Tropical Forest and Coral Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2020
Sponsor: Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN]
Introduced: 2007-09-06 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Coral reefs
Debt agreements
Environmental Protection
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Forest conservation
International environmental cooperation
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine ecology
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Tropical forests

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-06
text: 
Tropical Forest and Coral Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2007 - Renames the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 as The Tropical Forest and Coral Conservation Act of 2007 (Act).
 
Includes tropical forests and coral reefs and associated coastal marine ecosystems within the scope of such Act.
 
Renames the Tropical Forest Facility as the Conservation Facility.
 
Authorizes U.S. government representation on the administering body that oversees the implementation of grants from a 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 beneficiary country.
 
Requires U.S. government and beneficiary country government review of Conservation Fund grants in excess of $250,000.
 
Repeals Enterprise of the Americas Board authority to carry out activities under the Act.

action_date: 2007-10-15
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

 
Tropical Forest and Coral Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2007 - (Sec. 2) Renames the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 as The Tropical Forest and Coral Conservation Act of 2007 (Act).
 
(Sec. 3) Includes tropical forests and coral reefs and associated coastal marine ecosystems within the scope of such Act. (Current law refers to tropical forests.) 
 
(Sec. 4) Renames the Tropical Forest Facility as the Conservation Facility.
 
(Sec. 5) Makes developing countries with tropical forests or coral reefs eligible for benefits. (Current law refers to tropical forests.)
 
(Sec. 6) Authorizes U.S. government representation on the administering body that oversees the implementation of grants from a 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 beneficiary country.
 
(Sec. 7) Eliminates the requirement that the Enterprise for the Americas Board be consulted in negotiating a Conservation Agreement.
 
Requires U.S. government and beneficiary country government review of Conservation Fund grants in excess of $250,000.
 
(Sec. 8) Renames: (1) the Tropical Forest Agreement as the Conservation Agreement; and (2) the Tropical Forest Fund as the Conservation Fund.
 
(Sec. 9) Repeals Board authority to carry out activities under the Act.
 
(Sec. 10) Revises certain reporting dates.
 
(Sec. 11) Revises specified International Monetary Fund (IMF) criteria for country eligibility.
 
(Sec. 12) Authorizes FY2008-FY2010 appropriations. Increases obligations for program administration, monitoring, and auditing.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-10-15
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 419.
action_date: 2007-10-15
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Biden without amendment and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 110-196.
action_date: 2007-10-15
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Biden without amendment and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 110-196.
action_date: 2007-09-11
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2007-09-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2007-09-06
text: Introduced in Senate