II

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 1486

To establish a Take Pride in America Program.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

AUGUST 4, 1999

Mr. GORTON introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred

to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

A BILL

To establish a Take Pride in America Program.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Take Pride in America

5 Volunteer Recognition Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

7 In this Act:

8 (1) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘Program’’ means

9 the Take Pride in America Program established by

10 section 3(a).
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1 (2) SECRETARIES.—The term ‘‘Secretaries’’

2 means the Secretary of the Interior and the Sec3 retary of Agriculture.

4 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF TAKE PRIDE IN AMERICA PRO5 GRAM.

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established the Take

7 Pride in America Program in the Department of the Inte8 rior and Department of Agriculture.

9 (b) DUTIES.—The Program shall—

10 (1) establish and maintain a public awareness

11 campaign in cooperation with public and private or12 ganizations and individuals—

13 (A) to instill in the public the importance

14 of the appropriate use of, and appreciation for,

15 Federal, State, and local land, facilities, and

16 natural and cultural resources;

17 (B) to encourage an attitude of steward18 ship and responsibility toward land, facilities,

19 and resources described in subparagraph (A);

20 and

21 (C) to promote participation by individuals,

22 organizations, and communities in developing a

23 conservation ethic to care for the land, facili24 ties, and resources described in subparagraph

25 (A); and
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1 (2) conduct a national award program in ac2 cordance with section 4 to honor individuals and en3 tities that have distinguished themselves in the ac4 tivities described in paragraph (1).

5 SEC. 4. RECOGNITION OF VOLUNTEERS.

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—

7 (1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretaries shall

8 establish a program to recognize volunteers under

9 the Program.

10 (2) VOLUNTEER WORK.—Volunteer work that

11 qualifies toward earning credit for an award de12 scribed in subsection (b) shall be directed and super13 vised by an official designated by the Secretaries.

14 (b) PROGRAM PASS.—

15 (1) IN GENERAL.—A Program pass that may

16 be redeemed for free access to Federal recreational

17 land and facilities shall be awarded to each volunteer

18 described in subsection (a)(2) that completes the re19 quired number of hours of volunteer service deter20 mined by the Secretaries under paragraph (2).

21 (2) REQUIRED SERVICE.—The number of hours

22 of volunteer service required for receipt of a Pro23 gram pass under paragraph (1)—

24 (A) shall be determined by the Secretaries;

25 but
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1 (B) shall be not less than 50 hours, of

2 which not less than 20 hours shall be devoted

3 to any 1 individual project.

4 SEC. 5. GUIDELINES WITH RESPECT TO VOLUNTEERS.

5 (a) AUTHORITY TO USE VOLUNTEERS.—The Secre6 taries may recruit, train, and accept the services of indi7 viduals or entities, without compensation, as volunteers in

8 carrying out the Program, without regard to—

9 (1) the provisions of title 5, United States

10 Code, relating to appointments in the competitive

11 service; or

12 (2) chapter 51 or subchapter III of chapter 53

13 of title 5, United States Code.

14 (b) STATUS OF VOLUNTEERS AS FEDERAL EMPLOY15 EES.—

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para17 graph (2), a volunteer shall not—

18 (A) be considered to be a Federal em19 ployee; and

20 (B) be subject to the provisions of law re21 lating to Federal employment (including provi22 sions relating to hours of work, rates of com23 pensation, leave, unemployment compensation,

24 and Federal employee benefits).

25 (2) EXCEPTIONS.—
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1 (A) FEDERAL TORT CLAIMS ACT.—For

2 purposes of chapter 171 of title 28, United

3 States Code, a volunteer described in subsection

4 (a) shall be considered to be an employee of the

5 government (as defined in section 2671 of that

6 title).

7 (B) COMPENSATION FOR WORK INJU8 RIES.—For purposes of subchapter I of chapter

9 81 of title 5, United States Code, a volunteer

10 described in subsection (a) shall be considered

11 to be an employee (as defined in section 8101

12 of title 5, United States Code).

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