
     and expenditure until the end of the fiscal year following
     the fiscal year for which the amounts are appropriated.''.
       (g) Conforming Amendments.--The Public Lands Corps Act of
     1993 is amended--
       (1) in section 204 (16 U.S.C. 1723)--
       (A) in subsection (b)--
       (i) in the first sentence, by striking ``Secretary of the
     Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture'' and inserting
     ``Secretary'';
       (ii) in the third sentence, by striking ``Secretaries'' and
     inserting ``Secretary''; and
       (iii) in the fourth sentence, by striking ``Secretaries''
     and inserting ``Secretary''; and
       (B) in subsection (e), by striking ``Secretary of the
     Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture'' and inserting
     ``Secretary'';
       (2) in section 205 (16 U.S.C. 1724)--
       (A) in subsection (b), by striking ``Secretary of the
     Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture'' and inserting
     ``Secretary''; and
       (B) in subsection (c), by striking ``Secretary of the
     Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture'' and inserting
     ``Secretary'';
       (3) in section 206 (16 U.S.C. 1725)--
       (A) in subsection (a)--
       (i) in the first sentence--

       (I) by striking ``Secretary of the Interior and the
     Secretary of Agriculture are each'' and inserting ``Secretary
     is''; and
       (II) by striking ``such Secretary'' and inserting ``the
     Secretary'';

       (ii) in the third sentence, by striking ``Secretaries'' and
     inserting ``Secretary''; and
       (iii) in the fourth sentence, by striking ``Secretaries''
     and inserting ``Secretary''; and
       (B) in the first sentence of subsection (b), by striking
     ``Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture''
     and inserting ``the Secretary''; and
       (4) in section 210 (16 U.S.C. 1729)--
       (A) in subsection (a)--
       (i) in paragraph (1), by striking ``Secretary of the
     Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture are each'' and
     inserting ``Secretary is''; and
       (ii) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Secretary of the
     Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture are each'' and
     inserting ``Secretary is''; and
       (B) in subsection (b), by striking ``Secretary of the
     Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture'' and inserting
     ``Secretary''.

                          ____________________

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Senate amendment submitted

November 16, 2005

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Senate amendment submitted

November 16, 2005

Floor

Senate amendment proposed (on the floor): Amendment SA 2591 proposed by Senator McConnell for Senator Domenici.

November 16, 2005

Floor

Senate amendment agreed to: Amendment SA 2591 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

November 16, 2005

Floor

Amendment SA 2591 proposed by Senator McConnell for Senator Domenici. (consideration: CR S13055; text: CR S13055) To modify the authorization of appropriations.

November 16, 2005

Floor

Amendment SA 2591 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

November 16, 2005