Patrick Leahy: “Am I correct then that under existing authority, the Secretary of the Interior may use these funds for the State…”

“Am I correct then that under existing authority, the Secretary of the Interior may use these funds for the State matching program with the approval of the House and Senate Appropriations Committee? As the chairman is aware, the National Conference of Mayors, the Western Governors Association, and the National Association of Governors urged Congress to appropriate funds for this program. You have already stated your commitment to the budget agreement that allocated the $700 million for land acquisition. Do you agree that revitalization of the State matching program could be a component of the Interior Department project list sent to the Appropriations Committees for use of this Land and Water Conservation Fund appropriation?”