(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on April 28, 2015. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
Good Samaritan Search and Recovery Act
(Sec. 2) This bill directs the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to implement a process to provide eligible organizations and individuals expedited access to federal land to conduct good Samaritan search-and-recovery missions, which are searches for one or more missing individuals believed to be deceased at the time that the search is initiated.
The bill sets forth procedures for the approval or denial of requests made by eligible organizations or individuals to carry out a good Samaritan search-and-recovery mission.
Interior and USDA shall develop search-and-recovery focused partnerships with search-and-recovery organizations to coordinate good Samaritan search-and-recovery missions, and expedite and accelerate mission efforts for missing individuals.
[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 373 Introduced in House (IH)]
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 373
To direct the Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agriculture to
expedite access to certain Federal land under the administrative
jurisdiction of each Secretary for good Samaritan search-and-recovery
missions, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 14, 2015
Mr. Heck of Nevada (for himself, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Amodei, Mr. Zinke,
Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania, Mr. McClintock, Mr. Valadao, and Mr. Hardy)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agriculture to
expedite access to certain Federal land under the administrative
jurisdiction of each Secretary for good Samaritan search-and-recovery
missions, and for other purposes.
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 ``Good Samaritan Search and Recovery
Act''.
SEC. 2. EXPEDITED ACCESS TO CERTAIN FEDERAL LAND.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible.--The term ``eligible'', with respect to an
organization or individual, means that the organization or
individual, respectively, is--
(A) acting in a not-for-profit capacity; and
(B) certificated in training that meets or exceeds
standards established by the American Society for
Testing and Materials.
(2) Good samaritan search-and-recovery mission.--The term
``good Samaritan search-and-recovery mission'' means a search
for 1 or more missing individuals believed to be deceased at
the time that the search is initiated.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, as applicable.
(b) Process.--
(1) In general.--Each Secretary shall develop and implement
a process to expedite access to Federal land under the
administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary for eligible
organizations and individuals to request access to Federal land
to conduct good Samaritan search-and-recovery missions.
(2) Inclusions.--The process developed and implemented
under this subsection shall include provisions to clarify
that--
(A) an eligible organization or individual granted
access under this section--
(i) shall be acting for private purposes;
and
(ii) shall not be considered to be a
Federal volunteer;
(B) an eligible organization or individual
conducting a good Samaritan search-and-recovery mission
under this section shall not be considered to be a
volunteer under section 102301(c) of title 54, United
States Code;
(C) chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code
(commonly known as the ``Federal Tort Claims Act''),
shall not apply to an eligible organization or
individual carrying out a privately requested good
Samaritan search-and-recovery mission under this
section; and
(D) chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code
(commonly known as the ``Federal Employees Compensation
Act''), shall not apply to an eligible organization or
individual conducting a good Samaritan search-and-
recovery mission under this section, and the conduct of
the good Samaritan search-and-recovery mission shall
not constitute civilian employment.
(c) Release of Federal Government From Liability.--The Secretary
shall not require an eligible organization or individual to have
liability insurance as a condition of accessing Federal land under this
section, if the eligible organization or individual--
(1) acknowledges and consents, in writing, to the
provisions described in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of
subsection (b)(2); and
(2) signs a waiver releasing the Federal Government from
all liability relating to the access granted under this
section.
(d) Approval and Denial of Requests.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall notify an eligible
organization or individual of the approval or denial of a
request by the eligible organization or individual to carry out
a good Samaritan search-and-recovery mission under this section
by not later than 48 hours after the request is made.
(2) Denials.--If the Secretary denies a request from an
eligible organization or individual to carry out a good
Samaritan search-and-recovery mission under this section, the
Secretary shall notify the eligible organization or individual
of--
(A) the reason for the denial of the request; and
(B) any actions that the eligible organization or
individual can take to meet the requirements for the
request to be approved.
(e) Partnerships.--Each Secretary shall develop search-and-
recovery-focused partnerships with search-and-recovery organizations--
(1) to coordinate good Samaritan search-and-recovery
missions on Federal land under the administrative jurisdiction
of the Secretary; and
(2) to expedite and accelerate good Samaritan search-and-
recovery mission efforts for missing individuals on Federal
land under the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary.
(f) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretaries shall submit to Congress a joint report
describing--
(1) plans to develop partnerships described in subsection
(e)(1); and
(2) efforts carried out to expedite and accelerate good
Samaritan search-and-recovery mission efforts for missing
individuals on Federal land under the administrative
jurisdiction of each Secretary pursuant to subsection (e)(2).
<all>
Subcommittee on Federal Lands Discharged.
Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 114-75, Part I.
Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 114-75, Part I.
Committee on Agriculture discharged.
Committee on Agriculture discharged.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 54.
Mr. Bishop (UT) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2485-2487)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 373.
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2489-2490)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 413 - 0 (Roll no. 174).(text: CR H2485-2486)
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On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 413 - 0 (Roll no. 174). (text: CR H2485-2486)
Roll Call #174 (House)Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 114-380.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 114-193.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 114-193.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 338.