[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2811 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2811

 To authorize certain atmospheric, weather, and satellite programs and 
 functions of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 30, 1993

Mr. Hall of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
            the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize certain atmospheric, weather, and satellite programs and 
 functions of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and 
                          for other purposes.

    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 Atmospheric and Satellite Program Authorization Act of 
1993''.

                TITLE I--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

SEC. 101. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

    (a) Operations and Research.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce (in this Act referred to as 
the ``Secretary'') to enable the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration to carry out the operations and research duties of the 
National Weather Service, $473,256,000 for fiscal year 1994 and 
$492,185,000 for fiscal year 1995. Such duties include meteorological, 
hydrological, and oceanographic public warnings and forecasts, as well 
as applied research in support of such warnings and forecasts.
    (b) Systems Acquisition.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the Secretary to enable the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration to carry out the public warning and forecast systems 
duties of the National Weather Service, $76,299,000 for fiscal year 
1994 and $71,115,000 for fiscal year 1995. Such duties include the 
development, acquisition, and implementation of major public warning 
and forecast systems. Funds authorized under this subsection shall be 
in addition to funds authorized under section 102(b) of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1992 
(Public Law 102-567). No funds may be expended for Next Generation 
Doppler Weather Radar (NEXRAD) acquisition until the requirements of 
such section 102(b) have been fulfilled by the Secretary. None of the 
funds for NEXRAD authorized by such section 102(b) shall be obligated 
unless the NEXRAD appears in the National Implementation Plan for 
Modernization of the National Weather Service, required under section 
703 of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
Authorization Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-567), for fiscal year 1994, 
or are to be used only for spare parts, not installation at a 
particular site.
    (c) Construction of NEXRAD Facilities.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to enable the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration to carry out construction, repair, and 
modification activities relating to new and existing Next Generation 
Doppler Weather Radar (NEXRAD) facilities at weather forecast offices, 
$62,784,000 for fiscal year 1994 and $20,580,000 for fiscal year 1995. 
Such activities include planning, design, and land acquisition related 
to such facilities.

SEC. 102. ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH.

    (a) Climate and Air Quality Research.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Secretary to enable the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration to carry out its climate and air quality 
        research duties, $105,922,000 for fiscal year 1994 and 
        $138,737,000 for fiscal year 1995. Such duties include 
        interannual and seasonal climate research and long-term climate 
        and air quality research.
            (2) Climate and global change.--Of the sums authorized 
        under paragraph (1), $66,902,000 for fiscal year 1994 and 
        $84,573,000 for fiscal year 1995 are authorized to be 
        appropriated for the purposes of studying climate and global 
        change, including global observations, monitoring, and data and 
        information management relating to the study of changes in the 
        Earth's climatic system, and fundamental research on oceanic 
        and atmospheric processes critical to climate prediction and 
        diagnostics.
    (b) Atmospheric Programs.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the Secretary to enable the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration to carry out its atmospheric research duties, 
$42,103,000 for fiscal year 1994 and $52,980,000 for fiscal year 1995. 
Such duties include research for developing improved prediction 
capabilities for atmospheric processes, as well as solar-terrestrial 
research and services.

SEC. 103. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE, DATA, AND INFORMATION 
              SERVICE.

    (a) Satellite Observing Systems.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to enable the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration to carry out its satellite observing systems 
duties, $206,383,000 for fiscal year 1994 and $264,890,000 for fiscal 
year 1995, except that no funds may be expended for Geostationary 
Operational Environmental Satellite acquisition until the requirements 
of section 105(d) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration Authorization Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-567) have been 
fulfilled by the Secretary. Such duties include spacecraft procurement, 
launch, and associated ground station system changes involving polar 
orbiting and geostationary environmental satellites, as well as the 
operation of such satellites. Funds authorized under this subsection 
shall be in addition to funds authorized under section 105(d) of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 
1992 (Public Law 102-567).
    (b) Environmental Data and Information Services.--There are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to enable the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry out its environmental 
data and information services duties, $34,068,000 for fiscal year 1994 
and $60,662,000 for fiscal year 1995. Such duties include climate data 
services, geophysical data services, and environmental assessment and 
information services.

SEC. 104. PROGRAM SUPPORT.

    (a) Administration and Services.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary for Administration and Services, 
$73,319,000 for fiscal year 1994 and $76,252,000 for fiscal year 1995.
    (b) Aircraft Services.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
the Secretary for Aircraft Services and Aircraft Critical Safety and 
Instrumentation, $9,495,000 for fiscal year 1994 and $9,875,000 for 
fiscal year 1995.

                   TITLE II--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. 201. STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORIES.

    (a) Assessment.--The Secretary shall conduct an assessment of the 
adequacy of the resources provided for the Environmental Research 
Laboratories of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In 
conducting such assessment, the Secretary shall take into 
consideration--
            (1) the capacity of the Environmental Research Laboratories 
        to process and disseminate environmental data and information 
        collected and processed, or expected to be collected and 
        processed, by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration and other appropriate Federal departments and 
        agencies;
            (2) the mission of the Environment Research Laboratories to 
        provide solar-terrestrial services to the Nation;
            (3) the ability of the Environmental Research Laboratories 
        to provide continued support for the modernization of weather 
        services;
            (4) the responsibilities of the Environmental Research 
        Laboratories to monitor, assess, and predict changes in the 
        Earth's climate; and
            (5) the capability of the Environmental Research 
        Laboratories to integrate and interpret scientific data in 
        order to provide information useful to policy makers for 
        responding to national and global environmental concerns.
    (b) Comprehensive Strategic Plan.--Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop and submit 
to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives a comprehensive strategic plan, based on the assessment 
conducted under subsection (a), to modernize and improve the 
Environmental Research Laboratories of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration. The assessment conducted under subsection 
(a) shall be submitted along with such plan.

SEC. 202. HYDROLOGICAL RESEARCH AND FLOOD FORECAST MODERNIZATION 
              REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the heads of 
other appropriate Federal agencies, shall prepare and submit to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and 
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives a report identifying the actions required to improve 
the hydrological research programs and to modernize the Flood 
Forecasting System of the National Weather Service.
    (b) Report Contents.--The report required under subsection (a) 
shall include consideration of--
            (1) current, planned, and potential technological 
        improvements in the collection of observational hydrological 
        data;
            (2) use of additional satellite remote-sensing data and 
        airborne surveys, including those systems operated by other 
        Federal agencies, for hydrological data collection;
            (3) improvements in data analysis and computer modeling in 
        support of flood forecasts and predictions; and
            (4) full integration of the River Forecast Centers in the 
        National Weather Service Modernization Plan.

SEC. 203. NOTICE OF REPROGRAMMING.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall provide notice to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and to 
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives, not less than 15 days before reprogramming funds 
available for a program, project, or activity of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration in an amount greater than the lesser of 
$250,000 or 5 percent of the total funding of such program, project, or 
activity, if the reprogramming--
            (1) augments an existing program, project, or activity;
            (2) reduces by 5 percent or more (A) the funding for an 
        existing program, project, or activity, or (B) the numbers of 
        personnel therefor as approved by Congress; or
            (3) results from any general savings from a reduction in 
        personnel which would result in a change in an existing 
        program, project, or activity.
    (b) Notice of Reorganization.--The Secretary shall provide notice 
to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives not later than 15 days before any major reorganization 
of any program, project, or activity of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration.

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