To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to Congress an updated report on the roles, responsibilities, and practices of the Council on Environmental Quality.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8156 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8156

  To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to 
    Congress an updated report on the roles, responsibilities, and 
           practices of the Council on Environmental Quality.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 29, 2024

Mr. Newhouse (for himself, Mrs. Rodgers of Washington, Mr. Fulcher, Mr. 
Bentz, and Mr. Zinke) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                 to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to 
    Congress an updated report on the roles, responsibilities, and 
           practices of the Council on Environmental Quality.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. GAO REPORT ON THE ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND PRACTICES OF 
              THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.

    (a) Report Required.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall submit to Congress an updated version of the report titled ``The 
Council on Environmental Quality: A Tool in Shaping National Policy'', 
published March 19, 1981.
    (b) Information Related to the Lower Snake River Dams.--The updated 
report required under subsection (a) shall provide information on the 
roles, responsibilities, and practices of the Council on Environmental 
Quality in National Wildlife Federation, et al. v. National Marine 
Fisheries Service, et al. (Case No. 3:01-cv-00640-SI), including--
            (1) a determination whether the Council on Environmental 
        Quality is satisfying its responsibilities under the National 
        Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) 
        (including the duties and functions of the Director of the 
        Office of Environmental Quality established under the 
        Environmental Quality Improvement Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4371 
        et seq.)), which shall include identifying the basis for such 
        determination;
            (2) a determination whether--
                    (A) there is a continuing need for the roles, 
                responsibilities, and practices of the Council on 
                Environmental Quality in National Wildlife Federation, 
                et al. v. National Marine Fisheries Service, et al. 
                (Case No. 3:01-cv-00640-SI); or
                    (B) such roles, responsibilities, and practices 
                could be effectively carried out by another Federal 
                agency;
            (3) information on how often the Council on Environmental 
        Quality enters into contracts with, or relies on information 
        provided by, non-governmental or non-profit organizations to 
        perform or inform studies, reports, and analysis by the Council 
        on Environmental Quality; and
            (4) the percent of Presidential appointees, full time 
        employees, part time employees, and contractors of the Council 
        on Environmental Quality that--
                    (A) are or have been employed at a covered 
                organization; or
                    (B) hold or have held a volunteer position, 
                political campaign position, or political fundraising 
                position at a covered organization.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered organization.--The term ``covered 
        organization'' means a non-governmental organization or non-
        profit organization that has an interest in--
                    (A) litigation that the Council on Environmental 
                Quality is involved in; or
                    (B) the policies developed or recommended by the 
                Council on Environmental Quality.
            (2) Lower snake river dams.--The term ``Lower Snake River 
        dams'' means the following dams in the State of Washington, 
        authorized by section 2 of the Act of March 2, 1945 (chapter 
        19, 59 Stat. 21):
                    (A) Ice Harbor Dam.
                    (B) Lower Monumental Dam.
                    (C) Little Goose Dam.
                    (D) Lower Granite Dam.
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