[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5136 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.R.5136

                       One Hundred Ninth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
             the third day of January, two thousand and six


                                 An Act



To establish a National Integrated Drought Information System within the 
   National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to improve drought 
                monitoring and forecasting capabilities.

    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 Integrated Drought 
Information System Act of 2006''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
    In this Act:
        (1) Drought.--The term ``drought'' means a deficiency in 
    precipitation--
            (A) that leads to a deficiency in surface or subsurface 
        water supplies (including rivers, streams, wetlands, ground 
        water, soil moisture, reservoir supplies, lake levels, and snow 
        pack); and
            (B) that causes or may cause--
                (i) substantial economic or social impacts; or
                (ii) substantial physical damage or injury to 
            individuals, property, or the environment.
        (2) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means the 
    Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.
SEC. 3. NIDIS PROGRAM.
    (a) In General.--The Under Secretary, through the National Weather 
Service and other appropriate weather and climate programs in the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall establish a 
National Integrated Drought Information System.
    (b) System Functions.--The National Integrated Drought Information 
System shall--
        (1) provide an effective drought early warning system that--
            (A) is a comprehensive system that collects and integrates 
        information on the key indicators of drought in order to make 
        usable, reliable, and timely drought forecasts and assessments 
        of drought, including assessments of the severity of drought 
        conditions and impacts;
            (B) communicates drought forecasts, drought conditions, and 
        drought impacts on an ongoing basis to--
                (i) decisionmakers at the Federal, regional, State, 
            tribal, and local levels of government;
                (ii) the private sector; and
                (iii) the public,
        in order to engender better informed and more timely decisions 
        thereby leading to reduced impacts and costs; and
            (C) includes timely (where possible real-time) data, 
        information, and products that reflect local, regional, and 
        State differences in drought conditions;
        (2) coordinate, and integrate as practicable, Federal research 
    in support of a drought early warning system; and
        (3) build upon existing forecasting and assessment programs and 
    partnerships.
    (c) Consultation.--The Under Secretary shall consult with relevant 
Federal, regional, State, tribal, and local government agencies, 
research institutions, and the private sector in the development of the 
National Integrated Drought Information System.
    (d) Cooperation From Other Federal Agencies.--Each Federal agency 
shall cooperate as appropriate with the Under Secretary in carrying out 
this Act.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act--
        (1) $11,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
        (2) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
        (3) $13,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
        (4) $14,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
        (5) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
        (6) $16,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.