Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Broadening Participation in STEM
Education Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) One of the National Science Foundation's core missions
        is ``to achieve excellence in U.S. science, technology,
        engineering and mathematics (STEM) education''.
            (2) STEM education at the undergraduate level is vital to
        developing a workforce that will allow the United States to
        remain the leader in the 21st century global economy.
            (3) In 2007, underrepresented minority groups comprised
        33.2 percent of the college-age population of the United
        States, but only 17.7 percent of undergraduate students earning
        bachelor's degrees in STEM fields.
            (4) The Higher Education Research Institute at the
        University of California, Los Angeles, found that, while
        freshmen from underrepresented minority groups express an
        interest in pursuing a STEM undergraduate degree at the same
        rate as all other freshmen, only 22.1 percent of Latino
        students, 18.4 percent of African-American students, and 18.8
        percent of Native American students studying in STEM fields
        complete their degree within 5 years, compared to an
        approximate 33 percent and 42 percent 5-year completion rate
        for White and Asian students, respectively.
            (5) Statistics are particularly alarming in specific STEM
        fields. For example, even though underrepresented minorities
        make up approximately 33 percent of the college-age population,
        according to an analysis of National Science Foundation data
        performed by the National Action Council for Minorities in
        Engineering, students from underrepresented minority groups
        earned only 13 percent of all engineering degrees in 2009.
            (6) Underrepresented minority groups currently make up
        about 29 percent of the United States population. However, only
        about 8 percent of tenure-track science and engineering faculty
        members at universities and 4-year colleges and less than 1
        percent of tenure-track science and engineering faculty members
        at the top 100 research universities in the United States are
        from underrepresented minority groups.
            (7) Students from underrepresented minority groups at
        institutions of higher education who see few others ``like
        themselves'' among faculty and student populations often do not
        experience the social integration that is necessary for success
        in all disciplines, including STEM.
            (8) The ability to connect students and faculty members
        from underrepresented minority groups has been demonstrated to
        be successful in increasing the achievement level of students
        from underrepresented minority groups studying in STEM fields.
            (9) The United States faces a demographic challenge with
        regard to STEM education: by 2050, 52 percent of the college-
        age population of the United States will be from
        underrepresented minority groups.
            (10) If the percentage of students from underrepresented
        minority groups earning bachelor's degrees in STEM fields does
        not significantly increase, the United States will face an
        acute shortfall in the overall number of students who earn
        degrees in STEM fields.
            (11) With this impending shortfall, and with the number of
        citizens of other countries earning degrees in STEM fields
        increasing, the comparative advantage of the United States STEM
        workforce will diminish, and the United States will almost
        certainly lose its competitive edge in the 21st century global
        economy.

SEC. 3. FOUNDATION SUPPORT FOR BROADENING PARTICIPATION IN
              UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION.

    (a) Grants.--The Director shall award grants to institutions of
higher education (or consortia thereof) to implement or expand
research-based reforms in undergraduate STEM education for the purpose
of recruiting and retaining students from minority groups who are
underrepresented in STEM fields.
    (b) Merit Review; Competition.--Grants shall be awarded under this
section on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis.
    (c) Use of Funds.--Activities supported by grants under this
section may include--
            (1) implementation or expansion of innovative, research-
        based approaches to broaden participation of underrepresented
        minority groups in STEM fields;
            (2) implementation or expansion of bridge, cohort,
        tutoring, or mentoring programs designed to enhance the
        recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented
        minority groups in STEM fields;
            (3) implementation or expansion of outreach programs
        linking institutions of higher education and K-12 school
        systems in order to heighten awareness among pre-college
        students from underrepresented minority groups of opportunities
        in college-level STEM fields and STEM careers;
            (4) implementation or expansion of faculty development
        programs focused on improving retention of undergraduate STEM
        students from underrepresented minority groups;
            (5) implementation or expansion of mechanisms designed to
        recognize and reward faculty members who demonstrate a
        commitment to increasing the participation of students from
        underrepresented minority groups in STEM fields;
            (6) expansion of successful reforms aimed at increasing the
        number of STEM students from underrepresented minority groups
        beyond a single course or group of courses to achieve reform
        within an entire academic unit, or expansion of successful
        reform efforts beyond a single academic unit to other STEM
        academic units within an institution of higher education;
            (7) expansion of opportunities for students from
        underrepresented minority groups to conduct STEM research in
        industry, at Federal labs, and at international research
        institutions or research sites;
            (8) provision of stipends for students from
        underrepresented minority groups participating in research;
            (9) support for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows
        from underrepresented minority groups to participate in
        instructional or assessment activities at primarily
        undergraduate institutions, including primarily undergraduate
        minority-serving institutions and two-year institutions of
        higher education; and
            (10) other activities consistent with subsection (a), as
        determined by the Director.
    (d) Selection Process.--
            (1) Application.--An institution of higher education (or
        consortia thereof) seeking a grant under this section shall
        submit an application to the Director at such time, in such
        manner, and containing such information and assurances as the
        Director may require. The application shall include, at a
        minimum--
                    (A) a description of the proposed reform effort;
                    (B) a description of the research findings that
                will serve as the basis for the proposed reform effort
                or, in the case of applications that propose an
                expansion of a previously implemented reform, a
                description of the previously implemented reform
                effort, including data about the recruitment,
                retention, and academic achievement of students from
                underrepresented minority groups;
                    (C) evidence of an institutional commitment to, and
                support for, the proposed reform effort, including a
                long-term commitment to implement successful strategies
                from the current reform beyond the academic unit or
                units included in the grant proposal;
                    (D) a description of existing or planned
                institutional policies and practices regarding faculty
                hiring, promotion, tenure, and teaching assignment that
                reward faculty contributions to improving the education
                of students from underrepresented minority groups in
                STEM; and
                    (E) how the success and effectiveness of the
                proposed reform effort will be evaluated and assessed
                in order to contribute to the national knowledge base
                about models for catalyzing institutional change.
            (2) Review of applications.--In selecting grant recipients
        under this section, the Director shall consider, at a minimum--
                    (A) the likelihood of success of the proposed
                reform effort at the institution submitting the
                application, including the extent to which the faculty,
                staff, and administrators of the institution are
                committed to making the proposed institutional reform a
                priority of the participating academic unit or units;
                    (B) the degree to which the proposed reform effort
                will contribute to change in institutional culture and
                policy such that greater value is placed on faculty
                engagement in the retention of students from
                underrepresented minority groups;
                    (C) the likelihood that the institution will
                sustain or expand the proposed reform effort beyond the
                period of the grant; and
                    (D) the degree to which evaluation and assessment
                plans are included in the design of the proposed reform
                effort.
            (3) Priority.--For applications that include an expansion
        of existing reforms beyond a single academic unit, the Director
        shall give priority to applications for which a senior
        institutional administrator, such as a dean or other
        administrator of equal or higher rank, serves as the principal
        investigator.
            (4) Grant distribution.--The Director shall ensure, to the
        extent practicable, that grants awarded under this section are
        made to a variety of types of institutions of higher education,
        including two-year and minority-serving institutions of higher
        education.
    (e) Education Research.--
            (1) In general.--All grants made under this section shall
        include an education research component that will support the
        design and implementation of a system for data collection and
        evaluation of proposed reform efforts in order to build the
        knowledge base on promising models for increasing recruitment
        and retention of students from underrepresented minority groups
        in STEM education at the undergraduate level across a diverse
        set of institutions.
            (2) Dissemination.--The Director shall coordinate with
        relevant Federal agencies in disseminating the results of the
        research under this subsection to ensure that best practices in
        broadening participation in STEM education at the undergraduate
        level are made readily available to all institutions of higher
        education, other Federal agencies that support STEM programs,
        non-Federal funders of STEM education, and the general public.

SEC. 4. FOUNDATION SUPPORT FOR INCREASING DIVERSITY AMONG STEM FACULTY
              AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

    (a) Grants.--The Director shall award grants to institutions of
higher education (or consortia thereof) for the development of
innovative reform efforts designed to increase the recruitment,
retention, and advancement of individuals from underrepresented
minority groups in academic STEM careers.
    (b) Merit Review; Competition.--Grants shall be awarded under this
section on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis.
    (c) Use of Funds.--Activities supported by grants under this
section may include--
            (1) institutional assessment activities, such as data
        analyses and policy review, in order to identify and address
        specific issues in the recruitment, retention, and advancement
        of faculty members from underrepresented minority groups;
            (2) implementation of institution-wide improvements in
        workload distribution, such that faculty members from
        underrepresented minority groups are not disadvantaged in the
        amount of time available to focus on research, publishing
        papers, and engaging in other activities required to achieve
        tenure status and run a productive research program;
            (3) development and implementation of training courses for
        administrators and search committee members to ensure that
        candidates from underrepresented minority groups are not
        subject to implicit biases in the search and hiring process;
            (4) development and hosting of intra- or inter-
        institutional workshops to propagate best practices in
        recruiting, retaining, and advancing faculty members from
        underrepresented minority groups;
            (5) professional development opportunities for faculty
        members from underrepresented minority groups;
            (6) activities aimed at making undergraduate STEM students
        from underrepresented minority groups aware of opportunities
        for academic careers in STEM fields;
            (7) activities to identify and engage exceptional graduate
        students from underrepresented minority groups at various
        stages of their studies and to encourage them to enter academic
        careers; and
            (8) other activities consistent with subsection (a), as
        determined by the Director.
    (d) Selection Process.--
            (1) Application.--An institution of higher education (or
        consortia thereof) seeking funding under this subsection shall
        submit an application to the Director at such time, in such
        manner, and containing such information and assurances as the
        Director may require. The application shall include, at a
        minimum, a description of--
                    (A) the reform effort that is being proposed for
                implementation by the institution of higher education;
                    (B) any available evidence of specific difficulties
                in the recruitment, retention, and advancement of
                faculty members from underrepresented minority groups
                in STEM academic careers within the institution of
                higher education submitting an application, and how the
                proposed reform effort would address such issues;
                    (C) how the institution of higher education
                submitting an application plans to sustain the proposed
                reform effort beyond the duration of the grant; and
                    (D) how the success and effectiveness of the
                proposed reform effort will be evaluated and assessed
                in order to contribute to the national knowledge base
                about models for catalyzing institutional change.
            (2) Review of applications.--In selecting grant recipients
        under this section, the Director shall consider, at a minimum--
                    (A) the likelihood of success in undertaking the
                proposed reform effort at the institution of higher
                education submitting the application, including the
                extent to which the administrators of the institution
                are committed to making the proposed reform effort a
                priority;
                    (B) the degree to which the proposed reform effort
                will contribute to change in institutional culture and
                policy such that greater value is placed on the
                recruitment, retention, and advancement of faculty
                members from underrepresented minority groups;
                    (C) the likelihood that the institution of higher
                education will sustain or expand the proposed reform
                effort beyond the period of the grant; and
                    (D) the degree to which evaluation and assessment
                plans are included in the design of the proposed reform
                effort.
            (3) Grant distribution.--The Director shall ensure, to the
        extent practicable, that grants awarded under this section are
        made to a variety of types of institutions of higher education.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
        the National Science Foundation.
            (2) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National
        Science Foundation established under section 2 of the National
        Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861).
            (3) Institution of higher education.--The term
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given that
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (4) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' means the academic and
        professional disciplines of science, technology, engineering,
        and mathematics.

Output:
Broadening Participation in STEM Education Act - Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award competitive grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) to implement or expand research-based reforms in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education to recruit and retain minority students who are underrepresented in STEM fields.

Authorizes the use of such grants on reforms that include: (1) bridge, cohort, tutoring, or mentoring programs; (2) outreach to minority elementary and secondary school students; (3) faculty development and recognition programs; (4) efforts to increase the participation of underrepresented minorities in the full gamut of STEM disciplines offered by IHEs; (5) efforts to increase and support their participation in research; and (6) support for the participation of minority graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in instructional or assessment activities at primarily undergraduate IHEs.

Requires each grant to include an education research component so that reform efforts can be evaluated and, if shown to be effective, replicated to improve the participation of minority students in STEM fields at other schools.

Requires the Director of the NSF to award competitive grants to IHEs to develop innovative reform efforts designed to increase the recruitment, retention, and advancement of individuals from underrepresented minority groups in academic STEM careers.


Input:
SECTION 1. COMMISSION TO PROMOTE A NATIONAL DIALOGUE ON BIOETHICS.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established within the Institute of
Medicine a commission to be known as the Commission to Promote a
National Dialogue on Bioethics (referred to in this section as the
``Commission'').
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Number and appointment.--The Commission shall be
        composed of 25 members, of whom--
                    (A) 6 shall be appointed by the Majority Leader of
                the Senate;
                    (B) 6 shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of
                the Senate;
                    (C) 6 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the
                House of Representatives; and
                    (D) 6 shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of
                the House of Representatives; and
                    (E) 1, who shall serve as the Chairperson of the
                Commission, to be appointed jointly by the Majority
                Leader of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
                Representatives, in consultation with the Minority
                Leader of the Senate and the Minority Leader of the
                House of Representatives.
            (2) Requirements.--
                    (A) In general.--Each individual described in
                subparagraph (A) through (D) of paragraph (1) shall
                ensure that members appointed to the Commission are
                representative of the fields of law, theology,
                philosophy or ethics, medicine, science, and social
                science.
                    (B) Limitation.--No member of Congress, nor
                political appointee of the executive branch, shall
                serve as a member of the Commission.
            (3) Deadline for appointment.--Members of the Commission
        shall be appointed by not later than December 1, 1998.
            (4) Terms of appointment.--A member of the Commission
        appointed under paragraph (1) shall serve for a term of 3
        years. Members may not serve consecutive terms.
            (5) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of its
        Chairperson or a majority of its members.
            (6) Quorum.--A quorum shall consist of 13 members of the
        Commission.
            (7) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Commission shall be filled
        in the same manner in which the original appointment was made
        not later than 30 days after the Commission is given notice of
        the vacancy and shall not affect the power of the remaining
        members to execute the duties of the Commission.
            (8) Compensation.--Members of the Commission shall receive
        no additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their
        service on the Commission.
            (9) Expenses.--Each member of the Commission shall receive
        travel expenses and per diem in lieu of subsistence in
        accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United
        States Code.
    (c) Duties of the Commission.--The Commission shall provide an
independent forum for broad public participation and discourse
concerning important bioethical issues including cloning, and provide
for a report to Congress concerning the findings, conclusions, and
recommendations of the Commission concerning Federal policy and
possible Congressional action.
    (d) Staff and Support Services.--
            (1) Staff.--With the approval of the Commission, the
        chairperson of the Commission may appoint such personnel as the
        chairperson considers appropriate.
            (2) Applicability of civil service laws.--The staff of the
        Commission shall be appointed without regard to the provisions
        of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the
        competitive service, and shall be paid without regard to the
        provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of
such title (relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates).
            (3) Experts and consultants.--With the approval of the
        Commission, the chairperson may procure temporary and
        intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United
        States Code.
            (4) Physical facilities.--The Administrator of the General
        Services Administration shall locate suitable office space for
        the operation of the Commission. The facilities shall serve as
        the headquarters of the Commission and shall include all
        necessary equipment and incidentals required for the proper
        functioning of the Commission.
    (e) Powers of Commission.--
            (1) Hearings and other activities.--For the purpose of
        carrying out its duties, the Commission may hold such public
        hearings and undertake such other activities as the Commission
        determines to be necessary to carry out its duties.
            (2) Detail of federal employees.--Upon the request of the
        Commission, the head of any Federal agency is authorized to
        detail, without reimbursement, any of the personnel of such
        agency to the Commission to assist the Commission in carrying
        out its duties. Any such detail shall not interrupt or
        otherwise affect the civil service status or privileges of the
        Federal employee.
            (3) Technical assistance.--Upon the request of the
        Commission, the head of a Federal agency shall provide such
        technical assistance to the Commission as the Commission
        determines to be necessary to carry out its duties.
            (4) Use of mails.--The Commission may use the United States
        mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as
        Federal agencies and shall, for purposes of the frank, be
        considered a commission of Congress as described in section
        3215 of title 39, United States Code.
            (5) Obtaining information.--The Commission may secure
        directly from any Federal agency information necessary to
        enable it to carry out its duties, if the information may be
        disclosed under section 552 of title 5, United States Code.
        Upon request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of
        such agency shall furnish such information to the Commission.
            (6) Administrative support services.--Upon the request of
        the Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall
        provide to the Commission on a reimbursable basis such
        administrative support services as the Commission may request.
            (7) Printing.--For purposes of costs relating to printing
        and binding, including the cost of personnel detailed from the
        Government Printing Office, the Commission shall be deemed to
        be a committee of the Congress.
    (f) Subcommittees.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall establish 6
        subcommittees, including--
                    (A) a subcommittee on legal issues;
                    (B) a subcommittee on theological issues;
                    (C) a subcommittee on philosophical and ethical
                issues;
                    (D) a subcommittee on medical issues;
                    (E) a subcommittee on scientific issues; and
                    (F) a subcommittee on social issues.
            (2) Membership.--With respect to the issues for which each
        subcommittee has been established, each subcommittee shall be
        composed of--
                    (A) 1 expert to be appointed by the members of the
                Committee who were appointed under subparagraphs (A)
                and (C) of subsection (b)(1);
                    (B) 1 expert to be appointed by the members of the
                Committee who were appointed under subparagraphs (B)
                and (D) of subsection (b)(1);
                    (C) 1 individual operating in the private sector
                who is acquainted with the issues but not an expert to
                be appointed by the members of the Committee who were
                appointed under subparagraphs (A) and (C) of subsection
                (b)(1);
                    (D) 1 individual operating in the private sector
                who is acquainted with the issues but not an expert to
                be appointed by the members of the Committee who were
                appointed under subparagraphs (B) and (D) of subsection
                (b)(1); and
                    (E) 4 members of the commission with relevant
                expertise.
            (3) Meetings.--Meetings of the subcommittees shall be
        approved by the Commission.
    (g) Report.--Not later than December 31, 1999, and annually
thereafter, the Commission shall prepare and submit to the appropriate
committees of Congress a report which shall contain a detailed
statement of the recommendations, findings, and conclusions of the
Commission.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

Output: Establishes within the Institute of Medicine a Commission to Promote a National Dialogue on Bioethics to:  (1) provide an independent forum for broad public participation and discourse concerning important bioethical issues including cloning; and (2) provide for a report to the Congress on its findings and recommendations concerning Federal policy and possible congressional action.  Authorizes appropriations.


Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Law Enforcement Assistance Act
of 1999''.

SEC. 2. FUNDING TO NATIONAL CENTER FOR RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

    (a) Funding Authority.--The Attorney General shall provide funds,
subject to appropriations, to the National Center for Rural Law
Enforcement if the Executive Director of the Center certifies, in
writing, to the Attorney General that the Center--
            (1) is incorporated in accordance with applicable State
        laws;
            (2) is in compliance with the by-laws of the Center;
            (3) shall use amounts made available under this section in
        accordance with subsection (b); and
            (4) shall not support any political party or candidate for
        elected or appointed office.
    (b) Uses of Funds.--
            (1) Required uses of funds.--The Center shall use funds
        made available under this section to develop an educational
        program for employees of law enforcement agencies serving rural
        areas which shall include--
                    (A) the development and delivery of management
                education and training, technical assistance, practical
                research and evaluation, and computer and forensic
                education and training for employees of law enforcement
                agencies serving rural areas, tribal law enforcement
                employees and railroad law enforcement employees,
                including supervisory and executive managers of those
                agencies;
                    (B) conducting research into the causes and
                prevention of criminal activity in rural areas,
                including the causes, assessment, evaluation, analysis,
                and prevention of criminal activity;
                    (C) the development and dissemination of
                information designed to assist States and units of
                local government in rural areas throughout the United
                States;
                    (D) the establishment and maintenance of a resource
                and information center for the collection, preparation,
                and dissemination of information regarding criminal
                justice and law enforcement in rural areas, including
                programs for the prevention of crime and recidivism;
                and
                    (E) the delivery of assistance, in a consulting
                capacity, to criminal justice agencies in the
                development, establishment, maintenance, and
                coordination of programs, facilities and services,
                training, and research relating to crime in rural
                areas.
            (2) Permissive uses of funds.--The Center may use funds
        made available under this section to enhance the educational
        program developed under paragraph (1), through--
                    (A) educational opportunities for rural law
                enforcement agencies;
                    (B) the development, promotion, and voluntary
                adoption of educational and training standards and
                accreditation certification programs for law
                enforcement agencies serving rural areas and the
                employees of those agencies;
                    (C) grants to, and contracts with, State, and local
                governments, law enforcement agencies, public and
                private agencies, educational institutions, and other
                organizations and individuals to carry out this
                paragraph;
                    (D) the formulation and recommendation of law
                enforcement policy, goals, and standards in rural areas
                applicable to criminal justice agencies, organizations,
                institutions, and personnel; and
                    (E) coordination with institutions of higher
                education for the purpose of encouraging programs of
                study for law enforcement in rural areas at such
                institutions.
    (c) Powers.--In carrying out subsection (b), the Executive Director
may--
            (1) request the head of any Federal department or agency to
        detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of that
        department or agency to the Center to assist it in carrying out
        its duties under this Act;
            (2) request the Administrator of the General Services
        Administration to provide the Center, on a reimbursable basis,
        the administrative support services necessary for the Center to
        carry out its responsibilities under this Act; and
            (3) procure temporary and intermittent services under
        section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates of
        compensation established by the Board, but not to exceed the
        daily equivalent of the maximum rate of pay payable for a
        position at level IV of the Executive Schedule under section
        5315 of title 5, United States Code.
    (d) Travel Expenses.--For purposes of official travel, expenses
shall be reimbursed, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the
same manner as such expenses are permitted under sections 5702 and 5703
of title 5, United States Code.
    (e) Reporting Requirements.--The Center shall submit an annual
report to the Attorney General that includes--
            (1) a description of the education and training program
        conducted by the Center;
            (2) the number and demographic representation of
        individuals who attended programs sponsored by the Center;
            (3) a description of the extent resources of other
        governmental agencies or private entities were used; and
            (5) a description of the extent contracts with other public
        and private resources were used.
    (f) Definitions.--For purposes of this Act:
            (1) The term ``Board'' means the members of the Board of
        the Center as elected according to its bylaws.
            (2) The term ``Center'' means the National Center for Rural
        Law Enforcement, a nonprofit corporation located in Little
        Rock, Arkansas.
            (3) The term ``Executive Director'' means the Executive
        Director of the Center as appointed according to the bylaws of
        the Center.
            (4) The term ``metropolitan statistical area'' has the same
        meaning given such term by the Bureau of the Census.
            (5) The term ``rural law enforcement agency'' means a law
        enforcement agency that serves a city, town, township, borough,
        or village outside a metropolitan statistical area.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section--
            (1) $22,000,000 for fiscal year 2000; and
            (2) such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years
        2001 through 2005.

Output:
Rural Law Enforcement Assistance Act of 1999 - Directs the Attorney General to provide funds to the National Center for Rural Law Enforcement if the Center's Executive Director certifies in writing that the Center: (1) is incorporated in accordance with applicable State laws; (2) is in compliance with its by-laws; (3) shall use amounts made available in accordance with requirements of this Act; and (4) shall not support any political party or candidate for elected or appointed office.
Requires the Center to use such funds to develop an educational program for employees of law enforcement agencies serving rural areas for specified purposes, including: (1) the development and delivery of management education and training for employees of law enforcement agencies serving rural areas; and (2) the delivery of assistance (in a consulting capacity) to criminal justice agencies in the development and coordination of programs, training, and research relating to crime in rural areas.
Permits the Center to use such funds to enhance that educational program through specified means, including: (1) educational opportunities for rural law enforcement agencies; and (2) coordination with institutions of higher education to encourage programs of study for law enforcement in rural areas at such institutions.
Sets forth reporting requirements.  Authorizes appropriations.


Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Tropical Forest and Coral
Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO SHORT TITLE OF ACT TO ENCOMPASS EXPANDED SCOPE.

    (a) 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 and Coral Conservation Act of 2007''.
    (b) 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 and Coral Conservation Act of
2007''.

SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF SCOPE OF ACT TO PROTECT FORESTS AND CORAL REEFS.

    (a) In General.--Section 802 of the Tropical Forest and Coral
Conservation Act of 2007 (22 U.S.C. 2431), as renamed by section 2(a),
is amended--
            (1) in subsections (a)(1), (a)(6), (a)(7), (b)(1), (b)(3),
        and (b)(4), by striking ``tropical forests'' each place it
        appears and inserting ``tropical forests and coral reefs and
        associated coastal marine ecosystems'';
            (2) in subsection (a)(2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``resources,
                which are the basis for developing pharmaceutical
                products and revitalizing agricultural crops'' and
                inserting ``resources''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``far-flung'';
                and
            (3) in subsection (b)(2)--
                    (A) by striking ``tropical forests'' the first
                place it appears and inserting ``tropical forests and
                coral reefs and associated coastal marine ecosystems'';
                    (B) by striking ``tropical forests'' the second
                place it appears and inserting ``areas'';
                    (C) by striking ``tropical forests'' the third
                place it appears and inserting ``tropical forests and
                coral reefs and their associated coastal marine
                ecosystems''; and
                    (D) by striking ``that have led to deforestation''
                and inserting ``on such countries''.
    (b) Amendments Related to Definitions.--Section 803 of such Act (22
U.S.C. 2431a) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (5)--
                    (A) in the heading, by striking ``tropical forest''
                and inserting ``tropical forest or coral reef'';
                    (B) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by
                striking ``tropical forest'' and inserting ``tropical
                forest or coral reef''; and
                    (C) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``tropical
                forest'' and inserting ``tropical forest or coral
                reef''.
            (2) 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) Associated coastal marine ecosystem.--The term
        `associated coastal marine ecosystem' means 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.

    (a) In General.--Section 804 of the Tropical Forest and Coral
Conservation Act of 2007 (22 U.S.C. 2431b), as renamed by section 2(a),
is amended by striking ``Tropical Forest Facility'' and inserting
``Conservation Facility''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments to Definitions.--Section 803(8) of such
Act (22 U.S.C. 2431a(8)) is amended--
            (1) in the heading, by striking ``Tropical forest
        facility'' and inserting ``Conservation facility''; and
            (2) by striking ``Tropical Forest Facility'' both places it
        appears and inserting ``Conservation Facility''.
    (c) 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 and Coral Conservation Act of
2007 (22 U.S.C. 2431c(a)), as renamed by section 2(a), is amended by
striking ``tropical forest'' and inserting ``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 and Coral Conservation Act
of 2007 (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 buy-back 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.

    (a) Renaming of Agreements.--Section 809 of the Tropical Forest and
Coral Conservation Act of 2007 (22 U.S.C. 2431g), as renamed by section
2(a), is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``tropical forest
        agreement'' and inserting ``conservation agreement''; and
            (2) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``Authority'' and all that follows
                through ``(1) In general.--The Secretary'' and
                inserting ``Authority.--The Secretary''; and
                    (B) by striking ``Tropical Forest Agreement'' and
                inserting ``Conservation Agreement''.
    (b) Elimination of Requirement To Consult With the Enterprise for
the Americas Board.--Such subsection is further amended by striking
paragraph (2).
    (c) Role of Beneficiary Countries.--Such section is further
amended--
            (1) 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 or coral reefs or
        associated coastal marine 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
            (2) 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.''.
    (d) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--Such section is further
amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)(2)(A)(i), by inserting ``to serve in
        an official capacity'' after ``Government'';
            (2) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by
                striking ``tropical forests'' and inserting ``tropical
                forests and coral reefs and associated coastal marine
                ecosystems related to such coral reefs'';
                    (B) in paragraph (5), by striking ``tropical
                forest''; and
                    (C) 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 or coral reef or an
                associated coastal marine ecosystem related to such
                coral reef and related resources in a manner consistent
                with conserving such resources''.
    (e) Conforming Amendments to Definitions.--Section 803(7) of such
Act (22 U.S.C. 2431a(7)) is amended--
            (1) in the heading, by striking ``Tropical forest
        agreement'' and inserting ``Conservation agreement''; and
            (2) by striking ``Tropical Forest Agreement'' both places
        it appears and inserting ``Conservation Agreement''.

SEC. 8. CONSERVATION FUND.

    (a) In General.--Section 810 of the Tropical Forest and Coral
Conservation Act of 2007 (22 U.S.C. 2431h), as renamed by section 2(a),
is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``tropical forest
        fund'' and inserting ``conservation fund''; and
            (2) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``Tropical Forest Agreement'' and
                inserting ``Conservation Agreement''; and
                    (B) by striking ``Tropical Forest Fund'' and
                inserting ``Conservation Fund''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments to Definitions.--Such Act is further
amended--
            (1) in section 803(9) (22 U.S.C. 2431a(9))--
                    (A) in the heading, by striking ``Tropical forest
                fund'' and inserting ``Conservation fund''; and
                    (B) by striking ``Tropical Forest Fund'' both
                places it appears and inserting ``Conservation Fund'';
            (2) in section 806(c)(2) (22 U.S.C. 2431d(c)(2)), by
        striking ``Tropical Forest Fund'' and inserting ``Conservation
        Fund''; and
            (3) 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 FOREST AND CORAL
              CONSERVATION ACT OF 2007.

    (a) In General.--Section 811 of the Tropical Forest and Coral
Conservation Act of 2007 (22 U.S.C. 2431i), as renamed by section 2(a),
is repealed.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 803 of such Act (22 U.S.C.
2431a), as renamed by section 2(a), is amended--
            (1) by striking paragraph (4); and
            (2) 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 and Coral Conservation Act of
2007 (22 U.S.C. 2431k), as renamed by section 2(a), is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``(a) In General.--Not later than
                December 31'' and inserting ``Not later than April
                15'';
                    (B) by striking ``Facility'' both places it appears
                and inserting ``Conservation Facility''; and
                    (C) by striking ``fiscal year'' both places it
                appears and inserting ``calendar year''; and
            (2) 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--
            (1) by striking ``or, as appropriate in exceptional
        circumstances,'' and inserting ``or'';
            (2) in subparagraph (A)--
                    (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
                    (B) by striking ``(after consultation with the
                Enterprise for the Americas Board)''; and
            (3) 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 and Coral Conservation Act of
2007 (22 U.S.C. 2431d), as renamed by section 2(a), is amended--
            (1) in subsection (d), by adding at the end the following
        new paragraphs:
            ``(7) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.
            ``(8) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
            ``(9) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.''; and
            (2) 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.''.
            Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to reauthorize the
        Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 through fiscal year
        2010, to rename the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 as
        the `Tropical Forest and Coral Conservation Act of 2007', and
        for other purposes.''.

Output:
Tropical Forest and Coral Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2007 - (Sec. 2) Renames the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 as The Tropical Forest and Coral Conservation Act of 2007 (Act).

(Sec. 3) Includes tropical forests and coral reefs and associated coastal marine ecosystems within the scope of such Act. (Current law refers to tropical forests.)

(Sec. 4) Renames the Tropical Forest Facility as the Conservation Facility.

(Sec. 5) Makes developing countries with tropical forests or coral reefs eligible for benefits. (Current law refers to tropical forests.)

(Sec. 6) Authorizes U.S. government representation on the administering body that oversees the implementation of grants from a debt-for-nature swap or debt buy-back 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) Eliminates the requirement that the Enterprise for the Americas Board be consulted in negotiating a Conservation Agreement.

Requires U.S. government and beneficiary country government review of Conservation Fund grants in excess of $250,000.

(Sec. 8) Renames: (1) the Tropical Forest Agreement as the Conservation Agreement; and (2) the Tropical Forest Fund as the Conservation Fund.

(Sec. 9) Repeals Board authority to carry out activities under the Act.

(Sec. 10) Revises certain reporting dates.

(Sec. 11) Revises specified International Monetary Fund (IMF) criteria for country eligibility.

(Sec. 12) Authorizes FY2008-FY2010 appropriations. Increases obligations for program administration, monitoring, and auditing.


Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Rocky Mountain
Forest Insects Response Enhancement and Support Act'' or the ``Rocky
Mountain FIRES Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings and purpose.
Sec. 3. Response to widespread infestations of bark beetles and other
                            insects on Federal land in Rocky Mountain
                            region.
Sec. 4. Community wildfire protection plan development assistance for
                            at-risk communities in the Rocky Mountain
                            region.
Sec. 5. Additional assistance for preparation of community wildfire
                            protection plans.
Sec. 6. Biomass commercial utilization grant program and biomass
                            collection.
Sec. 7. Cooperation with certain private landowners.
Sec. 8. Partial exclusion from gross income of payments received as
                            compensation for silvicultural activities
                            in response to insect-infestation
                            emergencies.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Fire, bark beetles, and other insects that feed on
        trees are natural parts of the Rocky Mountain forest ecology
        that have some beneficial effects and help shape the forests by
        thinning dense tree stands and promoting cyclical re-growth.
            (2) However, in various parts of the Rocky Mountain region,
        large-scale infestations of bark beetles and other insects, in
        combination with other factors, have increased the likelihood
        of unusually severe wildfires that pose a threat to lives and
        property in nearby communities.
            (3) This increased wildfire danger is the result of the
        following factors:
                    (A) A century-long policy of suppressing even small
                fires on Federal lands, which combined with a more
                recent reduction in the quantity of timber harvesting
                on Federal lands, has resulted in unusually dense
                vegetation that can provide fuel for unusually severe
                wildfires.
                    (B) A pronounced and prolonged drought that has
                weakened trees and made them more susceptible to both
                wildfire and insects.
                    (C) Population growth in mountain communities
                adjacent to Federal lands and the development of ski
                areas and other recreational facilities on and in the
                vicinity of Federal lands, with a resulting increase in
                the number of people, homes, and businesses at risk;
            (4) The Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (Public Law
        108-148; 16 U.S.C. 6501 et seq) addressed the need to reduce
        the volume of fuel that can feed the most severe fires that
        threaten communities.
            (5) However, provisions of the Healthy Forests Restoration
        Act of 2003 and other laws need to be modified to help further
        reduce the risks to communities in the Rocky Mountain region
        associated with current insect infestations.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to facilitate a swifter
response by the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the
Interior to reduce the increased risk of severe wildfires to
communities in the Rocky Mountain region resulting from the effects of
widespread infestations of bark beetles and other insects.

SEC. 3. RESPONSE TO WIDESPREAD INFESTATIONS OF BARK BEETLES AND OTHER
              INSECTS ON FEDERAL LAND IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 101 of the Healthy Forests Restoration
Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (12) through (16) as
        paragraphs (13), (14), (16), (17), and (18), respectively;
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (11) the following new
        paragraph:
            ``(12) Insect-emergency area.--The term `insect-emergency
        area' means Federal land in the Rocky Mountain region that--
                    ``(A) the Secretary determines is subject to a
                widespread infestation of bark beetles or other
                insects;
                    ``(B) is identified for hazardous fuel reduction
                treatment in a community wildfire protection plan; and
                    ``(C) is characterized by insect-induced tree
                mortality that the Secretary determines has, or within
                one year will have, produced a condition such that an
                immediate reduction in hazardous fuels is required in
                order to reduce the risks to human life and property or
                to a municipal water supply from a severe wildfire.'';
                and
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (14), as redesignated by
        paragraph (2), the following new paragraph:
            ``(16) Rocky mountain region.--The term `Rocky Mountain
        region' means the States of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana,
        New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.''.
    (b) Funding Allocation Prioritization for Federal Lands in Rocky
Mountain Region.--Section 103(d)(1) of the Healthy Forests Restoration
Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6513(d)(1)(B)) is amended by adding at the end
the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(D) Special rule for rocky mountain region.--The
                Secretary shall allocate not less than 70 percent of
                the funds allocated for authorized hazardous fuel
                reduction projects in the Rocky Mountain region for--
                            ``(i) projects in the wildland-urban
                        interface; and
                            ``(ii) lands that are in proximity to a
                        municipal water supply system or a stream
                        feeding such a system within a municipal
                        watershed and that have been identified for
                        such projects in community wildfire protection
                        plans.''.
    (c) Alternative Analysis Process.--Section 104(d)(2) of the Healthy
Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6514(d)(2)) is amended by
inserting after ``at-risk community'' the following: ``or on any other
lands identified for such a project in a community wildfire protection
plan for an at-risk community in or adjacent to an insect-emergency
area''.
    (d) Insect Emergencies.--Title I of the Healthy Forests Restoration
Act of 2003 is amended--
            (1) by redesignating sections 107 and 108 as sections 109
        and 110, respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after section 106 the following new
        section:

``SEC. 107. ACTIONS RELATED TO INSECT-EMERGENCY AREAS.

    ``(a) Designation.--
            ``(1) Designation authority.--The Secretary may designate
        insect-emergency areas. The designation shall be made on the
        basis of the best information available, including observation
        of relevant insect infestations.
            ``(2) Initiation.--The designation of an insect-emergency
        area may be made on the initiative of the Secretary or in
        response to a request by any State agency or any political
        subdivision of a State.
            ``(3) Deadline.--If a State agency or a political
        subdivision of a State requests an area to be designated as an
        insect-emergency area pursuant to paragraph (2), the decision
        regarding such request shall be made no later than 90 days
        after receipt of the request.
            ``(4) Limitation on delegation.--In the case of National
        Forest System lands, the authority to make a designation under
        this subsection may be delegated only to a Regional Forester.
    ``(b) Consultation and Public Comment.--Before making a
determination to designate an insect-emergency area, the Secretary
shall--
            ``(1) consult with any Federal agency responsible for
        management of lands within a relevant community wildfire
        protection plan and appropriate State and local officials; and
            ``(2) provide public notice and seek public comments.
    ``(c) Review of Designation.--Any administrative or judicial review
of a designation made pursuant to subsection (a) shall be subject to
regulations issued pursuant to section 105 and to the provisions of
section 106.
    ``(d) Effect of Determination.--
            ``(1) Authorized hazardous fuel reduction projects.--An
        authorized hazardous fuel reduction project involving lands
        within an area designated as an insect-emergency area may be
        categorically excluded from documentation in an environmental
        impact statement and environmental assessment under the
        National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
        seq.) if--
                    ``(A) the project involves only lands that are
                identified for hazardous-fuel reduction treatment in a
                community wildfire protection plan; and
                    ``(B) the decision to categorically exclude the
                project is made in accordance with applicable
                extraordinary circumstances procedures established
                pursuant to section 1508.4 of title 40, Code of Federal
                Regulations.
            ``(2) Stewardship projects.--A stewardship contracting
        project under section 347 of the Department of the Interior and
        Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 (as contained in
        section 101(e) of Public Law 105-277; 16 U.S.C. 2104 note) to
        implement a hazardous fuel reduction project in an insect-
        emergency area may exceed 10 years, but may not exceed 15
        years.
    ``(e) Personnel Authority.--The Secretary of Agriculture may
relocate or reassign personnel of the Forest Service in order to
provide additional personnel to prepare and carry out applied
silvicultural assessments under section 404 in response to an insect
emergency or to prepare and implement other appropriate actions
involving Federal lands subject to an insect emergency.''.
    (e) Relation to Appeals Reform Act.--Section 105 of the Healthy
Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6515) is amended by adding
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Relation to Appeals Reform Act.--Nothing in section 322 of
the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,
1999 (Public Law 102-381; 16 U.S.C. 1612 note) shall be construed to
require administrative review procedures different from, or in addition
to, the procedures established by regulations issued pursuant to this
section for administrative review of an authorized hazardous fuel
reduction project conducted pursuant to section 102 or the designation
of an insect-emergency area pursuant to section 107.''.

SEC. 4. COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE FOR
              AT-RISK COMMUNITIES IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION.

    (a) Availability of Assistance.--Section 103 of the Healthy Forests
Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6513) is amended by adding at the
end the following new subsection:
    ``(e) Planning Assistance for at-Risk Communities.--Using amounts
made available to the Secretary of Agriculture under section 35(c) of
the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 191(c)), the Secretary of
Agriculture shall make grants to at-risk communities in the Rocky
Mountain region to assist the at-risk communities to prepare or revise
a community wildfire protection plan. The Secretary of Agriculture
shall make such grants in consultation with appropriate State
agencies.''.
    (b) Funding Source.--Section 35 of the Mineral Leasing Act (30
U.S.C. 191) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
    ``(c) Notwithstanding subsection (a), $5,000,000 of the monies paid
into the Treasury under such subsection for each of the fiscal years
2006 through 2010 shall be made available to the Secretary of
Agriculture, without further appropriation and until expended, for
obligation and expenditure pursuant to section 103(e) of the Healthy
Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6513).''.

SEC. 5. ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR PREPARATION OF COMMUNITY WILDFIRE
              PROTECTION PLANS.

    Subparagraph (L) of section 33(b)(3) of the Federal Fire Prevention
and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229(b)(3)) is amended to read as
follows:
                    ``(L) To fund fire prevention programs, including
                the development of community wildfire protection plans
                (as defined in section 101 of the Healthy Forests
                Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511)).''.

SEC. 6. BIOMASS COMMERCIAL UTILIZATION GRANT PROGRAM AND BIOMASS
              COLLECTION.

    (a) Grant Program.--Section 203 of the Healthy Forests Restoration
Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6531) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 203. BIOMASS COMMERCIAL UTILIZATION GRANT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Program Authorized.--The Secretary of Agriculture may make
grants to the owners or operators of facilities that use biomass--
            ``(1) as a raw material to produce electricity, sensible
        heat, transportation fuel, or substitutes for petroleum-based
        products;
            ``(2) for wood-based products; or
            ``(3) for other commercial purposes.
    ``(b) Priority.--In making grants under this section, the Secretary
shall give priority to applications submitted by persons who purchase
biomass removed from lands in insect-emergency areas through an
authorized hazardous fuel reduction project carried out pursuant to
section 102.
    ``(c) Use of Grant Funds.--Grants made pursuant to this section may
be used to offset the costs of purchasing biomass.
    ``(d) Relation to Other Authorities.--The authority provided by
this section is in addition to any other authority of the Secretary to
make grants related to biomass.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007
through 2010 to make grants under this section.''.
    (b) Central Collection Points.--Title II of the Healthy Forests
Restoration Act of 2003 is amended by adding at the end the following
new section:

``SEC. 204. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTRAL COLLECTION POINTS.

    ``(a) Establishment.--To the maximum extent practicable and
consistent with relevant land management plans, the Secretary shall
establish one or more collection point for the placement of vegetative
material removed from Federal or other lands as part of hazardous fuel
reduction projects under title I. No collection point shall be
established on any lands not owned by the United States without the
consent of the owner of such lands.
    ``(b) Use.--Vegetative material placed at a collection point
established under this section may be sold, donated, or otherwise made
available to any party who will remove the material from the collection
point.
    ``(c) Definition.--In this section, the term ``Secretary'' means--
            ``(1) the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to lands
        managed by the Forest Service; and
            ``(2) the Secretary of the Interior with respect to lands
        managed by any agency of the Department of the Interior.''.

SEC. 7. COOPERATION WITH CERTAIN PRIVATE LANDOWNERS.

    Title I of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 is amended
by inserting after section 107, as added by section 3(d), the following
new section:

``SEC. 108. COOPERATION WITH CERTAIN PRIVATE LANDOWNERS.

    ``(a) Use of Private Landowners.--The Secretary may award
stewardship contracts to or enter into agreements with owners of lands
contiguous to Federal lands managed by the Secretary under which the
landowners may carry out a fuel-reduction project or other activities
on the contiguous Federal lands in order to reduce the extent to which
the Federal lands or other lands could be affected by wildfires. The
agreement shall include such terms and conditions as the Secretary
considers appropriate with regard to activities to be performed on the
Federal lands.
    ``(b) Reimbursement.--A stewardship contract or other agreement
under this section may provide for reimbursement by the Secretary for
costs incurred by the landowner related to the fuel-reduction project
or other activities on the Federal lands. If reimbursement is not
provided, the cost incurred by the landowner shall be treated as a
donation to the United States for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986.''.

SEC. 8. PARTIAL EXCLUSION FROM GROSS INCOME OF PAYMENTS RECEIVED AS
              COMPENSATION FOR SILVICULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN RESPONSE TO
              INSECT-INFESTATION EMERGENCIES.

    (a) In General.--Part III of subchapter B of chapter 1 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to items specifically excluded
from gross income) is amended by inserting after section 139A the
following new section:

``SEC. 139B. COMPENSATION FOR SILVICULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN RESPONSE TO
              INSECT-INFESTATION EMERGENCIES.

    ``(a) General Rule.--Gross income shall not include any qualified
silvicultural payments.
    ``(b) Dollar Limitation.--The aggregate of the payments which may
be taken into account under subsection (a) with respect to a taxpayer
for a taxable year shall not exceed $10,000 ($20,000 in the case of a
joint return).
    ``(c) Qualified Silvicultural Payments.--For purposes of this
section--
            ``(1) In general.--The term `qualified silvicultural
        payment' means any amount received by the taxpayer during the
        taxable year as compensation for work performed in the Rocky
        Mountain region as part of--
                    ``(A) an authorized hazardous fuels reduction
                project conducted pursuant to section 102 of the
                Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C.
                6512) in an insect-emergency area, or
                    ``(B) a silvicultural assessment or other treatment
                conducted under section 404 of such Act (16 U.S.C.
                6554) in an insect-emergency area.
            ``(2) Definitions.--The terms `authorized hazardous fuels
        reduction project', `insect-emergency area', and `Rocky
        Mountain region' have the meanings given those terms in section
        101 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C.
        6511).''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for part III of
subchapter B of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by inserting after
the item relating to section 139A the following new item:

``Sec. 139B. Compensation for silvicultural activities in response to
                            beetle emergencies.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2005.

Output:
Rocky Mountain Forest Insects Response Enhancement and Support Act or the Rocky Mountain FIRES Act - Amends the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to require the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior (the Secretary) to allocate not less than 70% of the funds allocated for authorized hazardous fuel reduction projects in the Rocky Mountain region for: (1) projects in the wildland-urban interface; and (2) lands that are in proximity to a municipal water supply system or a stream feeding such a system within a municipal watershed and that have been identified for such projects in community wildfire protection plans.

Authorizes the Secretary to designate insect-emergency areas.

Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to make grants to at-risk communities in the Rocky Mountain region to assist such communities to prepare or revise a community wildfire protection plan.

Requires the Secretary to establish at least one collection point for the placement of vegetative material removed from federal or other lands as part of hazardous fuel reduction projects.

Authorizes the Secretary to award stewardship contracts to, or enter in agreements with, owners of lands contiguous to federal lands managed by the Secretary under which the landowners may carry out a fuel-reduction project or other activities on the contiguous federal lands in order to reduce the extent to which the federal lands or other lands could be affected by wildfires.


Input:
SECTION 1. CREDIT FOR NEW NEIGHBORHOOD ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

    (a) In General.--Subpart B of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end
the following new section:

``SEC. 30D. NEW NEIGHBORHOOD ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

    ``(a) Allowance of Credit.--There shall be allowed as a credit
against the tax imposed by this chapter for the taxable year the amount
paid or incurred for each new neighborhood electric vehicle placed in
service by the taxpayer during the taxable year.
    ``(b) Dollar Limitation.--The amount allowed as a credit under
subsection (a) shall not exceed the lesser of--
            ``(1) $1,000, and
            ``(2) the amount paid or incurred by the taxpayer for such
        new neighborhood electric vehicle.
    ``(c) Application With Other Credits.--
            ``(1) Business credit treated as part of general business
        credit.--So much of the credit which would be allowed under
        subsection (a) for any taxable year (determined without regard
        to this subsection) that is attributable to property of a
        character subject to an allowance for depreciation shall be
        treated as a credit listed in section 38(b) for such taxable
        year (and not allowed under subsection (a)).
            ``(2) Personal credit.--
                    ``(A) In general.--For purposes of this title, the
                credit allowed under subsection (a) for any taxable
                year (determined after application of paragraph (1))
                shall be treated as a credit allowable under subpart A
                for such taxable year.
                    ``(B) Limitation based on amount of tax.--In the
                case of a taxable year to which section 26(a)(2) does
                not apply, the credit allowed under subsection (a) for
                any taxable year (determined after application of
                paragraph (1)) shall not exceed the excess of--
                            ``(i) the sum of the regular tax liability
                        (as defined in section 26(b)) plus the tax
                        imposed by section 55, over
                            ``(ii) the sum of the credits allowable
                        under subpart A (other than this section) and
                        section 27, 30, 30B, and 30C for the taxable
                        year.
    ``(d) New Neighborhood Electric Vehicle.--For purposes of this
section, the term `neighborhood electric vehicle' means a vehicle--
            ``(1) which draws propulsion energy solely from onboard
        sources of a rechargeable energy storage system,
            ``(2) which is classified as a low-speed vehicle subject to
        the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.
        500 (as promulgated by the National Highway Traffic Safety
        Administration in section 571.500 of title 49, Code of Federal
        Regulations) and which has--
                    ``(A) 4 wheels,
                    ``(B) a top attainable speed in 1 mile of more than
                20 mph and not more than 35 mph on a paved level
                surface, and
                    ``(C) a gross vehicle weight rating of less than
                2,500 pounds,
            ``(3) the original use of which commences with the
        taxpayer,
            ``(4) which is acquired for use or lease by the taxpayer
        and not for resale, and
            ``(5) which is made by a manufacturer in the United States.
    ``(e) Special Rules.--
            ``(1) Basis reduction.--The basis of any property for which
        a credit is allowable under subsection (a) shall be reduced by
        the amount of such credit (determined without regard to
        subsection (b)).
            ``(2) Recapture.--The Secretary shall, by regulations,
        provide for recapturing the benefit of any credit allowable
        under subsection (a) with respect to any property which ceases
        to be property eligible for such credit.
            ``(3) Property used outside united states, etc., not
        qualified.--No credit shall be allowed under subsection (a)
        with respect to any property referred to in section 50(b)(1) or
        with respect to the portion of the cost of any property taken
        into account under section 179.
            ``(4) Election not to take credit.--No credit shall be
        allowed under subsection (a) for any vehicle if the taxpayer
        elects to not have this section apply to such vehicle.
    ``(f) Termination.--This section shall not apply to property
purchased after December 31, 2013.''.
    (b) Credit Made Part of General Business Credit.--Section 38(b) of
such Code is amended by striking ``plus'' at the end of paragraph (32),
by striking the period at the end of paragraph (33) and inserting ``,
plus'', and by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(34) the portion of the new neighborhood electric vehicle
        credit to which section 30D(c)(1) applies.''.
    (c) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Section 1016(a) of such Code is amended by striking
        ``and'' at the end of paragraph (35), by striking the period at
        the end of paragraph (36) and inserting ``, and'', and by
        adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(37) to the extent provided in section 30D(e)(1).''.
            (2) Section 6501(m) of such Code is amended by inserting
        ``30D(e)(4),'' after ``30C(e)(5),''.
            (3) The table of sections for subpart B of part IV of
        subchapter A of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by adding at
        the end the following new item:

``Sec. 30D. New neighborhood electric vehicles.''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2008.

Output: Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for the purchase of a new neighborhood electric vehicle. Limits the amount of such credit to the lesser of $1,000 or the amount paid for such vehicle. Defines "new neighborhood electric vehicle" as a U.S. manufactured vehicle which: (1) draws propulsion energy solely from onboard sources of a rechargeable energy storage system; (2) is classified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as a low-speed vehicle; (3) has four wheels; (4) has a top attainable speed in one mile of more than 20 mph and not more than 35 mph on a paved level surface; and (5) has a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 2,500 pounds. Terminates such credit after 2013.