To amend the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to establish requirements for the award of concessions in the National Wildlife Refuge System, to provide for maintenance and repair of properties located in the System by concessionaires authorized to use such properties, and for other purposes.

Bill: 108-hr-1204
Sponsor: Rep. Souder, Mark E. [R-IN-3]
Introduced: 2003-03-11 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Animals
Commerce
Competitive bidding
Concessions
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Contracts
Costs
Department of the Interior
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Government Operations and Politics
Government property
Habitat conservation
Land use
Law
Leases
Licenses
Maintenance and repair
Nature conservation
Planning
Signs and signboards
Tourism
Transportation and Public Works
User charges
Wildlife refuges

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-11
text: Amends the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from awarding any concession that authorizes a person to use any land or water in the National Wildlife Refuge System for any activity conducted to provide accommodations, facilities, or services for visitors' recreational, educational, or interpretive enjoyment of System lands or waters, except under a standardized contract established pursuant to this Act.
Directs the Secretary, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to issue regulations requiring that any activity conducted in the System under the contract must be: (1) a compatible use; and (2) designed to conserve the System's natural and cultural resources, facilitate the enjoyment of System lands and waters, and enhance visitors' knowledge of the natural resources.
Requires the Secretary to include in any such contract provisions that: (1) authorize the person to maintain or repair any improvement on or in such land or water that the person is authorized to use; and (2) treat costs incurred by the person for such maintenance or repair as consideration otherwise required to be paid to the United States for such use.
Requires amounts received by the United States as fees or other payments required under any contract for use of real property located in an area of the System to be available to the Secretary for specified expenditures.
Directs the Secretary to: (1) include in the comprehensive conservation plan for each refuge a description of the activities that may be conducted in the refugee and the lands, water, and facilities of the refuge that may be used under concession contracts; and (2) report annually to specified congressional committees on concessions activities in the System.
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: 
Amends the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from authorizing a person to use any land or water in the National Wildlife Refuge System for any commercial activity conducted to provide accommodations, facilities, or services for visitors' recreational, educational, or interpretive enjoyment of System lands or waters, except under a standardized concession contract established pursuant to this Act. Excludes certain activities from coverage of such requirement, including volunteer and government activities and the operation of a bookstore in a refuge facility by a national wildlife refuge Friends organization, as well as performance of any authorized guide or outfitter services.
 
Exempts from such standardized contract requirement administrative sites, visitor facilities, and revenue producing visitor services mandated or authorized pursuant to the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. 
 
Directs the Secretary, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to issue regulations that authorize a contract to use a provision other than those specified by the Secretary as part of a standardized contract, subject to certain conditions. Directs the Secretary to require in each contract provisions requiring any activity conducted in the System under the contract to be: (1) a compatible use; and (2) designed to conserve the System's natural and cultural resources, facilitate the enjoyment of System lands and waters, and enhance visitors' knowledge of the natural resources. 
Requires the Secretary to include in any such contract provisions that: (1) authorize the person to maintain or repair any improvement on or in such land or water that the person is authorized to use; and (2) treat costs incurred by the person for such maintenance or repair as consideration otherwise required to be paid to the United States for such use. 
Makes available to the Secretary for specified expenditures any amounts received by the United States as fees or other payments required under any contract for use of real property located in an area of the System, other than lands withdrawn for Native selection pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) include in the comprehensive conservation plan for each refuge a description of the activities that may be conducted in the refuge and the lands, water, and facilities of the refuge that may be used under concession contracts; and (2) report by December 31 each year to specified congressional committees on concessions activities in the System.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-19
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR 11/19/2003 H11446-11447)
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR 11/19/2003 H11446-11447)
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1204.
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR 11/19/2003 H11446-11448)
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Mr. Souder moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2003-11-04
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 204.
action_date: 2003-11-04
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 108-347.
action_date: 2003-11-04
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 108-347.
action_date: 2003-09-24
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2003-09-24
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2003-07-17
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2003-07-17
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2003-06-26
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2003-03-18
text: Executive Comment Requested from Interior.
action_date: 2003-03-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans.
action_date: 2003-03-11
text: Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
action_date: 2003-03-11
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-03-11
text: Introduced in House