I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3173 
To promote conservation for the purpose of enhancing hunting, fishing and 
other outdoor recreational opportunities. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 23, 2015 
Mr. WALZ (for himself, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. DUN-
CAN of South Carolina, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. THOMPSON 
of California, and Mr. KIND) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To promote conservation for the purpose of enhancing 
hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreational opportunities. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Sportsmen’s Conserva-
tion and Outdoor Recreation Enhancement Act’’. 
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING NATIONAL FISH 
HABITAT INITIATIVE. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
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(1) the mission of the National Fish Habitat 
Initiative is to protect, restore, and enhance the Na-
tion’s fish populations through partnerships that fos-
ter fish habitat conservation and improve the quality 
of life for the American people; 
(2) the national network of Fish Habitat Part-
nerships established under the National Fish Habi-
tat Initiative— 
(A) promotes intact and healthy fish habi-
tats; 
(B) encourages community-based projects 
with a goal of ensuring a broad diversity of fish 
and fish populations; and 
(C) supports the economic significance of 
fish habitat resources and the recreational, sub-
sistence, and commercial fishing linked to these 
resources in the United States; and 
(3) the enactment by Congress of implementing 
legislation for the National Fish Habitat Initiative 
would ensure continued Federal support for the on-
going activities of the National Fish Habitat Part-
nerships. 
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SEC. 3. FEDERAL LAND TRANSACTION FACILITATION ACT 
REAUTHORIZATION. 
The Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act is 
amended— 
(1) in section 203(1) (43 U.S.C. 2302(1)), by 
striking ‘‘cultural, or’’ and inserting ‘‘cultural, rec-
reational access and use, or other’’; 
(2) in section 203(2) in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘on the date of enact-
ment of this Act was’’ and inserting ‘‘is’’; 
(3) in section 205 (43 U.S.C. 2304)— 
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘section 
206’’ and all that follows through the period 
and inserting the following: ‘‘section 206— 
‘‘(1) to complete appraisals and satisfy other 
legal requirements for the sale or exchange of public 
land identified for disposal under approved land use 
plans under section 202 of the Federal Land Policy 
and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712); 
‘‘(2) not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of the Federal Land Transaction Fa-
cilitation Act Reauthorization of 2015, to establish 
and make available to the public, on the website of 
the Department of the Interior, a database con-
taining a comprehensive list of all the land referred 
to in paragraph (1); and 
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‘‘(3) to maintain the database referred to in 
paragraph (2).’’; and 
(B) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘11’’ and 
inserting ‘‘22’’; 
(4) in section 206(c)(2) (43 U.S.C. 2305(c)(2)), 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(E) Any funds made available under sub-
paragraph (D) that are not obligated or ex-
pended by the end of the fourth full fiscal year 
after the date of the sale or exchange of land 
that generated the funds may be expended in 
any State.’’; 
(5) 
in 
section 
206(c)(3) 
(43 
U.S.C. 
2305(c)(3))— 
(A) by inserting after subparagraph (A) 
the following: 
‘‘(B) the extent to which the acquisition of 
the land or interest therein will increase the 
public availability of resources for, and facilitate 
public access to, hunting, fishing, and other rec-
reational activities;’’; and 
(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (B), 
(C), and (D) as subparagraphs (C), (D), and 
(E); 
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(6) in section 206(f) (43 U.S.C. 2305(f)), by 
amending paragraph (2) to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) any remaining balance in the account shall 
be deposited in the Treasury and used for deficit re-
duction, except that in the case of a fiscal year for 
which there is no Federal budget deficit, such 
amounts shall be used to reduce the Federal debt (in 
such manner as the Secretary of the Treasury con-
siders appropriate).’’; and 
(7) in section 207(b) (43 U.S.C. 2306(b))— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘96–568’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘96–586’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘; or’’ and inserting a 
semicolon; 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘Public Law 105– 
263;’’ before ‘‘112 Stat.’’; and 
(ii) by striking the period at the end 
and inserting a semicolon; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) the White Pine County Conservation, 
Recreation, and Development Act of 2006 (Public 
Law 109–432; 120 Stat. 3028); 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 3 of the National 
Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 
U.S.C. 3702) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (b)— 
(i) by striking paragraph (2) and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(2) IN GENERAL.—After consulting with the 
Secretary of Commerce and considering the rec-
ommendations submitted by the Board, the Sec-
retary of the Interior shall appoint 28 Directors 
who, to the maximum extent practicable, shall— 
‘‘(A) be knowledgeable and experienced in 
matters relating to the conservation of fish, 
wildlife, or other natural resources; and 
‘‘(B) represent a balance of expertise in 
ocean, coastal, freshwater, and terrestrial re-
source conservation.’’; and 
(ii) by striking paragraph (3) and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(3) TERMS.—Each Director (other than a Di-
rector described in paragraph (1)) shall be appointed 
for a term of 6 years.’’; and 
(B) in subsection (g)(2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘(A) Officers and employees may not be 
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appointed until the Foundation has suffi-
cient funds to pay them for their service. 
Officers’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Officers’’; and 
(ii) by striking subparagraph (B) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(B) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—The Foun-
dation shall have an Executive Director who 
shall be— 
‘‘(i) appointed by, and serve at the di-
rection of, the Board as the chief executive 
officer of the Foundation; and 
‘‘(ii) knowledgeable and experienced in 
matters relating to fish and wildlife con-
servation.’’. 
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
4(a)(1)(B) of the North American Wetlands Con-
servation Act (16 U.S.C. 4403(a)(1)(B)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘Secretary of the Board’’ and inserting 
‘‘Executive Director of the Board’’. 
(b) RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE FOUNDA-
TION.—Section 4 of the National Fish and Wildlife Foun-
dation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3703) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)— 
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(A) by striking ‘‘(c) POWERS.—To carry 
out its purposes under’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(c) POWERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To carry out the purposes 
described in’’; 
(B) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(1) 
through (11) as subparagraphs (A) through 
(K), respectively, and indenting appropriately; 
(C) in subparagraph (D) (as redesignated 
by subparagraph (B)), by striking ‘‘that are in-
sured by an agency or instrumentality of the 
United States’’ and inserting ‘‘at 1 or more fi-
nancial institutions that are members of the 
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the 
Securities Investment Protection Corporation’’; 
(D) in subparagraph (E) (as redesignated 
by subparagraph (B)), by striking ‘‘paragraph 
(3) or (4)’’ and inserting ‘‘subparagraph (C) or 
(D)’’; 
(E) in subparagraph (J) (as redesignated 
by subparagraph (B)), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 
inserting a semicolon; 
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(F) by striking subparagraph (K) (as re-
designated by subparagraph (B)) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(K) to receive and administer restitution 
and community service payments, amounts for 
mitigation of impacts to natural resources, and 
other amounts arising from legal, regulatory, or 
administrative proceedings, subject to the con-
dition that the amounts are received or admin-
istered for purposes that further the conserva-
tion and management of fish, wildlife, plants, 
and other natural resources; and 
‘‘(L) to do acts necessary to carry out the 
purposes of the Foundation.’’; and 
(G) by striking the undesignated matter at 
the end and inserting the following: 
‘‘(2) TREATMENT OF REAL PROPERTY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of this 
Act, an interest in real property shall be treated 
as including easements or other rights for pres-
ervation, conservation, protection, or enhance-
ment by and for the public of natural, scenic, 
historic, scientific, educational, inspirational, or 
recreational resources. 
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‘‘(B) ENCUMBERED REAL PROPERTY.—A 
gift, devise, or bequest may be accepted by the 
Foundation even though the gift, devise, or be-
quest is encumbered, restricted, or subject to 
beneficial interests of private persons if any 
current or future interest in the gift, devise, or 
bequest is for the benefit of the Foundation. 
‘‘(3) SAVINGS
CLAUSE.—The acceptance and 
administration of amounts by the Foundation under 
paragraph (1)(K) does not alter, supersede, or limit 
any regulatory or statutory requirement associated 
with those amounts.’’; 
(2) by striking subsections (f) and (g); and 
(3) by redesignating subsections (h) and (i) as 
subsections (f) and (g), respectively. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
10 of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Estab-
lishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3709) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (1) 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this Act for each of fiscal 
years 2016 through 2020— 
‘‘(A) $15,000,000 to the Secretary of the 
Interior; 
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‘‘(B) $5,000,000 to the Secretary of Agri-
culture; and 
‘‘(C) $5,000,000 to the Secretary of Com-
merce.’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking paragraph (1) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(1) AMOUNTS FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—In addition to the 
amounts authorized to be appropriated under 
subsection (a), Federal departments, agencies, 
or instrumentalities may provide Federal funds 
to the Foundation, subject to the condition that 
the amounts are used for purposes that further 
the conservation and management of fish, wild-
life, plants, and other natural resources in ac-
cordance with this Act. 
‘‘(B) ADVANCES.—Federal departments, 
agencies, or instrumentalities may advance 
amounts described in subparagraph (A) to the 
Foundation in a lump sum without regard to 
when the expenses for which the amounts are 
used are incurred. 
‘‘(C) MANAGEMENT FEES.—The Founda-
tion may assess and collect fees for the manage-
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ment of amounts received under this para-
graph.’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in the paragraph heading, by strik-
ing ‘‘FUNDS’’ and inserting ‘‘AMOUNTS’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘shall be used’’ and in-
serting ‘‘may be used’’; and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘and State and local 
government agencies’’ and inserting ‘‘, 
State and local government agencies, and 
other entities’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) ADMINISTRATION OF AMOUNTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In entering into con-
tracts, agreements, or other partnerships pursu-
ant to this Act, a Federal department, agency, 
or instrumentality shall have discretion to waive 
any competitive process applicable to the de-
partment, agency, or instrumentality for enter-
ing into contracts, agreements, or partnerships 
with the Foundation if the purpose of the waiv-
er is— 
‘‘(i) to address an environmental 
emergency resulting from a natural or 
other disaster; or 
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‘‘(ii) as determined by the head of the 
applicable Federal department, agency, or 
instrumentality, to reduce administrative 
expenses and expedite the conservation and 
management of fish, wildlife, plants, and 
other natural resources. 
‘‘(B) REPORTS.—The Foundation shall in-
clude in the annual report submitted under sec-
tion 7(b) a description of any use of the author-
ity under subparagraph (A) by a Federal de-
partment, agency, or instrumentality in that fis-
cal year.’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) USE OF GIFTS, DEVISES, OR BEQUESTS OF 
MONEY OR OTHER PROPERTY.—Any gifts, devises, or be-
quests of amounts or other property, or any other amounts 
or other property, transferred to, deposited with, or other-
wise in the possession of the Foundation pursuant to this 
Act, may be made available by the Foundation to Federal 
departments, agencies, or instrumentalities and may be 
accepted and expended (or the disposition of the amounts 
or property directed), without further appropriation, by 
those Federal departments, agencies, or instrumentalities, 
subject to the condition that the amounts or property be 
used for purposes that further the conservation and man-
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agement of fish, wildlife, plants, and other natural re-
sources.’’. 
(d) LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY.—Section 11 of the 
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act 
(16 U.S.C. 3710) is amended by inserting ‘‘exclusive’’ be-
fore ‘‘authority’’. 
SEC. 6. NEOTROPICAL MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION 
ACT REAUTHORIZATION. 
The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act is 
amended— 
(1) in section 9(c)(2) (16 U.S.C. 6108(c)(2)), 
by striking ‘‘3’’ and inserting ‘‘4’’; and 
(2) by amending section 10 (16 U.S.C. 6109) 
to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this Act $6,500,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2016 through 2020. 
‘‘(b) USE OF FUNDS.—Of the amounts made avail-
able under subsection (a) for each fiscal year, not less than 
75 percent shall be expended for projects carried out at 
a location outside of the United States.’’. 
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SEC. 7. PARTNERS FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE PROGRAM ACT 
REAUTHORIZATION. 
Section 5 of the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Act 
(16 U.S.C. 3774) is amended by striking ‘‘2011’’ and in-
serting ‘‘2020’’. 
SEC. 8. MAKING PUBLIC LANDS PUBLIC. 
(a) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Section 200303 of 
title 54, United States Code, is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘§ 200303. Availability of funds for certain projects 
‘‘Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the 
Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture shall ensure 
that, of the amounts appropriated for the fund for each 
fiscal year, not less than the greater of 1.5 percent of the 
amounts or $10,000,000 shall be made available for 
projects that secure public access to Federal land for hunt-
ing, fishing, and other recreational purposes through ease-
ments, rights-of-way, or fee title acquisitions from willing 
sellers.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) 
AVAILABILITY
OF
DEPOSITS.—Section 
200302(c)(3) of title 54, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘Notwithstanding section 
200303 of this title, money’’ and inserting ‘‘Money’’. 
(2) CONTRACTS
FOR
ACQUISITION
OF
LAND 
AND WATER.—Section 200308 of title 54, United 
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States Code, is amended in the first sentence, by 
striking ‘‘by section 200303 of this title’’. 
(3) CONTRACTS
FOR
OPTIONS
TO
ACQUIRE 
LAND AND WATER IN SYSTEM.—Section 200309 of 
title 54, United States Code, is amended in the third 
sentence by striking ‘‘by section 200303 of this 
title’’. 
Æ 
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