ESA Policy News July 15: Flag debate stifles Interior funding bill, Senate seeks science community input for new COMPETES bill, Obama designates new monuments
Here are some highlights from the latest ESA Policy News by Policy Analyst Terence Houston. Read the full Policy News here. 
APPROPRIATIONS: BILL FUNDING INTERIOR, EPA STALLS IN HOUSE
On July 9, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) pulled the Fiscal Year 2016 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill over a contentious amendment related to the confederate flag.
The appropriations bill funds the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US Forest Service and most of the US Department of Interior. Sub-agencies within Interior funded by the bill include the Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Geological Survey and the National Park Service (NPS). Earlier in the week, Democrats successfully attached several amendments to the bill banning display and sale of the confederate flag on NPS grounds for all purposes except historical usage.
Spurred by concerns from southern Republicans over the added language related to the confederate flag, Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA) offered an amendment that would undo the aforementioned amendments, allowing the display of the confederate flag at NPS cemeteries and codifying existing law regarding sale of the confederate flag at NPS gift shops.
Rather than have his Republican conference go on record with a vote on a contentious issue, Speaker Boehner elected to pull the entire bill. With most Democrats expected to oppose the bill and a significant number of Republicans opposed to the adopted confederate flag amendments, the bill likely no longer had the majority votes necessary to pass the House.
STEM: HOUSE, SENATE ADVANCE EDUCATION REAUTHORIZATION BILLS
This past week, two comprehensive measures to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) moved through the House and Senate. The last ESEA reauthorization signed into law was the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-110). That reauthorization expired in 2007, and to date, Congress has been unable to reach a consensus approach to renewing the law.
House Republicans have put forward H.R. 5, the Elementary and Secondary Education Reauthorization Act, which would reauthorize federal education programs through FY 2021. The House reauthorization bill flat-funds educational programs at existing FY 2015 levels.
Many educational organizations oppose the bill. The White House also released a Statement of Administration Policy declaring the president would veto H.R. 5, then titled the Student Success Act.
Meanwhile, the Senate began consideration of its ESEA reauthorization bill, S. 1177, the Every Child Achieves Act, introduced by Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN). The White House released a statement urging changes to certain provisions of the bill, but stopped short of declaring the president would veto it.
The STEM Education Coalition recently praised the bill for its retention of two key STEM education components: 1) retention of current-law requirements for states to continue to assess student performance in math and science and 2) a provision to provide each state with dedicated resources focused on improving teaching and learning in STEM-related subjects.
This week, the Ecological Society of America (ESA) sent a letter to the Senate in support of including STEM language in any final conference report negotiated between the two chambers.
Click here to view the ESA letter. Click here to view the White House statement on H.R. 5. Click here to view the White House statement on S. 1177.
SENATE: SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY INPUT SOUGHT FOR COMPETES REAUTHORIZATION
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation announced that it will be taking steps to gain input from the scientific research community as it moves forward to craft legislation reauthorizing the America COMPETES Act.
The legislation authorizes funding for the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Department of Energy Office of Science and Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. It also sets policy for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Gary Peters (D-MI) will lead the effort.
Comments should be submitted to sciencepolicy@nullcommerce.senate.gov by August 21, 2015.
Click here for additional information.
INTERIOR: OBAMA ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES THREE NEW WESTERN MONUMENTS
On July 10, the White House announced that President Obama will use his executive authority to designate new monuments in Nevada, Texas and California. Collectively the monument designations will provide federal protection to over one million acres of land.
The Basin and Range National Monument in Nevada will protect 704,000 acres of public land in a remote section of the broader Great Basin region. The designation allows for the continuation of certain historical uses, including livestock grazing and military activity.
The 330,780-acre Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in California is cited by the Obama administration as a “biodiversity hotspot.” It is home to several plant and animal species for which federal protections either exist or are being proposed, including northern spotted owls, martens and fishers.
Waco Mammoth National Monument in Texas features the well-preserved remains of Columbian Mammoths from over 65,000 years ago. The monument’s excavation area also includes remains for the Western Camel, Saber-toothed Cat, Dwarf Antelope, American Alligator, and giant tortoise.
Click here for additional information on the new monument designations.