A bill to reauthorize the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 through fiscal year 2007, and for other purposes.

Mr. President, I am pleased today to be introducing the Bisti PRLA Dispute Resolution Act, which will resolve a conflict regarding coal mining leases in New Mexico and which will confirm the completion of all Navajo Nation land selections in New Mexico under the Navajo-Hopi Settlement Act. Arch Coal Company and the Navajo Nation have been deadlocked within the Department of Interior appeals process regarding certain preference right lease applications (PRLAs) in the Bisti region of northwestern New Mexico. When enacted, this legislation will resolve a complex set of issues arising from legal rights the Arch Coal Company acquired in Federal lands, which are now situated among lands which constitute tribal property and the allotments of members of the Navajo Nation. Both Arch Coal and the Navajo Nation support this legislation to resolve the situation in a manner that is mutually beneficial. In addition, this legislation will serve to mandate the completion of a long-standing set of land selections the Navajo Nation made under the Navajo-Hopi Settlement Act. In 1984 Amendments to that Act, Congress provided the Navajo Nation with its final opportunity, within 18 months of passage of the Amendments, to select lands in New Mexico as provided in Section 11 of the Navajo-Hopi Settlement Act. The Navajo Nation exercised its rights under the 1984 Amendments, but since has sought to review, revise, and seek to select other lands to the potential detriment of mineral lessees holding leases on Federal public lands near the Navajo Reservation. This legislation would clarify Congress' intent that the Nation no longer has land selection rights available to it in New Mexico under the Navajo-Hope Settlement Act.

There are many reasons the solution embodied in this bill achieves broad benefits to the interested parties and the public. It will resolve a long-standing conflict between the Navajo Nation and Arch Coal and allow the Navajo Nation to complete the land selections in New Mexico that were made in the 1980s to promote tribal member resettlement following the partition of lands in Arizona to the Hopi Tribe. Specifically, Section 4(a)(1) will clarify and confirm that the Navajo Nation already has selected the lands to which it is entitled under the Navajo-Hopi Settlement Act and has no further rights under that Act to select lands in New Mexico other than those already selected by the Navajo Nation in the 1980s.

The bill also guarantees that Arch Coal, Inc. will be compensated for the economic value of its coal reserves. An independent panel will make recommendations to the Secretary of Interior regarding the fair market value of the coal reserves, gives the company bidding rights, protects a State's financial interest in its share of federal Mineral Leasing Act payments, and allows the Navajo Nation beneficial ownership in their lands.

The Secretary of Interior will issue a certificate of bidding rights to Arch Coal upon relinquishment of its interests in the PRLAs. The amount of that certificate will equal the fair market value of the coal reserves as defined by the Department of Interior's regulations. A panel consisting of representatives of the Department of Interior, Arch Coal, and the Governors of Wyoming and New Mexico will help determine fair market value. While the Interior Department is authorized to exchange PRLAs for bidding rights, the Department has not done so, largely because of the difficulty it perceives in determining the fair market value of the coal reserves. The panel method in this legislation will promote the objectivity of that process.

Upon the relinquishment of the PRLAs and the issuance of a certificate of bidding rights, the Department of Interior will execute patents to the Navajo Nation of the lands encompassed by the PRLAs. This is a win-win situation for all parties involved; is endorsed by the affected parties, and is a fair resolution to this on-going problem.

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I am pleased to join with Senator Santorum today and introduce a bill that will have a dramatic and positive effect in the lives of individuals re-entering society after incarceration. The Second Chance Act: Community Safety Through Recidivism Prevention is a bill that will not only protect our Nation's citizens but will more importantly help to reduce recidivism in our Nation.

A hallmark of any just society lies in its ability to protect the interest of all its citizens, and I am proud that the United States is a leader in this regard. Yet, while we continue to strive toward this lofty goal, we must realize that there are areas in which we, as a society and as government, must do more to improve. Nowhere is that more apparent than in our Nation's prison system.

Today, we have challenges within the prison system that range from high recidivism rates to budgetary and safety concerns. With this bill, we will be able to address this pressing problem within our society. Already we have seen innovative and model programs within the States and the faith community, and I am proud to say that Kansas is a leader in this regard. However, we must stimulate innovation in this area on a national level, and that is what this bill will accomplish. It is paramount that we ensure the safety of our communities and ensure that those incarcerated have the tools necessary to succeed after they rejoin society.

With this bill, we will be able to combat the extremely high recidivism rates plaguing the prison system, currently as high as 70 percent, as well as address the financial burdens that hinder many of our State penitentiaries. We will also be able to help those incarcerated make positive changes within their lives so that when they do rejoin society, they will be able to do so with the confidence of knowing that they can contribute to society in a positive manner.

Specifically, this bill facilitates change within our current correctional system, and promotes coordination with the Federal government to better assist those returning to our communities after incarceration and their children. The bill reauthorizes the Re-Entry Demonstration Project with an enhanced focus on jobs, housing, substance-abuse treatment, mental health, and the children and families of those incarcerated. The bill authorizes $160 million over a period of two years to fund these demonstration program and creates performance outcome standards and deliverables. It will also encourage States to enhance their re-entry services and systems with grants to fund the creation or enhancement of State re-entry councils for strategic planning and review the State barriers and resources that exist.

Additionally, the bill creates a Federal interagency taskforce to facilitate collaboration and identify innovative programs and initiatives. The taskforce will review and report to Congress on the Federal barriers that exist to successful re-entry.

Finally, the bill will create a $45 million two-year mentoring program geared toward reducing recidivism and the societal costs of recidivism. This mentoring program will help ex-offenders re-integrate into their communities. This initiative will specifically harness the resources and experience of community-based organizations in helping returning ex-offenders.

We have an incredible opportunity to re-shape the way in which this Nation's prison systems operate. Much like welfare reform in the mid 1990s, we have a chance to make real and effective change in an area where change is sorely needed. I look forward to pushing this legislation forward.

Mr. President, I join with Senator Biden today to introduce legislation reauthorizing the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 (TFCA) through fiscal year 2007. Since its creation, the TFCA has helped conserve 40 million acres of tropical forests in the world.

The current TFCA authorization, P.L. 107-26, expires at the end of fiscal year 2004. The House of Representatives has already voted in favor of H.R. 4654, which is identical to the legislation we introduce today. We hope the Senate will be able to take speedy action on this important program.

Senator Biden and I proposed TFCA in 1998 based on the 1991 Enterprise for Americas Initiative (EAI) that allows the President to restructure debt in exchange for conservation efforts in Latin America. The TFCA expanded on the EAI and allows protection of threatened tropical forests worldwide through ``debt-for-nature'' mechanisms.

With TFCA, the State Department has reached agreements generating $70.4 million in long-term commitments for tropical forest conservation. In addition, private donors, including the Nature Conservancy, the World Wildlife Fund, the Wildlife Conservation Society and Conservation International, have contributed more than $5 million to TFCA swaps, leveraging U.S. Government funds.

Seven TFCA agreements have been concluded to date in Bangladesh, El Salvador, Belize, Peru, the Philippines, Panama and Colombia. With the reauthorization of TFCA, the State Department will be able to complete negotiations with Jamaica and Sri Lanka, and pursue agreement with Guatemala, Ecuador, Paraguay, St. Vincent, Botswana, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, India, Indonesia, Brazil and Kenya.

This legislation authorizes appropriations for debt reduction for eligible countries through fiscal year 2007 at $20,000,000 in fiscal year 2005 (as the President requested); $25,000,000 in fiscal year 2006; and $30,000,000 in fiscal year 2007.

A new section authorizes that funds can be used for audits and evaluations of the program. In addition, an amendment allows for TFCA debt reduction agreements to redirect reduced principal payments for forest conservation activities. Current law allows only the redirection of reduced interest payments into forest conservation funds.

The debt-for-nature mechanisms in the TFCA have proven to be an effective, market-oriented tool to leverage scarce funds available to international conservation. The host country places an amount in its tropical forest fund that typically exceeds the cost to the U.S. Government of the debt reduction agreement.

In addition to forest conservation and debt relief, TFCA strengthens civil society in participating countries by creating local foundations to support small grants to nongovernmental organizations and local communities.

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I join with Senator Biden today to introduce legislation reauthorizing the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 (TFCA) through fiscal year 2007. Since its creation, the TFCA has helped conserve 40 million acres of tropical forests in the world.

The current TFCA authorization, P.L. 107-26, expires at the end of fiscal year 2004. The House of Representatives has already voted in favor of H.R. 4654, which is identical to the legislation we introduce today. We hope the Senate will be able to take speedy action on this important program.

Senator Biden and I proposed TFCA in 1998 based on the 1991 Enterprise for Americas Initiative (EAI) that allows the President to restructure debt in exchange for conservation efforts in Latin America. The TFCA expanded on the EAI and allows protection of threatened tropical forests worldwide through ``debt-for-nature'' mechanisms.

With TFCA, the State Department has reached agreements generating $70.4 million in long-term commitments for tropical forest conservation. In addition, private donors, including the Nature Conservancy, the World Wildlife Fund, the Wildlife Conservation Society and Conservation International, have contributed more than $5 million to TFCA swaps, leveraging U.S. Government funds.

Seven TFCA agreements have been concluded to date in Bangladesh, El Salvador, Belize, Peru, the Philippines, Panama and Colombia. With the reauthorization of TFCA, the State Department will be able to complete negotiations with Jamaica and Sri Lanka, and pursue agreement with Guatemala, Ecuador, Paraguay, St. Vincent, Botswana, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, India, Indonesia, Brazil and Kenya.

This legislation authorizes appropriations for debt reduction for eligible countries through fiscal year 2007 at $20,000,000 in fiscal year 2005 (as the President requested); $25,000,000 in fiscal year 2006; and $30,000,000 in fiscal year 2007.

A new section authorizes that funds can be used for audits and evaluations of the program. In addition, an amendment allows for TFCA debt reduction agreements to redirect reduced principal payments for forest conservation activities. Current law allows only the redirection of reduced interest payments into forest conservation funds.

The debt-for-nature mechanisms in the TFCA have proven to be an effective, market-oriented tool to leverage scarce funds available to international conservation. The host country places an amount in its tropical forest fund that typically exceeds the cost to the U.S. Government of the debt reduction agreement.

In addition to forest conservation and debt relief, TFCA strengthens civil society in participating countries by creating local foundations to support small grants to nongovernmental organizations and local communities.

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.