79–010 

Calendar No. 117 

111TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 1st Session 111–52 

THE GREAT CATS AND RARE CANIDS ACT OF 2009 

JULY 20, 2009.—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 S. 529] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Environment and Public Works, having considered the bill (S. 529) to assist in the conservation of rare felids 

and rare canids by supporting and providing financial resources for 

the conservation programs of nations within the range of rare felid 

and rare canid populations and projects of persons with demonstrated expertise in the conservation of rare felid and rare canid 

populations, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. 

PURPOSES OF THE LEGISLATION

S. 529 would provide financial assistance to conserve certain species of threatened and endangered rare felids (cats) and rare canids 

(members of the dog family). The bill would establish a Great Cats 

and Rare Canids 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. 


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Under the bill, eight species of rare cats are eligible for assistance. These include the lion, cheetah, leopard, snow leopard and 

jaguar. Additionally, seven species of rare dogs would also be eligible, including the African wild dog, dhole, maned wolf and bush 

dog. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title 

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

Cats and Rare Canids Act of 2009.’’ 

Section 2. Purposes 

Section 2 states that the purposes of the bill are to provide financial resources to assist in the restoration and conservation of populations of rare felids and rare canids in the wild. 

Section 3. Definitions 

This section defines specific terms in the legislation. 

Section 4. Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Fund 

This section authorizes the establishment of a Great Cats and 

Rare Canids Fund within the Multinational Species Conservation 

Fund. 

Section 5. Financial assistance 

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide 

financial assistance for projects that conserve rare felids and rare 

canids and specifies eligible project applicants and required information for project applications. This section sets forth limitations 

on use for captive breeding and prohibits any grant under this program from being spent in a country the government of which the 

Secretary of State has determined has repeatedly provided support 

for acts of international terrorism under certain statutes. It also 

authorizes the establishment of an advisory group to assist the Secretary in carrying out the purposes of the Act. 

Section 6. Study of conservation status of felid and canid species 

This section requires the Secretary to initiate a study within 90 

days of the date of enactment and report to the Congress on the 

conservation status of rare felid and rare canid species listed under 

the IUCN Red List that are not eligible under this legislation and 

include recommendations for additional species to be added to the 

lists of rare felids or rare canids defined in the bill. 

Section 7. Authorization of appropriations 

The legislation would authorize $5 million per year of appropriations for each fiscal year from 2010 to 2014. Such sums as are necessary are authorized to carry out the study authorized in Section 

6 of the bill. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

In the 110th Congress, similar legislation, H.R. 1464, was introduced by Rep. Tom Udall (D–NM) as well as companion legislation 

by Senator Joseph Lieberman. H.R. 1464 passed the House of RepVerDate Nov 24 2008 23:52 Jul 21, 2009 Jkt 079010 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR052.XXX SR052

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resentatives on May 20, 2008 and was received, read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. 

The Committee ordered the bill reported favorably as amended by 

voice vote on September 17, 2008. 

Senator Joseph I. Lieberman introduced S. 529 on March 5, 

2009. Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Jay Inslee (D–WA) on January 9, 2009. H.R. 

411 passed the House of Representatives on April 21, 2009 and was 

received in the Senate and read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works on April 22, 2009. The 

Committee met on May 14, 2009, and ordered S. 529 reported favorably by voice vote. 

ROLLCALL VOTES

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

Committee on Environment and Public Works at a business meeting, a quorum being present, by voice vote on May 14, 2009. 

REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT

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

Rules of the Senate, the Committee finds that S. 529 does not create any additional regulatory burdens, nor will it cause any adverse impact on the personal privacy of individuals. 

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, ‘‘S. 529 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

MAY 19, 2009. 

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 S. 529, the Great Cats and 

Rare Canids Act of 2009. 

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

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

Sincerely, 

DOUGLAS W. ELMENDORF. 

Enclosure. 

S. 529—Great Cats and Rare Canids Act of 2009 

Summary: S. 529 would require the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to establish a grant program to protect and conserve 

rare species of cats (such as leopards) and canids (such as wolves). 

For that purpose, the bill would authorize the appropriation of $5 

million for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014. In addition, the 

bill would authorize whatever amounts are necessary for a study 

of species that might be eligible for assistance. 


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Assuming appropriation of the amounts authorized for grants or 

estimated to be needed for the required study, CBO estimates that 

implementing S. 529 would increase discretionary spending by $20 

million over the 2010–2014 period and by $6 million after 2014. 

The bill also would authorize the USFWS to collect and spend donations from non-federal sources, but CBO estimates that any new 

offsetting receipts and associated direct spending would be minimal 

and would have no net effect on the federal budget. 

The bill 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 S. 529 is shown in the following table. The costs 

of this legislation fall within budget function 300 (natural resources 

and environment). 

By fiscal year, in millions of dollars— 

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2010–2014 

CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION 

Estimated Authorization Level ...................................... 6 5 5 5 5 26 

Estimated Outlays ........................................................ 3 3 4 5 5 20 

Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that the authorized amounts will be provided as specified in the bill for fiscal 

years 2011 through 2014. Based on the cost of similar activities, we 

estimate that additional funding of $1 million would be needed in 

fiscal year 2010 for the required study on feline and canine species. 

Estimated outlays are based on historical spending patterns for 

similar programs. 

Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 529 contains no 

intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA 

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

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

State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Ryan Miller; Impact on the 

Private Sector: Amy Petz. 

Estimate approved by: Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director 

for Budget Analysis. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of Rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the committee notes that no changes to existing law are made by this bill. 

Æ 


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