[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2918 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2918

 To establish a National Institute for the Environment, to improve the 
 scientific basis for decision-making on environmental issues, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 6, 1993

   Mr. Brown of California (for himself, Mr. Saxton, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. 
 Porter, Mr. Hughes, Mr. Goss, Mr. Hefner, Mr. Dellums, Mr. Olver, Mr. 
 Ravenel, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Gillmor, Mr. 
  Pallone, Mr. Neal of North Carolina, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. 
 Rush, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Payne of New Jersey, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Vento, 
  Mr. Klein, Mrs. Morella, Mr. Becerra, Ms. Norton, Mr. Deutsch, Mr. 
Gallo, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Weldon, Ms. Eddie 
 Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. Visclosky, Ms. Waters, Mr. Markey, Mr. 
 McDermott, Mr. Machtley, Mr. Washington, and Ms. Molinari) introduced 
  the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, 
                         Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a National Institute for the Environment, to improve the 
 scientific basis for decision-making on environmental issues, 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 Institute for the 
Environment Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) An appropriate scientific understanding of the diverse 
        physical, biological, engineering, social, and economic issues 
        that underlie the environmental problems facing the United 
        States is essential to finding environmentally and economically 
        sound solutions to such problems.
            (2) While more than a dozen Federal agencies support 
        environmental research and gather environmental information, 
        there is not a lead Federal agency for environmental research 
        and information.
            (3) The current approach of the Federal Government to 
        developing a scientific understanding of environmental 
        problems, and of applying that understanding to the problems, 
        lacks coherence and often fails to provide information vital to 
        finding sound solutions to such problems.
            (4) The United States needs to improve the scientific basis 
        for decision-making by Federal, State, and local governments, 
        and private-sector entities, on environmental issues.
            (5) Many environmental issues that will seriously affect 
        the United States in the future are not adequately studied in 
        existing Federal environmental research programs.
            (6) Existing Federal environmental research programs often 
        do not provide adequate information to enable Federal, State, 
        and local governments, and private-sector entities, to engage 
        in well-informed decision-making on environmental and related 
        issues.
            (7) Existing Federal environmental research programs do not 
        adequately address, link, and integrate research in different 
        disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and multidisciplinary 
        environmental sciences.
            (8) Ongoing study and communication of the existing 
        knowledge about environmental issues, including the assessment 
        of the significance of such knowledge, are needed to strengthen 
        the weak link between scientific knowledge and decision-making 
        on environmental issues.
            (9) Easy and effective access, including access by the 
        scientific community, to the many rapidly growing sources of 
        environmental information would improve the effectiveness of 
        research on, and communication about, environmental issues.
            (10) To address the complex environmental problems facing 
        the United States, there is a growing need for more education 
        and training of individuals in disciplinary, interdisciplinary, 
        and multidisciplinary sciences related to the environment.
    (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to create an 
independent establishment to improve the scientific basis for making 
decisions on environmental issues through support for competitive, 
peer-reviewed, extramural research, ongoing knowledge assessments, data 
and information activities, and education and training on environmental 
issues.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

    There is established as an independent establishment an institute 
to be known as the ``National Institute for the Environment'' (in this 
Act referred to as the ``Institute''). The mission of the Institute 
shall be to improve the scientific basis for decision-making on 
environmental issues.

SEC. 4. DUTIES.

    The Institute shall have the following duties:
            (1) To increase scientific understanding of environmental 
        issues (including environmental resources, systems, and 
        sustainability, and the human dimensions associated with 
        environmental issues) by initiating and supporting credible, 
        extramural, problem-focused, peer-reviewed basic and applied 
        scientific environmental research and other disciplinary, 
        multidisciplinary, and interdisciplinary environmental 
        programs. The support of research and programs under this 
        paragraph may include the provision of financial assistance 
        pursuant to section 8, including grants, contracts, and 
        cooperative agreements.
            (2) To assist decision-making on environmental issues by 
        providing on-going, comprehensive assessments of existing 
        knowledge of environmental issues. The performance of 
        assessments under this paragraph shall include the following:
                    (A) Summarizing the state of such knowledge.
                    (B) Assessing the implications of such knowledge.
                    (C) Identifying additional research that will 
                provide information needed for decision-making by 
                Federal, State, and local governments, and private-
                sector entities, on environmental issues.
                    (D) Analyzing constraints which may affect the 
                conduct of research described in subparagraph (C), 
                including the existence of limited technological, 
                human, and economic resources.
                    (E) Communicating the results of assessments under 
                this paragraph to relevant Federal, State, and local 
                government decisionmakers and the public.
            (3) To serve as the foremost provider and facilitator in 
        the United States of access to current and easy-to-use 
        scientific and technical information about the environment. The 
        provision and facilitation of access to information under this 
        paragraph shall include the following:
                    (A) Providing and facilitating access to credible 
                environmental information (including scientific and 
                technological results of environmental research) for 
                relevant Federal, State, and local government 
                decisionmakers, policy analysts, researchers, resource 
                managers, educators, information professionals 
                (including computer and telecommunications 
                specialists), and the general public.
                    (B) Establishing an electronic network that--
                            (i) uses existing telecommunications 
                        infrastructures to provide single-point access 
                        to environmental information; and
                            (ii) includes existing collections of 
                        environmental information, such as libraries, 
                        specialized information centers, data and 
                        statistical centers, and government and private 
                        sector repositories of regional, event-driven, 
                        or ecosystem information.
                    (C) Identifying and encouraging the effective 
                application of state-of-the-art information 
                technologies to promote the availability and use of, 
                and access to, environmental knowledge.
                    (D) Providing long-term stewardship of the 
                environmental information resources of the United 
                States, including efforts to ensure the continued 
                usefulness of such resources, through the promotion and 
                development of policies and standards for providing 
                access to environmental information, and through the 
                support of relevant research and development.
            (4) To sponsor higher education and training in 
        environmental fields in order to contribute to a greater public 
        understanding of the environment and to ensure that the United 
        States has a core of scientifically educated and trained 
        personnel who possess skills to meet the environmental needs of 
        the United States. The sponsorship of education and training 
        under this paragraph shall include the following:
                    (A) Awarding scholarships, traineeships, and 
                graduate fellowships at appropriate nonprofit 
                institutions of the United States for study and 
                research in natural and social sciences and engineering 
                related to the environment.
                    (B) Supporting curriculum and program development 
                in fields related to the environment.
                    (C) Promoting the involvement of women, minorities, 
                and other underrepresented groups.
            (5) To encourage and support the development and use of 
        methods and technologies that increase scientific and general 
        understanding of the environment and minimize adverse 
        environmental impact.
            (6) To evaluate the status and needs of the various 
        environmental sciences and fields.
            (7) To foster interchange of scientific information about 
        the environment between scientists, Federal, State, and local 
        government decisionmakers, and the public.
            (8) To identify and seek to address emerging environmental 
        issues and all aspects of scientific, technological, and 
        societal aspects of environmental problems.
            (9) To establish research priorities for the Institute for 
        environmental issues of global, national, and regional 
        significance.

SEC. 5. GOVERNING BOARD.

    (a) Establishment.--There shall be a Governing Board for the 
Institute (in this Act referred to as the ``Board'') which shall 
establish policies and priorities of the Institute.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Appointment.--The Board shall be composed of 18 members 
        who shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice 
        and consent of the Senate.
            (2) Representation on the board.--
                    (A) In general.--The members of the Board shall 
                include individuals--
                            (i) who, as scientists and users of 
                        scientific information, are representative of 
                        diverse groups and entities, including States, 
                        academic institutions, businesses, 
                        environmental groups, citizens groups, and 
                        other appropriate organizations;
                            (ii) who have a distinguished record of 
                        service in their fields; and
                            (iii) who, among the scientific members of 
                        the Board, represent the diversity of 
                        scientific fields that study the environment.
                    (B) Selection of certain groups.--In making 
                appointments under this subsection, the President shall 
                seek to provide for representation on the Board of 
                women, minority groups, and individuals recommended by 
                the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy 
                of Engineering, and other groups.
    (c) Terms.--
            (1) Initial terms.--Members initially appointed to the 
        Board shall serve for the following terms:
                    (A) Six members shall serve for an initial term of 
                two years.
                    (B) Six members shall serve for an initial term of 
                four years.
                    (C) Six members shall serve for an initial term of 
                six years.
            (2) Subsequent terms.--Upon completion of a term referred 
        to in paragraph (1), each member of the Committee subsequently 
        appointed or reappointed shall serve for a term of six years, 
        with a maximum of two consecutive terms for any member 
        appointed under this section.
    (d) Administration.--
            (1) Travel Expenses.--Each member of the Board who is not 
        an officer or employee of the United States may receive travel 
        expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the 
        same manner as travel expenses are allowed under section 5703 
        of title 5, United States Code, for persons serving 
        intermittently in the Government service.
            (2) Prohibition of compensation of federal employees.--
        Members of the Board who are full-time officers or employees of 
        the United States or Members of Congress may not receive 
        additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their 
        service on the Board.
    (e) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Board shall be designated 
by the President at the time of the appointment. The term of office of 
the Chairperson shall be six years.
    (f) Meetings.--The Board shall meet as needed at the call of the 
Chairperson or a majority of its members, but not less than four times 
a year.
    (g) Reports.--The Board shall periodically submit to the President 
reports on such specific environmental policy matters as the Board, the 
President, or the Congress determines to be necessary. After receipt of 
any such report, the President shall transmit the report to the 
Congress in a timely fashion, together with any comments that the 
President considers to be appropriate.
    (h) Advisory Committees.--The Board may establish such advisory 
committees as the Board considers necessary for purposes of this Act.

SEC. 6. STAFF.

    (a) Director.--
            (1) Appointment.--The Director of the Institute shall be 
        appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent 
        of the Senate.
            (2) Authority.--The Director shall exercise all of the 
        authority granted to the Institute by this Act, including any 
        powers and functions delegated to the Director by the Board. 
        All actions taken by the Director pursuant to the provisions of 
        this Act or pursuant to the delegation from the Board shall be 
        final and binding upon the Institute. The Director shall 
        formulate programs consistent with the policies of the 
        Institute and in consultation with the Board and any 
        appropriate advisory committee established pursuant to this 
        Act.
            (3) Pay; term of office.--The Director shall receive basic 
        pay at the rate provided for level II of the Executive Schedule 
        under section 5313 of title 5, United States Code, and shall 
        serve for a term of six years.
            (4) FCCSET membership.--Section 401(b) of the National 
        Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act 
        of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6651(b)) is amended by inserting ``, the 
        Director of the National Institute for the Environment,'' after 
        ``the Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
        Policy''.
    (b) Assistant Directors.--The President may, upon the 
recommendation of the Director, appoint such assistant Directors as the 
President considers necessary to carry out this Act.

SEC. 7. INTERAGENCY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established an Interagency 
Advisory Committee to ensure that the environmental efforts of the 
Institute and other Federal agencies are complementary.
    (b) Duties.--It shall be the duty of the Interagency Advisory 
Committee established under subsection (a) to provide recommendations 
and advice to the Board to help to ensure that--
            (1) the research priorities and agenda of the Institute 
        support, rather than compete with, the research agendas of 
        existing Federal agencies;
            (2) the knowledge assessment activities of the Institute 
        incorporate knowledge obtained and possessed by other Federal 
        agencies, and are useful to such agencies;
            (3) information within the databases of other Federal 
        agencies is available for incorporation into the information 
        network of the Institute; and
            (4) the educational programs of the Institute serve the 
        needs of the United States.
    (c) Composition.--The Interagency Advisory Committee established 
under subsection (a) shall include directors of research (or 
individuals who hold a comparable position) from Federal agencies that 
conduct or use substantial amounts of environmental research, including 
the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, the 
Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior, and the 
Department of Agriculture. The Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy, or such individual's designee, and the Director of 
the Office of Environmental Quality, or such individual's designee, 
shall serve as ex officio members of the Interagency Advisory 
Committee.
    (d) Duration.--Section 14(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.; relating to the termination of advisory 
committees) shall not apply to the Interagency Advisory Committee 
established under subsection (a).

SEC. 8. FUNDING.

    (a) Authority to Provide Financial Assistance.--The Institute may 
enter into contracts and cooperative agreements and provide financial 
assistance, including grants, to carry out the duties of the 
Institution under this Act.
    (b) Persons Eligible to Receive Funding.--Scientists, engineers, 
and other researchers are eligible to receive funding from the 
Institute under subsection (a), except that--
            (1) scientists from Federal agencies shall not be given a 
        preference for funding based on their employment with the 
        Federal Government; and
            (2) the receipt of funding from the Institute shall be 
        subject to any criteria and other requirements prescribed by 
        the Institute.
    (c) Receipt of Funds from other Persons.--The Institute may, 
subject to the approval of the Board, receive funds from other Federal 
agencies and private-sector persons to carry out particular projects 
and activities under this Act. Funds received under this subsection 
shall be deposited in the Treasury and shall be made available to the 
Institute to the extent provided in appropriations Acts.

                                 <all>

HR 2918 IH----2