Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act

To amend title 54, United States Code, to provide consistent and reliable authority for, and for the funding of, the Land and Water Conservation Fund to maximize the effectiveness of the Fund for future generations, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act 2. Permanent authorization and full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (a) Authorization Section 200302 of title 54, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking During the period ending September 30, 2018, there There (2) in subsection (c)(1), by striking through September 30, 2018 (3) by striking subsection (c)(3). (b) Full funding (1) In general Section 200303 of title 54, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 200303. Availability of funds (a) In general Amounts deposited in the Fund under section 200302 shall be made available for expenditure, without further appropriation or fiscal year limitation, to carry out the purposes of the Fund (including accounts and programs made available from the Fund under the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 ( Public Law 113–235 (b) Additional amounts Amounts made available under subsection (a) shall be in addition to amounts made available to the Fund under section 105 of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 ( 43 U.S.C. 1331 Public Law 109–432 (c) Allocation authority (1) Submission of cost estimates The President shall submit to Congress detailed account, program, and project allocations to be funded under subsection (a) as part of the annual budget submission of the President. (2) Alternate allocation (A) In general Appropriations Acts may provide for alternate allocation of amounts made available under subsection (a), including allocations by account and program. (B) Allocation by president (i) No alternate allocations If Congress has not enacted legislation establishing alternate allocations by the date that is 120 days after the date on which the applicable fiscal year begins, amounts made available under subsection (a) shall be allocated by the President. (ii) Insufficient alternate allocation If Congress enacts legislation establishing alternate allocations for amounts made available under subsection (a) that are less than the full amount appropriated under that subsection, the difference between the amount appropriated and the alternate allocation shall be allocated by the President. (3) Annual report The President shall submit to Congress an annual report that describes the final allocation by account, program, and project of amounts made available under subsection (a), including a description of the status of obligations and expenditures. . (2) Clerical amendment The table of sections for chapter 2003 200303. Availability of funds. . (c) Public access Section 200306 of title 54, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (c) Public access Not less than 1.5 percent of the annual authorized funding amount shall be made available each year for projects that secure recreational public access to existing Federal public land for hunting, fishing, or other recreational purposes. .

Summary: Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act This bill amends the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 to make permanent the authorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The bill eliminates the requirement that the funds which are deposited into the LWCF remain in there until appropriated by Congress to carry out the purposes of the LWCF. Funds deposited into the LWCF may be spent without being subject to the appropriations process. These funds are in addition to amounts made available by the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 or otherwise appropriated from the LWCF. The President shall submit to Congress detailed account, program, and project allocations as part of the President's annual budget submission. At least 1.5% of the annual authorized funds shall be used for projects that secure recreational public access to existing federal public land for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes.