ing for conservation is sorely lacking, and many 
range countries do not have adequate infrastructure 
to protect these species. 
(7) Although some protections exist to conserve 
endangered felid populations and their habitat, those 
efforts can be significantly enhanced by the infusion 
of targeted funding. 
SEC. 3. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this Act are to provide financial re-
sources and to foster international cooperation— 
(1) to restore and perpetuate healthy popu-
lations of great cats in the wild; and 
(2) to assist in the conservation of great cat 
populations worldwide. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) CITES.—The term ‘‘CITES’’ means the 
Convention on International Trade in Endangered 
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, done at Wash-
ington March 3, 1973 (27 UST 1087; TIAS 8249), 
including its appendices. 
(2) 
CONSERVATION.—The 
term 
‘‘conserva-
tion’’— 
(A) means the methods and procedures 
necessary to bring a species of great cats to the 
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point at which there are sufficient populations 
in the wild to ensure the long-term viability of 
the species; and 
(B) includes all activities associated with 
protection and management of a great cat pop-
ulation, including— 
(i) maintenance, management, protec-
tion, and restoration of great cat habitat; 
(ii) research and monitoring; 
(iii) law enforcement; 
(iv) community outreach and edu-
cation; 
(v) conflict resolution initiatives; and 
(vi) strengthening the capacity of local 
communities, governmental agencies, non-
governmental organizations and other in-
stitutions to implement conservation pro-
grams. 
(3) FUND.—The term ‘‘Fund’’ means the Great 
Cats Conservation Fund established by section 6. 
(4) GREAT CAT.—The term ‘‘great cat’’ means 
any lion, leopard, jaguar, snow leopard, clouded 
leopard, cheetah, or Spanish lynx. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
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SEC. 5. GREAT CATS CONSERVATION ASSISTANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 
funds and in consultation with other appropriate Federal 
officials, the Secretary shall use amounts in the Fund to 
provide financial assistance for projects for the conserva-
tion of great cats for which project proposals are approved 
by the Secretary in accordance with this section. 
(b) PROJECT PROPOSALS.— 
(1) ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.—A proposal for a 
project for the conservation of great cats may be 
submitted to the Secretary by— 
(A) any wildlife management authority of 
a country that has within its boundaries any 
part of the range of a great cat species; and 
(B) any person or group with the dem-
onstrated expertise required for the conserva-
tion in the wild of great cats. 
(2) PROJECT
PROPOSALS.—To be considered 
for financial assistance for a project under this Act, 
an applicant shall submit a project proposal that in-
cludes— 
(A) a concise statement of the purposes of 
the project; 
(B) the name of the individual responsible 
for conducting the project; 
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(C) a description of the qualifications of 
the individuals who will conduct the project; 
(D) a concise description of— 
(i) methods for project implementa-
tion and outcome assessment; 
(ii) staffing for the project; 
(iii) the logistics of the project; and 
(iv) community involvement in the 
project; 
(E) an estimate of funds and time required 
to complete the project; 
(F) evidence of support for the project by 
appropriate governmental entities of the coun-
tries in which the project will be conducted, if 
the Secretary determines that such support is 
required for the success of the project; 
(G) information regarding the source and 
amount of matching funding available for the 
project; and 
(H) any other information that the Sec-
retary considers to be necessary for evaluating 
the eligibility of the project for funding under 
this Act. 
(c) PROJECT REVIEW AND APPROVAL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall— 
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(A) not later than 30 days after receiving 
a project proposal, provide a copy of the pro-
posal to the appropriate Federal officials; and 
(B) review each project proposal in a time-
ly manner to determine if the proposal meets 
the criteria specified in subsection (d). 
(2) 
CONSULTATION; 
APPROVAL
OR
DIS-
APPROVAL.—Not later than 180 days after receiving 
a project proposal, and subject to the availability of 
funds, the Secretary, after consulting with other ap-
propriate Federal officials, shall— 
(A) ensure the proposal contains assur-
ances that the project will be implemented in 
consultation with relevant wildlife management 
authorities and other appropriate government 
officials with jurisdiction over the resources ad-
dressed by the project; 
(B) approve or disapprove the proposal; 
and 
(C) provide written notification of the ap-
proval or disapproval to the person who sub-
mitted the proposal, other appropriate Federal 
officials, and each country within whose borders 
the project will take place. 
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(d) CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL.—The Secretary may 
approve a project proposal under this section if the project 
will contribute to conservation of great cats in the wild 
by assisting efforts to— 
(1) implement conservation programs; 
(2) address the conflicts between humans and 
great cats that arise from competition for the same 
habitat; 
(3) enhance compliance with CITES and other 
applicable laws that prohibit or regulate the taking 
or trade of great cats or regulate the use and man-
agement of great cat habitat; 
(4) develop sound scientific information on, or 
methods for monitoring— 
(A) the condition and health of great cat 
habitat; and 
(B) great cat population numbers and 
trends; or 
(5) promote cooperative projects among govern-
ment entities, affected local communities, nongovern-
mental organizations, and other persons in the pri-
vate sector. 
(e) PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY.—In approving project 
proposals under this section, the Secretary shall give pref-
erence to conservation projects that are designed to ensure 
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effective, long-term conservation of great cats and their 
habitats. 
(f) MATCHING FUNDS.—In determining whether to 
approve project proposals under this section, the Secretary 
shall give preference to projects for which matching funds 
are available. 
(g) PROJECT REPORTING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each person that receives 
assistance under this section for a project shall sub-
mit to the Secretary periodic reports (at such inter-
vals as the Secretary considers necessary) that in-
clude all information that the Secretary, after con-
sultation with other appropriate government offi-
cials, determines is necessary to evaluate the 
progress and success of the project for the purposes 
of ensuring positive results, assessing problems, and 
fostering improvements. 
(2) AVAILABILITY
TO
THE
PUBLIC.—Reports 
under paragraph (1), and any other documents re-
lating to projects for which financial assistance is 
provided under this Act, shall be made available to 
the public. 
(h) ADVISORY GROUP.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—To assist in carrying out 
this Act, the Secretary may convene an advisory 
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