Max Baucus: “I want to make a point about one provision of the amendment and ask the committee chairman, Senator Smith, whether he…”

“I want to make a point about one provision of the amendment and ask the committee chairman, Senator Smith, whether he agrees. Section 132 of the bill establishes a new position, in the Fish and Wildlife Service, of Assistant Director for Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs. The provision also specifies the Assistant Director's responsibilities. Although this provision is similar to section 302 of the version of the bill that passed the House, it differs in one significant respect. The House report said that ``individuals in the Regional offices who are responsible for administering the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs will also report to the Assistant Director.'' We considered and rejected this approach. The Fish and Wildlife Service operates through a system of regional offices. Employees in the regional offices report to the regional directors, and the regional directors report to the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. In light of this, it would be potentially disruptive to require that individuals who are responsible for administering the federal aid program to report directly to the Assistant Director, in Washington, D.C., rather than to the regional director. We do not intend section 132 to mandate such a change. Does the chairman agree?”