Conservation Reform Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1005
Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Introduced: 2013-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Agricultural conservation and pollution
Alliances
Congressional oversight
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Ecology
Economic development
Executive agency funding and structure
Foreign aid and international relief
Forests, forestry, trees
Government studies and investigations
Hunting and fishing
International organizations and cooperation
Land use and conservation
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Performance measurement
Smuggling and trafficking
Travel and tourism
Water quality
Water use and supply
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2013-05-22
text: 
Conservation Reform Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of State to enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study of, and report to Congress on, U.S. international conservation programs to determine the extent to which such programs are: (1) advancing conservation in the world's most ecologically and economically important terrestrial and marine ecosystems; (2) addressing natural resource challenges; (3) advancing U.S. foreign policy priorities in areas such as security, democratization, sustainable food production, and clean water; (4) enhancing economic and wildlife conservation benefits derived from properly managed international hunting and angling tourism; and (5) addressing poaching, illegal logging, fishing, and wildlife trafficking.
 
Directs the President: (1) to establish the Interagency Working Group on Global Conservation; and (2) through such Working Group, to establish the International Conservation Strategy to strengthen the capacity of the United States to collaborate with other countries, international organizations, the private sector, and private voluntary organizations to conserve natural resources and enhance biodiversity. 
 
Requires: (1) the Strategy to provide a comprehensive plan of action that identifies specific and measurable benchmarks, goals, and time frames; and (2) the Working Group to ensure that the Strategy is appropriate to local needs and conditions and incorporates the views of partner countries.
 
Establishes the International Conservation Public Advisory Board to: (1) advise the Working Group on matters related to U.S. international conservation policies and programs and the implementation of the Strategy; and (2) ensure that the best scientific, policy, economic security, and business expertise are reflected in U.S. international conservation strategies and policies. 
 
Prohibits any provision in this Act from being construed as restricting, limiting, or otherwise impairing: (1) properly managed recreational hunting and angling, or (2) the ability of any foreign jurisdiction or authority to authorize regulated programs supporting wildlife for local consumption and commercialization.
 
Urges the President to work with foreign assistance donor countries to: (1) develop a comprehensive international conservation assistance strategy consistent with the United States International Conservation Strategy, (2) identify multilateral mechanisms to coordinate international action, and (3) agree on a timetable for achieving the goals of the United States International Conservation Strategy.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2013-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate