ertson 
Wildlife 
Restoration 
Act 
(16 
U.S.C. 
669b(a)(2)) to support the full array of fish and 
wildlife conservation needs identified by State fish 
and wildlife departments, including for species that 
are not hunted or fished, but only authorized appro-
priations for the Subaccount for one year. 
(13) While some appropriated funds have been 
made available through related programs, the lack of 
assured and sufficient dedicated funding for the 
Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Subaccount 
has left unrealized the goals of the Subaccount, 
thereby allowing fish and wildlife populations to con-
tinue to decline across the United States and result-
ing in hundreds of species being listed as threatened 
species or endangered species under the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). 
(14) Under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife 
Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669 et seq.), each State 
and territory is required to seek public input and 
produce a comprehensive fish and wildlife conserva-
tion strategy, otherwise known as a State Wildlife 
Action Plan, to guide the State-led conservation of 
the full array of fish, wildlife, and their habitats. 
(15) Providing assured and sufficient dedicated 
funding to the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
Subaccount will advance the national interest by as-
suring sustainable populations of fish and wildlife 
species are available for the use and enjoyment of 
citizens of the United States through implementing 
the comprehensive fish and wildlife conservation 
strategy of each State, territory, and the District of 
Columbia. 
TITLE I—WILDLIFE CONSERVA-
TION AND RESTORATION 
SEC. 101. WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION 
SUBACCOUNT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3 of the Pittman-Robert-
son Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669b) is amended 
in subsection (c)— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 
paragraphs (9) and (10); and 
(2) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT OF SUBACCOUNT.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—There is established in 
the fund a subaccount to be known as the 
‘Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Sub-
account’ (referred to in this section as the ‘Sub-
account’). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
‘‘(B) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts in the Sub-
account shall be available without further ap-
propriation, for each fiscal year, for apportion-
ment in accordance with this Act. 
‘‘(C) DEPOSITS INTO SUBACCOUNT.—Be-
ginning in fiscal year 2020, the Secretary of the 
Treasury shall transfer $1,300,000,000 from 
the general fund of the treasury each fiscal year 
to the fund for deposit in the Subaccount. 
‘‘(2) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.—Amounts 
transferred to the Subaccount shall supplement, but 
not replace, existing funds available to the States 
from— 
‘‘(A) the funds distributed pursuant to the 
Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act 
(16 U.S.C. 777 et seq.); and 
‘‘(B) the fund. 
‘‘(3) INNOVATION GRANTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
distribute 10 percent of funds apportioned from 
the Subaccount through a competitive grant 
program to State fish and wildlife departments, 
the District of Columbia fish and wildlife de-
partment, fish and wildlife departments of terri-
tories, or to regional associations of fish and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
wildlife departments (or any group composed of 
more than 1 such entity). 
‘‘(B) PURPOSE.—Such grants shall be pro-
vided for the purpose of catalyzing innovation 
of techniques, tools, strategies, or collaborative 
partnerships that accelerate, expand, or rep-
licate effective and measurable recovery efforts 
for species of greatest conservation need and 
species listed under the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973 (15 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and the habi-
tats of such species. 
‘‘(C) REVIEW COMMITTEE.—The Secretary 
shall appoint a review committee comprised 
of— 
‘‘(i) a State Director from each re-
gional association of State fish and wildlife 
departments; 
‘‘(ii) the head of a department respon-
sible for fish and wildlife management in a 
territory; and 
‘‘(iii) four individuals representing 
four different nonprofit organizations each 
of which is actively participating in car-
rying out wildlife conservation restoration 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
activities using funds apportioned from the 
Subaccount. 
‘‘(D) SUPPORT FROM UNITED STATES FISH 
AND
WILDLIFE
SERVICE.—The United States 
Fish and Wildlife Service shall provide any per-
sonnel or administrative support services nec-
essary for such Committee to carry out its re-
sponsibilities under this Act. 
‘‘(E) EVALUATION.—Such committee shall 
evaluate each proposal submitted under this 
paragraph and recommend projects for funding. 
‘‘(4) USE OF FUNDS.—Funds apportioned from 
the Subaccount— 
‘‘(A) shall be used to carry out, revise, or 
enhance existing wildlife and habitat conserva-
tion and restoration programs and to develop 
and implement new wildlife conservation and 
restoration programs to recover and manage 
species of greatest conservation need and the 
key habitats and plant community types essen-
tial to the conservation of those species as de-
termined by the appropriate State fish and 
wildlife department; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
‘‘(B) shall be used to develop, revise, and 
implement a wildlife conservation strategy of 
the State as may be required by this Act; 
‘‘(C) shall be used to assist in the recovery 
of species found in the State, territory, or in 
the case of funds received by the District of Co-
lumbia, the District of Columbia that are listed 
as endangered or threatened under the Endan-
gered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.) or under State law; 
‘‘(D) may be used for wildlife conservation 
education and wildlife-associated recreation 
projects; 
‘‘(E) may be used to manage a species of 
greatest conservation need whose range is 
shared with another State, territory, Indian 
Tribe, or foreign government and for the con-
servation of the habitat of such species; 
‘‘(F) may be used to manage, control, and 
prevent invasive and nuisance species, disease, 
and other risks to species of greatest conserva-
tion need; and 
‘‘(G) may be used for law enforcement ac-
tivities that are directly related to the protec-
tion and conservation of a species of greatest 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
conservation need and the habitat of such spe-
cies. 
‘‘(5) MINIMUM REQUIRED SPENDING FOR SPE-
CIES RECOVERY.—Not less than 10 percent of funds 
apportioned to a State or territory from the Sub-
account shall be used for purposes described in para-
graph (4)(C). 
‘‘(6) PUBLIC ACCESS TO PRIVATE LANDS NOT 
REQUIRED.—Funds apportioned from the Sub-
account shall not be conditioned upon the provision 
of public access to private lands, waters, or holdings. 
‘‘(7) REQUIREMENTS FOR MATCHING FUNDS.— 
‘‘(A) For the purposes of the non-Federal 
fund matching requirement for a wildlife con-
servation or restoration program or project 
funded by the Subaccount, a State may use as 
matching non-Federal funds— 
‘‘(i) funds from Federal agencies 
other than the Department of the Interior 
and the Department of Agriculture; 
‘‘(ii) 
donated 
private 
lands 
and 
waters, including privately owned ease-
ments; 
‘‘(iii) in circumstances described in 
subparagraph 
(B), 
revenue 
generated 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
through the sale of State hunting and fish-
ing licenses; and 
‘‘(iv) other sources consistent with 
part 80 of title 50, Code of Federal Regu-
lations, in effect on the date of enactment 
of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act of 
2019. 
‘‘(B) Revenue described in subparagraph 
(A)(iii) may only be used to fulfill the require-
ments of such non-Federal fund matching re-
quirement if— 
‘‘(i) no Federal funds apportioned to 
the State fish and wildlife department of 
such State from the Wildlife Restoration 
Program or the Sport Fish Restoration 
Program have been reverted because of a 
failure to fulfill such non-Federal fund 
matching requirement by such State dur-
ing the previous 2 years; and 
‘‘(ii) the project or program being 
funded benefits the habitat of a hunted or 
fished species and a species of greatest 
conservation need. 
‘‘(8) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection, the fol-
lowing definitions apply: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
‘‘(A) SPECIES
OF
GREATEST
CONSERVA-
TION NEED.—The term ‘species of greatest con-
servation need’ has the meaning given to it by 
each State fish and wildlife department, with 
respect to funds apportioned to such State. 
‘‘(B) TERRITORY AND TERRITORIES.—The 
terms ‘territory’ and ‘territories’ mean the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, Amer-
ican Samoa, the Commonwealth of the North-
ern Mariana Islands, and the United States 
Virgin Islands. 
‘‘(C) 
WILDLIFE.—The 
term 
‘wildlife’ 
means any species of wild, freeranging fauna, 
including fish, and also fauna in captive breed-
ing programs the object of which is to reintro-
duce individuals of a depleted indigenous spe-
cies into previously occupied range.’’. 
(b) ALLOCATION AND APPORTIONMENT OF AVAIL-
ABLE AMOUNTS.—Section 4 of the Pittman-Robertson 
Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669c) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating the second subsection (c), 
relating to the apportionment of the Wildlife Con-
servation and Restoration Account, and subsection 
(d) as subsections (d) and (e) respectively; 
(2) in subsection (d), as redesignated— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘to the District of Columbia and to the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, each’’ and 
inserting ‘‘To the District of Columbia’’; 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘to Guam’’ and inserting ‘‘To Guam’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(C) To the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico, a sum equal to not more than 1 percent 
thereof.’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2)(A), as redesignated— 
(i) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘one- 
third’’ and inserting ‘‘one-half’’; and 
(ii) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘two- 
thirds’’ and inserting ‘‘one-half’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘3 per-
cent’’ and inserting ‘‘1.85 percent’’; 
(3) by amending subsection (e)(4)(B), as redes-
ignated, to read as follows: 
‘‘(B) Not more than an average of 15 per-
cent over a 5-year period of amounts appor-
tioned to each State under this section for a 
State’s wildlife conservation and restoration 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
program may be used for wildlife conservation 
education and wildlife-associated recreation.’’; 
and 
(4) by adding at the end following: 
‘‘(f) MINIMIZATION
OF PLANNING
AND REPORT-
ING.—Nothing in this Act shall be interpreted to require 
a State to create a comprehensive strategy related to con-
servation education or outdoor recreation. 
‘‘(g) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not more than five 
years after the date of enactment of the Recovering Amer-
ica’s Wildlife Act of 2019 and every 5 years thereafter, 
each State fish and wildlife department shall submit a re-
port describing the results derived from activities accom-
plished under paragraph (3) to— 
‘‘(1) the Committee on Environment and Public 
Works of the Senate; and 
‘‘(2) the Committee on Natural Resources of 
the House of Representatives.’’. 
SEC. 102. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 2 of the Pittman-Robert-
son Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669a) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking paragraph (5); 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through 
(9) as paragraphs (5) through (8), respectively; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
(3) in paragraph (6), as redesignated by para-
graph (2), by inserting ‘‘Indian Tribes, academic in-
stitutions,’’ before ‘‘wildlife conservation organiza-
tions’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—The Pittman-Rob-
ertson Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669a et seq.) 
is amended— 
(1) in section 3— 
(A) in subsection (a)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘(1) An amount equal 
to’’ and inserting ‘‘An amount equal to’’; 
and 
(ii) by striking paragraph (2); 
(B) in subsection (c)— 
(i) in paragraph (9), as redesignated 
by section 101(a)(1), by striking ‘‘or an 
Indian tribe’’; and 
(ii) in paragraph (10), as redesignated 
by section 101(a)(1), by striking ‘‘Wildlife 
Conservation and Restoration Account’’ 
and inserting ‘‘Subaccount’’; and 
(C) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘Wildlife 
Conservation and Restoration Account’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Subaccount’’; 
(2) in section 4 (16 U.S.C. 669c)— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00018
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
waters within the State, including on Federal lands and 
waters. 
‘‘SEC. 14. STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION WITH RESPECT TO 
ALASKA. 
‘‘If any conflict arises between any provision of this 
Act and any provision of the Alaska National Interest 
Lands Conservation Act (Public Law 46–487, 16 U.S.C. 
3101 et seq.), then the provision in the Alaska National 
Interest Lands Conservation Act shall prevail.’’. 
SEC. 104. EXCLUSION FROM PAYGO SCORECARDS. 
(a) STATUTORY PAY-AS-YOU-GO SCORECARDS.—The 
budgetary effects of this Act shall not be entered on any 
PAYGO scorecard maintained pursuant to section 4(d) of 
the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010. 
(b) SENATE PAYGO SCORECARDS.—The budgetary 
effects of this Act shall not be entered on any PAYGO 
scorecard maintained for purposes of section 4106 of H. 
Con. Res. 71 (115th Congress), the concurrent resolution 
on the budget for fiscal year 2018. 
TITLE 
II—TRIBAL 
WILDLIFE 
CONSERVATION 
AND 
RES-
TORATION 
SEC. 201. INDIAN TRIBES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00020
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
(1) Indian Tribes are responsible for conserva-
tion and management of all fish, wildlife, and flora 
on lands within their jurisdiction; 
(2) however, their efforts remain grossly under-
funded; 
(3) Tribes do not benefit from Federal excise 
tax revenues; 
(4) Tribal lands and waters provide vital habi-
tat for hundreds of federally listed, sensitive, eco-
nomically important and culturally significant spe-
cies; and 
(5) a stable and consistent funding source that 
supports Tribal wildlife conservation and manage-
ment will benefit the well-being of Tribes and the 
species they protect and conserve. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) ACCOUNT.—The term ‘‘Account’’ means the 
Tribal Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Ac-
count established by subsection (c)(1). 
(2) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ 
has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00021
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
(4) TRIBAL SPECIES OF GREATEST CONSERVA-
TION NEED.—The term ‘‘Tribal species of greatest 
conservation need’’ means any species identified by 
an Indian Tribe as requiring conservation manage-
ment because of declining population, habitat loss, 
or other threats, or because of their biological or cul-
tural importance to such Tribe. 
(5) WILDLIFE.—The term ‘‘wildlife’’ means— 
(A) any species of wild flora or fauna in-
cluding fish and marine mammals; 
(B) flora or fauna in a captive breeding, 
rehabilitation, and holding or quarantine pro-
gram, the object of which is to reintroduce indi-
viduals of a depleted indigenous species into 
previously occupied range or to maintain a spe-
cies for conservation purposes; and 
(C) does not include game farm animals. 
(c) TRIBAL WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
AND RES-
TORATION ACCOUNT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the 
Treasury an account to be known as the ‘‘Tribal 
Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account’’. 
(2) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts in the Account 
shall be available for each fiscal year without further 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00022
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
appropriation for apportionment in accordance with 
this title. 
(3) DEPOSITS.—Beginning in fiscal year 2020, 
and each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary of the 
Treasury shall transfer $97,500,000 to the Account. 
(d) DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS TO INDIAN TRIBES.— 
Each fiscal year, the Secretary of the Treasury shall de-
posit funds into the Account and distribute such funds 
through a noncompetitive application process according to 
guidelines and criteria determined by the Secretary of the 
Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of In-
dian Affairs, in consultation with Indian Tribes. Such 
funds shall remain available until expended. 
(e) WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES.— 
The distribution guidelines and criteria described in sub-
section (d) shall be based, in part, upon Indian Tribes’ 
wildlife management responsibilities. 
(f) USE OF FUNDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the Secretary may distribute funds from 
the Account to an Indian Tribe for any of the fol-
lowing purposes: 
(A) To develop, carry out, revise, or en-
hance wildlife conservation and restoration pro-
grams to manage Tribal species of greatest con-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00023
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
servation need and the habitats of such species 
as determined by the such Indian Tribe. 
(B) To assist in the recovery of species 
listed as an endangered or threatened species 
under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). 
(C) For wildlife conservation education and 
wildlife-associated recreation projects. 
(D) To manage a Tribal species of greatest 
conservation need and the habitat of such spe-
cies, the range of which may be shared with a 
foreign country, State, or other Indian Tribe. 
(E) To manage, control, and prevent 
invasive species as well as diseases and other 
risks to wildlife. 
(F) For law enforcement activities that are 
directly related to the protection and conserva-
tion of wildlife. 
(G) To develop, revise, and implement 
comprehensive wildlife conservation strategies 
and plans for such Tribe. 
(H) For the hiring and training of wildlife 
conservation and restoration program staff. 
(2) CONDITIONS ON THE USE OF FUNDS.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:39 Jul 23, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00024
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3742.IH
H3742
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS