I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2185 
To amend the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 to provide debt 
relief to developing countries that take action to protect forests and 
coral reefs and associated coastal marine ecosystems, to reauthorize such 
Act through fiscal year 2010, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 7, 2007 
Mr. KIRK (for himself, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. EHLERS, Mr. 
CARNAHAN, Mr. HINCHEY, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. 
ROYCE, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. 
MEEK of Florida, Mr. SOUDER, Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota, Mr. 
FORTENBERRY, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. ACKERMAN, and Mr. 
FARR) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 
to provide debt relief to developing countries that take 
action to protect forests and coral reefs and associated 
coastal marine ecosystems, to reauthorize such Act 
through fiscal year 2010, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Subsection (a) of section 802 of the 
Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 
2431) is amended— 
(1) in paragraphs (1), (6), and (7), by striking 
‘‘tropical forests’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘forests and coral reefs and associated coastal ma-
rine ecosystems’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through 
(7) as paragraphs (4) through (8), respectively; 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) Coral reefs and associated coastal marine 
ecosystems provide a wide range of benefits to man-
kind by— 
‘‘(A) harboring more species per unit area 
than any other marine habitat, providing the 
basis for developing pharmaceutical products 
and fostering a growing marine tourism sector;
‘‘(B) providing a major source of food and 
jobs for hundreds of millions of coastal resi-
dents;
and 
‘‘(C) serving as natural storm barriers, 
thus protecting vulnerable shorelines and com-
munities from storm waves and erosion.’’; and 
(4) in paragraph (4) (as redesignated)— 
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(A) by inserting ‘‘and coral reef and asso-
ciated coastal marine ecosystems’’ after ‘‘forest 
resources’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘and coral reef and asso-
ciated coastal marine ecosystem exploitation’’ 
after ‘‘tropical deforestation’’. 
(b) PURPOSES.—Subsection (b) of such section is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraphs (1), (3), and (4), by striking 
‘‘tropical forests’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘forests and coral reefs and associated coastal ma-
rine ecosystems’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘tropical forests’’ the first 
and third place it appears and inserting ‘‘for-
ests and coral reefs and associated coastal ma-
rine ecosystems’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘tropical forests’’ the sec-
ond place it appears and inserting ‘‘areas’’; and 
(C) by inserting at the end before the 
semicolon the following: ‘‘and unsustainable 
coral reef and associated coastal marine eco-
system exploitation’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 803 of the Tropical Forest Conservation Act 
of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 2431a) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘Com-
mittee on International Relations’’ and inserting 
‘‘Committee on Foreign Affairs’’; 
(2) by striking paragraphs (4), (7), (8), and 
(9); 
(3) in paragraph (5)— 
(A) in the heading, by striking ‘‘TROPICAL 
FOREST’’ and inserting ‘‘FOREST
OR
CORAL 
REEF OR ASSOCIATED COASTAL MARINE ECO-
SYSTEM’’; 
(B) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A), by striking ‘‘tropical forest’’ and inserting 
‘‘forest or coral reef or associated coastal ma-
rine ecosystem’’; and 
(C) in subparagraph (B)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘tropical forest’’ and 
inserting ‘‘forest or coral reef or associated 
coastal marine ecosystem’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘tropical forests’’ and 
inserting ‘‘forests or coral reefs or associ-
ated coastal marine ecosystems’’; 
(4) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and (6) as 
paragraphs (9) and (10), respectively; and 
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(5) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(4) CONSERVATION
AGREEMENT.—The term 
‘Conservation Agreement’ or ‘Agreement’ means a 
Conservation Agreement provided for in section 809. 
‘‘(5) 
CONSERVATION
FACILITY.—The 
term 
‘Conservation Facility’ or ‘Facility’ means the Con-
servation Facility established in the Department of 
the Treasury by section 804. 
‘‘(6) CONSERVATION
FUND.—The term ‘Con-
servation Fund’ or ‘Fund’ means a Conservation 
Fund provided for in section 810. 
‘‘(7) CORAL.—The term ‘coral’ means species 
of the phylum Cnidaria, including— 
‘‘(A) all species of the orders Antipatharia 
(black corals), Scleractinia (stony corals), 
Alcyonacea (soft corals), Gorgonacea (horny 
corals), Stolonifera (organpipe corals and oth-
ers), and Coenothecalia (blue coral), of the class 
Anthozoa; and 
‘‘(B) 
all 
species 
of 
the 
order 
Hydrocorallina (fire corals and hydrocorals) of 
the class Hydrozoa. 
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‘‘(8) CORAL
REEF.—The term ‘coral reef’ 
means any reef or shoal composed primarily of cor-
als.’’. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FACILITY. 
Section 804 of the Tropical Forest Conservation Act 
of 1988 (22 U.S.C. 2431b) is amended by striking ‘‘Trop-
ical Forest Facility’’ and inserting ‘‘Conservation Facil-
ity’’. 
SEC. 4. ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS. 
Section 805(a) of the Tropical Forest Conservation 
Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 2431c(a)) is amended by striking 
‘‘tropical forest’’ and inserting ‘‘forest or coral reef or as-
sociated coastal marine ecosystem’’. 
SEC. 5. REDUCTION OF DEBT OWED TO THE UNITED 
STATES AS A RESULT OF CONCESSIONAL 
LOANS UNDER THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE 
ACT OF 1961. 
(a) ADDITIONAL TERMS
AND CONDITIONS.—Sub-
section (c)(2) of section 806 of the Tropical Forest Con-
servation Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 2431d) is amended by 
striking ‘‘Tropical Forest Fund’’ and inserting ‘‘Conserva-
tion Fund’’. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—Sub-
section (d)(6) of such section is amended by striking ‘‘fis-
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cal year 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘each of the fiscal years 
2007 through 2010’’. 
(c) USE OF FUNDS TO CONDUCT PROGRAM AUDITS, 
EVALUATIONS, MONITORING, AND ADMINISTRATION.— 
Subsection (e) of such section is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(e) USE OF FUNDS TO CONDUCT PROGRAM AU-
DITS, EVALUATIONS, MONITORING, AND ADMINISTRA-
TION.—Of the amounts made available to carry out this 
part for a fiscal year, up to $300,000 is authorized to be 
made available to carry out audits, evaluations, moni-
toring, and administration of programs under this part, 
including personnel costs associated with such audits, 
evaluations, monitoring, and administration.’’ 
SEC. 6. REDUCTION OF DEBT OWED TO THE UNITED 
STATES AS A RESULT OF CREDITS EXTENDED 
UNDER TITLE I OF THE AGRICULTURAL 
TRADE DEVELOPMENT AND ASSISTANCE ACT 
OF 1954. 
Section 807(c)(2) of the Tropical Forest Conserva-
tion Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 2431e(c)(2)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘Tropical Forest Fund’’ and inserting ‘‘Conserva-
tion Fund’’. 
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SEC. 7. UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATION 
ON OVERSIGHT BODIES FOR GRANTS FROM 
DEBT-FOR-NATURE 
SWAPS 
AND 
DEBT- 
BUYBACKS. 
Section 808(a)(5) of the Tropical Forest Conserva-
tion Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 2431f(a)(5)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT REP-
RESENTATION
ON
THE
ADMINISTERING 
BODY.—One or more individuals appointed by 
the United States Government may serve in an 
official capacity on the administering body that 
oversees the implementation of grants arising 
from this debt-for-nature swap or debt buy-back 
regardless of whether the United States is a 
party to any agreement between the eligible 
purchaser and the government of the bene-
ficiary country.’’. 
SEC. 8. CONSERVATION AGREEMENT. 
(a) AUTHORITY.—Subsection (a) of section 809 of 
the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 
2431g) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘(a) AUTHORITY.—’’ and all 
that follows through ‘‘The Secretary of State’’ and 
inserting 
‘‘(a) 
AUTHORITY.—The 
Secretary 
of 
State’’; 
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(2) by striking ‘‘Tropical Forest Agreement’’ 
and inserting ‘‘Conservation Agreement’’; and 
(3) by striking paragraph (2). 
(b) ADMINISTERING BODY.—Subsection (c)(2)(A) of 
such section is amended— 
(1) in clause (i), by inserting at the end before 
the semicolon the following: ‘‘to serve in an official 
capacity’’; and 
(2) in clause (iii)(III), by inserting ‘‘or marine’’ 
after ‘‘forestry’’. 
(c) ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.—Subsection (d) of such 
section is amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘the tropical forests’’ and inserting ‘‘forests 
or coral reefs or associated coastal marine eco-
systems’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘and water’’ 
after ‘‘land’’; 
(3) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘tropical for-
est’’; and 
(4) in paragraph (6), by striking ‘‘living in or 
near a tropical forest in a manner consistent with 
protecting such tropical forest’’ and inserting ‘‘de-
pendent on a forest or coral reef or associated coast-
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al marine ecosystem in a manner consistent with 
protecting and conserving such resources’’. 
(d) GRANT RECIPIENTS.—Subsection (e)(1)(A) of 
such section is amended by inserting ‘‘marine,’’ after ‘‘for-
estry,’’. 
(e) REVIEW OF LARGER GRANTS.—Subsection (f) of 
such section is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(f) REVIEW OF LARGER GRANTS.—Any grant of 
more than $250,000 from a Fund shall be approved by 
the Government of the United States and the government 
of the beneficiary country.’’. 
(f) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The heading of 
such section is amended by striking ‘‘TROPICAL FOR-
EST’’ and inserting ‘‘CONSERVATION’’. 
SEC. 9. CONSERVATION FUND. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Subsection (a) of section 810 
of the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 (22 
U.S.C. 2431h) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Tropical Forest Agreement’’ 
and inserting ‘‘Conservation Agreement’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘Tropical Forest Fund’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Conservation Fund’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
Such section is amended— 
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(1) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘terms as con-
ditions’’ and inserting ‘‘terms and conditions’’; and 
(2) in the heading, by striking ‘‘TROPICAL 
FOREST’’ and inserting ‘‘CONSERVATION’’. 
SEC. 10. BOARD. 
Section 811 of the Tropical Forest Conservation Act 
of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 2431i) is hereby repealed. 
SEC. 11. ANNUAL REPORTS TO THE CONGRESS. 
Section 813 of the Tropical Forest Conservation Act 
of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 2431k) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘December 31’’ and inserting 
‘‘April 15’’; 
(3) by striking ‘‘fiscal year’’ each place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘calendar year’’; and 
(4) by striking subsection (b). 
SEC. 12. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. 
(a) PART HEADING.—The heading of part V of the 
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is amended by striking 
‘‘TROPICAL FORESTS’’ and inserting ‘‘FORESTS 
OR CORAL REEFS OR ASSOCIATED COAST-
AL MARINE ECOSYSTEMS’’. 
(b) SHORT TITLE.— 
(1) AMENDMENT.—Section 801 of the Tropical 
Forest Conservation Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 2151 
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note) is amended by striking ‘‘Tropical Forest Con-
servation Act of 1998’’ and inserting ‘‘Forest and 
Coral Conservation Act of 2007’’. 
(2) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, reg-
ulation, document, or other record of the United 
States to the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 
1998 shall be deemed to be a reference to the Forest 
and Coral Conservation Act of 2007. 
(3) AVAILABILITY OF UNOBLIGATED OR UNEX-
PENDED
FUNDS.—Amounts appropriated to carry 
out the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 
(as in effect on the day before the date of the enact-
ment of this Act) that are unobligated or unex-
pended as of the date of the enactment of this Act 
may be used to carry out the Forest and Coral Con-
servation Act of 2007. 
(c) REDESIGNATION.—Part V of the Foreign Assist-
ance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2431 et seq.) is amended 
by redesignating sections 812 and 813 as sections 811 and 
812, respectively. 
(d) OTHER AMENDMENTS.— Section 703(a)(5) of 
the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
2430b(a)(5)) is amended— 
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