Landmark conservation funding legislation, H.R. 701, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA) was reported out of committee here today with 294 co-sponsors, a solid bipartisan majority of the 435-member House of Representatives.

"This majority reflects the will of the American people who want substantial conservation investments passed into law this year," said Mark Van Putten, President and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. "The House leadership has an obligation to the country to bring this legislation to a vote."

Not since the 1970s has major environmental legislation such as CARA emerged in the House with such strong bipartisan support. The majority backing CARA is even more remarkable in a Congress facing elections and fraught with partisan divisions.

H.R. 701 was forged over the past year in joint negotiations spearheaded by the Republican Chairman of the House Resources Committee Don Young of Alaska and the Committee's ranking Democrat George Miller of California. In all, 107 Republicans joined 186 Democrats and one Independent in co-sponsoring CARA. Supporters include leading members of the key House Budget and Appropriations Committees.

"Passing this legislation will secure a legacy of wildlife and wild places for generations to come," Van Putten said. "There is no more vital environmental priority than winning this victory in Congress this year."

The bill would provide $2.8 billion every year through the year 2015 for a broad array of conservation investments, the vast majority of them on the state and local level. The entire $2.8 billion would come from revenue already being generated by oil and gas drilling leases on the Outer Continental Shelf.

CARA's major provisions include:

• $350 million annually to the states for wildlife conservation, recreation and education projects. The Federation seeks to improve this provision by including specific support for nongame wildlife, those species that are not hunted or fished nor threatened or endangered.
  
  
• Full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund at $900 million annually split evenly between state and federal programs. The Federation wants the bill improved with an assurance that the federal share of this program not be held up by the annual appropriations process.
  
  
• $1 billion annually to 35 coastal states and territories, including the Great Lakes states, for environmental restoration and marine conservation. The Federation supports two improvements to this provision including an assurance that the funds will be used primarily for marine and coastal conservation rather than potentially damaging infrastructure projects and that any incentive for increased off-shore oil and gas development be reduced or eliminated.
  
  
• $575 million annually for urban parks, historic preservation, federal and Indian lands restoration, conservation easements and incentives to promote the recovery of threatened and endangered species.

"We call on House Speaker Dennis Hastert to bring CARA to a vote and to do it soon," Van Putten said. "The majority will of the House is clear. That majority has a right to a vote. The conservation interests of the country are at stake."