H.R. 4831 – National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2019

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Updated April 14, 2026 at 9:07 AM UTC

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2019 renews the foundation’s authority through 2024 and updates its governance, funding, and operational powers. It changes how the board is appointed, sets director terms, defines the executive director role, and expands the foundation’s ability to receive and manage money and property for conservation purposes. The bill also authorizes specific federal appropriations and gives agencies more flexibility to fund and work with the foundation.

Key Provisions

The Interior Secretary, after consulting the Commerce Secretary, will appoint 28 board directors with expertise in ocean, coastal, freshwater, and terrestrial conservation; directors serve six‑year terms.
The foundation must have an executive director, appointed by the board, who serves as chief executive officer and must have conservation experience.
The foundation’s powers are revised to allow it to hold funds at FDIC‑insured banks, receive restitution and mitigation payments, and accept real‑property gifts, easements, or encumbered gifts that benefit the foundation.
Appropriations are authorized for FY2020‑2024: $15 million to the Interior Secretary, $5 million each to the Agriculture and Commerce secretaries.
Federal agencies may provide additional funds to the foundation through grants, cooperative agreements, or lump‑sum advances, and the foundation may charge management fees on those amounts.
Agencies may waive competitive procurement rules when responding to environmental emergencies or to speed up conservation work, with required reporting in the foundation’s annual report.
Gifts, devises, or bequests transferred to the foundation can be used by federal agencies without further appropriation, provided they support conservation goals.
The law inserts the word “exclusive” before “authority” in the foundation’s governing statute, limiting its authority to what is expressly granted.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.

Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

November 6, 2019

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

October 23, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

October 23, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.

Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

November 6, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued October 23, 2019

I

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 4831

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 23, 2019

Mrs. Dingell (for herself and Mr. Young) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To reauthorize and amend the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2019.

2.

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act

(a)

Board of directors of Foundation

(1)

In general

Section 3 of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3702) is amended—

(A)

in subsection (b)—

(i)

by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:

(2)

In general

After consulting with the Secretary of Commerce and considering the recommendations submitted by the Board, the Secretary of the Interior shall appoint 28 Directors who, to the maximum extent practicable, shall—

(A)

be knowledgeable and experienced in matters relating to the conservation of fish, wildlife, or other natural resources; and

(B)

represent a balance of expertise in ocean, coastal, freshwater, and terrestrial resource conservation.

; and

(ii)

by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:

(3)

Terms

Each Director (other than a Director described in paragraph (1)) shall be appointed for a term of 6 years.

; and

(B)

in subsection (g)(2)—

(i)

in subparagraph (A), by striking (A) Officers and employees may not be appointed until the Foundation has sufficient funds to pay them for their service. Officers and inserting the following:

(A)

In general

Officers

; and

(ii)

by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the following:

(B)

Executive Director

The Foundation shall have an Executive Director who shall be—

(i)

appointed by, and serve at the direction of, the Board as the chief executive officer of the Foundation; and

(ii)

knowledgeable and experienced in matters relating to fish and wildlife conservation.

.

(2)

Conforming amendment

Section 4(a)(1)(B) of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 4403(a)(1)(B)) is amended by striking Secretary of the Board and inserting Executive Director of the Board.

(b)

Rights and obligations of Foundation

Section 4 of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3703) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (c)—

(A)

by striking (c) Powers.—To carry out its purposes under and inserting the following:

(c)

Powers

(1)

In general

To carry out the purposes described in

;

(B)

by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (11) as subparagraphs (A) through (K), respectively, and indenting appropriately;

(C)

in subparagraph (D) (as redesignated by subparagraph (B)), by striking that are insured by an agency or instrumentality of the United States and inserting at one or more financial institutions that are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Securities Investment Protection Corporation;

(D)

in subparagraph (E) (as redesignated by subparagraph (B)), by striking paragraph (3) or (4) and inserting subparagraph (C) or (D);

(E)

in subparagraph (J) (as redesignated by subparagraph (B)), by striking and at the end;

(F)

by striking subparagraph (K) (as redesignated by subparagraph (B)) and inserting the following:

(K)

to receive and administer restitution and community service payments, amounts for mitigation of impacts to natural resources, and other amounts arising from legal, regulatory, or administrative proceedings, subject to the condition that the amounts are received or administered for purposes that further the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, plants, and other natural resources; and

(L)

to do acts necessary to carry out the purposes of the Foundation.

; and

(G)

by striking the undesignated matter at the end and inserting the following:

(2)

Treatment of real property

(A)

In general

For purposes of this Act, an interest in real property shall be treated as including easements or other rights for preservation, conservation, protection, or enhancement by and for the public of natural, scenic, historic, scientific, educational, inspirational, or recreational resources.

(B)

Encumbered real property

A gift, devise, or bequest may be accepted by the Foundation even though the gift, devise, or bequest is encumbered, restricted, or subject to beneficial interests of private persons if any current or future interest in the gift, devise, or bequest is for the benefit of the Foundation.

(3)

Savings clause

The acceptance and administration of amounts by the Foundation under paragraph (1)(K) does not alter, supersede, or limit any regulatory or statutory requirement associated with those amounts.

;

(2)

by striking subsections (f) and (g); and

(3)

by redesignating subsections (h) and (i) as subsections (f) and (g), respectively.

(c)

Authorization of appropriations

Section 10 of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3709) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:

(1)

In general

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024—

(A)

$15,000,000 to the Secretary of the Interior;

(B)

$5,000,000 to the Secretary of Agriculture; and

(C)

$5,000,000 to the Secretary of Commerce.

;

(2)

in subsection (b)—

(A)

by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:

(1)

Amounts from Federal agencies

(A)

In general

In addition to the amounts authorized to be appropriated under subsection (a), Federal departments, agencies, or instrumentalities are authorized to provide funds to the Foundation through Federal financial assistance grants and cooperative agreements, subject to the condition that the amounts are used for purposes that further the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, plants, and other natural resources in accordance with this Act.

(B)

Advances

Federal departments, agencies, or instrumentalities may advance amounts described in subparagraph (A) to the Foundation in a lump sum without regard to when the expenses for which the amounts are used are incurred.

(C)

Management fees

The Foundation may assess and collect fees for the management of amounts received under this paragraph.

;

(B)

in paragraph (2)—

(i)

in the paragraph heading, by striking funds and inserting amounts;

(ii)

by striking shall be used and inserting may be used; and

(iii)

by striking and State and local government agencies and inserting , State and local government agencies, and other entities; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following:

(3)

Administration of amounts

(A)

In general

In entering into contracts, agreements, or other partnerships pursuant to this Act, a Federal department, agency, or instrumentality shall have discretion to waive any competitive process applicable to the department, agency, or instrumentality for entering into contracts, agreements, or partnerships with the Foundation if the purpose of the waiver is—

(i)

to address an environmental emergency resulting from a natural or other disaster; or

(ii)

as determined by the head of the applicable Federal department, agency, or instrumentality, to reduce administrative expenses and expedite the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, plants, and other natural resources.

(B)

Reports

The Foundation shall include in the annual report submitted under section 7(b) a description of any use of the authority under subparagraph (A) by a Federal department, agency, or instrumentality in that fiscal year.

; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(d)

Use of gifts, devises, or bequests of money or other property

Any gifts, devises, or bequests of amounts or other property, or any other amounts or other property, transferred to, deposited with, or otherwise in the possession of the Foundation pursuant to this Act, may be made available by the Foundation to Federal departments, agencies, or instrumentalities and may be accepted and expended (or the disposition of the amounts or property directed), without further appropriation, by those Federal departments, agencies, or instrumentalities, subject to the condition that the amounts or property be used for purposes that further the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, plants, and other natural resources.

.

(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.