To amend the Sikes Act to make certain improvements to the administration of cooperative agreements for land management related to Department of Defense readiness activities, and for other purposes.

3/14/2024, 12:48 PM

Congressional Summary of HR 4309

Amends the Sikes Act (conservation programs on federal lands) to allow funds appropriated to the Department of Defense (DOD) that are obligated to cooperative agreements with states, local governments, Indian tribes, nongovernmental organizations, and individuals for maintenance and improvement of natural resources located off of military or state-owned National Guard installations (but that are related to current or anticipated military activities) to be:

  • paid in a lump sum and include an amount intended to cover the future costs of the activities under the agreement;
  • invested by the recipient in accordance with the recipient's own investment management guidelines, with any investment interest or income permitted to be applied for the same purposes as the principal; and
  • used only for the direct costs of maintaining and improving the natural resources pursuant to an approved DOD Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan and for certain indirect and administrative costs that do not exceed 10% of the total cost of the project.

Allows such cooperative agreements to be used to acquire property or services for the direct benefit or use of the U.S. government.

Prohibits amounts available to DOD from being used under such Act to acquire fee title interest in real property for such natural resources projects that are not on a military installation.

Requires the Inspector General of DOD to: (1) conduct an audit of the natural resources projects funded with amounts available to DOD under the Sikes Act that are not on a military installation, and (2) report to Congress on the audit by October 1, 2018.

Terminates this Act on October 1, 2019, except that any cooperative agreement entered into under this Act on or before September 30, 2019, shall continue.

Current Status of Bill HR 4309

Bill HR 4309 is currently in the status of Bill Introduced since March 26, 2014. Bill HR 4309 was introduced during Congress 113 and was introduced to the House on March 26, 2014.  Bill HR 4309's most recent activity was Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 485. as of December 8, 2014

Bipartisan Support of Bill HR 4309

Total Number of Sponsors
1
Democrat Sponsors
1
Republican Sponsors
0
Unaffiliated Sponsors
0
Total Number of Cosponsors
0
Democrat Cosponsors
0
Republican Cosponsors
0
Unaffiliated Cosponsors
0

Policy Area and Potential Impact of Bill HR 4309

Primary Policy Focus

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Potential Impact Areas

Land transfersLand use and conservationMilitary facilities and propertyMilitary readiness

Alternate Title(s) of Bill HR 4309

To amend the Sikes Act to make certain improvements to the administration of cooperative agreements for land management related to Department of Defense readiness activities, and for other purposes.To amend the Sikes Act to make certain improvements to the administration of cooperative agreements for land management related to Department of Defense readiness activities, and for other purposes.
Start holding our government accountable!

Comments