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Fourth, attracting and retaining quality teachers is a difficult task, especially in rural impoverished areas. As a result, teacher shortages and high turnover are commonplace in rural

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   The final bill, is the only one being introduced today with an authorization for appropriation. It makes Federal grant programs more flexible in order to help school districts in rural communities. Under this provision, districts would be able to combine the funds from specified programs and use the money to support local or statewide education reform efforts intended to improve the achievement of elementary school and secondary school students and the quality of instruction provided. This measure asks for an authorization of $125 million for small rural and poor rural schools--a small price that could produce large results.

   The goal of these bills, which I have briefly outlined, are threehold: 1) to provide teachers with the tools to grow as professionals; 2) to

   assist rural school districts so that they may compete competitively with other school districts that oftentimes have more money and resources; and, (3) to provide every child with unsurpassed education opportunities. Together, these are the keys to our children's success.

   In reauthorizing ESEA, Congress has an extraordinary opportunity to change the course of education. We must embrace this opportunity by supporting creative and innovative reform proposals, like the ones that I have introduced here today. I am committed to working in the best interest of our children to develop an education system that is the best in the world. These bills move us in the right direction and I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting these measures. I urge the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee to incorporate these provisions into the upcoming ESEA bill.

   By Ms. LANDRIEU (for herself, Mr. MURKOWSKI, Mr. LOTT, Mr. BREAUX, and Mrs. FEINSTEIN):

   S. 2123. A bill to provide Outer Continental Shelf Impact assistance to State and local governments, to amend the Land and Water Conservation F und Act o f 1965, the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act o f 1978, and the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act ( commonly referred to as the Pittman-Robertson Act) to establish a fund to meet the outdoor conservation a nd recreation needs of the American people, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

   CONSERVATION A ND REINVESTMENT A CT O F 1999

   Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, on Thursday February 17th, the House Resources Committee filed their report on a historic piece of legislation, the Conservation a nd Reinvestment A ct, H.R. 701 which would reinvest a portion of offshore oil and gas revenues in coastal conservation a nd impact assistance programs,the Land and Water Conservation F und, wildlife conservation, historic treasures and outdoor recreation. This remarkable compromise was developed by Congressmen DON YOUNG, GEORGE MILLER, BILLY TAUZIN, JOHN DINGELL, CHRIS JOHN, BRUCE VENTO, and TOM UDALL and was passed by the House Resources Committee by a vote of 37-12 on November 10, 1999. To date, the bill has accumulated over 300 co-sponsors. Hopefully, this legislation will be considered by the full House sometime this Spring.

   The H.R. 701 compromise is a companion to the Senate version of the Conservation a nd Reinvestment A ct, S. 25. Today I would like to acknowledge the remarkable work done by Mr. YOUNG, Mr. MILLER, Mr. TAUZIN, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. JOHN, Mr. VENTO, and Mr. UDALL as I, along with Senators MURKOWSKI, LOTT, BREAUX and FEINSTEIN introduce the H.R. 701 compromise in the Senate. While I would like to take a moment to note that there are some provisions of S. 25 that I along with several other co-sponsors strongly believe need to be incorporated into H.R. 701, today I am introducing the exact version that the House Resources Committee reported out on February 17th.

   This compelling and balanced bi-partisan proposal: will provide a fair share of funding to all coastal states, including producing states; is free of harmful environmental impacts to coastal and ocean resources; does not unduly hinder land acquisition yet acknowledges Congress' role in making these decisions; reflects a true partnership among federal, state and local governments and reinvests in the renewable resource of wildlife conservation t hrough the currently authorized Pittman-Robertson program by nearly doubling the Federal funds available for wildlife conservation a nd education programs.

   This legislation provides $2.8 billion for seven district reinvestment p rograms. Title I authorizes $1 billion for Impact Assistance and Coastal Conservation b y creating a revenue sharing and coastal conservation f und for coastal states and eligible local governments to mitigate the various impacts of OCS activities while providing funds for the conservation o f our coastal ecosystems. In addition, the funds of Title I will support sustainable development of nonrenewable resources without providing incentives for new oil and gas development. All coastal states and territories will benefit from coastal impact assistance under this legislation, not just those states that host federal OCS oil and gas development. Title II guarantees stable and annual funding for the state and federal sides of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at its authorized $900 million level while protecting the rights of private property rights owners. The bill will restore Congressional intent with respect to the LWCF, the goal of which is to share a significant portion of revenues from offshore development with the states to provide for protection

   and public use of the natural environment. Title III establishes a Wildlife Conservation a nd Restoration Fund at $350 million through the successful program of Pittman-Robertson by reinvesting the development of nonrenewable resources into a renewable resource of wildlife conservation a nd education. This new source of funding will nearly double the Federal funds available for wildlife conservation. This program enjoys a great deal of support and would be enhanced without imposing new taxes. Title IV provides $125 million for the Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery program through matching grants to local governments to rehabilitate and develop recreation programs, sites and facilities. The Urban Parks and Recreation program would enable cities and towns to focus on the needs of its populations within our more densely inhabited areas with fewer greenspaces, playgrounds and soccer fields for our youth. Stable funding will provide greater revenue certainty to state and local planning authorities. Title V provides $100 million for a Historic Preservation Fund through the programs of the Historic Preservation Act, including grants to the States, maintaining the National Register of Historic Places and administering numerous historic preservation programs. Title VI provides $200 million for Federal and Indian Lands Restoration through a coordinated program on Federal and Indian lands to restore degraded lands, protect resources that are threatened with degradation and protect public health and safety. Title VII provides $150 million for Conservation Easements and Species Recovery through annual and dedicated funding for conservation e asements and funding for landowner incentives to aid in the recovery of endangered and threatened species. Finally, there is up to $200 million available for the Payment In-Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program through the annual interest generated from the CARA fund.

   The time has come to take the proceeds from a non-renewable resource for the purpose of reinvesting a portion of these revenues in the conservation a nd enhancement of our renewable resources. To continue to do otherwise, as we have over the last fifty years, is fiscally irresponsible. I want to thank the chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, Senator MURKOWSKI, the majority leader, Senator LOTT, my colleague from Louisiana, Senator BREAUX as well as the other co-sponsors of S. 25 for all their continued

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   Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the RECORD.

   There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

   SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act m ay be cited as the ``Conservation a nd Reinvestment A ct o f 1999''.

   SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents for this Act i s as follows:

   Sec..1..Short title.

   Sec..2..Table of contents.

   Sec..3..Definitions.

   Sec..4..Annual reports.

   Sec..5..Conservation a nd Reinvestment A ct F und.

   Sec..6..Limitation on use of available amounts for administration.

   Sec..7..Budgetary treatment of receipts and disbursements.

   Sec..8..Recordkeeping requirements.

   Sec..9..Maintenance of effort and matching funding.

   Sec..10..Sunset.

   Sec..11..Protection of private property rights.

   Sec..12..Signs.

   TITLE I--IMPACT ASSISTANCE AND COASTAL CONSERVATION < p>   Sec..101..Impact assistance formula and payments.

   Sec..102..Coastal State conservation a nd impact assistance plans.

   TITLE II--LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION F UND REVITALIZATION

   Sec..201..Amendment of Land and Water Conservation F und Act o f 1965.

   Sec..202..Extension of fund; treatment of amounts transferred from Conservation a nd Reinvestment A ct F und.

   Sec..203..Availability of amounts.

   Sec..204..Allocation of Fund.

   Sec..205..Use of Federal portion.

   Sec..206..Allocation of amounts available for State purposes.

   Sec..207..State planning.

   Sec..208..Assistance to States for other projects.

   Sec..209..Conversion of property to other use.

   Sec..210..Water rights.

   TITLE III--WILDLIFE CONSERVATION A ND RESTORATION

   Sec..301..Purposes.

   Sec..302..Definitions.

   Sec..303..Treatment of amounts transferred from Conservation a nd Reinvestment A ct F und.

   Sec..304..Apportionment of amounts transferred from Conservation a nd Reinvestment A ct F und.

   Sec..305..Education.

   Sec..306..Prohibition against diversion.

   TITLE IV--URBAN PARK AND RECREATION RECOVERY PROGRAM AMENDMENTS

   Sec..401..Amendment of Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act o f 1978.

   Sec..402..Purpose.

   Sec..403..Treatment of amounts transferred from Conservation a nd Reinvestment A ct F und.

   Sec..404..Authority to develop new areas and facilities.

   Sec..405..Definitions.

   Sec..406..Eligibility.

   Sec..407..Grants.

   Sec..408..Recovery action programs.

   Sec..409..State action incentives.

   Sec..410..Conversion of recreation property.

   Sec..411..Repeal.

   TITLE V--HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND

   Sec..501..Treatment of amounts transferred from Conservation a nd Reinvestment A ct F und.

   Sec..502..State use of historic preservation assistance for national heritage areas and corridors.

   TITLE VI--FEDERAL AND INDIAN LANDS RESTORATION

   Sec..601..Purpose.

   Sec..602..Treatment of amounts transferred from Conservation a nd Reinvestment A ct F und; allocation.

   Sec..603..Authorized uses of transferred amounts.

   Sec..604..Indian tribe defined.

   TITLE VII--CONSERVATION E ASEMENTS AND ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES RECOVERY

   Subtitle A--Conservation E asements

   Sec..701..Purpose.

   Sec..702..Treatment of amounts transferred from Conservation a nd Reinvestment A ct F und.

   Sec..703..Authorized uses of transferred amounts.

   Sec..704..Conservation E asement Program.

   Subtitle B--Endangered and Threatened Species Recovery

   Sec..711..Purposes.

   Sec..712..Treatment of amounts transferred from Conservation a nd Reinvestment A ct F und.

   Sec..713..Endangered and threatened species recovery assistance.

   Sec..714..Endangered and Threatened Species Recovery Agreements.

   Sec..715..Definitions.

   SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act:< p>    (1) The term ``coastal population'' means the population of all political subdivisions, as determined by the most recent official data of the Census Bureau, contained in whole or in part within the designated coastal boundary of a State as defined in a State's coastal zone management program under the Coastal Zone Management Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1451 and following).

    (2) The term ``coastal political subdivision'' means a political subdivision of a coastal State all or part of which political subdivision is within the coastal zone (as defined in section 304 of the Coastal Zone Management Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1453)).

    (3) The term ``coastal State'' has the same meaning as provided by section 304 of the Coastal Zone Management Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1453)).

    (4) The term ``coastline'' has the same meaning that it has in the Submerged Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1301 and following).

    (5) The term ``distance'' means minimum great circle distance, measured in statute miles.

    (6) The term ``fiscal year'' means the Federal Government's accounting period which begins on October 1st and ends on September 30th, and is designated by the calendar year in which it ends.

    (7) The term ``Governor'' means the highest elected official of a State or of any other political entity that is defined as, or treated as, a State under the Land and Water Conservation F und Act o f 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l-4 and following), the Act o f September 2, 1937 (16 U.S.C. 669 and following), commonly referred to as the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act o r the Pittman-Robertson Act, the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act o f 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2501 and following), the National Historic Preservation Act ( 16 U.S.C. 470h and following), or the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act o f 1996 (Public Law 104-127; 16 U.S.C. 3830 note).

    (8) The term ``leased tract'' means a tract, leased under section 8 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1337) for the purpose of drilling for, developing, and producing oil and natural gas resources, which is a unit consisting of either a block, a portion of a block, a combination of blocks or portions of blocks, or a combination of portions of blocks, as specified in the lease, and as depicted on an Outer Continental Shelf Official Protraction Diagram.

    (9) The term ``Outer Continental Shelf'' means all submerged lands lying seaward and outside of the area of ``lands beneath navigable waters'' as defined in section 2(a) of the Submerged Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1301(a)), and of which the subsoil and seabed appertain to the United States and are subject to its jurisdiction and control.

    (10) The term ``political subdivision'' means the local political jurisdiction immediately below the level of State government, including counties, parishes, and boroughs. If State law recognizes an entity of general government that functions in lieu of, and is not within, a county, parish, or borough, the Secretary may recognize an area under the jurisdiction of such other entities of general government as a political subdivision for purposes of this title.

    (11) The term ``producing State'' means a State with a coastal seaward boundary within 200 miles from the geographic center of a leased tract other than a leased tract or portion of a leased tract that is located in a geographic area subject to a leasing moratorium on January 1, 1999 (unless the lease was issued prior to the establishment of the moratorium and was in production on January 1, 1999).

    (12) The term ``qualified Outer Continental Shelf revenues'' means (except as otherwise provided in this paragraph) all moneys received by the United States from each leased tract or portion of a leased tract lying seaward of the zone defined and governed by section 8(g) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1337(g)), or lying within such zone but to which section 8(g) does not apply, the geographic center of which lies within a distance of 200 miles from any part of the coastline of any coastal State, including bonus bids, rents, royalties (including payments for royalty taken in kind and sold), net profit share payments, and related late-payment interest from natural gas and oil leases issued pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. Such term does not include any revenues from a leased tract or portion of a leased tract that is located in a geographic area subject to a leasing moratorium on January 1, 1999, unless the lease was issued prior to the establishment of the moratorium and was in production on January 1, 1999.

    (13) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary's designee, except as otherwise specifically provided.

    (14) The term ``Fund'' means the Conservation a nd Reinvestment A ct F und established under section 5.

   SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORTS.

    (a) STATE REPORTS.--On June 15 of each year, each Governor receiving moneys from

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