IB 
Union Calendar No. 304 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4973 
[Report No. 111–531] 
To amend the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to reauthorize volunteer pro-
grams and community partnerships for national wildlife refuges, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 25, 2010 
Mr. KRATOVIL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
JULY 13, 2010 
Additional sponsors: Mr. ROSS, Mrs. CAPPS, and Mr. CASTLE 
JULY 13, 2010 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 25, 2010] 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:00 Jul 13, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H4973.RH
H4973
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
A BILL 
To amend the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to reauthorize 
volunteer programs and community partnerships for na-
tional wildlife refuges, and for other purposes. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:00 Jul 13, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H4973.RH
H4973
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
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 ‘‘National Wildlife Refuge 
Volunteer Improvement Act of 2010’’. 
SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS TO IMPLE-
MENT VOLUNTEER, COMMUNITY PARTNER-
SHIP AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS UNDER 
FISH AND WILDLIFE ACT OF 1956. 
(a) REAUTHORIZATION.—Section 7(f) of the Fish and 
Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(f)) is amended to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Inte-
rior to carry out subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f), 
$2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2014.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.—Section 7 of the Fish 
and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f) is amended in 
subsections (b)(2)(B)(ii) and (d)(2)(C)(i) by striking ‘‘Na-
tional Wildlife Refuge Administration Act of 1966’’ each 
place it appears and inserting ‘‘National Wildlife Refuge 
System Administration Act of 1966’’. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:00 Jul 13, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H4973.RH
H4973
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE 
SYSTEM VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY PART-
NERSHIP ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 1998. 
Section 4(a) of the National Wildlife Refuge System 
Volunteer and Community Partnership Enhancement Act 
of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 742f–1) is amended— 
(1) in the subsection heading by striking 
‘‘PROJECTS’’ and inserting ‘‘NATIONAL VOLUNTEER 
COORDINATION PROGRAM’’; 
(2) by amending paragraph (1) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriations, and in conformance with the strategy 
developed under paragraph (2) and consistent with 
the authorities regarding gifts, volunteer services, 
community partnerships, and refuge education en-
hancement under section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife 
Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 741f), the Secretary of the In-
terior, through the Director of the United States Fish 
and Wildlife Service, shall carry out a National Vol-
unteer Coordination Program within the National 
Wildlife Refuge System to— 
‘‘(A) augment and support the capabilities 
and efforts of Federal employees to implement re-
source management, conservation, and public 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:00 Jul 13, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H4973.RH
H4973
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
education programs and activities across the Na-
tional Wildlife Refuge System; 
‘‘(B) provide meaningful opportunities for 
volunteers to support the resource management, 
conservation, and public education programs 
and activities of national wildlife refuges or 
complexes of geographically related national 
wildlife refuges in each United States Fish and 
Wildlife Service region; and 
‘‘(C) fulfill the purpose and mission of the 
National Wildlife Refuge System under the Na-
tional Wildlife Refuge System Administration 
Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.).’’; 
(3) by amending paragraph (2) to read as fol-
lows 
‘‘(2) VOLUNTEER COORDINATION STRATEGY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—No later than one year 
after date of enactment of this paragraph, the 
Director shall publish in the Federal Register a 
national strategy for the coordination and utili-
zation of volunteers within the National Wildlife 
Refuge System. 
‘‘(B) 
CONSULTATION
REQUIRED.—The 
strategy shall be developed in consultation with 
State fish and wildlife agencies, Indian tribes, 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:00 Jul 13, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H4973.RH
H4973
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
refuge friends groups or similar volunteer orga-
nizations, and other relevant stakeholders. 
‘‘(C) VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS.—The Di-
rector shall provide, subject to the availability of 
appropriations, no less than one regional volun-
teer coordinator for each United States Fish and 
Wildlife Service region to implement the strategy 
published under this paragraph. Such coordina-
tors may be responsible for assisting partner or-
ganizations in developing and implementing vol-
unteer projects and activities under cooperative 
agreements under section 7(d) of the Fish and 
Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(d)).’’; and 
(4) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘for for each 
fiscal year through fiscal year 2009’’ and inserting 
‘‘for each fiscal year through fiscal year 2014’’. 
SEC. 4. VOLUNTEER, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND 
EDUCATION PROGRAMS REPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife 
Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(e)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (f) (as amended 
by this Act) as subsection (g); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following 
new subsection: 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:00 Jul 13, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H4973.RH
H4973
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(f) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this subsection and every 5 years thereafter, 
the Secretary of the Interior shall submit a report to the 
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Represent-
atives and the Committee on Environment and Public 
Works of the Senate— 
‘‘(1) evaluating the accomplishments of the vol-
unteer program, the community partnerships pro-
gram, and the refuge education programs authorized 
under this section, and of the National Volunteer Co-
ordination Program and volunteer coordination strat-
egy under section 4(a) of the National Wildlife Refuge 
System Volunteer and Community Partnership En-
hancement Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 742f–1); and 
‘‘(2) making recommendations to improve the ef-
fectiveness of such programs, including regarding im-
plementing subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of para-
graph (1) of subsection (e).’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 4(a) of the 
National Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer and Community 
Partnership Enhancement Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 742f–1) 
is further amended by striking paragraph (3), and by redes-
ignating paragraph (4) (as amended by this Act) as para-
graph (3). 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:00 Jul 13, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H4973.RH
H4973
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS