Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Montana Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Act of 1998''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) it is in the interest of the United States for the
        Secretary of the Interior to sell leaseholds at Canyon Ferry
        Reservoir in the State of Montana for fair market value if the
        proceeds from the sale are used--
                    (A) to establish a trust to provide a permanent
                source of funding to acquire access or other property
                interests from willing sellers to conserve fish and
                wildlife and to enhance public hunting and fishing
                opportunities at the Reservoir and along the Missouri
                River;
                    (B) to establish a fund to be used to acquire
                access or other property interests from willing sellers
                to increase public access to Federal land in the State
                of Montana and to enhance hunting and fishing
                opportunities; and
                    (C) to reduce the Pick-Sloan project debt for the
                Canyon Ferry Unit;
            (2) existing trusts in the State of Montana, including the
        Rock Creek Trust and the Montana Power Company Missouri-Madison
        Trust, have provided substantial public benefits by conserving
        fish and wildlife and by enhancing public hunting and fishing
        opportunities in the State of Montana;
            (3) many Federal lands in the State of Montana do not have
        suitable public access, and establishing a fund to acquire
        easements to those lands from willing sellers would enhance
        public hunting and fishing opportunities in the State of
        Montana;
            (4) the sale of the leaseholds at the Reservoir will reduce
        Federal payments in lieu of taxes and associated management
        expenditures in connection with the ownership by the Federal
        Government of the leaseholds while increasing local tax
        revenues from the new owners of the leased lots; and
            (5) the sale of the leaseholds at the Reservoir will reduce
        expensive and contentious disputes between the Federal
        Government and leaseholders, while ensuring that the Federal
        Government receives full and fair value for the acquisition of
        the property.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) CFRA.--The term ``CFRA'' means the Canyon Ferry
        Recreation Association, Incorporated, a Montana corporation.
            (2) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Montana Hunter and
        Fisherman Access Fund established under section 6(a).
            (3) Lessee.--The term ``lessee'' means the holder of a
        leasehold described in section 4(b) as of the date of enactment
        of this Act, and the holder's heirs, executors, and assigns of
        the holder's leasehold interest.
            (4) Purchaser.--The term ``Purchaser'' means the person or
        entity that purchases the 265 leaseholds under section 4.
            (5) Reservoir.--The term ``Reservoir'' means the Canyon
        Ferry Reservoir in the State of Montana.
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
        of the Interior.
            (7) Trust.--The term ``Trust'' means the Canyon Ferry-
        Missouri River Trust established under section 5(a).

SEC. 4. SALE OF LEASEHOLDS.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (c) and notwithstanding any
other provision of law, the Secretary shall sell at fair market value--
            (1) all right, title, and interest of the United States in
        and to all (but not fewer than all) of the leaseholds described
        in subsection (b), subject to valid existing rights; and
            (2) easements for--
                    (A) vehicular access to each leasehold;
                    (B) access to and the use of 1 dock per leasehold;
                and
                    (C) access to and the use of all boathouses, ramps,
                retaining walls, and other improvements for which
                access is provided in the leases as of the date of this
                Act.
    (b) Description of Leaseholds.--
            (1) In general.--The leaseholds to be conveyed are--
                    (A) the 265 cabin sites of the Bureau of
                Reclamation located along the northern portion of the
                Reservoir in portions of sections 2, 11, 12, 13, 15,
                22, 23, and 26, Township 10 North, Range 1 West; plus
                    (B) any small parcels contiguous to the leaseholds
                (not including shoreline property or property needed to
                provide public access to the shoreline of the
                Reservoir) that the Secretary determines should be
                conveyed in order to eliminate inholdings and
                facilitate administration of surrounding land remaining
                in Federal ownership.
            (2) Acreage; legal description.--The acreage and legal
        description of each property shall be agreed on by the
        Secretary and the Purchaser.
    (c) Purchase Process.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall--
                    (A) solicit sealed bids for all of the leaseholds;
                and
                    (B) subject to paragraph (2), sell the leaseholds
                to the bidder that submits the highest bid above the
                minimum bid determined under paragraph (2).
            (2) Minimum bid.--Before accepting bids, the Secretary, in
        consultation with interested bidders, shall establish a minimum
        bid based on an appraisal of the fair market value of the
        leaseholds, exclusive of the value of private improvements made
        by the leaseholders before the date of the conveyance, by means
        of an appraisal conducted in accordance with the appraisal
        procedures used under Federal law, including, to the extent
        practicable, the procedures specified in sections 2201.3
        through 2201.3-5 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations.
            (3) Right of first refusal.--If the highest bidder is other
        CFRA, CFRA shall have the right to match the highest bid and
        purchase the leaseholds at a price equal to the amount of that
        bid.
    (d) Conditions.--
            (1) Consideration.--As consideration for the conveyance
        under subsection (a), the Purchaser shall--
                    (A) contribute to the Trust the amount that is
                equal to 45 percent of the purchase price of the
                leaseholds;
                    (B) contribute to the Fund the amount that is equal
                to 45 percent of the purchase price of the leaseholds;
                and
                    (C) pay the Secretary for deposit in the Treasury
                of the United States an amount that is equal to 10
                percent of the purchase price of the leaseholds.
            (2) No charitable deduction.--The Purchaser, any owner,
        member, or other interest holder in the Purchaser, and any
        leaseholder shall not be entitled to a charitable deduction
        under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 by reason of the making
        of the contribution under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph
        (1).
            (3) Option to purchase.--
                    (A) In general.--The Purchaser shall give each
                leaseholder of record of a leasehold conveyed under
                this section an option to purchase the leasehold at
                fair market value.
                    (B) Nonpurchasing lessees.--
                            (i) Right to continue lease.--A lessee that
                        is unable or unwilling to purchase a property
                        shall be permitted to continue to lease the
                        property for fair market value rent under the
                        same terms and conditions as the existing
                        leases, including the right to renew the term
                        of the existing lease for 2 consecutive 5-year
                        terms.
                            (ii) Compensation for improvements.--If a
                        lessee declines to purchase a leasehold, the
                        Purchaser shall compensate the lessee for the
                        full market value of the improvements made to
                        the leasehold.
            (4) Historical use.--The Purchaser shall honor the existing
        property descriptions and historical use restrictions for the
        leaseholds, as determined by the Bureau of Reclamation.
    (e) Administrative Costs.--Any administrative cost incurred by the
Secretary incident to the conveyance under subsection (a) shall be
reimbursed by the Purchaser.

SEC. 5. CANYON FERRY-MISSOURI RIVER TRUST.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall encourage establishment of
a nonprofit charitable permanent perpetual trust, similar in structure
and purpose to the existing trusts referred to in section 1(2), to be
known as the ``Canyon Ferry-Missouri River Trust'', to provide a
permanent source of funding to acquire land and interests in land from
willing sellers at fair market value to conserve fish and wildlife,
enhance public hunting and fishing opportunities, and improve public
access at the Reservoir and along the Missouri River and its
tributaries from the confluence of the Madison River, Gallatin River,
and Jefferson River downstream to the Reservoir.
    (b) Board of Trustees.--
            (1) Membership.--The trust referred to in subsection (a)
        shall have a Board of Trustees consisting of 1 representative
        of each of--
                    (A) local agricultural landowners;
                    (B) a local hunting organization;
                    (C) a statewide hunting organization;
                    (D) a fisheries conservation organization; and
                    (E) a nonprofit land trust or environmental
                organization.
            (2) Consultation.--In managing the Trust, the Board of
        Directors shall consult with representatives of--
                    (A) the Bureau of Reclamation;
                    (B) the Forest Service;
                    (C) the Bureau of Land Management;
                    (D) the United States Fish and Wildlife Service;
                    (E) the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and
                Parks;
                    (F) the Montana Science Institute at Canyon Ferry,
                Montana; and
                    (G) local governmental bodies (including the Lewis
                and Clark and Broadwater County Commissioners).
    (c) Use.--
            (1) Principal.--The principal amount of the Trust shall be
        inviolate.
            (2) Earnings.--Earnings on amounts in the Trust shall be
        used to carry out subsection (a) and to administer the Trust.
    (d) Management.--Land and interests in land acquired under this
section shall be managed for the purposes described in subsection (a).

SEC. 6. MONTANA HUNTER AND FISHERMAN ACCESS FUND.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of the
United States an interest-bearing account, to be known as the ``Montana
Hunter and Fisherman Access Fund'', for the purpose of acquiring land
and interests in land in the State of Montana from willing sellers at
fair market value to--
            (1) improve public access to Federal land in the State of
        Montana for hunting or fishing; and
            (2) enhance public hunting and fishing opportunities in the
        State of Montana through the conservation of fish and wildlife.
    (b) Use.--
            (1) Principal.--The principal amount of the Fund shall be
        inviolate.
            (2) Earnings.--
                    (A) In general.--Earnings on amounts in the Fund
                shall be used to carry out subsection (a).
                    (B) Administration.--The earnings shall be used at
                the joint direction of--
                            (i) the Chief of the Forest Service;
                            (ii) the Director of the Bureau of Land
                        Management; and
                            (iii) the Director of the United States
                        Fish and Wildlife Service.
    (c) Management.--Land and interests in land acquired under this
section shall be managed for the purposes described in subsection (a).

Output:
Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1998 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to sell at fair market value:  (1) all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to specified leaseholds (cabin sites of the Bureau of Reclamation located in the Canyon Ferry Reservoir in Montana and certain contiguous parcels), subject to valid existing rights; and (2) easements for specified access to such leaseholds.
Sets forth requirements for the purchase process.  Grants the Canyon Ferry Recreation Association, Incorporated, the right to match the highest bid and purchase the leaseholds.
Requires the leasehold purchaser to:  (1) contribute 45 percent of the purchase price to each of the Canyon Ferry-Missouri River Trust and the Montana Hunter and Fisherman Access Fund (established by this Act); and (2) pay ten percent of the purchase price to the Secretary for deposit in the Treasury.  Gives existing leaseholders an option to purchase leaseholds and nonpurchasing lessees the right to continue to lease the property under the same terms provided in existing leases.
Requires the Secretary to encourage establishment of a nonprofit charitable permanent perpetual trust, to be known as the Canyon Ferry-Missouri River Trust, to provide a permanent source of funding to acquire land to conserve fish and wildlife, enhance public hunting and fishing opportunities, and improve public access at the Reservoir and along the Missouri River.
Establishes the Montana Hunter and Fisherman Access Fund in the Treasury for purposes of acquiring land in Montana to improve public access to Federal land for hunting or fishing and enhance public hunting and fishing opportunities through the conservation of fish and wildlife.


Input:
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The United States has run persistent trade deficits
        since 1978, and many of the trade deficits since 2000 have been
        especially large.
            (2) The United States trade deficit rose from
        $374,900,000,000 in 2009 to $497,800,000,000 in 2010, an
        increase of 33 percent.
            (3) Many of the trade deficits are structural--that is,
        with the same countries, year after year. In 2010, the United
        States continued to have significant merchandise trade deficits
        with the People's Republic of China ($273,100,000,000), the
        European Union ($79,800,000,000), Japan ($59,800,000,000), and
        Mexico ($66,300,000,000), notwithstanding the overall decline
        in the United States trade deficit. In fact, in 2010, China
        accounted for 42 percent of the United States merchandise trade
        deficit.
            (4) While the United States has one of the most open
        borders and economies in the world, the United States faces
        significant tariff and nontariff trade barriers with its
        trading partners.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be known
as the Emergency Trade Deficit Commission (in this Act referred to as
the ``Commission'').
    (b) Membership of Commission.--
            (1) Composition.--The Commission shall be composed of 11
        members, of whom--
                    (A) three persons shall be appointed by the
                President, of whom one shall be appointed to represent
                labor interests, one shall be appointed to represent
                small businesses, and one shall be appointed to
                represent manufacturing interests;
                    (B) two persons shall be appointed by the President
                pro tempore of the Senate upon the recommendation of
                the majority leader of the Senate, after consultation
                with the Chairman of the Committee on Finance of the
                Senate;
                    (C) two persons shall be appointed by the President
                pro tempore of the Senate upon the recommendation of
                the minority leader of the Senate, after consultation
                with the ranking minority member of the Committee on
                Finance of the Senate;
                    (D) two persons shall be appointed by the Speaker
                of the House of Representatives, after consultation
                with the Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means of
                the House of Representatives; and
                    (E) two persons shall be appointed by the minority
                leader of the House of Representatives, after
                consultation with the ranking minority member of the
                Committee on Ways and Means of the House of
                Representatives.
            (2) Qualifications of members.--
                    (A) Presidential appointments.--Of the persons
                appointed under paragraph (1)(A), not more than one may
                be an officer, employee, or paid consultant of the
                executive branch.
                    (B) Other appointments.--Persons appointed under
                subparagraph (B), (C), (D), or (E) of paragraph (1)
                shall be persons who--
                            (i) have expertise in economics,
                        international trade, manufacturing, labor,
                        environment, or business, or have other
                        pertinent qualifications or experience; and
                            (ii) are not officers or employees of the
                        United States.
                    (C) Other considerations.--In appointing members of
                the Commission, every effort shall be made to ensure
                that the members--
                            (i) are representative of a broad cross-
                        section of economic and trade perspectives
                        within the United States; and
                            (ii) provide fresh insights in to
                        identifying the causes and consequences of the
                        United States trade deficit and developing
                        recommendations to address structural trade
                        imbalances.
    (c) Period of Appointment; Vacancies.--
            (1) In general.--Members shall be appointed not later than
        60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and the
        appointment shall be for the life of the Commission.
            (2) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall not
        affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner as
        the original appointment was made.
    (d) Initial Meeting.--Not later than 30 days after the date on
which all members of the Commission have been appointed, the Commission
shall hold its first meeting.
    (e) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the
Chairperson.
    (f) Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.--The members of the
Commission shall elect a chairperson and vice chairperson from among
the members of the Commission.
    (g) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
    (h) Voting.--Each member of the Commission shall be entitled to one
vote, which shall be equal to the vote of every other member of the
Commission.

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall be responsible for examining
the nature, causes, and consequences of the United States trade deficit
and providing recommendations on how to address and reduce structural
trade imbalances, including with respect to the United States
merchandise trade deficit, in order to promote sustainable economic
growth that provides broad-based income and employment gains.
    (b) Causes of U.S. Trade Deficit.--In examining the causes of the
United States trade deficit, the Commission shall, among other things--
            (1) identify and assess the impact of macroeconomic
        factors, including currency practices, foreign government
        purchases of United States assets, and savings and investment
        rates, including savings rates of foreign state-owned
        enterprises, on United States bilateral trade imbalances and
        global trade imbalances;
            (2) with respect to countries with which the United States
        has significant, persistent sectoral or bilateral trade
        deficits, assess with respect to the magnitude and composition
        of such trade deficits--
                    (A) the impact of tariff and nontariff barriers
                maintained by such countries and the lack of reciprocal
                market access as a result of such barriers;
                    (B) the impact of investment, offset, and
                technology transfer requirements by such countries;
                    (C) any impact due to the failure of such countries
                to adhere to internationally recognized labor
                standards, including the extent to which such failure
                affects conditions of competition with the United
                States or the ability of consumers in such countries to
                buy United States goods and services;
                    (D) any impact due to differences in levels of
                environmental protection and enforcement of
                environmental laws between such countries and the
                United States, including the extent to which such
                differences affect conditions of competition with the
                United States;
                    (E) policies maintained by such countries that
                assist manufacturers in such countries, including the
                impact of such policies on manufacturers in the United
                States; and
                    (F) the impact of border tax adjustments by such
                countries;
            (3) examine the impact of free trade agreements on the
        United States trade deficit;
            (4) examine the impact of investment flows both into and
        out of the United States on the trade deficit, including--
                    (A) the impact of United States outbound investment
                on the United States trade deficit and on standards of
                living and production in the United States;
                    (B) the impact that the relocation of production
                facilities overseas has on the United States trade
                deficit, including by reviewing major domestic plant
                closures over an appropriate representative period to
                determine how much production terminated from such
                closures was relocated offshore;
                    (C) the impact of foreign direct investment in the
                United States on the United States trade deficit and on
                standards of living and production in the United
                States; and
                    (D) the impact of United States bilateral
                investment treaties, including bilateral investment
                treaties under negotiation, on the United States trade
                deficit;
            (5) examine the role and impact of imports of oil and other
        energy products on the United States trade deficit; and
            (6) assess the extent to which United States foreign policy
        interests influence United States economic and trade policies.
    (c) Consequences of U.S. Trade Deficit.--In examining the
consequences of the United States trade deficit, the Commission shall,
among other things--
            (1) identify and, to the extent practicable, quantify the
        impact of the trade deficit on the overall domestic economy,
        and, with respect to different sectors of the economy, on
        manufacturing capacity, on the number and quality of jobs, on
        wages, and on health, safety, and environmental standards;
            (2) assess the effects the trade deficits in the areas of
        manufacturing and technology have on defense production and
        innovation capabilities of the United States; and
            (3) assess the impact of significant, persistent trade
        deficits, including sectoral and bilateral trade deficits, on
        United States economic growth.
    (d) Recommendations.--In making recommendations, the Commission
shall, among other things--
            (1) identify specific strategies for achieving improved
        trade balances with those countries with which the United
        States has significant, persistent sectoral or bilateral trade
        deficits;
            (2) identify United States trade policy tools including
        enforcement mechanisms that can be more effectively used to
        address the underlying causes of structural trade deficits;
            (3) identify domestic and trade policies that can enhance
        the competitiveness of United States manufacturers domestically
        and globally, including those policies of the United States and
        other countries that have been successful in promoting
        competitiveness;
            (4) address ways to improve the coordination and
        accountability of Federal departments and agencies relating to
        trade; and
            (5) examine ways to improve the adequacy of the collection
        and reporting of trade data, including identifying and
        developing additional databases and economic measurements that
        may be needed to properly assess the causes and consequences of
        the United States trade deficit.

SEC. 4. REPORT.

    (a) Report.--Not later than 16 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the President and
the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Finance of the Senate a report that contains--
            (1) the findings and conclusions of the Commission
        described in section 3; and
            (2) any recommendations for administrative and legislative
        actions as the Commission considers necessary.
    (b) Separate Views.--Any member of the Commission may submit
additional findings and recommendations as part of the report.

SEC. 5. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings.--The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act
at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such
evidence as the Commission considers advisable to carry out this Act.
The Commission shall hold at least seven public hearings, one or more
in Washington, DC, and four in different regions of the United States.
    (b) Information From Federal Agencies.--The Commission may secure
directly from any Federal department or agency such information as the
Commission considers necessary to carry out this Act. Upon request of
the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of such department or
agency shall furnish such information to the Commission.
    (c) Postal Services.--The Commission may use the United States
mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other Federal
departments and agencies.

SEC. 6. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.

    (a) Compensation of Members.--Each member of the Commission who is
not an officer or employee of the Federal Government shall be
compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate
of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule under
section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each day (including
travel time) during which such member is engaged in the performance of
the duties of the Commission. All members of the Commission who are
officers or employees of the United States shall serve without
compensation in addition to that received for their services as
officers or employees of the United States.
    (b) Travel Expenses.--The members of the Commission shall be
allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at
rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of
chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes
or regular places of business in the performance of duties of the
Commission.
    (c) Staff.--
            (1) In general.--The Chairperson of the Commission may,
        without regard to the civil service laws and regulations,
        appoint and terminate an executive director and such other
        additional personnel as may be necessary to enable the
        Commission to perform its duties. The employment of an
        executive director shall be subject to confirmation by the
        Commission.
            (2) Compensation.--The Chairperson of the Commission may
        fix the compensation of the executive director and other
        personnel without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and
        subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code,
        relating to classification of positions and General Schedule
        pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the executive
        director and other personnel may not exceed the rate payable
        for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of
        such title.
    (d) Detail of Government Employees.--Any Federal Government
employee may be detailed to the Commission without reimbursement, and
such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service
status or privilege.
    (e) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--The
Chairperson of the Commission may procure temporary and intermittent
services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates
for individuals which do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual
rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule
under section 5316 of such title.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; GAO AUDIT.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000
to the Commission to carry out this Act.
    (b) GAO Audit.--Not later than 6 months after the date on which the
Commission terminates, the Comptroller General of the United States
shall complete an audit of the financial books and records of the
Commission and shall submit a report on the audit to the President and
the Congress.

SEC. 8. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall terminate 30 days after the date on which the
Commission submits its report under section 4(a).

SEC. 9. MORATORIUM ON FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS.

    The President shall not submit to the Congress any free trade
agreement, or any legislation implementing a free trade agreement,
until the report of the Commission has been delivered to the Congress
and the President under section 4(a).

Output:
Establishes the Emergency Trade Deficit Commission to examine, and report to the President and Congress on, the causes of the U.S. trade deficit, together with recommendations to address and reduce trade imbalances, such as the U.S. merchandise trade deficit, in order to promote sustainable economic growth that provides broad-based income and employment gains.

Prohibits the President from submitting to Congress any free trade agreement or legislation implementing one until the report has been delivered to Congress and to the President.


Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Private Security Officer Quality
Assurance Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) employment of private security officers in the United
        States is growing rapidly;
            (2) private security officers function as an adjunct to
        public law enforcement by helping to reduce and prevent crime;
            (3) the private security industry provides numerous
        opportunities for entry-level job applicants, including
        individuals suffering from unemployment due to economic
        conditions or dislocations;
            (4) such private security officers protect individuals,
        tangible and intangible property and proprietary information
        and provide protection to such diverse operations as banks,
        hospitals, chemical companies, oil and gas refineries,
        airports, communication facilities and operations, office
        complexes, schools, residential properties, apartment
        complexes, gated communities and many others;
            (5) sworn law enforcement officers provide significant
        services to the citizens of the United States in its public
        areas, and are only supplemented by private security officers
        who provide prevention and reporting services in support of,
        but not in place of, regular sworn police;
            (6) given the growth of large private shopping malls, and
        the consequent reduction in the number of public shopping
        streets, the American public is more likely to have contact
        with private security personnel in the course of a day than
        with sworn law enforcement officers;
            (7) the trend in the Nation toward growth in such security
        services has accelerated rapidly as the per capita number of
        public sector law enforcement officers has decreased;
            (8) such growth serves important public policy goals in
        making available more public sector law enforcement officers to
        combat serious and violent crimes;
            (9) regardless of the differences in their duties, skill,
        and responsibilities, the public has difficulty in discerning
        the difference between sworn law enforcement officers and
        private security personnel;
            (10) the American public demands the employment of
        qualified, well-trained private security personnel as an
        adjunct, but not a replacement for sworn law enforcement
        officers; and
            (11) private security officers and applicants for private
        security officer positions should be screened as thoroughly as
        possible, particularly since many private security officers
        bear weapons.

SEC. 3. BACKGROUND CHECKS.

    (a) In General.--(1) At the request of an employer of private
security officers, an association of employers of private security
officers, designated for the purpose of this section by the Attorney
General, must submit to the Attorney General fingerprints or other
methods of positive identification of an employee of such employer for
purposes of a background check.
    (2) An employer may seek authorization from its employees to submit
their fingerprints for purposes of a background check.
    (3) Upon receipt of fingerprints from an association designated
under this section, the Attorney General shall search the records of
the Interstate Information Index of the National Crime Information
Center and the Identification Division of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, and shall provide any identification and criminal
history records corresponding to the fingerprints to the requesting
association within 30 business days.
    (4) The Attorney General shall, to the maximum extent possible,
encourage the use of the best technology available in compiling
criminal history information and in responding to requests under this
section.
    (5) An association designated under this section shall submit
employee fingerprints to the Attorney General for identification and
appropriate processing within one business day of receiving them. Such
an association shall also transfer a copy of the identification and
criminal history records that it receives from the Attorney General to
the requesting employer within one business day of receiving them.
    (6) An association designated under this section shall provide a
copy to the appropriate licensing authorities or regulatory agencies in
the States of the requests it makes on behalf of employers for
identification and criminal history records. The association shall also
provide a copy of the information it transfers to employers to such
States.
    (b) Regulations.--The Attorney General may prescribe such
regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section, including
measures relating to the security, confidentiality, accuracy, use, and
dissemination of information and audits and recordkeeping and the
imposition of fees necessary for the recovery of costs.
    (c) Report.--The Attorney General shall report to the Senate and
House Committees on the Judiciary 2 years after the date of enactment
of this bill on the number of inquiries made by the association of
employers under this section and their disposition.

SEC. 4. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    Subsection (d) of section 534 of title 28, United States Code, is
amended by adding the following paragraph:
            ``(3) an association of employers of private security
        officers designated by the Attorney General for purposes of
        conducting background checks on employees or prospective
        employees.''.

SEC. 5. CRIMINAL PENALTY.

    Whoever knowingly and intentionally uses any information obtained
pursuant to section 3 other than for the purpose of determining the
suitability of an individual for employment as a private security
officer shall be fined not more than $50,000 or imprisoned for not more
than two years, or both.

SEC. 6. EMPLOYER LIABILITY.

    Where an employer of private security officers reasonably relies
for employment determinations upon criminal history information
provided by the Attorney General, such employer shall not be liable in
any action for damages based on such employment determinations.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act--
            (1) the term ``Attorney General'' includes any person or
        entity designated by the Attorney General, including the
        Federal Bureau of Investigation;
            (2) the term ``employee'' includes an applicant for
        employment;
            (3) the term ``employer'' means any person that--
                    (A) provides, as an independent contractor, for
                consideration, the services of one or more private
                security officers (possibly including oneself); and
                    (B) is licensed by one or more States as a provider
                of private security services, or is certified as such
                by the chief law enforcement officer of one or more
                States;
            (4) the term ``fingerprint'' includes any other method of
        positive identification approved by the Attorney General;
            (5) the term ``private security officer''--
                    (A) means an individual who performs security
                services, full or part time, for consideration as an
                independent contractor or an employee, whether armed or
                unarmed and in uniform or plain clothes whose primary
                duty is to perform security services, but
                    (B) does not include--
                            (i) sworn police officers who have law
                        enforcement powers in the State,
                            (ii) attorneys, accountants, and other
                        professionals who are otherwise licensed in the
                        State,
                            (iii) employees whose duties are primarily
                        internal audit or credit functions,
                            (iv) persons whose duties may incidentally
                        include the reporting or apprehension of
                        shoplifters or trespassers,
                            (v) an individual on active duty in the
                        military service,
                            (vi) employees of electronic security
                        system companies acting as technicians or
                        monitors,
                            (vii) employees whose duties primarily
                        involve the secure movement of prisoners, or
                            (viii) employees of armored vehicle
                        companies;
            (6) the term ``security services'' means the performance of
        one or more of the following:
                    (A) the observation or reporting of intrusion,
                larceny, vandalism, fire or trespass;
                    (B) the deterrence of theft or misappropriation of
                any goods, money, or other item of value;
                    (C) the observation or reporting of any unlawful
                activity;
                    (D) the protection of individuals or property,
                including proprietary information, from harm or
                misappropriation;
                    (E) the control of access to premises being
                protected;
                    (F) the maintenance of order and safety at
                athletic, entertainment, or other public activities;
                and
                    (G) the provision of canine services for protecting
                premises or for the detection of any unlawful device or
                substance; and
            (7) the term ``State'' means any of the several States, the
        District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the
        United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

SEC. 8. USER FEES.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Attorney General
may collect a user fee for a request, under any applicable law, for an
individual's criminal history information.

SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The effective date of this Act shall be July 1, 1999.

Output:
Private Security Officer Quality Assurance Act of 1997 - Directs the Attorney General (AG) to designate an association of employers of private security officers, which must submit to the AG, at the request of an employer of officers, fingerprints or other methods of positive identification for background checks of such officers.  Allows an employer to seek authorization from its employees for a background check.
Directs the AG, upon receipt of fingerprints from an association, to:  (1) search records of the Interstate Information Index of the National Crime Information Center and the Identification Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and (2) provide any corresponding identification and criminal history records to the requesting association.
Authorizes the AG to prescribe regulations to carry out this Act, including measures relating to the imposition of fees necessary for the recovery of costs.  Directs the AG to report to specified congressional committees two years after enactment of this Act on the number of inquiries made by the association of employers and their disposition.
Establishes criminal penalties for misuse of such background check information.
Provides that employers shall not be held liable in any action for damages based on employment determinations that rely on such criminal history information from the AG.
Authorizes the AG to collect a user fee for a request, under any applicable law, for an individual's criminal history information.


Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Border Enforcement Security Task
Force Reauthorization Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. MODIFIED INSTRUCTIONS.

    (a) Updated Considerations for the Establishment of Units.--Section
432(c)(2) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 240(c)) is
amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking
        ``shall consider'' and inserting ``shall apply risk-based
        criteria that takes into consideration'';
            (2) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``, including threats
        posed by transnational criminal organizations'' before the
        semicolon at the end;
            (3) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (4) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end
        and inserting a semicolon; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(E) the extent to which the BEST unit would
                advance the Department's homeland and border security
                strategic priorities and related objectives; and
                    ``(F) whether departmental Joint Task Force
                operations established pursuant to section 708 and
                other joint cross-border initiatives would be enhanced,
                improved, or otherwise assisted by the BEST unit.''.
    (b) Port Security.--Section 432(c) of the Homeland Security Act of
2002, as amended by subsection (a), is further amended by adding at the
end the following:
            ``(4) Port security best units.--A BEST unit established
        pursuant to paragraph (2) with a port security nexus shall be
        composed of at least 1 member of each of the following:
                    ``(A) The Coast Guard Investigative Service.
                    ``(B) The geographically responsible Coast Guard
                Sector Intelligence Office.''.
    (c) Updated Report Elements.--Section 432(e) of the Homeland
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 240(e)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(e) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this subsection, and annually thereafter for the following
5 years, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that
includes--
            ``(1) a description of the effectiveness of BEST in
        enhancing border security, disrupting and dismantling
        transnational criminal organizations, and reducing drug
        trafficking, arms smuggling, child exploitation, illegal alien
        trafficking and smuggling, violence, and kidnapping along and
        across the international borders of the United States, as
        measured by crime statistics, including violent deaths,
        incidents of violence, and drug-related arrests;
            ``(2) an assessment of how BEST enhances information-
        sharing, including the dissemination of homeland security
        information, among Federal, State, local, tribal, and foreign
        law enforcement agencies, as well as BEST capability gaps
        relating to intelligence coordinating and sharing efforts;
            ``(3) a description of how BEST advances the Department's
        homeland and border security strategic priorities and
        effectiveness of BEST in achieving related objectives; and
            ``(4) an assessment of BEST's joint operational efforts
        with departmental Joint Task Force operations established
        pursuant to section 708 and other joint cross-border
        initiatives;.
            ``(5) An assessment of whether additional authorities are
        needed to accomplish the BEST mission;
            ``(6) An assessment of whether additional Memos of
        Understanding are needed to address intelligence and
        coordination gaps; and
            ``(7) An assessment of whether funding has an impact on the
        overall mission of BEST operations to assist in advancing the
        Department's homeland and border security priorities and
        related objectives.''.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF DANGER PAY ALLOWANCE FOR ICE AGENTS STATIONED
              IN DANGEROUS AREAS.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that providing
personnel danger pay to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
agents who are assigned to dangerous overseas posts will--
            (1) help modernize ICE's overseas workforce compensation
        system; and
            (2) place ICE on equal footing with the law enforcement
        agencies of the Department of Justice.
    (b) Authorization.--Section 5928 of title 5, United States Code, is
amended by inserting ``The Secretary of State may not deny a request by
the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Director
of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or the Director of U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement to authorize a danger pay allowance
under this section for any employee of any such agency.'' after the
first sentence.
    (c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 151 of the Foreign Relations
Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991 (Public Law 101-246) is
repealed.
    (d) Reporting Requirement.--Not later than 30 days after the date
on which regulations are issued pursuant to subsection (d), the
Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall submit a
report to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate,
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, and
the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives that
specifies--
            (1) the overseas posts that have been designated by the
        Director as locations at which ICE agents will receive a danger
        pay allowance; and
            (2) the justification for each such designation.

Output: Border Enforcement Security Task Force Reauthorization Act of 2017 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), before establishing a Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) unit, to apply risk-based criteria that takes into consideration specified factors, including:  whether the area in which the BEST unit would be established is significantly impacted by threats posed by transnational criminal organizations; the extent to which the unit would advance DHS's homeland and border security strategic priorities and related objectives; and   whether departmental Joint Task Force operations would be enhanced, improved, or otherwise assisted by the unit.  A BEST unit with a port security nexus must be composed of at least one member of: (1) the Coast Guard Investigative Service, and (2) the geographically responsible Coast Guard Sector Intelligence Office. The bill modifies the DHS annual reporting requirement on the BEST program to require::  a description of the effectiveness of BEST in disrupting and dismantling transnational criminal organizations and reducing child exploitation; an assessment of how BEST enhances information-sharing; a description of how BEST advances DHS's homeland and border security strategic priorities and effectiveness of BEST in achieving related objectives;  an assessment of BEST's joint operational efforts with departmental Joint Task Force operations; an assessment of whether additional authorities are needed to accomplish the BEST mission; an assessment of whether additional Memos of Understanding are needed to address intelligence and coordination gaps; and an assessment of whether funding has an impact on the overall mission of BEST operations to assist in advancing DHS's homeland and border security priorities and related objectives.  (Sec. 3) The bill expresses the sense of Congress that providing personnel danger pay to U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who are assigned to dangerous overseas posts will: (1) help modernize ICE's overseas workforce compensation system, and (2) place ICE on equal footing with the law enforcement agencies of the Department of Justice. The Department of State may not deny a request by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or ICE to authorize a danger pay allowance for any employee of such agencies. ICE must submit a report to the congressional foreign affairs and homeland security committees that specifies the overseas posts that have been designated as locations at which ICE agents will receive a danger pay allowance and the justification for each such designation.


Input:
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
             (1) the 50-mile Handford Reach is the last free-flowing
        nontidal segment of the Columbia River in the United States and
        has been preserved in a relatively natural condition because of
        its location within the Hanford Nuclear Reservation;
            (2) in 1988, Congress, in Public Law 100-605 (102 Stat.
        3043), called for an analysis of protection alternatives for
        the Hanford Reach and a report to Congress by the Secretary of
        the Interior, who concluded in the Hanford Reach Final
        Environmental Impact Statement dated June 1994 that the Hanford
        Reach should be designated as a recreational river under the
        Wild and Scenic Rivers Act;
            (3) the Hanford Reach is a vital migration corridor for
        anadromous fish and contains some of the most productive
        spawning areas in the Northwest United States, producing an
        estimated 80 percent of the Columbia Basin's fall chinook
        salmon and healthy runs of naturally spawning steelhead trout,
        sturgeon, and other highly valued fish species;
            (4) the Hanford Reach provides important habitat for
        wintering and migrating waterfowl, bald eagles, deer, elk, and
        a diversity of other wildlife, including numerous Federal and
        State-listed threatened and endangered plant and animal
        species, some of which are found nowhere else;
            (5) the White Bluffs and pristine conditions of the Hanford
        Reach offer scenic beauty, opportunities for solitude, and
        recreation, including hunting, fishing, boating, hiking,
        swimming, and wildlife observation, in close proximity to the
        Tri-Cities area of the State of Washington;
            (6) the Hanford Reach and its salmon runs have been
        important to mid-Columbia Native Americans for subsistence,
        cultural, and religious purposes for more than 10,000 years,
        and there are 150 registered archaeological sites in the area;
            (7) the southern shore of the Hanford Reach chronicles the
        history of the Manhattan Project, defense nuclear production
        during the cold war, and early Euro-American settlement of the
        area;
            (8) the White Bluffs and adjacent shoreline areas are a
        significant paleontological resource and are rich with fossils
        remains from the Pliocene period;
            (9) protection of the Hanford Reach as a national wild and
        scenic river can enhance local revenues from outdoor recreation
        and increase economic investment in the Tri-Cities area by
        highlighting the quality of life and natural amenities of the
        area;
            (10) economic activities along the river corridor in
        existence on the date of enactment of this Act, such as
        agriculture, power production and transmission, and water
        withdrawal, are compatible with the recreational classification
        of the river, and the classification made by this Act cannot be
changed except by a subsequent Act of Congress;
            (11) designation of the Hanford Reach as a wild and scenic
        river can facilitate, and make less costly, the remediation of
        contaminated areas of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation by
        determining future land use within the river corridor and
        helping to ensure the Federal commitment to the cleanup of the
        Hanford Site;
            (12) the Hanford Reach has special significance as an
        outdoor laboratory and classroom and offers a singular
        opportunity for government agencies, tribes, and community
        organizations to develop a partnership around an education and
        interpretation program focused on the area's unique natural and
        human history;
            (13) the Columbia River shore immediately downstream of the
        Hanford Reach in the Tri-Cities area currently contains miles
        of high, steep levees which create a sterile gauntlet through
        which migrating anadromous fish must pass, and that flow
        controls on the Columbia River have reduced the need for levees
        of this height;
            (14) modifying levees in the Tri-Cities area could
        significantly improve the habitat value of this transition area
        to the Hanford Reach for fish and wildlife, decrease mortality
        of migratory fish and waterfowl, and have the additional
        benefits of improving rivershore access, recreation, and
        aesthetics; and
            (15) local jurisdictions in the Tri-Cities area have
        expressed interest in a partnership with the Army Corps of
        Engineers and other agencies to study rivershore restoration in
        the Tri-Cities area and develop a plan of action.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to protect the natural, cultural, scenic, and
        recreational resources of the Hanford Reach of the Columbia
        River;
            (2) to encourage education and interpretation of the
        Hanford Reach; and
            (3) to restore and enhance the natural habitat of the
        rivershore immediately downstream of the Hanford Reach in the
        vicinity of the Tri-Cities area of the State of Washington.

SEC. 3. COLUMBIA RIVER NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER.

    Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a))
is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(____) Hanford reach, columbia river, washington.--The river
segment from river mile 346.5 to river mile 396, Hanford Reach,
Columbia River, Washington, as a recreational river, subject to the
following:
                    ``(A) No privately owned land.--Only public land
                adjacent to the river segment, and no privately owned
                land, may be included in the river segment.
                    ``(B) Management.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Secretary of the
                        Interior shall manage the river segment as a
                        recreational river in accordance with the
                        National Wildlife Refuge System Administration
                        Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.), this
                        Act, and other applicable law.
                            ``(ii) Rule of construction.--Nothing in
                        this Act or any other law authorizes the
                        Secretary of the Interior or any other
                        governmental officer to alter the
                        classification of the river segment as a
                        recreational river.
                    ``(C) Development of plan.--In developing and
                periodically revising a plan for the management of the
river segment, the Secretary of the Interior shall--
                            ``(i) consult with--
                                    ``(I) affected Indian tribes;
                                    ``(II) the State of Washington;
                                    ``(III) the Secretary of Energy;
                                    ``(IV) governments of local
                                jurisdictions adjacent to the river
                                segment; and
                                    ``(V) and advisory council composed
                                of the chairperson of the county
                                commissions for Benton County, Franklin
                                County, and Grant County, Washington,
                                and four citizens selected by the
                                Governor of Washington from those
                                counties to represent environmental,
                                recreational, cultural, and other
                                stakeholder interests;
                            ``(ii) provide opportunity for public
                        participation;
                            ``(iii) develop a strategy for acquiring
                        private land in the area defined by the
                        applicable environmental impact statement by
                        purchase, conservation easement, lease, or
                        donation on a willing-seller basis only;
                            ``(iv) recognize recreation as an
                        outstandingly remarkable value of the
                        designated area and give recreation a high
                        management priority, along with protection of
                        natural, cultural, and scenic resources;
                            ``(v) coordinate and cooperate with State,
                        local, and tribal governments and other
                        entities in the development and implementation
                        of educational and interpretive programs
                        related to the Hanford Reach; and
                            ``(vi) determine how--
                                    ``(I) a Hanford Reach educational
                                and interpretive center with
                                appropriate exhibit, conference, and
                                support facilities can be constructed
                                or be incorporated into a compatible
                                community facility;
                                    ``(II) interpretive education
                                efforts can be coordinated with local
                                governments and public school districts
                                in the region; and
                                    ``(III) recreational tourism
                                efforts associated with the Hanford
                                Reach can be coordinated through a
                                community-based visitor and convention
                                bureau.
                    ``(D) Access corridors.--Access corridors in
                existence on the date of enactment of this paragraph
                shall be retained.
                    ``(E) Rules of construction.--The designation of
                the river segment shall not be construed as--
                            ``(i) prohibiting or approving relicensing
                        of any hydroelectric facility by the Federal
                        Energy Regulatory Commission;
                            ``(ii) affecting any law, agreement, plan,
                        or policy in effect on the date of enactment of
                        this paragraph regarding water rights or
                        instream flows on the river segment;
                            ``(iii) prohibiting the operation or
                        maintenance of any energy, transmission, water
                        intake, or water outfall facility in existence
                        on the date of enactment of this paragraph;
                            ``(iv) prohibiting the modification,
                        repair, or replacement of any energy,
                        transmission, water intake, or water outfall
                        facility so long as there is no
substantial impact on the natural, cultural, or scenic resources of the
river segment and adjacent land area;
                            ``(v) establishing or imposing remediation
                        requirements more restrictive than those that
                        would apply but for this paragraph;
                            ``(vi) prohibiting construction of
                        temporary facilities essential to the
                        remediation and restoration of contaminated
                        areas within the viewshed of the river segment;
                        or
                            ``(vii) relieving the Secretary of Energy
                        from any obligation or other liability at the
                        Hanford Nuclear Reservation under the
                        Comprehensive Environmental Response,
                        Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42
                        U.S.C. 9601 et seq.), the Solid Waste Disposal
Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.), and other applicable law or imposing any
such obligation or other liability on the Secretary of the Interior.
                    ``(F) Rivershore restoration and enhancement.--The
                Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of
                Engineers of the Army Corps of Engineers, in
                cooperation and coordination with the heads of other
                relevant Federal agencies and State and local
                governments, shall develop a comprehensive plan of
                improvement for restoration and enhancement of fish and
                wildlife habitat, recreation, river access, and overall
                aesthetics of the levees and other rivershore areas
                downstream of the river segment in the Tri-Cities area
                of the State of Washington.
                    ``(G) Section 1135 projects.--The Secretary of the
                Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers of the Army
                Corps of Engineers--
                            ``(i) subject to receipt of a statement of
                        interest from the non-Federal interests for the
                        following projects, shall, not later than 180
                        days after the date of enactment of this
                        paragraph, complete a preliminary restoration
                        plan under section 1135 of the Water Resources
                        Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2309a) for
                        each of--
                                    ``(I) a portion of the rivershore
                                of Clover Island and a portion of the
                                levee immediately upstream of Clover
                                Island;
                                    ``(II) the rivershore immediately
                                upstream of the portion described in
                                subclause (I) in the city of Kennewick,
                                Washington, to United States Route 395
                                bridge;
                                    ``(III) the levee modified in 1994
                                between road 39 and the United States
                                Route 395 bridge in Franklin County,
                                Washington; and
                                    ``(IV) the levee between the United
                                States Route 395 bridge to the area
                                immediately downstream of the 10th
                                Avenue bridge in the city of Pasco,
                                Washington;
                            ``(ii) shall consider each of the projects
                        described in subclauses (I), (II), (III), and
                        (IV) of clause (i) to be a separate project for
                        purposes of the program under section 1135 of
                        the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33
                        U.S.C. 2309a); and
                            ``(iii) subject to receipt of necessary
                        commitments from the non-Federal interests for
                        the projects, shall, not later than 18 months
                        after the date of enactment of this paragraph,
                        complete a project modification report for each
                        of the projects.''.

Output:
Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate a specified segment of the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River in Washington State as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
Provides that only public land adjacent to the segment, and no privately-owned land, shall be included in it.
Requires the Secretary of the Interior to:  (1) manage the segment as a recreational river; and (2) meet specified criteria in developing and periodically revising a plan for the management of the segment.
Retains access corridors in existence on the enactment of this Act.
Requires the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers of the Army Corps of Engineers in cooperation and coordination with the heads of relevant Federal agencies and State and local governments, to develop a comprehensive plan of improvement for restoration and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat, recreation, river access, and overall aesthetics of the levees and other rivershore areas downstream of the segment in the Tri-Cities area of Washington State.
Requires the Secretary, acting through the Chief and subject to receipt of a statement of interest from the non-Federal interests for the following projects, to complete a preliminary restoration plan under the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 for:  (1) a portion of the Clover Island rivershore and a portion of the levee immediately upstream of Clover Island; (2) the rivershore immediately upstream of the portion in the city of Kennewick, Washington, to the U.S. Route 395 bridge; (3) the levee modified in 1994 between Road 39 and the U.S. Route 395 bridge in Franklin County, Washington; and (4) the levee between the U.S. Route 395 bridge to the area immediately downstream of the 10th Avenue bridge in the city of Pasco, Washington.  Directs the Secretary, subject to the receipt of necessary commitments from the non-Federal interests, to complete a modification report for each project.


Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veteran Employment Transition Act of
2010''.

SEC. 2. WORK OPPORTUNITY CREDIT FOR CERTAIN RECENTLY DISCHARGED
              VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Subparagraph (A) of section 51(d)(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ``means any
veteran'' and all that follows and inserting ``means any recently
discharged veteran and any disadvantaged veteran.''
    (b) Recently Discharged Veteran; Disadvantaged Veteran.--Paragraph
(3) of section 51(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as
        subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively, and
            (2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new
        subparagraphs:
                    ``(B) Recently discharged veteran.--For purposes of
                subparagraph (A), the term `recently discharged
                veteran' means--
                            ``(i) any individual who has served on
                        active duty (other than active duty for
                        training) in the Armed Forces of the United
                        States for more than 180 total days (whether
                        consecutive or not),
                            ``(ii) any individual who has been
                        discharged or released from active duty in the
                        Armed Forces of the United States for a
                        service-connected disability, and
                            ``(iii) any member of the National Guard
                        who has served for more than 180 total days
                        (whether consecutive or not) of--
                                    ``(I) active duty (within the
                                meaning of title 32, United States
                                Code) other than for training,
                                    ``(II) full-time National Guard
                                duty (within the meaning of such title
                                32) other than for training,
                                    ``(III) duty, other than inactive
                                duty or duty for training, in State
                                status (within the meaning of such
                                title 32), or
                                    ``(IV) any combination of duty
                                described in subclause (I), (II), or
                                (III),
                who has been discharged or released from such duty at
                any time during the 5-year period ending on the hiring
                date. Such term shall not include any unemployed
                veteran who begins work for the employer before the
                date of the enactment of the Veteran Employment
                Transition Act of 2010.
                    ``(C) Disadvantaged veteran.--For purposes of
                subparagraph (A), the term `disadvantaged veteran'
                means any veteran who is certified by the designated
                local agency as--
                            ``(i) being a member of a family receiving
                        assistance under a supplemental nutrition
                        assistance program under the Food and Nutrition
                        Act of 2008 for at least a 3-month period
                        ending during the 12-month period ending on the
                        hiring date, or
                            ``(ii) entitled to compensation for a
                        service-connected disability, and--
                                    ``(I) having a hiring date which is
                                not more than 1 year after having been
                                discharged or released from active duty
                                in the Armed Forces of the United
                                States, or
                                    ``(II) having aggregate periods of
                                unemployment during the 1-year period
                                ending on the hiring date which equal
                                or exceed 6 months.''.
    (c) Conforming Amendments.--Section 51 of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986 is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(d)(3)(A)(ii)'' in paragraph (3) of
        subsection (b) and inserting ``(d)(3)(C)(ii)'',
            (2) by striking ``For purposes of subparagraph (A)'' each
        place it appears in subparagraphs (D) and (E) of subsection
        (d)(3), as redesignated by subsection (b), and inserting ``For
        purposes of subparagraph (C)'',
            (3) by adding at the end of paragraph (13) of subsection
        (d) the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(D) Pre-screening of recently discharged
                veterans.--
                            ``(i) In general.--For purposes of
                        subparagraph (A), the term `pre-screening
                        notice' shall include any documentation
                        provided to an individual by the Department of
                        Defense or the National Guard upon release or
                        discharge from the Armed Forces or from service
                        in the National Guard which includes
                        information sufficient to establish that such
                        individual is a recently discharged veteran.
                            ``(ii) Additional certification not
                        required.--Subparagraph (A) shall be applied
                        without regard to clause (ii)(II) thereof in
                        the case of a recently discharged veteran who
                        provides to the employer documentation
                        described in clause (i).'',
            (4) by inserting ``who begins work for the employer after
        December 31, 2008, and before the date of the enactment of the
        Veteran Employment Transition Act of 2010,'' after ``Any
        unemployed veteran'' in subparagraph (A) of subsection (d)(14),
        and
            (5) by inserting a comma after ``during 2009 or 2010'' in
        subparagraph (A) of subsection (d)(14).
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsections (a), (b),
and (c) shall apply to individuals whose hiring date (as defined in
section 51(d)(11) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) is on or after
the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (e) Department of Defense Documentation.--
            (1) In general.--The Department of Defense and the National
        Guard, as applicable, shall provide--
                    (A) to each individual who is discharged or
                released from active duty in the Armed Forces of the
                United States on or after the date of the enactment of
                this Act; and
                    (B) to each member of the National Guard who is
                released from duty described in section
                51(d)(3)(B)(iii) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
                (as added by this Act) on or after the date of the
                enactment of this Act;
        in addition to the documentation which, without regard to this
        subsection, is provided at the time of such discharge or
        release, documentation described in paragraph (4). If the
        documentation which is provided without regard to this
        subsection at the time of the discharge or release described in
        the preceding sentence does not include information sufficient
        to satisfy the requirements of section 51(d)(13)(D)(i) of the
        Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as added by this Act), the
        Department of Defense or the National Guard, whichever is
        applicable, shall provide additional documentation which
        includes such information.
            (2) Informational briefing.--In the case of an individual
        who is discharged or released from duty described in
        subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1) after the date of the
        enactment of this Act, the Department of Defense or the
        National Guard, whichever is applicable, shall provide a
        briefing to such individual before or at the time of such
        discharge or release to inform such individual of the credit
        for employment of recently discharged veterans under section 51
        of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
            (3) Request for documentation.--The Department of Defense
        or the National Guard, whichever is applicable, shall provide
        upon request the documentation described in paragraph (1) to
        any individual who is discharged or released from duty
        described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1) during
        the 5-year period preceding and including the date of the
        enactment of this Act.
            (4) Instructions for use of work opportunity credit.--The
        documentation described in this paragraph is a document which
        includes--
                    (A) instructions for an individual to ensure
                treatment as a recently discharged veteran for purposes
                of section 51(d)(3)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of
                1986 (as added by this Act),
                    (B) instructions for employers detailing the use of
                the credit under such section 51 with respect to such
                individual, and
                    (C) the dates during which the credit under such
                section 51 is available.
        Such instructions shall be developed in collaboration with the
        Internal Revenue Service.

Output:
Veteran Employment Transition Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the definition of "qualified veteran" for purposes of the work opportunity tax credit to mean recently discharged veterans and disadvantaged veterans.

Defines "recently discharged veteran" to mean: (1) any individual who has served on active duty (other than active duty for training) in the Armed Forces for more than 180 total days (whether consecutive or not); (2) any individual who has been discharged or released from active duty for a service-connected disability; and (3) any member of the National Guard who has served for more than 180 total days (whether consecutive or not) in active duty, full-time National Guard duty, or duty in state status.

Defines "disadvantaged veteran" as any veteran who is certified as being a member of a family receiving assistance under a supplemental nutrition assistance program and is entitled to compensation for a service-connected disability.

Requires the Department of Defense (DOD) and the National Guard to inform military personnel who are discharged or released from active duty of the work opportunity tax credit and provide them with documentation relating to eligibility for and use of such credit.


Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Clean Energy Technology
Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURING AND EXPORT ASSISTANCE
              PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Clean energy technology.--The term ``clean energy
        technology'' means a technology related to the production, use,
        transmission, storage, control, or conservation of energy that
        is designed to--
                    (A) reduce the need for additional energy
                supplies--
                            (i) by using existing energy supplies with
                        greater efficiency; or
                            (ii) by transmitting, distributing, or
                        transporting energy with greater effectiveness
                        through the infrastructure of the United
                        States;
                    (B) diversify the sources of the energy supply of
                the United States to strengthen energy security and to
                increase supplies of energy with a favorable balance of
                environmental effects if the entire technology system
                is considered; or
                    (C) contribute to a stabilization of atmospheric
                greenhouse gas concentrations through reduction,
                avoidance, or long-term sequestration of energy-related
                emissions.
            (2) Small- and medium-sized businesses.--The term ``small-
        and medium-sized businesses'' means businesses with not more
        than 500 employees.
            (3) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means
        the Under Secretary for International Trade of the Department
        of Commerce.
    (b) Establishment.--The Secretary of Commerce shall establish a
Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Program, to
be carried out by the Under Secretary, for the purposes of--
            (1) promoting policies to reduce production costs and
        encourage innovation, investment, and productivity among
        businesses in the United States that produce or export clean
        energy technologies or related services;
            (2) implementing a national strategy with respect to the
        exportation of clean energy technologies and related services
        from the United States; and
            (3) ensuring that businesses in the United States that
        produce or export clean energy technologies or related
        services, including suppliers of parts for the production of
        clean energy technologies and engineering and design firms,
        have the information and assistance necessary--
                    (A) to be competitive; and
                    (B) to create and maintain clean energy technology
                jobs in the United States.
    (c) Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall, consistent with
        the National Export Initiative (established by Executive Order
        13534 (75 Fed. Reg. 12433)), provide information and other
        assistance under the program established under subsection (b)
        to businesses in the United States, particularly small- and
        medium-sized businesses, to promote the production and
        exportation of clean energy technologies and related services.
            (2) Types of assistance.--The assistance provided under
        paragraph (1) shall include--
                    (A) analyzing and making recommendations with
                respect to policies to reduce production costs and
                encourage innovation, investment, and productivity
                among businesses in the United States that produce or
                export clean energy technologies or related services;
                    (B) providing information to businesses in the
                United States with respect to--
                            (i) the process of exporting clean energy
                        technologies and related services to foreign
                        countries;
                            (ii) opportunities for the exportation of
                        such technologies and services to foreign
                        countries;
                            (iii) tailoring their products and
                        activities to the needs of specific markets in
                        foreign countries; and
                            (iv) conducting business in foreign
                        countries, including with respect to the
                        financing, marketing, and assembly of exported
                        products and other logistics with respect to
                        those products; and
                    (C) assisting businesses in the United States in
                expressing their views and providing input with respect
                to any policy developments relating to the production
                or exportation of clean energy technologies or related
                services.
    (d) Reports to Congress.--
            (1) Report on implementation of program.--Not later than
        180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under
        Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing how the
        program established under subsection (b) will be used to--
                    (A) encourage the production and exportation of
                clean energy technologies and related services in the
                United States;
                    (B) encourage the creation and maintenance of clean
                energy technology jobs in the United States; and
                    (C) benefit small- and medium-sized businesses in
                the United States.
            (2) Report on effectiveness of program.--Not later than
        January 1, 2015, the Under Secretary shall submit to Congress a
        report on the program established under subsection (b) that
        includes--
                    (A) an assessment of the extent to which the
                program has been successful--
                            (i) in analyzing and making recommendations
                        with respect to policies to reduce production
                        costs and encourage innovation, investment, and
                        productivity among businesses in the United
                        States that produce or export clean energy
                        technologies or related services;
                            (ii) in increasing the competitiveness of
                        businesses in the United States that export
                        clean energy technologies or related services
                        to foreign countries;
                            (iii) in assisting businesses in the United
                        States, particularly small- and medium-sized
                        businesses, in exporting clean energy
                        technologies and related services;
                            (iv) in creating and maintaining clean
                        energy technology jobs in the United States;
                        and
                            (v) in assisting businesses in the United
                        States in expressing their views and providing
                        input with respect to any policy developments
                        relating to the production or exportation of
                        clean energy technologies or related services;
                    (B) detailed information with respect to the
                nature, location, and duration of any jobs created or
                maintained as a result of the program established under
                subsection (b) and a description of the methodology
                used by the Under Secretary to compile that
                information; and
                    (C) any recommendations with respect to continuing
                or improving the program.

Output:
Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act of 2011 - Requires the Secretary of Commerce to establish a Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Program, to be carried out by the Under Secretary for International Trade, to: (1) promote policies to reduce production costs and encourage innovation, investment, and productivity among businesses in the United States that produce or export clean energy technologies or related services; (2) implement a national strategy with respect to the exportation of such technologies and related services; and (3) ensure that such businesses, including suppliers of parts for the production of such technologies and engineering and design firms, have the information and assistance necessary to be competitive and to create and maintain clean energy technology jobs.

Defines "clean energy technology" to means a technology related to the production, use, transmission, storage, control, or conservation of energy that is designed to: (1) reduce the need for additional energy supplies by using existing energy supplies with greater efficiency or by transmitting, distributing, or transporting energy with greater effectiveness; (2) diversify the sources of the energy supply of the United States to strengthen energy security and to increase supplies of energy with a favorable balance of environmental effects if the entire technology system is considered; or (3) contribute to a stabilization of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations through reduction, avoidance, or long-term sequestration of energy-related emissions.

Requires the Under Secretary, consistent with the National Export Initiative, to provide information and other assistance under the Program to businesses, particularly businesses with no more than 500 employees, to promote the production and exportation of such technologies and related services.