H. R. 4578—70
1999, received a payment under the sixth paragraph under
the heading of ‘‘FOREST SERVICE’’ in the Act of May 23,
1908 (35 Stat. 260; 16 U.S.C. 500), or section 13 of the Act
of March 1, 1911 (36 Stat. 963; 16 U.S.C. 500).
(5) FEDERAL LANDS.—The term ‘‘Federal lands’’ means the
following:
(A) Lands within the National Forest System, as
defined in section 11(a) of the Forest and Rangeland
Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C.
1609(a)), exclusive of the National Grasslands and land
utilization projects designated as National Grasslands
administered pursuant to the Act of July 22, 1937 (7 U.S.C.
1010–1012).
(B) Such portions of the Oregon and California Railroad
grant lands revested in the United States by the Act of
June 9, 1916 (chapter 137; 39 Stat. 218), and the Coos
Bay Wagon Road grant lands reconveyed to the United
States by the Act of February 26, 1919 (chapter 47; 40
Stat. 1179), as are or may hereafter come under the juris-
diction of the Secretary of the Interior, which have here-
tofore or may hereafter be classified as timberlands, and
power-site lands valuable for timber, that shall be man-
aged, except as provided in the former section 3 of the
Act of August 28, 1937 (50 Stat. 875; 43 U.S.C. 1181c),
for permanent forest production.
(6) SUSTAINABLE
FORESTRY.—The term ‘‘sustainable for-
estry’’ means the practice of meeting the forest resource needs
and values of the present without compromising the similar
capability of future generations.
(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT REQUIRED.—There is hereby established
an advisory committee, to be known as the Forest Counties
Payments Committee, to develop recommendations, consistent
with sustainable forestry, regarding methods to ensure that
States and counties in which Federal lands are situated receive
adequate Federal payments to be used for the benefit of public
education and other public purposes.
(2) MEMBERS.—The Advisory Committee shall be composed
of the following members:
(A) The Chief of the Forest Service, or a designee
of the Chief who has significant expertise in sustainable
forestry.
(B) The Director of the Bureau of Land Management,
or a designee of the Director who has significant expertise
in sustainable forestry.
(C) The Director of the Office of Management and
Budget, or the Director’s designee.
(D) Two members who are elected members of the
governing branches of eligible counties; one such member
to be appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate
(in consultation with the chairmen and ranking members
of the committees of jurisdiction of the Senate) and one
such member to be appointed by the Speaker of the House
of Representatives (in consultation with the chairmen and
ranking members of the committees of jurisdiction of the
House of Representatives) within 60 days of the date of
the enactment of this Act.
H. R. 4578—71
(E) Two members who are elected members of school
boards for, superintendents from, or teachers employed
by, school districts in eligible counties; one such member
to be appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate
(in consultation with the chairmen and ranking members
of the committees of jurisdiction of the Senate) and one
such member to be appointed by the Speaker of the House
of Representatives (in consultation with the chairmen and
ranking members of the committees of jurisdiction of the
House of Representatives) within 60 days of the date of
the enactment of this Act.
(3) GEOGRAPHIC
REPRESENTATION.—In making appoint-
ments under subparagraphs (D) and (E) of paragraph (2), the
President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the
House of Representatives shall seek to ensure that the Advisory
Committee members are selected from geographically diverse
locations.
(4) ORGANIZATION OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—
(A) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the Advisory
Committee shall be selected from among the members
appointed pursuant to subparagraphs (D) and (E) of para-
graph (2).
(B) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the membership of
the Advisory Committee shall be filled in the same manner
as required by paragraph (2). A vacancy shall not impair
the authority of the remaining members to perform the
functions of the Advisory Committee under this section.
(C) COMPENSATION.—The members of the Advisory
Committee who are not officers or employees of the United
States, while attending meetings or other events held by
the Advisory Committee or at which the members serve
as representatives of the Advisory Committee or while
otherwise serving at the request of the Chairperson of
the Advisory Committee, shall each be entitled to receive
compensation at a rate not in excess of the maximum
rate of pay for grade GS–15, as provided in the General
Schedule, including traveltime, and while away from their
homes or regular places of business, shall each be
reimbursed for travel expenses, including per diem in lieu
of subsistence as authorized by section 5703 of title 5,
United States Code, for persons in Government service
employed intermittently.
(5) STAFF AND RULES.—
(A) EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR.—The Advisory Committee
shall have an Executive Director, who shall be appointed
by the Advisory Committee and serve at the pleasure of
the Advisory Committee. The Executive Director shall
report to the Advisory Committee and assume such duties
as the Advisory Committee may assign. The Executive
Director shall be paid at a rate not in excess of the max-
imum rate of pay for grade GS–15, as provided in the
General Schedule.
(B) OTHER STAFF.—In addition to authority to appoint
personnel subject to the provisions of title 5, United States
Code, governing appointments to the competitive service,
and to pay such personnel in accordance with the provisions
of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such
H. R. 4578—72
title relating to classification and General Schedule pay
rates, the Advisory Committee shall have authority to enter
into contracts with private or public organizations which
may furnish the Advisory Committee with such administra-
tive and technical personnel as may be necessary to carry
out the functions of the Advisory Committee under this
section. To the extent practicable, such administrative and
technical personnel, and other necessary support services,
shall be provided for the Advisory Committee by the Chief
of the Forest Service and the Director of the Bureau of
Land Management.
(C) COMMITTEE RULES.—The Advisory Committee may
establish such procedural and administrative rules as are
necessary for the performance of its functions under this
section.
(6) FEDERAL
AGENCY
COOPERATION.—The heads of the
departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the executive
branch of the Federal Government shall cooperate with the
Advisory Committee in the performance of its functions under
this section and should furnish, as practicable, to the Advisory
Committee information which the Advisory Committee deems
necessary to carry out such functions.
(c) FUNCTIONS OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—
(1) DEVELOPMENT OF RECOMMENDATIONS.—
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Advisory Committee shall
develop recommendations for policy or legislative initiatives
(or both) regarding alternatives for, or substitutes to, the
payments required to be made to eligible States and eligible
counties under the provisions of law referred to in para-
graphs (3) and (4) of subsection (a) in order to provide
a long-term method to generate annual payments to eligible
States and eligible counties.
(B) REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than 18
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Advisory Committee shall submit to the committees of
jurisdiction a final report containing the recommendations
developed under this subsection. The Advisory Committee
shall submit semiannual progress reports on its activities
and expenditures to the committees of jurisdiction until
the final report has been submitted.
(2) GUIDANCE
FOR
COMMITTEE.—In developing the rec-
ommendations required by paragraph (1), the Advisory Com-
mittee shall—
(A) evaluate the method by which payments are made
to eligible States and eligible counties under the provisions
of law referred to in paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection
(a), and related laws, and the use of such payments;
(B) consider the impact on eligible States and eligible
counties of revenues derived from the historic multiple
use of the Federal lands;
(C) evaluate the economic, environmental, and social
benefits which accrue to counties containing Federal lands,
including recreation, natural resources industries, and the
value of environmental services that result from Federal
lands; and
(D) evaluate the expenditures by counties on activities
on Federal lands which are Federal responsibilities.
H. R. 4578—73
(3) MONITORING AND RELATED REPORTING ACTIVITIES.—The
Advisory Committee shall monitor the payments made to
eligible States and eligible counties under the provisions of
law referred to in paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (a),
and related laws, and submit to the committees of jurisdiction
an annual report describing the amounts and sources of such
payments and containing such comments as the Advisory Com-
mittee may have regarding such payments.
(4) TESTIMONY.—The Advisory Committee shall make itself
available for testimony or comments on the reports required
to be submitted by the Advisory Committee and on any legisla-
tion or regulations to implement any recommendations made
in such reports in any congressional hearings or any rulemaking
or other administrative decision process.
(d) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT REQUIREMENTS.—The
provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)
shall apply to the Advisory Committee.
(e) TERMINATION OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—The Advisory Com-
mittee shall terminate three years after the date of the enactment
of this Act.
(f) FUNDING SOURCE.—At the request of the Executive Director
of the Advisory Committee, the Secretary of Agriculture shall pro-
vide funds from any account available to the Secretary, not to
exceed $200,000 in fiscal year 2001, for the work of the Advisory
Committee necessary to meet the requirements of this section.
SEC. 321. No part of any appropriation contained in this Act
shall be expended or obligated to complete and issue the 5-year
program under the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources
Planning Act.
SEC. 322. None of the funds in this Act may be used to support
Government-wide administrative functions unless such functions
are justified in the budget process and funding is approved by
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
SEC. 323. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none
of the funds in this Act may be used for GSA Telecommunication
Centers or the President’s Council on Sustainable Development.
SEC. 324. None of the funds in this Act may be used for
planning, design or construction of improvements to Pennsylvania
Avenue in front of the White House without the advance approval
of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
SEC. 325. Amounts deposited during fiscal year 2000 in the
roads and trails fund provided for in the fourteenth paragraph
under the heading ‘‘FOREST SERVICE’’ of the Act of March 4,
1913 (37 Stat. 843; 16 U.S.C. 501), shall be used by the Secretary
of Agriculture, without regard to the State in which the amounts
were derived, to repair or reconstruct roads, bridges, and trails
on National Forest System lands or to carry out and administer
projects to improve forest health conditions, which may include
the repair or reconstruction of roads, bridges, and trails on National
Forest System lands in the wildland-community interface where
there is an abnormally high risk of fire. The projects shall empha-
size reducing risks to human safety and public health and property
and enhancing ecological functions, long-term forest productivity,
and biological integrity. The Secretary shall commence the projects
during fiscal year 2001, but the projects may be completed in
a subsequent fiscal year. Funds shall not be expended under this
section to replace funds which would otherwise appropriately be