,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #daeg  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,april #ah1    
#bjbd,mr4 ,padilla 7for himself and ,mr4
 ,tillis7 introduced the following bill2
 which was read twice and referred to   
the ,committee on ,environment and      
,public ,works  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend the
 ,water ,resources ,development ,act of 
#aihf to improve compensatory           
mitigation1 and for other purposes4  #a4
 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as
 the ,improving ,corps ,civil ,works    
,compensatory ,mitigation ,act4  #b4    
,fish and wildlife mitigation ,section  
#ijf of the ,water ,resources           
,development ,act of #aihf 7#cc         
,u4,s4,c4 #bbhc7 is amended-- 7#a7 in   
subsection 7d77#c77;,b77iv7-- 7,a7 in   
subclause 7,i71 by inserting or contract
 7as defined in subsection 7i77#a77     
after instrument2 and  7,b7 in subclause
 7,,ii71 by inserting or contract 7as so
 defined7 after instrument2  7#b7 in    
subsection 7i7-- 7,a7 by redesignating  

paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#d7 as         
paragraphs 7#b7 through 7#e71           
respectively2  7,b7 by inserting before 
paragraph 7#b7 7as so redesignated7 the 
following3  7#a7 ,definition of contract
 ,in this subsection1 the term contract 
means an agreement between the          
,secretary and a mitigation provider    
that-- 7,a7 uses accepted ,corps of     
,engineers ,district-level mitigation   
practices described in part #ccb of     
title #cc1 ,code of ,federal            
,regulations 7or successor regulations72
 and  7,b7 prioritizes implementation of
 an existing restoration plan developed 
by a ,state1 local1 or regional entity  
that covers the area or resources       
affected by the civil works project that
 is the subject of the third-party      
arrangement4  2  7,c7 in subparagraph   
7,a7 of paragraph 7#b7 7as so           
redesignated7-- 7i7 in clause 7i71 by   
striking and at the end2 and  7ii7 by   
adding at the end the following3  7iii7 
the purchase of credits under part #ccb 

of title #cc1 ,code of ,federal         
,regulations 7or successor regulations7 
in accordance with section              
#ccb4d7;c77#f7 of that title 7or a      
successor regulation7 through a contract
 to satisfy the mitigation plan required
 under subsection 7d72 and  2  7,d7 in  
paragraph 7#c7 7as so redesignated71 by 
striking paragraph 7#a7 and inserting   
paragraph 7#b72 and  7,e7 in paragraph  
7#d7 7as so redesignated71 in the matter
 preceding subparagraph 7,a7-- 7i7 by   
inserting the ,secretary shall ensure   
that before contributions2 and  7ii7 by 
striking may2 and  7#c7 by adding at the
 end the following3  7l7 ,compliance ,in
 carrying out this section1 the         
,secretary shall ensure compliance with 
this section and with the final rule of 
the ,corps of ,engineers and the        
,environmental ,protection ,agency      
entitled ,compensatory ,mitigation for  
,losses of ,aquatic ,resources 7#gc     
,fed4 ,reg4 #aieid 7,april #aj1 #bjjh77 
or any subsequent rule4  4