{
  "id": "RS20220",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RS20220",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 102535,
      "date": "1999-06-04",
      "retrieved": "2016-05-24T20:44:38.778941",
      "title": "Biosphere Reserves and the U.S. MAB Program",
      "summary": "Since 1972, the United States has participated in the Man and the Biosphere Program (MAB),\ncoordinated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).\nEach participating nation establishes its own domestic MAB program, which includes a wide variety\nof ecosystem and biological research. As part of the U.S. MAB program, 47 biosphere reserves have\nbeen established in the United States. These sites are part of a network of 356 such areas worldwide,\nin which scientists conduct research and communicate about their findings. Biosphere reserves are\nnominated by the country in which they are located. They are usually areas protected for domestic\npurposes, such as national parks, and no change in jurisdiction or sovereignty occurs as a result of\nrecognition as biosphere reserves. However, controversy has arisen over the connection to the\nUnited Nations and fears by some commentators and organizations that U.S. sovereignty could be\naffected. The American Land Sovereignty Protection Act has been introduced in the 104th, 105th,\nand\n106th Congresses to address these concerns by requiring congressional approval of nominations of\nfederal lands for recognition under international programs, including the MAB program, and by\nplacing other conditions on U.S. participation in the program. The American Land Sovereignty\nProtection Act passed the House in 1997 ( H.R. 901 ) and on May 20, 1999\n( H.R. 883 ), and the Senate held hearings on  S. 510 , a companion bill, on\nMay 26, 1999. The legislation would also affect U.S. participation in the World Heritage\nConvention, under which World Heritage sites are recognized, and which include some of the sites\nrecognized as biosphere reserves; for more information on that program, see  CRS Report 96-395 ,\n World Heritage Convention and U.S. National Parks . This report will be updated\nperiodically as\nlegislative action or other activity requires.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
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          "encoding": null,
          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RS20220",
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          "filename": "files/19990604_RS20220_a2a7a077c1c55fc8bfe371019ac513a4348dd87d.pdf",
          "images": null
        },
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "filename": "files/19990604_RS20220_a2a7a077c1c55fc8bfe371019ac513a4348dd87d.html"
        }
      ],
      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Environmental Policy"
  ]
}