Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 4310 - National Marine Sanctuaries Act Amendments

(SENT 6/23/92)
(House)
(Hertel (D) Michigan and 9 others)

The Administration supports House passage of H.R. 4310, which would strengthen the marine sanctuaries program, with amendments to:

— Delete the earmarking of funds in section 12. This provision would severely restrict other important activities, including designation of new sanctuaries and central management responsibilities.

— Revise section 8(c)(3) to list the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the United States as an area in which the marine sanctuaries program applies and is enforceable. This will clarify that marine sanctuaries located in whole or in part in the EEZ are covered.

— Revise section 12, which authorizes appropriations for the marine sanctuaries program, to conform with the President's budget request of $7.3 million for FY 1993.

— Delete provisions requiring grants for the acquisition of space in Hatteras Village, North Carolina. Funding specific activities or sanctuary operations does not recognize competing priorities within the national marine sanctuaries program.

The Administration opposes amendments that may be offered to H.R. 4310 designating or regulating activities in individual marine sanctuaries. Those amendments would bypass congressionally-established administrative procedures concerning designation and management of sanctuaries.

Pay-As-You-Go Scoring

H.R. 4310 would increase receipts because it increases the maximum civil money penalty for violations of the law. It would also require a grant to be made and would authorize the acceptance of gifts and bequests. Therefore, H.R. 4310 is subject to the pay-as-you-go requirement of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1990.

OMB's preliminary scoring estimates for this bill are presented in the table below. Final scoring of this legislation may deviate from these estimates. If H.R. 4310 were enacted, final OMB scoring estimates would be published within five days of enactment, as required by OBRA. The cumulative effects of all enacted legislation on direct spending will be issued in monthly reports transmitted to the Congress.

ESTIMATES FOR PAY-AS-YOU-GO
($ in millions)