Tropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2015
A BILL
To reauthorize the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 through fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Amendment to short title of Act to encompass modified scope
In general— Section 801 of the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 (Public Law 87–195; 22 U.S.C. 2151 note) is amended by striking “Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998” and inserting “Tropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2015”.
References— Any reference in any other provision of law, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the “Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998” shall be deemed to be a reference to the “Tropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2015”.
Sec. 3 Protection of forests and coral reefs
In general— Section 802 of the Tropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2015 (22 U.S.C. 2431), as renamed by section 2(a), is amended—
in subsections (a)(1), (a)(6), (b)(1), (b)(3), and (b)(4), by striking “tropical forests” each place it appears and inserting “tropical forests, non-tropical forests, and coral reef ecosystems”;
in subsection (a)(2)(C), by striking “far-flung”;
in subsection (a)(7), by striking “tropical forests is critical to the protection of tropical forests” and inserting “tropical forests, non-tropical forests, and coral reef ecosystems is critical to the protection of such areas”; and
in subsection (b)(2)—
by striking “tropical forests” the first place it appears and inserting “tropical forests, non-tropical forests, and coral ecosystems”;
by striking “tropical forests” the second place it appears and inserting “areas”; and
by striking “tropical forests” the third place it appears and inserting “tropical forests, non-tropical forests, and coral reef ecosystems”.
in paragraph (5)—
in the heading, by striking “tropical forest” and inserting “tropical forest, non-tropical forest, or coral reef”;
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “tropical forest” and inserting “tropical forest, non-tropical forest, or coral reef”; and
in subparagraph (B)—
by striking “tropical forest” and inserting “tropical forest, non-tropical forest, or coral reef”; and
by striking “tropical forests” and inserting “tropical forests, non-tropical forests, or coral reefs” and
by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
“(10) Coral—The term coral means species of the phylum Cnidaria, including—
“(A) all species of the orders Antipatharia (black corals), Scleractinia (stony corals), Alcyonacea (soft corals), Gorgonacea (horny corals), Stolonifera (organpipe corals and others), and Coenothecalia (blue coral), of the class Anthoza; and
“(B) all species of the order Hydrocorallina (fire corals and hydrocorals) of the class Hydrozoa.
“(11) Coral reef—The term coral reef means any reef or shoal composed primarily of coral.
“(12) Coral reef ecosystem—The term coral reef ecosystem means any coral reef and any coastal marine ecosystem surrounding, or directly related to, a coral reef and important to maintaining the ecological integrity of that coral reef, such as seagrasses, mangroves, sandy seabed communities, and immediately adjacent coastal areas.”
Sec. 4 Change to name of facility
In general— Section 804 of the Tropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2015 (22 U.S.C. 2431b), as renamed by section 2(a), is amended by striking “Tropical Forest Facility” and inserting “Conservation Facility”.
in the heading, by striking “Tropical forest facility” and inserting “Conservation facility”; and
by striking “Tropical Forest Facility” both places it appears and inserting “Conservation Facility”.
References— Any reference in any other provision of law, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the “Tropical Forest Facility” shall be deemed to be a reference to the “Conservation Facility”.
Sec. 5 Eligibility for benefits
Section 805(a) of the Tropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2015 (22 U.S.C. 2431c(a)), as renamed by section 2(a), is amended by striking “tropical forest” and inserting “tropical forest, non-tropical forest, or coral reef”.
Sec. 6 United States Government representation on oversight bodies for grants from debt-for-nature swaps and debt buybacks
Section 808(a)(5) of the Tropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2015 (22 U.S.C. 2431f(a)(5)), as renamed by section 2(a), is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
“(C) United States Government representation on the administering body—One or more individuals appointed by the United States Government may serve in an official capacity on the administering body that oversees the implementation of grants arising from a debt-for-nature swap or debt buyback regardless of whether the United States is a party to any agreement between the eligible purchaser and the government of the beneficiary country.”
Sec. 7 Conservation agreements
Renaming of agreements— Section 809 of the Tropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2015 (22 U.S.C. 2431g), as renamed by section 2(a), is amended—
in the section heading, by striking “Tropical Forest Agreement” and inserting “Conservation Agreement”; and
in subsection (a)—
by striking “Authority” and all that follows through “(1) In General.—The Secretary” and inserting “Authority.—The Secretary”; and
by striking “Tropical Forest Agreement” and inserting “Conservation Agreement”.
Elimination of requirement To consult with the enterprise for the Americas Board— Such subsection is further amended by striking paragraph (2).
Role of beneficiary countries— Such section is further amended—
in subsection (e)(1)(C), by striking “in exceptional circumstances, the government of the beneficiary country” and inserting “in limited circumstances, the government of the beneficiary country when needed to improve governance and enhance management of tropical forests, non-tropical forests, or coral reef ecosystems, without replacing existing levels of financial efforts by the government of the beneficiary country and with priority given to projects that complement grants made under subparagraphs (A) and (B)”; and
by amending subsection (f) to read as follows:
“(f) Review of larger grants—Any grant of more than $250,000 from a Fund must be approved by the Government of the United States and the government of the beneficiary country.”
Technical and conforming amendments— Such section is further amended—
in subsection (c)(2)(A)(i), by inserting “to serve in an official capacity” after “Government”;
in subsection (d)—
in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “tropical forests” and inserting “tropical forests, non-tropical forests, and coral reef ecosystems”;
in paragraph (5), by striking “tropical forest”; and
in paragraph (6), by striking “living in or near a tropical forest in a manner consistent with protecting such tropical forest” and inserting “dependent on a tropical forest, non-tropical forest, or coral reef ecosystem and related resources in a manner consistent with conserving such resources”.
in the heading, by striking “Tropical Forest Agreement” and inserting “Conservation Agreement”; and
by striking “Tropical Forest Agreement” both places it appears and inserting “Conservation Agreement”.
Sec. 8 Conservation Fund
In general— Section 810 of the Tropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2015 (22 U.S.C. 2431h), as renamed by section 2(a), is amended—
in the section heading, by striking “Tropical Forest Fund” and inserting “Conservation Fund”; and
in subsection (a)—
by striking “Tropical Forest Agreement” and inserting “Conservation Agreement”; and
by striking “Tropical Forest Fund” and inserting “Conservation Fund”.
Conforming amendments to definitions— Such Act is further amended—
in section 803(9) (22 U.S.C. 2431a(9))—
in the heading, by striking “Tropical Forest Fund” and inserting “Conservation Fund”; and
by striking “Tropical Forest Fund” both places it appears and inserting “Conservation Fund”;
in section 806(c)(2) (22 U.S.C. 2431d(c)(2)), by striking “Tropical Forest Fund” and inserting “Conservation Fund”; and
in section 807(c)(2) (22 U.S.C. 2431e(c)(2)), by striking “Tropical Forest Fund” and inserting “Conservation Fund”.
Sec. 9 Repeal of authority of the Enterprise for the Americas Board to carry out activities under the Tropical Forest Conservation Authorization Act of 1998
In general— Section 811 of the Tropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2015 (22 U.S.C. 2431i), as renamed by section 2(a), is repealed.
by striking paragraph (4); and
by redesignating paragraphs (5), (6), (7), (8), and (9) as paragraphs (4), (5), (6), (7), and (8), respectively.
Sec. 10 Changes to due dates of annual reports to Congress
Section 813 of the Tropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2015 (22 U.S.C. 2431k), as renamed by section 2(a), is amended—
in subsection (a)—
by striking “(a) In General.—Not later than December 31” and inserting “Not later than April 15”; and
by striking “fiscal year” both places it appears and inserting “calendar year”; and
by striking subsection (b).
Sec. 11 Changes to International Monetary Fund criterion for country eligibility
Section 703(a)(5) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2430b(a)(5)) is amended—
by striking “or, as appropriate in exceptional circumstances,” and inserting “or”;
in subparagraph (A)—
by striking “or in exceptional circumstances, a Fund monitored program or its equivalent,” and inserting “or a Fund monitored program, or is implementing sound macroeconomic policies,”; and
by striking “(after consultation with the Enterprise for the Americas Board)”; and
in subparagraph (B), by striking “(after consultation with the Enterprise for Americas Board)”.
Sec. 12 New authorization of appropriations for the reduction of debt and authorization for audit, evaluation, monitoring, and administration expenses
Section 806 of the Tropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2015 (22 U.S.C. 2431d), as renamed by section 2(a), is amended—
in subsection (d), by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
“(7) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2015.
“(8) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2016.
“(9) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2017.
“(10) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2018.”
by amending subsection (e) to read as follows:
“(e) Use of funds To conduct program audits, evaluations, monitoring, and administration—Of the amounts made available to carry out this part for a fiscal year, $300,000 is authorized to be made available to carry out audits, evaluations, monitoring, and administration of programs under this part, including personnel costs associated with such audits, evaluations, monitoring and administration.”