Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act of 2015

Summary: Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act of 2015 This bill reauthorizes the African Elephant Conservation Act, the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994, the Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1997, the Great Ape Conservation Fund, and the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund through FY2020. This bill amends the Great Ape Conservation Act of 2000 to authorize Department of the Interior to award a multi-year grant to carry out a project that is an effective, long-term conservation strategy for great apes (chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos, orangutans, or gibbons) and their habitats. Interior is required to convene a panel of experts to identify the greatest needs and priorities for the conservation of great apes within a year of this Act's enactment and every five years thereafter. Current law authorizes Interior to convene a panel to consider the greatest conservation needs every two years. The panel is required to consider relevant great ape conservation plans or strategies. This bill amends the Marine Turtle Conservation Act of 2004 to make a wildlife management authority of a U.S. territory eligible for financial assistance for marine turtle conservation.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Multinational Species Conservation 
Funds Reauthorization Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF AFRICAN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION ACT.

    Section 2306(a) of the African Elephant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 
4245(a)) is amended by striking ``2007 through 2012'' and inserting 
``2016 through 2020''.

SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF RHINOCEROS AND TIGER CONSERVATION ACT OF 
              1994.

    Section 10(a) of the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994 
(16 U.S.C. 5306(a)) is amended by striking ``2007 through 2012'' and 
inserting ``2016 through 2020''.

SEC. 4. REAUTHORIZATION OF ASIAN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION ACT OF 1997.

    Section 8(a) of the Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1997 (16 
U.S.C. 4266(a)) is amended by striking ``2007 through 2012'' and 
inserting ``2016 through 2020''.

SEC. 5. AMENDMENT AND REAUTHORIZATION OF GREAT APE CONSERVATION ACT OF 
              2000.

    The Great Ape Conservation Act of 2000 is amended as follows:
            (1) Multiyear grants.--In section 4 (16 U.S.C. 6303), by 
        adding at the end the following new subsections:
    ``(j) Multiyear Grants.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may award a multiyear 
        grant under this section to a person who is otherwise eligible 
        for a grant under this section, to carry out a project that the 
        person demonstrates is an effective, long-term conservation 
        strategy for great apes and their habitats.
            ``(2) Annual grants not affected.--This subsection shall 
        not be construed as precluding the Secretary from awarding 
        grants on an annual basis.''.
            (2) Panel of experts.--In section 4(i) (16 U.S.C. 
        6303(i))--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by--
                            (i) striking ``Every 2 years'' and 
                        inserting ``Within one year after the date of 
                        the enactment of the Multinational Species 
                        Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act of 2015, 
                        and every 5 years thereafter'';
                            (ii) striking ``may convene'' and inserting 
                        ``shall convene'';
                            (iii) inserting ``and priorities'' after 
                        ``needs''; and
                            (iv) adding at the end the following new 
                        sentence: ``The panel shall, to the extent 
                        practicable, include representatives from 
                        foreign range states with expertise in great 
                        ape conservation.''; and
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph 
                (4), and inserting after paragraph (1) the following 
                new paragraphs:
            ``(2) In identifying conservation needs and priorities 
        under paragraph (1), the panel shall consider relevant great 
        ape conservation plans or strategies including scientific 
        research and findings related to--
                    ``(A) the conservation needs and priorities of 
                great apes;
                    ``(B) regional or species-specific action plans or 
                strategies;
                    ``(C) applicable strategies developed or initiated 
                by the Secretary; and
                    ``(D) any other applicable conservation plan or 
                strategy.
            ``(3) The Secretary, subject to the availability of 
        appropriations, may pay expenses of convening and facilitating 
        meetings of the panel.''.
            (3) Administrative expenses limitation.--In section 5(b)(2) 
        (16 U.S.C. 6304(b)(2)), by striking ``$100,000'' and inserting 
        ``$150,000''.
            (4) Authorization of appropriations.--In section 6 (16 
        U.S.C. 6305), by striking ``2006 through 2010'' and inserting 
        ``2016 through 2020''.

SEC. 6. AMENDMENT AND REAUTHORIZATION OF MARINE TURTLE CONSERVATION ACT 
              OF 2004.

    (a) In General.--The Marine Turtle Conservation Act of 2004 is 
amended--
            (1) in sections 2(b) and 3(2) (16 U.S.C. 6601(b), 6602(2)), 
        by inserting ``and territories of the United States'' after 
        ``foreign countries'' each place it occurs;
            (2) in section 3 (16 U.S.C. 6602) by adding at the end the 
        following:
            ``(7) Territory of the united states.--The term `territory 
        of the United States' means each of Puerto Rico, the United 
        States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth 
        of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other territory or 
        possession of the United States.''; and
            (3) in section 4 (16 U.S.C. 6603)--
                    (A) in subsection (b)(1)(A), by inserting ``or 
                territory of the United States'' after ``foreign 
                country''; and
                    (B) in subsection (d) by inserting ``and 
                territories of the United States'' after ``foreign 
                countries''.
    (b) Administrative Expenses Limitation.--Section 5(b)(2) of the 
Marine Turtle Conservation Act of 2004 (16 U.S.C. 6604(b)(2)) is 
amended by striking ``$80,000'' and inserting ``$150,000''.
    (c) Reauthorization.--Section 7 of the Marine Turtle Conservation 
Act of 2004 (16 U.S.C. 6606) is amended by striking ``each of fiscal 
years 2005 through 2009'' and inserting ``each of fiscal years 2016 
through 2020''.