Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act Amendments

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5875) to amend the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and the Dingell-Johnson Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act, to provide parity for United States territories and the District of Columbia, to make technical corrections to such Acts and related laws, and for other purposes, as amended.

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Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5875, introduced by my colleague from Guam (Ms. Bordallo), addresses the existing disparity between the 50 States and the U.S. territories with regard to the formulas within the Pittman- Robertson and Dingell-Johnson conservation programs. While the territories are included in the statutory definition as States, they are not afforded an opportunity to receive an equal share of Pittman- Robertson and Dingell-Johnson funding.

The legislation provides the Secretary of the Interior with greater flexibility in apportioning conservation funds and requires parity between the States and the territories with respect to funding for basic hunter education programs.

Under current law, each State is guaranteed at least a 1 percent share of yearly Pittman-Robertson apportionment. However, the current statute caps Puerto Rico's share at one-fourth of 1 percent and the four other U.S. territory shares at just one-sixth of 1 percent. In other words, they pay the fees and the taxes, but they don't get equal access to the funds.

H.R. 5875 specifically removes the existing caps on funds for basic hunter education programs and would mandate that each territory and State receive not less than 1 percent in any given year. The bill also removes additional restrictions on apportionments for wildlife and sport fishing restoration projects.

The absence of caps will allow the Secretary of the Interior to exercise discretion in apportioning Pittman-Robertson and Dingell- Johnson funds to the five U.S. territories in proportion to their populations, as it is done currently for each of the 50 States.

The user-pays approach facilitated by Pittman-Robertson and Dingell- Johnson has consistently delivered significant benefits to hunters, recreational shooters, and all citizens through the delivery of on-the- ground wildlife and habitat conservation activities.

It is time we make the apportionment of these important funds fair to all 50 States and the territories.

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Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman for bringing this bill to the House. This really is an injustice to think that the people of the territories pay the full amount of the fees and yet only get a fraction of the benefits that are afforded to the States that are paying the same fees. This corrects that injustice.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the bill's adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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