S6552 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 20, 2012 

(G) use of various forms of compensated 

and uncompensated land regulation, tax inducements, or other means to encourage the 

private sector to provide neighborhood park 

and recreation facilities and programs. 

(c) PUBLICATION OF REQUIREMENTS.—The 

Secretary shall establish and publish in the 

Federal Register requirements for preparation, submission, and updating of local park 

and recreation recovery action programs. 

(d) INNOVATION AND RECREATION PROGRAM

GRANT.— 

(1) ELIGIBILITY.—In order to be eligible to 

receive an at-risk youth recreation grant, a 

local government shall— 

(A) include in its 5-year park and recreation recovery action program the goal of— 

(i) utilizing new ideas, concepts, and approaches aimed at improving facility design, 

operations, or programming in the delivery 

of recreation services; 

(ii) increased access of therapeutic or other 

recreation services to veterans and military 

families; or 

(iii) reducing crime and juvenile delinquency; and 

(B) provide a description of implementation strategies to achieve such goals. 

(2) COORDINATION.—The description of implementation strategies under paragraph (1) 

shall also address how the local government 

is coordinating its recreation programs with 

other community development or service 

agencies. 

(e) RECOVERY ACTION PROGRAM GRANTS.— 

The Secretary is authorized to provide up to 

50 percent matching grants to eligible local 

government applicants for recovery action 

program development and planning to meet 

the objectives of this section. 

SEC. 9. STATE ACTION INCENTIVE; FEDERAL 

GRANTS, INCREASE. 

The Secretary is authorized to increase 

Federal rehabilitation and construction 

grants and innovation and recreation program grants authorized under section 7, by 

providing an additional match equal to the 

total match provided by a State of up to 15 

percent of the total project or program costs. 

In no event may the Federal matching 

amount exceed 85 percent of total project or 

program cost. The Secretary shall further 

encourage the States to assist in assuring 

that local recovery plans and programs are 

adequately implemented by cooperating with 

the Department of Housing and Urban Development in monitoring local park and recreation recovery action programs and in assuring consistency of such plans and programs, 

where appropriate, with State recreation 

policies as set forth in statewide comprehensive outdoor recreation plans. 

SEC. 10. MATCHING REQUIREMENTS; NON-FEDERAL SHARE OF PROJECT OR PROGRAM COSTS. 

(a) NON-FEDERAL SOURCES.—The non-Federal share of project or program costs assisted under this Act may be derived from— 

(1) general or special purpose State or local 

revenues; 

(2) State categorical grants; 

(3) special appropriations by State legislatures; 

(4) donations of land, buildings, or building 

materials; 

(5) in-kind construction, technical, and 

planning services; or 

(6) any combination of paragraphs (1) 

through (5). 

(b) PROHIBITED SOURCES.—No moneys from 

any Federal grant program other than general revenue sharing and the community development and energy efficiency and conservation block grant programs shall be used 

to match Federal grants under this program. 

(c) PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS.—The Secretary shall encourage States and private interests to contribute, to the maximum extent possible, to the non-Federal share of 

project or program costs. 

SEC. 11. CONVERSION OF RECREATION PROPERTY. 

No property improved or developed with 

assistance under this Act shall, without the 

approval of the Secretary, be converted for 

uses other than for public recreation. The 

Secretary shall approve such conversion only 

if the Secretary determines it to be consistent with the current local park and 

recreation recovery action program and only 

upon such conditions as the Secretary determines necessary to assure the provision of 

adequate recreation properties and opportunities of reasonably equivalent location and 

usefulness. 

SEC. 12. COORDINATION OF PROGRAM. 

The Secretary shall— 

(1) coordinate the urban revitalization and 

livable communities program with other 

Federal departments and agencies and with 

State agencies that administer programs and 

policies affecting urban areas such as the 

White House Office of Urban Policy and departments that administer programs and 

policies affecting climate change, green jobs, 

housing, urban development, natural resources management, employment, transportation, community services, and voluntary 

action; 

(2) encourage maximum coordination of 

the program between appropriate State 

agencies and local government applicants; 

and 

(3) require that local government applicants include provisions for participation of 

community and neighborhood residents, including youth, and for public-private coordination in recovery action program planning 

and project selection. 

SEC. 13. REPORT; RECORDKEEPING; AUDIT AND 

EXAMINATION. 

(a) REPORT.—Each recipient of assistance 

under this Act shall submit to the Secretary, 

for each fiscal year such assistance is received, an annual report detailing the 

projects and programs undertaken with such 

assistance, the number of jobs created by 

such assistance, and any other information 

the Secretary determines appropriate based 

on the priority criteria established by the 

Secretary under sections 5 and 6. 

(b) RECORDKEEPING.—Each recipient of assistance under this Act shall keep such 

records as the Secretary shall prescribe, including records that fully disclose the 

amount and disposition of project or program undertakings in connection with which 

assistance under this Act is given or used, 

and the amount and nature of that portion of 

the cost of the project or program undertaking supplied by other sources, and such 

other records as will facilitate an effective 

audit. 

(c) AUDIT AND EXAMINATION.—The Secretary and the Comptroller General of the 

United States, or their duly authorized representatives, shall have access, for the purpose of audit and examination, to any books, 

documents, papers, and records of a recipient 

of assistance under this Act that are pertinent to such assistance. 

SEC. 14. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to 

be appropriated such sums as necessary to 

carry out this Act for each of fiscal years 

2013 through 2022. 

(b) RECOVERY ACTION PROGRAM GRANTS.— 

Not more than 3 percent of the funds appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) in any fiscal year may be used for grants for the development of local park and recreation recovery 

action programs pursuant to section 8 of this 

Act. 

(c) INNOVATION AND RECREATION PROGRAM

GRANTS.—Not more than 10 percent of the 

funds appropriated pursuant to subsection 

(a) in any fiscal year may be used for innovation grants pursuant to section 7 of this Act. 

(d) DISCRETIONARY FUND.—Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act or 

any other law or regulation, not more than 2 

percent of the funds appropriated pursuant 

to subsection (a) in any fiscal year may be 

used to provide rehabilitation and construction grants, innovation and recreation program grants, and recovery action program 

grants to be used in the insular areas. Such 

sums will not be subject to the matching 

provisions of this Act, and may only be subject to such conditions, reports, plans, and 

agreements, if any, as determined by the 

Secretary. 

SEC. 15. LIMITATION OF USE OF FUNDS. 

Not more than 10 percent of funds appropriated pursuant to section 14 for rehabilitation and construction grants in any fiscal 

year may be used for the acquisition of lands 

or interests in land. 

SEC. 16. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 

(a) INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than 5 

years after the date of enactment of this 

Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 

an interim report containing such findings 

and recommendations as the Secretary determines appropriate with respect to the 

community revitalization program established pursuant to this Act. 

(b) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 10 years 

after the date of enactment of this Act, the 

Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 

describing the overall impact of the community revitalization program established pursuant to this Act. 

By Mrs. BOXER (for herself and 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN): 

S. 3587. A bill to include the Point 

Arena-Stornetta Public Lands in the 

California Coastal National Monument 

as a part of the National Landscape 

Conservation System, and for other 

purposes; to the Committee on Energy 

and Natural Resources. 

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I am 

pleased to introduce the California 

Coastal National Monument Expansion 

Act. Congressman MIKE THOMPSON recently introduced companion legislation to this bill in the House of Representatives, and I thank him for all of 

the work he has done on advancing this 

initiative. I would also like to thank 

Senator DIANNE FEINSTEIN for joining 

me as an original co-sponsor of this 

legislation. 

The California Coastal National 

Monument, created by President Clinton in 2000, stretches over 1,100 miles 

off California’s coast and protects more 

than 20,000 small islands, rocks, exposed reefs, and islands between Mexico and Oregon. My bill would incorporate 1,225 acres of the Stornetta Public Lands and other public lands near 

the city of Point Arena in Mendocino 

County into the existing National 

Monument, creating the Monument’s 

first onshore additions. By expanding 

the National Monument to include the 

‘‘Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands,’’ 

my bill not only preserves the area for 

future generations, but also helps create a more cohesive bridge between the 

offshore resources and onshore public 

lands. Visitors will have contiguous 

public access to the current National 

Monument, the proposed expansion 


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September 20, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6553 

area, the adjacent Manchester Beach 

State Park, and the historic Point 

Arena Lighthouse. 

It is crucial that steps be taken to 

ensure the permanent preservation of 

this naturally diverse segment of the 

California Coast, which encompasses 

over two miles of coastline with natural bridges, tide pools, waterfalls, 

sinkholes and blowholes, and portions 

of the Garcia River and surrounding estuary. The area is not only recognized 

for its breathtaking coastal formations, but also for outstanding natural 

resources that include extensive wetlands, rumpled sand dunes, and rolling 

meadows. Adding these lands to the 

National Monument will provide additional resources for more effective 

management and conservation program 

opportunities. 

The ‘‘Point Arena-Stornetta Public 

Lands’’ is also home to a diverse ecosystem. The Garcia River is crucial 

habitat for Coho and Chinook salmon 

habitat, as well as a prime birding location for multiple bird species including the Laysan Albatross, Peregrine 

Falcon, Great Blue Heron, and many 

others. These lands are also the targets 

of restoration efforts that would help 

protect local endangered wildlife such 

as the Point Arena Mountain Beaver, 

Behren’s Silverspot Butterfly, and 

other species of concern, like the Black 

Oyster Catcher. 

In Mendocino County, tourism is responsible for supporting almost 5,000 

jobs, with visitors bringing in $19 million annually in state and local taxes. 

Visitors come from all over the world 

to experience the beauty and natural 

wonders of California’s northern coast, 

and local businesses and nearby towns 

will benefit from the increased profile 

of a National Monument designation. A 

National Monument designation will 

bring increased awareness to the recreational opportunities available in the 

area, including hiking, fishing, bird 

watching, nature photography and 

wildlife watching. This designation 

could also attract increased resources 

to support the needs of the area. 

It is no wonder that the ‘‘Point 

Arena-Stornetta Public Lands’’ are 

often referred to as the most significant parts of the Mendocino coastline. 

These magnificent lands have tremendous natural and recreational value, 

and it is imperative for them to be included as part of the California Coastal 

National Monument. I look forward to 

working with my colleagues to pass 

this important legislation. The ‘‘Point 

Arena-Stornetta Public Lands’’ deserves National Monument recognition, 

and I urge my colleagues to join me in 

supporting this effort. 

By Mr. REED: 

S. 3589. A bill to require the Comptroller of the Currency to establish a 

pilot program to facilitate communication between borrowers and servicers; 

to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. 

Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I am 

introducing the Mortgage Modification 

Outreach Act. 

Despite some promising indicators in 

the housing market, many homeowners 

continue to face the threat of foreclosure. In my home state of Rhode Island, 22.6 percent of mortgages are underwater and 7.65 percent of homeowners are either in the foreclosure 

process or at least 90 days delinquent 

on their payment, a level which is 

higher than the national average. 

I have heard from many of my constituents about the difficulties they experience when applying for loan modifications, and so the bill I am introducing focuses on providing homeowners with a face and a place where 

they can get more help. 

First, the bill establishes a pilot program that would allow homeowners to 

receive information on how to reach 

their single point of contact by simply 

visiting a consumer banking branch affiliated with their mortgage servicer. 

Second, at the same affiliated bank 

branch, the homeowner can receive the 

address of a nearby location at which 

the homeowner can, at no cost in some 

cases, copy, fax, scan, or send all the 

paperwork that is required during the 

loan modification process. Simply put, 

my bill would enable a borrower to 

walk into the local bank branch affiliated with their mortgage servicer and 

get some face to face help. 

This pilot program is designed to 

bridge the gap that has arisen as struggling homeowners have sought—unsuccessfully in too many instances—to get 

easy answers to basic questions from 

their mortgage servicer as they navigate the loan modification process. 

Homeowners looking for assistance 

should neither have to jump through 

countless hoops nor be given the runaround. They should be treated like 

customers. 

There is no single solution that will 

help us gain traction in the housing 

market. However, along with my other 

efforts, such as S. 489, the Preserving 

Homes and Communities Act, S. 2162, 

the Project Rebuild Act, and my efforts 

to convert vacant foreclosed homes 

into rental properties, this legislation 

represents another commonsense approach to helping homeowners stay in 

their homes, reducing foreclosures, and 

healing the housing market. 

This bill is supported by the National 

Consumer Law Center and the National 

Association of Realtors. I look forward 

to working with my colleagues to pass 

this legislation. 

By Mr. INHOFE: 

S. 3602. A bill to repeal the nutrition 

entitlement programs and establish a 

food stamp block grant program; to the 

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 

and Forestry. 

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I rise to 

introduce a new bill, the Food Stamp 

Restoration Act. This is a bill that will 

completely revamp the Food Stamp 

program, which is something that is 

desperately needed. Since the beginning of the Obama administration, the 

number of Americans on Food Stamps 

has increased by 46 percent. Over 46 

million Americans currently claim 

Food Stamp benefits, and this costs 

taxpayers over $80 billion per year. In 

2008, just four years ago, the program 

cost $40 billion per year—it has more 

than doubled in cost under President 

Obama’s leadership. 

How on earth did we get here? 

Many changes to the program that 

have ballooned its cost have been made 

in recent years. President Obama, in 

his stimulus package, pushed reforms 

that both made it easier to qualify for 

the program and increased the value of 

the program’s benefits. When the stimulus bill passed, the Congressional 

Budget Office estimated that the 

changes made to the Food Stamp program would increase the cost of it by 

to nearly $60 billion over 10 years. 

Worse yet, the President has pursued 

economic, tax, and regulatory policies 

that are anti-business. These policies 

have made the business environment 

uncertain, which makes it nearly impossible for firms to invest in and expand their businesses. Businesses are 

doing well to simply hold on to what 

they already have. This has kept both 

unemployment and food stamp enrollment higher than it should be. 

Since the stimulus package, there 

have been a few efforts to tinker with 

the structure and value of the Food 

Stamp program, but none of them have 

amounted to much. The Senate-passed 

Farm Bill reduced the cost of the program by a paltry $4 billion over 10 

years, which is less than 1 percent of 

its total 10-year cost. That was one of 

the main reasons I voted against the 

Farm Bill. 

But we have moved well beyond tinkering around the edges. If we do not 

do anything to dramatically reform the 

food stamp program, it will cost Federal taxpayers nearly $800 billion over 

the next decade. This program needs to 

change. 

That is why I am introducing the 

Food Stamp Restoration Act. 

Today, the Food Stamp program is a 

mandatory program, meaning that 

Congress does not have to appropriate 

money every year for the Food Stamp 

program to be funded. Rather, it is 

funded automatically. This dramatically reduces Congressional accountability over the program, leaving few 

opportunities to make adjustments and 

improvements to the program. This 

needs to change. 

My bill tackles this problem head on. 

The Food Stamp Restoration Act converts the program from a mandatory 

program into a discretionary one. If 

my bill is enacted, Congress will have 

to decide each year how much money 

to spend on the Food Stamp program. 

My bill also removes the power of designing and running the program from 

the Federal Government and gives it to 

the states. The new Food Stamp program will be a block grant, which 


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