1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Sport Fish Restoration, Recreational Boating Safety, and Wildlife Restoration Act of 2021”.
Sport Fish Restoration, Recreational Boating Safety, and Wildlife Restoration Act of 2021
A BILL
To amend the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act with respect to sport fish restoration and recreational boating safety, and for other purposes.
2. Division of annual appropriations
In general— Section 4 of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777c) is amended—
in subsection (a), by striking “2021” and inserting “2025”;
in subsection (b)—
in paragraph (1)—
in subparagraph (A), by striking “2021” and inserting “2025”; and
by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows—
“(B) Available amounts—The available amount referred to in subparagraph (A) is—
“(i) for fiscal year 2022, $12,786,434, adjusted for inflation as described in clause (ii)(II)(bb); and
“(ii) for fiscal year 2023 and each fiscal year thereafter, the sum of—
“(I) the available amount for the preceding fiscal year; and
“(II) the amount determined by multiplying—
“(aa) the available amount for the preceding fiscal year; and
“(bb) the change, relative to the preceding fiscal year, in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Department of Labor.”
in paragraph (2)—
in subparagraph (A), by striking “2016 through 2021” and inserting “2022 through 2025”; and
by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows—
“(B) Available amounts—The available amount referred to in subparagraph (A) is—
“(i) for fiscal year 2021, $8,988,700; and
“(ii) for fiscal year 2022 and each fiscal year thereafter, the sum of—
“(I) the available amount for the preceding fiscal year; and
“(II) the amount determined by multiplying—
“(aa) the available amount for the preceding fiscal year; and
“(bb) the change, relative to the preceding fiscal year, in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Department of Labor.”
in subsection (e)(2), by striking “$900,000” and inserting “$1,300,000”.
Administration— Section 9(a) of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777h(a)) is amended—
in paragraph (1)—
by striking “on a full-time basis”; and
by inserting “for work hours the employee spends directly administering this Act, as such hours are certified by the supervisor of the employee” after “administer this Act”;
by striking paragraph (2) and redesignating paragraphs (3) through (12) as paragraphs (2) through (11), respectively;
by striking “paragraphs (1) and (2)” and inserting “paragraph (1)” each place it appears;
in paragraph (7), as so redesignated, by striking “full-time”;
in paragraph (8)(A), as so redesignated, by striking “on a full-time basis”;
in paragraph (9), as so redesignated, by striking “on a full-time basis”; and
in paragraph (10), as so redesignated—
by inserting “or a part-time basis” after “on a full-time basis”; and
by inserting “provided that the percentage of relocation expenses paid with funds under this chapter do not exceed the percentage of work hours the employee spends administering this Act” after “at which the relocation expenses are incurred”.
Other activities— Section 14(e) of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777m(e)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(3) A portion, as determined by the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council, of funds disbursed for the purposes described in paragraph (2) but remaining unobligated prior to fiscal year 2020 shall be used to study—
“(A) the impact of derelict recreational vessels on recreational boating safety and recreational fishing; and
“(B) identify options and methods for recycling for recreational vessels.”
3. Recreational boating access
In general— The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on recreational boating access. In carrying out such study, the Comptroller General shall consult with the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council and the National Boating Safety Advisory Council on the design, scope, and priorities of such study.
Contents— To the extent practicable, the study required under subsection (a) shall contain a description of—
the use of nonmotorized vessels in each State and how the increased use of nonmotorized vessels is impacting motorized and nonmotorized vessel access to waterway entry points;
recreational fishing and boating user conflicts concerning motorized and nonmotorized vessels at waterway access points; and
the use of funds provided under the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777 et seq.) for—
the sport fish restoration program to improve nonmotorized vessel access at waterway entry points and the reasons for providing such access; and
the Recreational Boating Safety Program funds for nonmotorized boating safety programs.
Report— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council, the Committees on Natural Resources and Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, and the Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report containing the study required under this section.
State defined— In this section, the term “State” means any State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.
4. Wildlife Restoration Fund administration
Allocation and apportionment of available amounts— Section 4 of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669c), is amended—
in subsection (a)(1)(B)—
in clause (i) by striking “for each of fiscal years 2001 and 2002, $9,000,000;” and inserting the following:
by striking clauses (ii) and (iii) and inserting the following:
“(ii) for fiscal year 2023, and each fiscal year thereafter, the sum of—
“(I) the available amount for the preceding fiscal year; and
“(II) the amount determined by multiplying—
“(aa) the available amount for the preceding fiscal year; and
“(bb) the change, relative to the preceding fiscal year, in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Department of Labor.”
in subsection (a)(2)(A) by striking “the end of the fiscal year” and inserting “the end of the subsequent fiscal year”.
Authorized Expenses for Administration— Section 9(a) of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669h(a)) is amended—
in paragraph (1)—
by striking “on a full-time basis”; and
by inserting “for the work hours the employee spends directly administering this Act, as such hours are certified by the supervisor of the employee” after “administer this Act”;
by striking “paragraphs (1) and (2)” and inserting “paragraph (1)” each place it appears;
by striking paragraph (2) and redesignating paragraphs (3) through (12) as paragraphs (2) through (11), respectively;
in paragraph (7), as so redesignated, by striking “full-time”;
in paragraph (8)(A), as so redesignated, by striking “on a full-time basis”;
in paragraph (9), as so redesignated, by striking “on a full-time basis”; and
in paragraph (10), as so redesignated—
by inserting “or a part-time basis” after “on a full-time basis”; and
by inserting “, provided that the percentage of relocation expenses paid with funds under this chapter do not exceed the percentage of work hours the employee spends administering this Act” after “at which the relocation expenses are incurred”.
5. Sport fish restoration and boating trust fund
Section 13107(c)(2) of title 46, United States Code, is amended by striking “No funds available” and inserting “On or after October 1, 2023 no funds available,”.
6. Sport fishing and boating partnership council
The Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council established by the Secretary of the Interior shall be a Federal advisory committee of both the Department of the Interior and the Department of Commerce, and the secretaries of Interior and Commerce shall jointly carry out the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act with respect to the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council.