A bill to amend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 to clarify the prohibition on the use of certain Federal funds for lobbying, and for other purposes.

Bill: 116-s-2861
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2019-11-14
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Department of Agriculture

Department of the Interior

Forests, forestry, trees

Government information and archives

Intergovernmental relations

Public participation and lobbying

State and local finance

State and local government operations

State and local taxation
Latest action: action_date: 2019-11-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-11-14
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This bill prohibits the use of county funds distributed under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 for (1) any expenses related to lobbying, or (2) any activity that is to influence a state or federal lawmaker. Currently, the funds are authorized to be used for activities such as emergency services on federal land or wildfire protection.</p> <p>The Forest Service, in coordination with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), must promulgate regulations that provide guidance to participating counties on the appropriate use of county funds. The Forest Service and the BLM each must publish such guidance on a public website.</p> <p>Each participating county shall submit to the Department of Agriculture or the Department of the Interior an annual report that includes a description of how the county used its county funds.</p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2861 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 14, 2019 Mr. Wyden (for himself and Mr. Merkley ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL To amend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 to clarify the prohibition on the use of certain Federal funds for lobbying, and for other purposes.

1. Use of county funds (a) In general Section 302 of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 ( 16 U.S.C. 7142 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in paragraph (2), by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively, and indenting appropriately; (B) in paragraph (3), by striking paragraph (2) and inserting subparagraph (B) ; (C) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (4) as subparagraphs (A) through (D), respectively, and indenting appropriately; (D) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) (as so redesignated), by striking A participating and inserting the following: (1) In general A participating ; and (E) by adding at the end the following: (2) Prohibition In accordance with section 1913 of title 18, United States Code, county funds shall not be used for— (A) any expense relating to lobbying; or (B) any activity the purpose of which is to influence a State or Federal lawmaker. ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (c) Rulemaking (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Chief of the Forest Service, in coordination with the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, shall promulgate regulations providing guidance for participating counties on the appropriate use of county funds. (2) Publication The Chief of the Forest Service and the Director of the Bureau of Land Management shall publish the guidance under paragraph (1) on a publicly available website of the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, respectively. . (b) Reports Section 303 of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 ( 16 U.S.C. 7143 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (c) Summary reports (1) In general Each participating county shall submit to the Secretary concerned an annual report summarizing the certification submitted under subsection (a) for the relevant year, including a brief description of how the participating county used county funds during the year covered by the report. (2) Submission A participating county shall submit a report under paragraph (1) at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary concerned may require. (3) Public availability The Secretary concerned shall make each report submitted under paragraph (1) publicly available online in a machine-readable format. .