National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Improvement Act of 1993

Summary: TABLE OF CONTENTS: 
     Title I:  Amendments to National Fish and Wildlife 
          Foundation Establishment Act 
     Title II:  Brownsville Wetlands Policy Center 
     Title III:  Walter B. Jones Center for the Sounds at the 
          Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge 
Title I:  Amendments to National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act
 - National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Improvement Act of 1993 - Amends the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act to include as a purpose of the Foundation the encouragement, acceptance, and administration of private gifts of property for the benefit of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
(Sec. 103) Increases the membership of the Board of Directors of the Foundation and revises certain administrative functions. 
(Sec. 104) Authorizes appropriations for FY 1994 through 1998. 
(Sec. 105) Conveys to the State of Ohio, without reimbursement, the Senecaville National Fish Hatchery in Senecaville, Ohio, to be used for the Ohio fishery resources management program. 
Title II:  Brownsville Wetlands Policy Center
 - Brownsville Wetlands Policy Act of 1993 - Authorizes the establishment, for using grants by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, of the Brownsville Wetlands Policy Center at the Port of Brownsville, Texas.  Requires that the Center be operated and maintained by the Port of Brownsville, with programs to be administered by the University of Texas at Brownsville, to protect, restore, and maintain the lagoon ecosystems of the western Gulf of Mexico region.  Requires the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, subject to appropriations, to make grants to the Center and authorizes the Director to enter into a long-term lease with the Port for Center use of Port wetlands property.  Requires the University to make in-kind contributions for the Center and the Port to make Port property available for Center use.  Authorizes appropriations.  Prohibits use of funds under this Act to relocate any administrative operations of the Service to the Center from Corpus Christi State University. 
Title III:  Walter B. Jones Center for the Sounds at the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to construct and operate the Walter B. Jones Center for the Sounds at the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Tyrrell County, North Carolina, to:  (1) provide public opportunities, facilities, and resources to study the natural history and natural resources of northeastern North Carolina; (2) offer a variety of environmental educational programs and interpretive exhibits; (3) foster an awareness and understanding of the interactions among wildlife, estuarine and wetland ecosystems, and human activities; and (4) provide office space and facilities for refuge administration, research, education, and related activities. 
(Sec. 303) Directs the Secretary to ensure that the design, size, and location of a facility constructed under this Act are consistent with the cultural and natural history of the area with which the facility will be concerned. 
(Sec. 304) Authorizes the Secretary to accept contributions of funds from non-Federal sources to pay the costs of operating and maintaining the facility authorized under this Act.  Directs the Secretary to take appropriate steps to obtain such contributions. 
(Sec. 305) Sets forth reporting requirements.

TITLE I--AMENDMENTS TO NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION 
                           ESTABLISHMENT ACT

SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``National Fish and Wildlife 
Foundation Improvement Act of 1993''.

SEC. 102. COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS WITH NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC 
              ADMINISTRATION.

    Section 2(b) of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 
Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701) is amended by inserting ``and the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration'' after ``the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service''.

SEC. 103. MEMBERSHIP OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF FOUNDATION.

    (a) Consultations Regarding Appointments.--
            (1) In general.--Section 3(b) of the National Fish and 
        Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3702(b)) is 
        amended by adding at the end the following: ``The Secretary of 
        the Interior shall consult with the Under Secretary of Commerce 
        for Oceans and Atmosphere before appointing any Director of the 
        Board.''.
            (2) Application.--The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall 
        apply to appointments of Directors of the Board of Directors of 
        the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation made after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act.
    (b) Expansion of Board.--Section 3(a) of the National Fish and 
Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3702(a)) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking 
        ``nine'' and inserting ``15''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2) by striking ``three'' and inserting 
        ``4''.
    (c) Initial Terms.--Of the Directors on the Board of Directors of 
the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation first appointed pursuant to 
the amendment made by subsection (b)(1), notwithstanding the second 
sentence of section 3(b) of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 
Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3702(b))--
            (1) 2 shall be appointed to a term of 2 years;
            (2) 2 shall be appointed to a term of 4 years; and
            (3) 2 shall be appointed to a term of 6 years;
as specified by the Secretary of the Interior at the time of 
appointment.
    (d) Completion of Appointments.--The Secretary of the Interior 
shall appoint the additional members of the Board of Directors of the 
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation authorized by the amendment made 
by subsection (a), by not later than 60 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
    (e) Authority of Board Not Affected.--The authority of the Board of 
Directors of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to take any 
action otherwise authorized by law shall not be affected by reason of 
the Secretary of the Interior not having completed the appointment of 
Directors of the Board of Directors of the National Fish and Wildlife 
Foundation pursuant to the amendment made by subsection (b)(1).

SEC. 104. REAUTHORIZATION OF NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION 
              ESTABLISHMENT ACT.

    (a) Reauthorization.--Section 10 of the National Fish and Wildlife 
Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3709) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a) by striking ``not to exceed 
        $15,000,000'' and all that follows through the end of the 
        sentence and inserting ``$25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
        1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Additional Authorization.--The amounts authorized to be 
appropriated under this section are in addition to any amounts provided 
or available to the Foundation under any other Federal law.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--Section 10(b)(1) of the National Fish and 
Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3709(b)(1)) is amended 
by striking ``paragraphs (2) and (3),'' and inserting ``paragraph 
(2),''.

SEC. 105. CONVEYANCE OF SENECAVILLE NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY.

    (a) Conveyance Authorized.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law and within 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of the Interior shall convey to the State of Ohio without 
reimbursement all right, title, and interest of the United States in 
and to the property known as the Senecaville National Fish Hatchery, 
located in Senecaville, Ohio, including--
            (1) all easements and water rights relating to that 
        property, and
            (2) all land, improvements, and related personal property 
        comprising that hatchery.
    (b) Use of Property.--All property and interests conveyed under 
this section shall be used by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources 
for the Ohio fishery resources management program.
    (c) Reversionary Interest.--All right, title, and interest in and 
to all property and interests conveyed under this section shall revert 
to the United States on any date on which any of the property or 
interests are used other than for the Ohio fishery resources management 
program.

              TITLE II--BROWNSVILLE WETLANDS POLICY CENTER

SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``Brownsville Wetlands Policy Act of 
1993''.

SEC. 202. ESTABLISHMENT OF WETLANDS POLICY CENTER AT THE PORT OF 
              BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS.

    (a) Establishment of Center.--For purposes of utilizing grants made 
by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service there may be established 
in accordance with this title, on property owned or held in trust by 
the Brownsville Navigation District at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, 
a wetlands policy center which shall be known as the ``Brownsville 
Wetlands Policy Center at the Port of Brownsville, Texas'' (in this 
title referred to as the ``Center''). The Center shall be operated and 
maintained by the Port of Brownsville with programs to be administered 
by the University of Texas at Brownsville.
    (b) Mission of the Center.--The primary mission of the Center shall 
be to utilize the unique wetlands property at the Port of Brownsville 
and adjacent waters of South Texas to focus on wetland matters for the 
purposes of protecting, restoring, and maintaining the Lagoon 
Ecosystems of the Western Gulf of Mexico Region.
    (c) Board of Directors.--The Center shall be governed by a Board of 
Directors to oversee the management and financial affairs of the 
Center. The Board of Directors shall be cochaired by the Port of 
Brownsville, the University of Texas at Brownsville, and the designee 
of the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, and shall include as 
members other representatives considered appropriate by those cochairs.
    (d) Oversight of the Center.--
            (1) Annual report.--The Board of Directors of the Center 
        shall prepare an annual report and submit it through the 
        Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to the 
        Congress.
            (2) Contents.--Annual reports under this subsection shall 
        cover the programs, projects, activities, and accomplishments 
        of the Center. The reports shall include a review of the budget 
        of the Center, including all sources of funding received to 
        carry out Center operations.
            (3) Availability of information.--The Board of Directors of 
        the Center shall make available all pertinent information and 
        records to allow preparation of annual reports under this 
        subsection.
            (4) General accounting office.--The Comptroller General of 
        the United States shall periodically submit to the Congress 
        reports on the operations of the Center.

SEC. 203. GRANTS.

    The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service shall, 
subject to the availability of appropriations, make grants to the 
Center for use for carrying out activities of the Center.

SEC. 204. LEASE.

    The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 
subject to the availability of appropriations, may enter into a long-
term lease with the Port of Brownsville for use by the Center of 
wetlands property owned by the Port of Brownsville. Terms of the lease 
shall be negotiated, and the lease shall be signed by both parties, 
prior to the disposal of any Federal funds pursuant to this title. The 
lease shall include a provision authorizing the Director to terminate 
the lease at any time.

SEC. 205. OTHER REQUIREMENTS.

    As conditions of receiving assistance under this title--
            (1) the University of Texas at Brownsville shall make 
        available to the Center for fiscal years 1994, 1995, 1996, and 
        1997--
                    (A) administrative office space;
                    (B) classroom space; and
                    (C) other in-kind contributions for the Center, 
                including overhead and personnel; and
            (2) the Port of Brownsville shall make available up to 
        7,000 acres of Port Property for the programs, projects, and 
        activities of the Center.
The Board of Directors of the Center shall include in their annual 
report under section 202(d) a statement of whether these conditions 
have been met.

SEC. 206. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service $5,000,000 for fiscal year 
1994, $4,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, $4,000,000 for fiscal year 1996; 
and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 1997, for making 
grants to the Center under section 203, including for use for the 
establishment, operation, maintenance, and management of the Center.

SEC. 207. RELATIONSHIP OF CENTER WITH THE CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL 
              STUDIES AND SERVICES, CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS.

    None of the funds appropriated pursuant to this title may be used 
to relocate any of the administrative operations of the United States 
Fish and Wildlife Service from the Center for Environmental Studies and 
Services Building on the campus of Corpus Christi State University, to 
the Brownsville Wetlands Policy Center at the Port of Brownsville, 
Texas, established pursuant to this title.

 TITLE III--WALTER B. JONES CENTER FOR THE SOUNDS AT THE POCOSIN LAKES 
                        NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

SEC. 301. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, located in 
        northeastern North Carolina, provides unique opportunities for 
        observing and interpreting the biological richness of the 
        region's estuaries and wetlands.
            (2) Although there are 10 national wildlife refuges in 
        eastern North Carolina, not one has an educational or 
        interpretative center for visitors.
            (3) The State of North Carolina, Tyrrell County, the town 
        of Columbia, the Conservation Fund, and private citizens have 
        proposed to enter into a partnership with the United States 
        Fish and Wildlife Service to establish an educational and 
        interpretative facility to be known as the Center for the 
        Sounds.
            (4) Establishment of the Center for the Sounds would bestow 
        economic benefits upon Tyrrell County and the town of Columbia.
            (5) The Federal Government has designated the Albemarle-
        Pamlico estuary system of northeastern North Carolina as an 
        estuary of national concern.
            (6) Throughout his congressional career, the Honorable 
        Walter B. Jones was a strong supporter of the National Wildlife 
        Refuge System.
            (7) During his years of service in the House of 
        Representatives, Walter B. Jones supported the establishment 
        and expansion of National Wildlife Refuges in eastern North 
        Carolina; these include 6 new National Wildlife Refuges 
        established in his district, including the Alligator River 
        National Wildlife Refuge and the Pocosin Lakes National 
        Wildlife Refuge, which are respectively the third largest and 
        fifth largest National Wildlife Refuges east of the Mississippi 
        River.
            (8) Walter B. Jones helped increase refuge acreage in his 
        district by over 303,000 acres, thus ensuring the protection of 
        these lands for wildlife habitat and public recreation.
            (9) Walter B. Jones' support for reintroducing endangered 
        red wolves into the wild at Alligator River National Wildlife 
        Refuge was a major factor in securing public acceptance of, and 
        support for, this first successful effort to reintroduce 
        endangered predators into formerly occupied habitat.
            (10) Walter B. Jones devoted much of his congressional 
        career, including his years as Chairman of the Merchant Marine 
        and Fisheries Committee, to the conservation of fish and 
        wildlife, for the benefit of the Nation and the people of North 
        Carolina.
            (11) Walter B. Jones should most appropriately be 
        recognized for his work on behalf of fish and wildlife 
        conservation by having the Center for the Sounds at the Pocosin 
        Lakes National Wildlife Refuge System named in his honor.

SEC. 302. AUTHORITY TO CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE FACILITY.

    The Secretary of the Interior may, subject to the availability of 
appropriations, construct and operate a facility at the Pocosin Lakes 
National Wildlife Refuge in Tyrrell County, North Carolina, which shall 
be known as the ``Walter B. Jones Center for the Sounds'', for the 
following purposes:
            (1) Providing public opportunities, facilities, and 
        resources to study the natural history and natural resources of 
        northeastern North Carolina.
            (2) Offering a variety of environmental educational 
        programs and interpretive exhibits.
            (3) Fostering an awareness and understanding of the 
        interactions among wildlife, estuarine and wetland ecosystems, 
        and human activities.
            (4) Providing office space and facilities for refuge 
        administration, research, education, and related activities.

SEC. 303. DESIGN.

    The Secretary of the Interior shall ensure that the design, size, 
and location of a facility constructed under this title are consistent 
with the cultural and natural history of the area with which the 
facility will be concerned.

SEC. 304. COST SHARING.

    The Secretary of the Interior may accept contributions of funds 
from non-Federal sources to pay the costs of operating and maintaining 
the facility authorized under this title, and shall take appropriate 
steps to seek to obtain such contributions.

SEC. 305. REPORT.

    Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit a report to the 
Congress on progress made in designing and constructing a facility 
under this title, including steps taken under section 304 to obtain 
contributions and any such contributions that have been pledged to or 
received by the United States.

            Passed the House of Representatives November 3, 1993.

            Attest:

                                           DONNALD K. ANDERSON,

                                                                 Clerk.