International Conservation Corps Act of 2013 - Directs: (1) the Secretary of the Interior to establish a program to provide grants to qualifying nonprofit organizations to assign and support volunteers to assist foreign countries in the administration of their natural resources in an environmentally sustainable manner, and (2) the Secretary of State to identify foreign countries for program participation.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1195 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1195
To establish a program to provide grants to nonprofit organizations to
enable such organizations to assign and support volunteers to assist
foreign countries in the administration of their natural resources in
an environmentally sustainable manner.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 14, 2013
Mr. Moran (for himself and Mr. Crenshaw) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a program to provide grants to nonprofit organizations to
enable such organizations to assign and support volunteers to assist
foreign countries in the administration of their natural resources in
an environmentally sustainable manner.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``International Conservation Corps Act
of 2013''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) There is a significant deficit in the capability of
many developing countries to manage their natural resources
sustainably, which is fundamental to achieving economic
development, poverty alleviation, conflict avoidance, good
governance, and regional security.
(2) Developing countries with a great wealth of natural
resources are facing a great risk of conflict. Issues that
arise in these countries include corruption, disputes over
control and distribution of the resources and resulting wealth,
fighting over and destruction of resources and resource-rich
areas, and human rights abuses.
(3) Developing countries that successfully manage their
natural resource wealth, however, continue to benefit from
these resources without resulting conflict.
(4) It is in the security interest of the United States to
share the vast experience and proven methodologies that the
United States has achieved over many decades with developing
countries struggling to establish their own successful natural
resource management programs and policies.
(5) The many United States senior professionals retiring
from both the public and private sector with extensive
experience and expertise in the field of natural resource
management, acting in a voluntary capacity, presents a unique
and important opportunity to help other countries develop the
capacity to manage their natural resources sustainably.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the
Secretary of State, shall establish a program to provide grants to
qualifying nonprofit organizations to enable such organizations to
assign and support volunteers to assist foreign countries identified
under section 4 in the administration of their natural resources in an
environmentally sustainable manner.
(b) Details of the Program.--The Secretary shall develop and
implement the program such that it includes providing professional,
scientific, and technical assistance and training to aid foreign
countries in their efforts to--
(1) develop, manage, and protect national parks, natural
and cultural heritage sites, and other protected areas;
(2) protect wildlife; and
(3) develop capacity to sustainably manage their natural
resources.
SEC. 4. IDENTIFICATION OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of State, in consultation with the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development, shall--
(1) identify foreign countries as appropriate for
participation in the program;
(2) notify such foreign countries of the program; and
(3) encourage such foreign countries to seek to participate
in the program.
SEC. 5. AWARD OF GRANTS TO QUALIFYING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
(a) Application.--
(1) Required information.--To be eligible to receive a
grant under the program, a qualifying nonprofit organization
shall submit to the Secretary an application including
information regarding the expertise, past experience, and
demonstrated capacity of the organization, as well as such
other information as the Secretary may require.
(2) Time, form, and manner of application.--The application
described in paragraph 1 shall be submitted to the Secretary at
such time, and in such form and manner, as the Secretary may
require.
(3) Solicitation of applications.--The Secretary shall
solicit from qualifying nonprofit organizations applications
for grants in accordance with this section.
(b) Approval Process.--As soon as is practicable after the date of
receipt of an application by the Secretary under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall approve or disapprove the application.
(c) Provision of Grant.--As soon as is practicable after the date
on which the Secretary approves an application of a qualifying
nonprofit organization under subsection (b), the Secretary shall
provide a grant to such organization.
SEC. 6. USE OF FUNDS.
Any organization that receives a grant under section 5 shall use
funds received under such grant to--
(1) recruit highly skilled and experienced volunteers to
participate in the program; and
(2) place such volunteers with foreign countries
participating in the program to work in appropriate projects in
the program, subject to section 8.
SEC. 7. REPORTING REQUIREMENT.
(a) Submission of Periodic Reports.--At times specified by the
Secretary, any organization that receives a grant under section 5 shall
submit to the Secretary periodic reports that include all information
that the Secretary determines is necessary to evaluate the progress and
success of projects in the program for the purposes of ensuring
positive results, assessing problems, and fostering improvements.
(b) Internet Publication of Reports.--The Secretary shall make
reports under subsection (a) available to the public through the
Internet Web site of the Department of the Interior.
SEC. 8. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE.
(a) Assignment of Volunteers.--Except as otherwise provided in this
Act, the assignment of volunteers in appropriate projects in the
program shall be on such terms and conditions as the Secretary may
determine.
(b) Compensation of Volunteers.--Volunteers selected for
participation in projects in the program shall not be compensated
except for a stipend to cover travel costs, health and travel insurance
costs, living costs, and accommodations, awarded in such amounts as the
Secretary determines to be appropriate.
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Program.--The term ``program'' means the program
established pursuant to section 3.
(2) Qualifying nonprofit organization.--The term
``qualifying nonprofit organization'' means an entity described
in section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and
exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such Code.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E303-304)
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
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