[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2751 Reported in Senate (RS)]


                                                       Calendar No. 653
109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2751

                          [Report No. 109-356]

  To strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 
            drought monitoring and forecasting capabilities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 4, 2006

 Mr. Nelson of Nebraska (for himself and Mr. Domenici) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Commerce, Science, and Transportation

                           September 29, 2006

               Reported by Mr. Stevens, without amendment

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 
            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. NOAA PROGRAM TO MONITOR AND FORECAST DROUGHTS.

    (a) In General.--The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
Atmosphere shall establish a National Integrated Drought Information 
System within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
    (b) System Functions.--The 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 facilitate better informed, more timely 
                decisions and support drought mitigation and 
                preparedness programs that will reduce 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, improved 
        forecasts, and the development of mitigation and preparedness 
        tools and techniques;
            (3) build upon existing drought forecasting, assessment, 
        and mitigation programs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration, including programs conducted in partnership 
        with other Federal departments and agencies and existing 
        research partnerships, such as that with the National Drought 
        Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; and
            (4) be incorporated into the Global Earth Observation 
        System of Systems.
    (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.
    (e) Drought Defined.--In this section, the term ``drought'' means a 
deficiency in precipitation--
            (1) 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
            (2) that causes or may cause--
                    (A) substantial economic or social impacts; or
                    (B) substantial physical damage or injury to 
                individuals, property, or the environment.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
Commerce for use by the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
Atmosphere in implementing section 2--
            (1) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
            (2) $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
            (3) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 and 2010; and
            (4) $11,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 and 2012.
                                                       Calendar No. 653

109th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 2751

                          [Report No. 109-356]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

  To strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 
            drought monitoring and forecasting capabilities.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           September 29, 2006

                       Reported without amendment