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

                                                 Union Calendar No. 161

103d CONGRESS

  1st Session

                               H. R. 2811

                  [Report No. 103-248, Parts I and II]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                            October 22, 1993

   Reported from the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries with 
amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State 
                of the Union, and ordered to be printed





                                                 Union Calendar No. 161
103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2811

                  [Report No. 103-248, Parts I and II]

 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

                           September 21, 1993

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

                           September 21, 1993

  Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union discharged; 
referred to the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries for a period 
   ending not later than October 22, 1993, for consideration of such 
provisions of the bill and amendment as fall within the jurisdiction of 
            that committee pursuant to clause 1(m) of rule X

                            October 22, 1993

   Reported from the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries with 
amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State 
                of the Union, and ordered to be printed
   [Omit the part in italic in black brackets and insert the part in 
                            boldface roman]
 [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on July 
                               30, 1993]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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. None of the funds authorized under this 
subsection shall be used for the purposes for which funds are 
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) 
until the requirements of paragraph (2)(A) or (B) of such section 
102(b) have been fulfilled by the Secretary. None of the funds for 
NEXRAD authorized by such section 102(b)(2)(A) or (B) shall be 
expended, subject to annual review, for a particular NEXRAD 
installation site unless such site appears on page D-10, D-11, or D-12 
of 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 unless such funds are to be used only 
for spare parts, not installation at a particular site.
    (c) Construction of Weather Forecast Offices.--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 weather forecast 
offices, $62,784,000 for fiscal year 1994 and $14,739,000 for fiscal 
year 1995. Such activities include planning, design, and land 
acquisition related to such offices.

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 until the requirements of section 
105(d)(2) (A) or (B) 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. None of the funds authorized under this 
subsection shall be used for the purposes for which funds are 
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 $41,227,000 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.

[SEC. 105. LIMITATION ON APPROPRIATIONS.

    [Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, no funds are 
authorized to be appropriated for any fiscal year after fiscal year 
1995 for carrying out the programs for which funds are authorized by 
this Act.]

                   TITLE II--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. 201. STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORIES.

    (a) Assessment.--The Secretary shall conduct an assessment of the 
long-term role and mission of the Environmental Research Laboratories 
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the 
relevance of the research conducted therein to issues of global and 
national importance. In conducting such assessment, the Secretary shall 
take into consideration--
            (1) the adequacy of resources provided to support the 
        missions of the Environmental Research Laboratories;
            (2) the ability of the Environmental Research Laboratories 
        to provide research support for the coastal and ocean 
        management and regulatory responsibilities of the National 
        Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;
            [(2)] (3) 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;
            [(3)] (4) the mission of the Environmental Research 
        Laboratories to provide solar-terrestrial services to the 
        Nation;
            [(4)] (5) the ability of the Environmental Research 
        Laboratories to provide continued support for the modernization 
        of weather services;
            [(5)] (6) the responsibilities of the Environmental 
        Research Laboratories to monitor, assess, and predict changes 
        in the Earth's climate;
            [(6)] (7) 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;
            [(7)] (8) the operational efficiency and effectiveness of 
        the Environmental Research Laboratories; [and]
            (9) the interaction of the Environmental Research 
        Laboratories with the academic community and the ability of 
        Joint and Cooperative Institutes to improve the quality and 
        effectiveness of research;
            (10) the number, location, and geographic distribution of 
        the Environmental Research Laboratories; and
            [(8)] (11) any other issues that the Secretary may 
        identify.
    (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 and the Committee 
on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of the House of Representatives a 
comprehensive strategic plan, based on the assessment conducted under 
subsection (a), to modernize and improve the role and mission of 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.]

SEC. [204.] 203. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that any transfers of National Weather 
Service employees from field offices necessitated by the National 
Implementation Plan for Modernization of the National Weather Service 
be carried out in a manner that will not result in the degradation of 
services in the service area of such field office.