S.Amdt. 3488

1. Adds SEC. 2____. WILDLIFE AND HUNTING HERITAGE CONSERVATION COUNCIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE at the end of title II

   Adds a section

   In S. 2363 · Placed on Calendar Senate

   (d) Limitation on Authority.--Section 11 of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3710) is amended by inserting "exclusive" before "authority".

   Inserted: SEC. 2____. WILDLIFE AND HUNTING HERITAGE CONSERVATION COUNCIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

   Inserted: The Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

   Inserted: "SEC. 10. WILDLIFE AND HUNTING HERITAGE CONSERVATION COUNCIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

   Inserted: "(a) Establishment.--There is established the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council Advisory Committee (referred to in this section as the 'Advisory Committee') to advise the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture (referred to in this section as the 'Secretaries') on wildlife and habitat conservation, hunting, and recreational shooting.

   Inserted: "(b) Duties of the Advisory Committee.--The Advisory Committee shall advise the Secretaries with regard to--

   Inserted: "(1) implementation of Executive Order No. 13443 (72 Fed. Reg. 46537 (Aug. 16, 2007)) (relating to facilitation of hunting heritage and wildlife conservation), which directs Federal agencies 'to facilitate the expansion and enhancement of hunting opportunities and the management of game species and their habitat';

   Inserted: "(2) policies and programs to conserve and restore wetland, agricultural land, grassland, and forest and rangeland habitats;

   Inserted: "(3) policies and programs to promote opportunities and access to hunting and shooting sports on Federal land;

   Inserted: "(4) policies and programs to recruit and retain new hunters and shooters;

   Inserted: "(5) policies and programs that increase public awareness of the importance of wildlife conservation and the social and economic benefits of recreational hunting and shooting; and

   Inserted: "(6) policies and programs that encourage coordination among the public, the hunting and shooting sports community, wildlife conservation groups, and States, Indian tribes, and the Federal Government.

   Inserted: "(c) Membership.--

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   Inserted: "(1) Appointment.--

   Inserted: "(A) In general.--The Advisory Committee shall consist of not more than 16 discretionary members and 7 ex officio members.

   Inserted: "(B) Ex officio members.--The ex officio members of the Advisory Committee shall be--

   Inserted: "(i) the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or a designated representative of the Director;

   Inserted: "(ii) the Director of the Bureau of Land Management or a designated representative of the Director;

   Inserted: "(iii) the Director of the National Park Service or a designated representative of the Director;

   Inserted: "(iv) the Chief of the Forest Service or a designated representative of the Chief;

   Inserted: "(v) the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service or a designated representative of the Chief;

   Inserted: "(vi) the Administrator of the Farm Service Agency or a designated representative of the Administrator; and

   Inserted: "(vii) the Executive Director of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

   Inserted: "(C) Discretionary members.--The discretionary members shall be appointed jointly by the Secretaries from at least 1 of each of the following:

   Inserted: "(i) State fish and wildlife agencies.

   Inserted: "(ii) Game bird hunting organizations.

   Inserted: "(iii) Wildlife conservation organizations.

   Inserted: "(iv) Big game hunting organizations.

   Inserted: "(v) Waterfowl hunting organizations.

   Inserted: "(vi) The tourism, outfitter, and guiding industry.

   Inserted: "(vii) The firearms and ammunition manufacturing industry.

   Inserted: "(viii) The hunting and shooting equipment retail industry.

   Inserted: "(ix) Tribal resource management organizations.

   Inserted: "(x) Women's hunting and fishing advocacy, outreach, or education organizations.

   Inserted: "(xi) Minority hunting and fishing advocacy, outreach, or education organizations.

   Inserted: "(xii) Veterans service organizations.

   Inserted: "(D) Eligibility.--Prior to the appointment of the discretionary members, the Secretaries shall determine that each individual nominated for appointment to the Advisory Committee, and the organization each individual represents, actively supports and promotes sustainable-use hunting, wildlife conservation, and recreational shooting.

   Inserted: "(2) Terms.--

   Inserted: "(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), members of the Advisory Committee--

   Inserted: "(i) shall be appointed for a term of 4 years; and

   Inserted: "(ii) shall not be appointed for more than 3 terms, regardless of whether the terms are consecutive or nonconsecutive.

   Inserted: "(B) Initial appointments.--As designated by the Secretaries at the time of appointment, of the members first appointed--

   Inserted: "(i) 6 members shall be appointed for a term of 4 years;

   Inserted: "(ii) 5 members shall be appointed for a term of 3 years; and

   Inserted: "(iii) 5 members shall be appointed for a term of 2 years.

   Inserted: "(3) Preservation of public advisory status.--No individual may be appointed as a discretionary member of the Advisory Committee while serving as an officer or employee of the Federal Government.

   Inserted: "(4) Vacancy and removal.--

   Inserted: "(A) In general.--Any vacancy on the Advisory Committee shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.

   Inserted: "(B) Removal.--Advisory Committee members shall serve at the discretion of the Secretaries and may be removed at any time for good cause.

   Inserted: "(5) Continuation of service.--Each appointed member may continue to serve after the expiration of the term of office to which that member was appointed until a successor has been appointed.

   Inserted: "(6) Chairperson.--

   Inserted: "(A) In general.--The Chairperson of the Advisory Committee shall be jointly appointed for a 3-year term by the Secretaries from among the members of the Advisory Committee.

   Inserted: "(B) Term.--An individual may not be appointed as Chairperson for more than 2 terms, regardless of whether the terms are consecutive or nonconsecutive.

   Inserted: "(7) Pay and expenses.--Members of the Advisory Committee shall serve without pay for such service, but each member of the Advisory Committee may be reimbursed for travel and lodging incurred through attending meetings of the Advisory Committee-approved subgroup meetings in the same amounts and under the same conditions as Federal employees (in accordance with section 5703 of title 5, United States Code).

   Inserted: "(8) Meetings.--

   Inserted: "(A) In general.--The Advisory Committee shall meet at the call of the Secretaries, the Chairperson, or a majority of the members, but not less frequently than twice annually.

   Inserted: "(B) Open meetings.--Each meeting of the Advisory Committee shall be open to the public.

   Inserted: "(C) Prior notice of meetings.--Timely notice of each meeting of the Advisory Committee shall be published in the Federal Register and be submitted to trade publications and publications of general circulation.

   Inserted: "(D) Subgroups.--The Advisory Committee may establish such workgroups or subgroups as the Advisory Committee determines necessary for the purpose of compiling information or conducting research, subject to the conditions that any workgroup or subgroup of the Advisory Committee--

   Inserted: "(i) may not conduct business without the direction of the Advisory Committee; and

   Inserted: "(ii) shall report in full to the Advisory Committee.

   Inserted: "(9) Quorum.--9 members of the Advisory Committee shall constitute a quorum.

   Inserted: "(d) Expenses.--The expenses of the Advisory Committee that the Secretaries determine to be reasonable and appropriate shall be paid by the Secretaries.

   Inserted: "(e) Administrative Support, Technical Services, and Advice.--A designated Federal Officer shall be jointly appointed by the Secretaries to provide to the Advisory Committee the administrative support, technical services, and advice that the Secretaries determine to be reasonable and appropriate.

   Inserted: "(f) Annual Report.--

   Inserted: "(1) Required.--

   Inserted: "(A) In general.--Not later than September 30 of each year, the Advisory Committee shall submit a report to the Secretaries, the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate.

   Inserted: "(B) Extension.--If the Advisory Committee cannot meet the September 30 deadline in any year, the Secretaries shall advise the Chairpersons of each of the Committees described in subparagraph (A) of the reasons for the delay and the date on which the submission of the report is anticipated.

   Inserted: "(2) Contents.--The report under paragraph (1) shall include--

   Inserted: "(A) a description of the activities of the Advisory Committee during the preceding year;

   Inserted: "(B) a description of the reports and recommendations made by the Advisory Committee to the Secretaries during the preceding year; and

   Inserted: "(C) an accounting of actions taken by the Secretaries as a result of the recommendations.

   Inserted: "(g) Federal Advisory Committee Act.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Advisory Committee.

   Inserted: "(h) Abolishment of the Existing Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council Advisory Committee.--On publication of the first notice of the Advisory Committee under subsection (c)(8), the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council formed in furtherance of section 441 of the Revised Statutes (43 U.S.C. 1457), the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742a et seq.), and other Acts applicable to specific bureaus of the Department of the Interior is abolished.".

   Original wording

   At the end of title II, add the following:

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As printed