69–010 

Calendar No. 1069 

110TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 110–493 

THE CRANE CONSERVATION ACT OF 2008 

SEPTEMBER 24 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 17), 2008.—Ordered to be printed 

Mrs. BOXER, from the Committee on Environment and Public 

Works, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 1771] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was 

referred the bill (H.R. 1771) to assist in the conservation of cranes 

by supporting and providing, through projects of persons and organizations with expertise in crane conservation, financial resources 

for the conservation programs of countries the activities of which 

directly or indirectly affect cranes and the ecosystems of cranes, reports favorably thereon and recommends that the bill do pass. 

PURPOSES OF THE LEGISLATION

H.R. 1771 would provide financial assistance to conserve cranes. 

The bill would establish a Crane Conservation Fund as an account 

within the Multinational Species Conservation Fund. 

GENERAL STATEMENT AND BACKGROUND

Wildlife populations across the globe have been in decline due to 

many stresses. To help address this problem, Congress established 

conservation funds for individual species or groups of species—the 

Multinational Species Conservation Fund (MSCF). 

Under the MSCF, Federal resources provide financial assistance 

to support international conservation efforts to help wildlife. By 

providing resources to keystone wildlife species, other wildlife—and 

their habitat and ecosystems—can also be protected and conserved. 

Under this bill, cranes become eligible for assistance under the 

MSCF. 


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SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title 

This section provides that the bill may be cited as the ‘‘Crane 

Conservation Act of 2008.’’ 

Section 2. Purposes 

This section provides that the purposes of the bill are to provide 

financial resources to assist in the restoration and conservation of 

populations of cranes in the wild. 

Section 3. Definitions 

This section defines specific terms in the legislation. 

Section 4. Crane conservation assistance 

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide 

financial assistance for projects that conserve cranes and specifies 

eligible project applicants and required information for project applications. 

Section 5. Crane Conservation Fund 

This section authorizes the establishment of a Crane Conservation Fund within the Multinational Species Conservation Fund. 

Section 6. Advisory group 

This section authorizes the Secretary to convene an advisory 

group to assist in carrying out the purposes and requirements of 

this Act. 

Section 7. Funding 

The legislation would authorize $5 million per year of appropriations for each fiscal year from 2009 to 2013. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

H.R. 1771 was introduced on March 29, 2007 by Rep. Tammy 

Baldwin (D–WI). Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by Senator Russ Feingold on March 29, 2007. H.R. 1771 passed 

the House of Representatives on May 21, 2008 and was Received 

in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on 

Environment and Public Works on May 22, 2008. The Committee 

met on September 17, 2008, when H.R. 1771 was ordered reported 

favorably by voice vote. 

ROLLCALL VOTES

There were no rollcall votes. The measure was approved by voice 

vote. 

REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT

In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the committee finds that the legislation does 

not impose regulatory costs, and agrees with the Congressional 

Budget Office that ‘‘H.R. 1771 contains no . . . private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 

(UMRA). . . .’’ 


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MANDATES ASSESSMENT

In compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 

(Public Law 104–4), the Committee noted that the Congressional 

Budget Office has found that ‘‘H.R. 1771 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded 

Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs on state, 

local, or tribal governments.’’ 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE

SEPTEMBER 19, 2008. 

Hon. BARBARA BOXER, Chairman, Committee on Environment and Public Works, 

U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MADAM CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has 

prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1771, the Crane Conservation Act of 2008. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis. 

Sincerely, 

PETER R. ORSZAG. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 1771—Crane Conservation Act of 2008 

Summary: H.R. 1771 would require the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service to establish a grant program to protect and conserve wild 

cranes. The act would authorize the appropriation of $5 million for 

each of fiscal years 2009 through 2013 for financial assistance to 

eligible government agencies, international or foreign organizations, or private entities engaged in such activities. Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1771 would increase discretionary spending by $19 

million over the 2009–2013 period and by $6 million after 2013. 

The act also would authorize the agency to accept and spend 

(without further appropriation) donations from nonfederal sources. 

Enacting this provision could increase both revenues (from donations) and direct spending (of those revenues), but we estimate that 

such increases would have no net effect on the federal budget. 

H.R. 1771 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) 

and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. 

Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated budgetary impact of H.R. 1771 is shown in the following table. For this 

estimate, CBO assumes that the legislation will be enacted near 

the beginning of fiscal year 2009 and that authorized amounts will 

be provided as specified in the bill. Estimated outlays are based on 

historical spending patterns for similar programs. The costs of this 

legislation fall within budget function 300 (natural resources and 

environment). 

By fiscal year, in millions of dollars— 

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009– 

2013 

CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION 

Authorization Level ....................................................................... 5 5 5 5 5 25 


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By fiscal year, in millions of dollars— 

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009– 

2013 

Estimated Outlays ........................................................................ 2 3 4 5 5 19 

Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 1771 contains 

no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in 

UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. 

Previous CBO estimate: On May 5, 2008, CBO transmitted a cost 

estimate for H.R. 1771 as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on April 30, 2008. The two versions 

of H.R. 1771 are very similar but include different authorization 

periods. The CBO cost estimates reflect that difference. 

Estimate prepared by: Federal costs: Deborah Reis; Impact on 

state, local, and tribal governments: Melissa Merrill; Impact on the 

private sector: Amy Petz. 

Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Assistant Director for 

Budget Analysis. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

Section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate requires the committee to publish changes in existing law made by 

the bill as reported. Passage of this bill will make no changes to 

existing law. 

Æ 


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