I

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1845

To establish the Biological Survey in the Department of the Interior.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 22, 1993

Mr. STUDDS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries

A BILL

To establish the Biological Survey in the Department of

the Interior.

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 ‘‘Biological Survey Act

5 of 1993’’.

6 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY.

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the De8 partment of the Interior an office which shall be known

9 as the Biological Survey. The purpose of the Survey is

10 to ensure—
2

•HR 1845 IH

1 (1) the comprehensive assessment of the bio2 logical resources of the United States;

3 (2) the provision of information to be used in

4 protecting and managing ecosystems, including their

5 plant, fish, and wildlife components; and

6 (3) that the Secretary may anticipate and avoid

7 or resolve conflicts arising in the implementation of

8 the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and other fish9 eries and wildlife conservation laws.

10 (b) DIRECTOR.—

11 (1) IN GENERAL.—The head of the Survey is

12 the Director of the Biological Survey, who shall—

13 (A) be appointed by the President, by and

14 with the advice and consent of the Senate, from

15 among individuals having expertise in the bio16 logical sciences; and

17 (B) be compensated at the rate provided

18 for level V of the Executive Schedule.

19 (2) FUNCTIONS.—The Director, under the su20 pervision of the Assistant Secretary, shall perform

21 the following functions:

22 (A) Assess and study biological resources,

23 including plants, fish, wildlife, and ecosystems

24 and their components.
3

•HR 1845 IH

1 (B) Develop, test, and monitor methods of

2 ecosystem management in order to improve the

3 capability of the Secretary to conserve biological

4 resources and diversity.

5 (C) Collect and analyze data and informa6 tion to determine and inventory the distribu7 tion, abundance, health, status, and trends of

8 biological resources and ecosystems.

9 (D) Develop methods for the consistent

10 and systematic collection and analysis of data

11 on ecosystems and their components.

12 (E) Disseminate information to resource

13 managers, scientists, and the public.

14 (F) Provide technical assistance in support

15 of legislative, regulatory, and resource manage16 ment decisions.

17 (G) Perform international activities related

18 to the management of biological resources.

19 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the term—

20 (1) ‘‘Assistant Secretary’’ means the Assistant

21 Secretary for Fish and Wildlife of the Department

22 of the Interior established under section 3 of the

23 Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742b);

24 (2) ‘‘Director’’ means the Director of the Bio25 logical Survey appointed under subsection (b);
4

•HR 1845 IH

1 (3) ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of the

2 Interior; and

3 (4) ‘‘Survey’’ means the Biological Survey es4 tablished under subsection (a).

5 SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.

6 Section 5316 of title 5, United States Code, is

7 amended by inserting after the item relating to the Direc8 tor, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Department

9 of the Interior, the following:

10 ‘‘Director of the Biological Survey, Department

11 of the Interior.’’.

Æ