
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 16USC1606]

 
                         TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
 
      CHAPTER 36--FOREST AND RANGELAND RENEWABLE RESOURCES PLANNING
 
                         SUBCHAPTER I--PLANNING
 
Sec. 1606. Budget requests by President for Forest Service 
        activities
        

(a) Transmittal to Speaker of House and President of Senate of 
        Assessment, Program and Statement of Policy used in framing 
        requests; time for transmittal; implementation by President of 
        programs established under Statement of Policy unless Statement 
        subsequently disapproved by Congress; time for disapproval

    On the date Congress first convenes in 1976 and thereafter following 
each updating of the Assessment and the Program, the President shall 
transmit to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 
President of the Senate, when Congress convenes, the Assessment as set 
forth in section 1601 of this title and the Program as set forth in 
section 1602 of this title, together with a detailed Statement of Policy 
intended to be used in framing budget requests by that Administration 
for Forest Service activities for the five- or ten-year program period 
beginning during the term of such Congress for such further action 
deemed appropriate by the Congress. Following the transmission of such 
Assessment, Program, and Statement of Policy, the President shall, 
subject to other actions of the Congress, carry out programs already 
established by law in accordance with such Statement of Policy or any 
subsequent amendment or modification thereof approved by the Congress, 
unless, before the end of the first period of ninety calendar days of 
continuous session of Congress after the date on which the President of 
the Senate and the Speaker of the House are recipients of the 
transmission of such Assessment, Program, and Statement of Policy, 
either House adopts a resolution reported by the appropriate committee 
of jurisdiction disapproving the Statement of Policy. For the purpose of 
this subsection, the continuity of a session shall be deemed to be 
broken only by an adjournment sine die, and the days on which either 
House is not in session because of an adjournment of more than three 
days to a day certain shall be excluded in the computation of the 
ninety-day period. Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
subchapter, Congress may revise or modify the Statement of Policy 
transmitted by the President, and the revised or modified Statement of 
Policy shall be used in framing budget requests.

(b) Contents of requests to show extent of compliance of projected 
        programs and policies with policies approved by Congress; 
        requests not conforming to approved policies; expenditure of 
        appropriations

    Commencing with the fiscal budget for the year ending September 30, 
1977, requests presented by the President to the Congress governing 
Forest Service activities shall express in qualitative and quantitative 
terms the extent to which the programs and policies projected under the 
budget meet the policies approved by the Congress in accordance with 
subsection (a) of this section. In any case in which such budget so 
presented recommends a course which fails to meet the policies so 
established, the President shall specifically set forth the reason or 
reasons for requesting the Congress to approve the lesser programs or 
policies presented. Amounts appropriated to carry out the policies 
approved in accordance with subsection (a) of this section shall be 
expended in accordance with the Congressional Budget and Impoundment 
Control Act of 1974.

(c) Annual evaluation report to Congress of Program components; time of 
        submission; status of major research programs; application of 
        findings; status, etc., of cooperative forestry assistance 
        programs and activities

    For the purpose of providing information that will aid Congress in 
its oversight responsibilities and improve the accountability of agency 
expenditures and activities, the Secretary of Agriculture shall prepare 
an annual report which evaluates the component elements of the Program 
required to be prepared by section 1602 of this title which shall be 
furnished to the Congress at the time of submission of the annual fiscal 
budget commencing with the third fiscal year after August 17, 1974. With 
regard to the research component of the program, the report shall 
include, but not be limited to, a description of the status of major 
research programs, significant findings, and how these findings will be 
applied in National Forest System management and in cooperative State 
and private Forest Service programs. With regard to the cooperative 
forestry assistance part of the Program, the report shall include, but 
not be limited to, a description of the status, accomplishments, needs, 
and work backlogs for the programs and activities conducted under the 
Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 [16 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.].

(d) Required contents of annual evaluation report

    These annual evaluation reports shall set forth progress in 
implementing the Program required to be prepared by section 1602 of this 
title, together with accomplishments of the Program as they relate to 
the objectives of the Assessment. Objectives should be set forth in 
qualitative and quantitative terms and accomplishments should be 
reported accordingly. The report shall contain appropriate measurements 
of pertinent costs and benefits. The evaluation shall assess the balance 
between economic factors and environmental quality factors. Program 
benefits shall include, but not be limited to, environmental quality 
factors such as esthetics, public access, wildlife habitat, recreational 
and wilderness use, and economic factors such as the excess of cost 
savings over the value of foregoing benefits and the rate of return on 
renewable resources.

(e) Additional required contents of annual evaluation report

    The reports shall indicate plans for implementing corrective action 
and recommendations for new legislation where warranted.

(f) Form of annual evaluation report

    The reports shall be structured for Congress in concise summary form 
with necessary detailed data in appendices.

(Pub. L. 93-378, Sec. 8, formerly Sec. 7, Aug. 17, 1974, 88 Stat. 478, 
renumbered Sec. 8 and amended Pub. L. 94-588, Secs. 2, 7, 12(b), Oct. 
22, 1976, 90 Stat. 2949, 2956, 2958; Pub. L. 95-313, Sec. 15, formerly 
Sec. 12, July 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 374, renumbered Sec. 15, Pub. L. 101-
624, title XII, Sec. 1215(1), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3525.)

                       References in Text

    The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, 
referred to in subsec. (b), is Pub. L. 93-344, July 12, 1974, 88 Stat. 
297, as amended. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, 
see Short Title note set out under section 621 of Title 2, The Congress, 
and Tables.
    The Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978, referred to in 
subsec. (c), is Pub. L. 95-313, July 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 365, which is 
classified principally to chapter 41 (Sec. 2101 et seq.) of this title. 
For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title 
note set out under section 2101 of this title and Tables.


                               Amendments

    1978--Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 95-313 inserted provisions relating to 
inclusion in report of findings involving cooperative State and private 
Forest Service programs, and provisions relating to scope of report 
descriptions involving programs and activities under the Cooperative 
Forestry Assistance Act of 1978.
    1976--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94-588, Secs. 7(a), 12(b)(1), substituted 
``section 3'' and ``section 4'' for ``section 2'' and ``section 3'', 
respectively, in the original, which, because of their translation as 
``section 1601 of this title'' and ``section 1602 of this title'' 
required no change in text, and substituted ``ninety calendar days of 
continuous session'' for ``sixty days of continuous session'' and 
``ninety-day period'' for ``sixty-day period''.
    Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 94-588, Secs. 7(b), 12(b)(2), substituted 
``section 4'' for ``section 3'' in the original which, because of its 
translation as ``section 1602 of this title'' required no change in text 
and inserted provision requiring that the report include a description 
of the status of major research programs, significant findings, and how 
such findings will be applied in National Forest System management.
    Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 94-588, Sec. 12(b)(3), substituted ``section 
4'' for ``section 3'' in the original which, because of the translation 
as ``section 1602 of this title'', required no change in text.


                    Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 95-313 effective Oct. 1, 1978, see section 17 
of Pub. L. 95-313, set out as an Effective Date note under section 2101 
of this title.


                  Termination of Reporting Requirements

    For termination, effective May 15, 2000, of provisions in subsecs. 
(a) and (c) of this section relating to transmitting an updated 
Assessment, Program, and Statement of Policy to the Speaker of the House 
of Representatives and the President of the Senate and furnishing an 
annual report to Congress, see section 3003 of Pub. L. 104-66, as 
amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and 
Finance, and pages 45 and 48 of House Document No. 103-7.


                           Statement of Policy

    Pub. L. 96-514, title III, Sec. 310, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2984, 
provided that: ``The Statement of Policy transmitted by the President to 
the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the 
Senate on June 19, 1980, as required under section 8 of the Forest and 
Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 [this section], is 
revised and modified to read as follows:


                          ``Statement of Policy

                           ``basic principles

    ``It is the policy of the United States--
        ``(1) forests and rangeland, in all ownerships, should be 
    managed to maximize their net social and economic contributions to 
    the Nation's well being, in an environmentally sound manner.
        ``(2) the Nation's forested land, except such public land that 
    is determined by law or policy to be maintained in its existing or 
    natural state, should be managed at levels that realize its 
    capabilities to satisfy the Nation's need for food, fiber, energy, 
    water, soil stability, wildlife and fish, recreation, and esthetic 
    values.
        ``(3) the productivity of suitable forested land, in all 
    ownerships, should be maintained and enhanced to minimize the 
    inflationary impacts of wood product prices on the domestic economy 
    and permit a net export of forest products by the year 2030.
        ``(4) in order to achieve this goal, it is recognized that in 
    the major timber growing regions most of the commercial timber lands 
    will have to be brought to and maintained, where possible, at 90 
    percent of their potential level of growth, consistent with the 
    provisions of the National Forest Management Act of 1976 [see Short 
    Title of 1976 Amendment note set out under section 1600 of this 
    title] on Federal lands, so that all resources are utilized in the 
    combination that will best meet the needs of the American people.
        ``(5) forest and rangeland protection programs should be 
    improved to more adequately protect forest and rangeland resources 
    from fire, erosion, insects, disease, and the introduction or spread 
    of noxious weeds, insects, and animals.
        ``(6) the Federal agencies carrying out the policies contained 
    in this Statement will cooperate and coordinate their efforts to 
    accomplish the goals contained in this Statement and will consult, 
    coordinate, and cooperate with the planning efforts of the States.
        ``(7) in carrying out the Assessment and the Program under the 
    Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 [this 
    subchapter] and the Appraisal and the Program under the Soil and 
    Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977 [section 2001 et seq. of 
    this title], the Secretary of Agriculture shall assure that 
    resources and economic information and evaluation data will be 
    continually improved so that the best possible information is always 
    available for use by Federal agencies and the public.


               ``range land data base and its improvement

    ``The data on and understanding of the cover and condition of range 
lands is less refined than the data on and understanding of commercial 
forest land. Range lands have significant value in the production of 
water and protection of watersheds; the production of fish and wildlife 
food and habitat; recreation; and the production of livestock forage. An 
adequate data base on the cover and condition of range lands should be 
developed by the year 1990. Currently, cattle production from these 
lands is annually estimated at 213 million animal unit months of 
livestock forage. These lands should be maintained and enhanced, 
including their water and other resource values, so that they can 
annually provide 310 million animal units months of forage by the year 
2030, along with other benefits.


               ``general acceptance of high bound program

    ``Congress generally accepts the `high-bound' program described on 
pages 7 through 18 of the 1980 Report to Congress on the Nation's 
Renewable Resources prepared by the Secretary of Agriculture. However, 
Congress finds that the `high-bound' program may not be sufficient to 
accomplish the goals contained in this statement, particularly in the 
area of range and watershed resources, State and private forest 
cooperation and timber management.


                        ``state and private lands

    ``States and owners of private forest and rangelands will be 
encouraged, consistent with their individual objectives, to manage their 
land in support of this Statement of Policy. The State and private 
forestry and range programs of the Forest Service will be essential to 
the furtherance of this Statement of Policy.


                           ``funding the goals

    ``In order to accomplish the policy goals contained in this 
statement by the year 2030, the Federal Government should adequately 
fund programs of research (including cooperative research), extension, 
cooperative forestry assistance and protection, and improved management 
of the forest and rangelands. The Secretary of Agriculture shall 
continue his efforts to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the renewable 
resource programs.''


 Statement of Purposes of Amendment by Cooperative Forestry Assistance 
                               Act of 1978

    Section 15, formerly section 12 of Pub. L. 95-313, renumbered 
Sec. 15, Pub. L. 101-624, title XII, Sec. 1215(1), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 
Stat. 3525, provided in part that the amendment of subsec. (c) of this 
section by Pub. L. 95-313 is to insure that Congress has adequate 
information to implement its oversight responsibilities and to provide 
accountability for expenditures and activities under the Cooperative 
Forestry Assistance Act of 1978. See Short Title note set out under 
section 2101 of this title for classification of the Cooperative 
Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 in the Code.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 1601, 1604, 1684, 2106b of 
this title.
