[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1394 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 1394


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             March 23 (legislative day, February 22), 1994

    Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
      To improve coordination of National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                 Administration Great Lakes activities.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration Great Lakes Improvements Act''.

SEC. 2. GREAT LAKES OFFICE.

    (a) Establishment.--The Under Secretary may establish and maintain 
within the Administration a Great Lakes Office in the Washington, 
District of Columbia area.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Great Lakes Office shall be to 
promote and coordinate Administration research, monitoring, and 
assessment work in the Great Lakes region consistent with the goals of 
the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
    (c) Director.--The Director of the Great Lakes Office shall be an 
individual with extensive knowledge and expertise in the Great Lakes 
ecosystem, and with appropriate administrative experience.

SEC. 3. GREAT LAKES REPORT.

    (a) Contents.--Subject to the availability of appropriations under 
section 5 of this Act, the Under Secretary, in consultation with the 
Director of the Great Lakes Office if established, shall prepare and 
submit to Congress an annual Great Lakes Report. The Report shall 
provide information relating to Great Lakes ecosystem research, 
monitoring, and assessment, including--
            (1) the individual activities, projects, or proposals 
        conducted by the Administration in the previous fiscal year, 
        including a summary of funds expended in support of these 
        activities, projects, or proposals;
            (2) the amount of funds received from the Administration by 
        each State or local government unit bordering the Great Lakes;
            (3) the amount of funds received by individuals or 
        institutions residing or located within a State bordering the 
        Great Lakes;
            (4) an inventory of Administration facilities and personnel 
        located in a State bordering the Great Lakes or in the Great 
        Lakes used to conduct or support Administration-funded 
        activities, projects, or proposals in the Great Lakes, 
        including vessels;
            (5) the proposed Administration activities, projects, and 
        proposals to benefit the Great Lakes ecosystem for the current 
        fiscal year, including requested funds; and
            (6) a proposal for increasing the presence of the 
        Administration in the Great Lakes, and improving the 
        coordination of research within the Administration and with 
        other entities, including the Government of Canada.
    (b) Deadline.--Subject to the availability of appropriations under 
section 5 of this Act, the Under Secretary shall submit the Great Lakes 
Report to Congress by October 1 of 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
            (1) the term ``Administration'' means the National Oceanic 
        and Atmospheric Administration;
            (2) the term ``Great Lakes'' means--
                    (A) Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake 
                Ontario, and Lake Superior;
                    (B) their connecting waters, including the St. 
                Marys River, the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, the 
                Detroit River, and the Niagara River; and
                    (C) the St. Lawrence River;
            (3) the term ``Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement'' means 
        the bilateral agreement between the United States and Canada 
        which was signed in 1978 and amended by the Protocol of 1987; 
        and
            (4) the term ``Under Secretary'' means the Under Secretary 
        of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Under Secretary to 
carry out this Act $100,000 for each of the fiscal years 1994, 1995, 
1996, 1997, and 1998.

            Passed the House of Representatives March 21, 1994.

            Attest:

                                           DONNALD K. ANDERSON,

                                                                 Clerk.