datamatters24/research-document-archive huggingface dataset:
TITLE V—HEALTHY FORESTS 
RESERVE PROGRAM 
SEC. 501. ESTABLISHMENT OF HEALTHY FORESTS RE-
SERVE PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Agriculture 
shall establish the healthy forests reserve program as a 
program within the Forest Service for the purpose of pro-
tecting, restoring, and enhancing degraded forest eco-
systems to promote the recovery of threatened and endan-
gered species as well as improve biodiversity and enhance 
carbon sequestration. 
(b) COOPERATION.—The Secretary of Agriculture 
shall carry out the healthy forests reserve program in co-
operation with the Secretary of the Interior, acting 
through the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 
SEC. 502. ELIGIBILITY AND ENROLLMENT OF LANDS IN 
PROGRAM. 
(a) ELIGIBLE LANDS.—The Secretary of Agriculture, 
in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, shall 
designate rare forest ecosystems to be eligible for the 
healthy forests reserve program. The following lands are 
eligible for enrollment in the healthy forests reserve pro-
gram: 
(1) Private lands whose enrollment will protect, 
restore, enhance, or otherwise measurably increase
(1) 75 percent of the actual costs of the ap-
proved conservation practices; or
(2) 75 percent of the average cost of approved
practices, as established by the Secretary.
(d) ACCEPTANCE
OF CONTRIBUTIONS.—The Sec-
retary of Agriculture may accept and use contributions of
non-Federal funds to make payments under this section.
SEC. 505. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
The Forest Service and the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service shall provide landowners with technical
assistance to comply with the terms of agreements and
easements under the healthy forests reserve program and
conservation plans.
SEC. 506. SAFE HARBOR.
In implementing the healthy forests reserve program,
the Secretary of the Interior shall provide safe harbor or
similar assurances, through section 7 or other authorities
under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.), consistent with the implementing regula-
tions of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to
landowners who enroll land in the healthy forests reserve
program when such enrollment will result in a net con-
servation benefit for listed species.
SEC. 507. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000
for each of the fiscal years 2004 through 2008 to carry
out this title.
TITLE VI—MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
SEC. 601. FOREST STANDS INVENTORY AND MONITORING
PROGRAM TO IMPROVE DETECTION OF AND
RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall
carry out a comprehensive program to inventory, monitor,
characterize, assess, and identify forest stands (with em-
phasis on hardwood forest stands) and potential forest
stands—
(1) in units of the National Forest System
(other than those units created from the public do-
main); and
(2) on private forest land, with the consent of
the owner of the land.
(b) ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED.—In carrying out the
program, the Secretary shall address issues including—
(1) early detection, identification, and assess-
ment of environmental threats (including insect, dis-
ease, invasive species, fire, and weather-related risks
and other episodic events);
(2) loss or degradation of forests;
(3) degradation of the quality forest stands
caused by inadequate forest regeneration practices;
(4) quantification of carbon uptake rates; and
(5) management practices that focus on pre-
venting further forest degradation.
(c) EARLY WARNING SYSTEM.—In carrying out the
program, the Secretary shall develop a comprehensive
early warning system for potential catastrophic environ-
mental threats to forests to increase the likelihood that
forest managers will be able to—
(1) isolate and treat a threat before the threat
gets out of control; and
(2) prevent epidemics, such as the American
chestnut blight in the first half of the twentieth cen-
tury, that could be environmentally and economically
devastating to forests.
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
$5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2004 through
2008.
Passed the House of Representatives May 20, 2003.
Attest:
Clerk.
(1) isolate and treat a threat before the threat 
gets out of control; and 
(2) prevent epidemics, such as the American 
chestnut blight in the first half of the twentieth cen-
tury, that could be environmentally and economically 
devastating to forests. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2004 through 
2008.
Æ
(6) FEDERAL
LANDS.—The term ‘‘Federal 
lands’’ means—
(A) National Forest System lands; and 
(B) public lands administered by the Sec-
retary of the Interior, acting through the Bu-
reau of Land Management. 
(7) 
HAZARDOUS
FUELS
REDUCTION 
PROJECT.—The term ‘‘hazardous fuels reduction 
project’’ refers to the measures and methods de-
scribed in the definition of ‘‘appropriate tools’’ con-
tained in the glossary of the Implementation Plan. 
(8) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.—The term ‘‘Im-
plementation Plan’’ means the Implementation Plan 
for the 10-year Comprehensive Strategy for a Col-
laborative Approach for Reducing Wildland Fire 
Risks to Communities and the Environment, dated 
May 2002, which was developed pursuant to the con-
ference report for the Department of the Interior 
and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 
(House Report 106–646). 
(9) INTERFACE
COMMUNITY
AND
INTERMIX 
COMMUNITY.—The terms ‘‘interface community’’ 
and ‘‘intermix community’’ have the meanings given 
those terms on page 753 of volume 66 of the Fed-
eral Register, as published on January 4, 2001.
(10) MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM.—The 
term ‘‘municipal water supply system’’ means the 
reservoirs, canals, ditches, flumes, laterals, pipes, 
pipelines, or other surface facilities and systems con-
structed or installed for the impoundment, storage, 
transportation, or distribution of drinking water for 
a community. 
(11) 
SECRETARY
CONCERNED.—The 
term 
‘‘Secretary concerned’’ means the Secretary of Agri-
culture with respect to National Forest System lands 
and the Secretary of the Interior with respect to 
public lands administered by the Bureau of Land 
Management. Any reference in this title to the ‘‘Sec-
retary concerned’’, the Secretary of Agriculture’’, or 
the ‘‘Secretary of the Interior’’ includes the designee 
of the Secretary concerned. 
(12) THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES 
HABITAT.—The term ‘‘threatened and endangered 
species habitat’’ means Federal lands identified in 
the listing decision or critical habitat designation as 
habitat for a threatened species or an endangered 
species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
SEC. 102. AUTHORIZED HAZARDOUS FUELS REDUCTION 
PROJECTS. 
(a) AUTHORIZED PROJECTS.—Subject to the remain-
der of this section, the Secretary concerned may utilize 
the process authorized by section 104 to plan and conduct 
hazardous fuels reduction projects on any of the following 
Federal lands: 
(1) Federal lands located in an interface com-
munity or intermix community. 
(2) Federal lands located in such proximity to 
an interface community or intermix community that 
there is a significant risk that the spread of a fire 
disturbance event from those lands would threaten 
human life and property in the interface community 
or intermix community.
(3) Condition class 3 or condition class 2 Fed-
eral lands located in such proximity to a municipal 
water supply system or a stream feeding a municipal 
water supply system that a significant risk exists 
that a fire disturbance event would have adverse ef-
fects on the water quality of the municipal water 
supply, including the risk to water quality posed by 
erosion following such a fire disturbance event. 
(4) Condition class 3 or condition class 2 Fed-
eral lands identified by the Secretary concerned as 
an area where windthrow or blowdown, or the exist-
‘‘(C) to provide technical guidance to land 
managers and policy makers for water quality 
protection through forest management; 
‘‘(D) to complement State and local efforts 
to protect water quality and provide enhanced 
opportunities for consultation and cooperation 
among Federal and State agencies charged with 
responsibility for water and watershed manage-
ment; and 
‘‘(E) to provide enhanced forest resource 
data and support for improved implementation 
and monitoring of State forestry best-manage-
ment practices. 
‘‘(3) IMPLEMENTATION.—The program of tech-
nical assistance shall be implemented by State for-
esters or equivalent State officials. 
‘‘(c) WATERSHED
FORESTRY
COST-SHARE
PRO-
GRAM.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish a watershed forestry cost-share program to be 
administered by the Forest Service and implemented 
by State foresters or equivalent State officials. 
Funds or other support provided under such pro-
gram shall be made available for State forestry best-
102
HR 1904 RS1S 
(3) PEER REVIEW.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—Before being carried out, 
each applied silvicultural assessment under this 
title shall be peer reviewed by scientific experts 
selected by the Secretary, which shall include 
non-Federal experts. 
(B) EXISTING PEER REVIEW PROCESSES.—
The Secretary may use existing peer review proc-
esses to the extent the processes comply with sub-
paragraph (A). 
(c) PUBLIC NOTICE AND COMMENT.—
(1) PUBLIC NOTICE.—The Secretary shall pro-
vide notice of each applied silvicultural assessment 
proposed to be carried out under this section. 
(2) PUBLIC COMMENT.—The Secretary shall pro-
vide an opportunity for public comment before car-
rying out an applied silviculture assessment under 
this section. 
(d) CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Applied silvicultural assess-
ment and research treatments carried out under this 
section on not more than 1,000 acres for an assess-
ment or treatment may be categorically excluded from 
documentation in an environmental impact statement 
and environmental assessment under the National
HR 1904 RS1S 
posed agency action pursuant to section 102(2) of the Na-
tional Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4332(2)). 
(c) PUBLIC NOTICE AND MEETING.—
(1) PUBLIC NOTICE.—The Secretary concerned 
shall provide notice of each authorized hazardous 
fuels reduction project in accordance with applicable 
regulations and administrative guidelines. 
(2) PUBLIC
MEETING.—During the planning 
stage of each authorized hazardous fuels reduction 
project, the Secretary concerned shall conduct a 
public meeting at an appropriate location proximate 
to the administrative unit of the Federal lands in 
which
the
authorized
hazardous
fuels
reduction 
project will be conducted. The Secretary concerned 
shall provide advance notice of the date and time of 
the meeting. 
(d) PUBLIC COLLABORATION.—In order to encourage 
meaningful public participation in the identification and 
development of authorized hazardous fuels reduction 
projects, the Secretary concerned shall facilitate collabora-
tion among governments and interested persons during 
the formulation of each authorized fuels reduction project 
in a manner consistent with the Implementation Plan.
110
HR 1904 RS1S 
owner of the land an amount equal to not more than (as 
determined by the Secretary)—
(1) 75 percent of the fair market value of the 
land, less the fair market value of the land encum-
bered by the agreement; and 
(2) 75 percent of the actual costs of the approved 
conservation practices or 75 percent of the average 
cost of approved practices. 
(c) 10-YEAR AGREEMENT.—In the case of land en-
rolled in the healthy forests reserve program using a 10-
year cost-share agreement, the Secretary of Agriculture shall 
pay the owner of the land an amount equal to not more 
than (as determined by the Secretary)—
(1) 50 percent of the actual costs of the approved 
conservation practices; or 
(2) 50 percent of the average cost of approved 
practices. 
(d) ACCEPTANCE OF CONTRIBUTIONS.—The Secretary 
of Agriculture may accept and use contributions of non-
Federal funds to make payments under this section. 
SEC. 505. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall 
provide landowners with technical assistance to assist the 
owners in complying with the terms of plans (as included
HR 1904 RS1S 
‘‘(D) watershed-scale forest management 
activities and conservation planning; and 
‘‘(E) the restoration of wetland (as defined 
by the States) and stream-side forests and the 
establishment of riparian vegetative buffers. 
‘‘(4) COST-SHARING.—Funds provided under 
this subsection for a watershed forestry project may 
not exceed 75 percent of the cost of the project. 
Other Federal funding sources may be used to cover 
a portion of the remaining project costs, but the 
total Federal share of the costs may not exceed 90 
percent. The non-Federal share of the costs of a 
project may be in the form of cash, services, or other 
in-kind contributions. 
‘‘(5) PRIORITIZATION.—The State Forest Stew-
ardship Coordinating Committee for a State shall 
prioritize watersheds in that State to target water-
shed forestry projects funded under this subsection. 
‘‘(6) WATERSHED
FORESTER.—Financial and 
technical assistance shall be made available to the 
State Forester or equivalent State official to create 
a State best-management practice forester to lead 
statewide programs and coordinate small watershed-
level projects. 
‘‘(d) DISTRIBUTION.—
HR 1904 RS1S 
and United States Geological Survey, as appropriate, an 
accelerated program—
(1) to plan, conduct, and promote comprehen-
sive and systematic information gathering on bark 
beetles, including Southern pine beetles, hemlock 
woolly adelgids, emerald ash borers, red oak borers, 
and white oak borers, including an evaluation of—
(A)
infestation
prevention
and
control 
methods; 
(B) effects of infestations on forest eco-
systems; 
(C) restoration of the forest ecosystem ef-
forts; 
(D) utilization options regarding infested 
trees; and 
(E) models to predict the occurrence, dis-
tribution, and impact of outbreaks of bark bee-
tles, including Southern pine beetles, hemlock 
woolly adelgids, emerald ash borers, red oak 
borers, and white oak borers; 
(2) to assist land managers in the development 
of treatments and strategies to improve forest health 
and reduce the susceptibility of forest ecosystems to 
severe infestations of bark beetles, including South-
ern pine beetles, hemlock woolly adelgids, emerald
HR 1914 PCS 
retary of the Treasury may issue guidance to carry out 
this subsection. 
Passed the House of Representatives July 14, 2004. 
Attest: 
JEFF TRANDAHL, 
Clerk.
Calendar No. 642 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 1914 
AN ACT 
To provide for the issuance of a coin to commemo-
rate the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown set-
tlement. 
JULY 19, 2004 
Received; read twice and placed on the calendar
Calendar No. 106
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 192
AN ACT 
To amend the Microenterprise for Self-Reliance Act 
of 2000 and the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
to increase assistance for the poorest people in 
developing countries under microenterprise as-
sistance programs under those Acts, and for 
other purposes. 
MAY 21, 2003
Reported without amendment
Calendar No. 246
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 1904
[Report No. 108–121] 
AN ACT 
To improve the capacity of the Secretary of Agri-
culture and the Secretary of the Interior to plan 
and conduct hazardous fuels reduction projects 
on National Forest System lands and Bureau of 
Land Management lands aimed at protecting 
communities, watersheds, and certain other at-
risk lands from catastrophic wildfire, to enhance 
efforts to protect watersheds and address threats 
to forest and rangeland health, including cata-
strophic wildfire, across the landscape, and for 
other purposes. 
JULY 31 (legislative day, JULY 21), 2003
Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the 
title
I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1906
To amend title 10, United States Code, to revise the Transition Assistance 
Program for persons separating from active duty in the Armed Forces 
to make that program mandatory for all separating members and to 
provide for the furnishing to such members of information about home-
lessness. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 1, 2003
Mr. EVANS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to revise the Transi-
tion Assistance Program for persons separating from 
active duty in the Armed Forces to make that program 
mandatory for all separating members and to provide 
for the furnishing to such members of information about 
homelessness.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SEPA-
RATING MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. 
(a) PROGRAM MADE MANDATORY FOR ALL SEPA-
RATING MEMBERS.—Subsection (c) of section 1144 of
title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(c) PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary of Defense and 
Secretary of Homeland Security shall require participation 
in the program under this section by each member of the 
armed forces covered by subsection (a) and shall encour-
age and otherwise promote maximum participation in the 
program by the spouses of such members.’’. 
(b) INCLUSION OF INFORMATION ABOUT HOMELESS-
NESS.—Subsection (b) of such section is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(9) Provide information concerning homeless-
ness, including risk factors, awareness assessment, 
and contact information for preventative assistance 
associated with homelessness.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act.
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I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1907
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to ensure the availability of 
funds to provide technical assistance for certain conservation programs 
of the Department of Agriculture. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 1, 2003
Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma (for himself and Mr. HOLDEN) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to ensure the 
availability of funds to provide technical assistance for 
certain conservation programs of the Department of Ag-
riculture.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SOURCE OF FUNDS FOR TECHNICAL ASSIST-
ANCE FOR DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. 
(a) Subsection (b) of section 1241 of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841), as amended by section 
2106 of the Emergency Wartime Supplemental Appropria-
tions Act, 2003 (Public Law 108–11; 117 Stat. 590), is 
amended—
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘Effective be-
ginning on the date of enactment of the Agricultural 
Assistance Act of 2003, subject to paragraph (2)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘Effective as of February 20, 2003, 
subject to paragraphs (2) and (3)’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(3) FARMLAND PROTECTION PROGRAM, GRASS-
LAND
RESERVE
PROGRAM, AND
ENVIRONMENTAL 
QUALITY
INCENTIVES
PROGRAM.—Effective as of 
February 20, 2003, with respect to the conservation 
programs specified in paragraphs (4) through (6) of 
subsection (a), the funds reserved pursuant to para-
graph (1) for the provision of technical assistance 
shall be available only for the conservation program 
from which the funds were reserved and shall not be 
available for other conservation programs specified 
in subsection (a).’’.
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I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1908
To name the health care facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
located at 820 South Damen Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, as the ‘‘Jesse 
Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 1, 2003
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois (for himself, Mr. EVANS, Mr. RUSH, Mr. JACKSON of 
Illinois, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. EMANUEL, Mr. HYDE, Mr. 
CRANE, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. KIRK, Mr. COSTELLO, Mrs. BIGGERT, 
Mr. HASTERT, Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. LAHOOD, 
Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. EDWARDS, Mr. 
MORAN of Virginia, Mr. FILNER, Mr. FROST, Mr. WYNN, Mr. KAN-
JORSKI, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. OWENS, and Mr. WELLER) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs 
A BILL 
To name the health care facility of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs located at 820 South Damen Avenue in 
Chicago, Illinois, as the ‘‘Jesse Brown Department of 
Veterans Affairs Medical Center’’.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
HEALTH CARE FACILITY, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. 
The Department of Veterans Affairs health care facil-
ity located at 820 South Damen Avenue in Chicago, Illi-
nois, shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be 
known and designated as the ‘‘Jesse Brown Department 
of Veterans Affairs Medical Center’’. Any reference to 
such facility in any law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
or other record of the United States shall be considered 
to be a reference to the Jesse Brown Department of Vet-
erans Affairs Medical Center.
Æ
I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1909
To amend the National Labor Relations Act to provide for inflation adjust-
ments to the mandatory jurisdiction thresholds of the National Labor 
Relations Board. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 1, 2003
Mr. ISTOOK introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the National Labor Relations Act to provide for 
inflation adjustments to the mandatory jurisdiction 
thresholds of the National Labor Relations Board.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. INFLATION ADJUSTMENTS TO MANDATORY JU-
RISDICTION 
THRESHOLDS 
OF 
NATIONAL 
LABOR RELATIONS BOARD. 
Section 14(c)(1) of the National Labor Relations Act 
(29 U.S.C. 164(c)(1)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c)(1)(A) MANDATORY JURISDICTION.—The Board 
shall assert jurisdiction over any labor dispute involving
any class or category of employers over which it would 
assert jurisdiction under the standards prevailing on Au-
gust 1, 1959, with the financial threshold amounts ad-
justed for inflation under subparagraph (B). 
‘‘(B) INFLATION ADJUSTMENTS.—The Board, begin-
ning on October 1, 2003, and not less often than every 
5 years thereafter, shall adjust each of the financial 
threshold amounts referred to in subparagraph (A) for in-
flation, using as the base period the later of (i) the most 
recent calendar quarter ending before the financial thresh-
old amount was established, or (ii) the calendar quarter 
ending June 30, 1959. The inflation adjustments shall be 
determined using changes in the Consumer Price Index 
for all urban consumers published by the Department of 
Labor and shall be rounded to the nearest $10,000. The 
Board shall prescribe any regulations necessary for mak-
ing the inflation adjustments.’’.
Æ