[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 376 Reported in Senate (RS)]

                                                       Calendar No. 222
113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 376

                          [Report No. 113-114]

To reauthorize the National Integrated Drought Information System, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 25, 2013

Mr. Pryor (for himself, Mr. Moran, Mr. Thune, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, 
  and Mr. Udall of Colorado) introduced the following bill; which was 
  read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                             Transportation

                            October 28, 2013

             Reported by Mr. Rockefeller, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To reauthorize the National Integrated Drought Information System, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Drought Information Act of 
2013''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF NATIONAL INTEGRATED DROUGHT 
              INFORMATION SYSTEM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) System Amendments.--Section 3 of the National 
Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006 (15 U.S.C. 313d) is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (a)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) by inserting ``and continue to 
                support'' after ``establish''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by inserting before the period at the 
                end the following: ``to better inform and provide for 
                more timely decisionmaking to reduce drought related 
                impacts and costs''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the 
        following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) System Functions.--The National Integrated Drought 
Information System shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) provide an effective drought early warning 
        system that--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) collects and integrates information 
                on the key indicators of drought in order to make 
                usable, reliable, and timely forecasts of drought, 
                including assessments of the severity of drought 
                conditions and impacts; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) provides such information, 
                forecasts, and assessments on both national and 
                regional levels;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) communicate drought forecasts, drought 
        conditions, and drought impacts on an ongoing basis to--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) decisionmakers at the Federal, 
                regional, State, tribal, and local levels of 
                government;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) the private sector; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) the public;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) provide timely data, information, and 
        products that reflect local, regional, and State differences in 
        drought conditions;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) coordinate, and integrate as practicable, 
        Federal research in support of a drought early warning 
        system;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) build upon existing forecasting and 
        assessment programs and partnerships, such as partnerships 
        with--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) the Regional Integrated Sciences and 
                Assessments program of the National Oceanic and 
                Atmospheric Administration;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Cooperative Extension System offices 
                of the Department of Agriculture;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) the National Institute of Food and 
                Agriculture;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) the Office of the Chief Economist of 
                the Department of Agriculture;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) the Farm Service Agency; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(F) other Federal agencies or 
                departments that monitor and disseminate weather and 
                climate information; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(6) continue ongoing research activities related 
        to drought, including research activities relating to length, 
        severity, and impacts of drought and the role of extreme 
        weather events and climate variability in drought.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 4 of such 
Act (15 U.S.C. 313d note) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and'' at the 
        end;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at 
        the end and inserting ``; and''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(7) $14,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 
        through 2018.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Report.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 540 days after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of 
        Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere shall 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 on the National 
        Integrated Drought Information System.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Contents.--The report required by paragraph 
        (1) shall include the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) An assessment of the implementation of 
                the National Integrated Drought Information System, 
                including an assessment of how the information, 
                forecasts, and assessments produced by such system are 
                utilized in drought policy planning and response 
                activities.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Specific plans for continued 
                development of the system, including future 
                milestones.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) An identification of research, 
                monitoring, and forecasting needs to enhance the 
                predictive capability of--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) drought early 
                        warnings;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) the length and severity of 
                        droughts; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) the contribution of weather 
                        events to reducing the severity or ending 
                        drought conditions.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) A list of persons in the private 
                sector with whom the Under Secretary collaborates to 
                implement the National Integrated Drought Information 
                System.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) A description of the outreach 
                activities conducted by the Under Secretary regarding 
                the National Integrated Drought Information 
                System.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Consultation.--In developing the report 
        required by paragraph (1), the Under Secretary shall consult 
        with relevant Federal, regional, State, tribal, and local 
        government agencies, research institutions, and the private 
        sector.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Drought Information Act of 2013''.

SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF NATIONAL INTEGRATED DROUGHT INFORMATION 
              SYSTEM.

    (a) System Amendments.--Section 3 of the National Integrated 
Drought Information System Act of 2006 (15 U.S.C. 313d) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by inserting ``and continue to support'' after 
                ``establish''; and
                    (B) by inserting before the period at the end the 
                following: ``to better inform and provide for more 
                timely decisionmaking to reduce drought related impacts 
                and costs''; and
            (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
    ``(b) System Functions.--The National Integrated Drought 
Information System shall--
            ``(1) provide an effective drought early warning system 
        that--
                    ``(A) collects and integrates information on the 
                key indicators of drought and drought impacts, 
                including water supplies and soil moisture, in order to 
                make usable, reliable, and timely forecasts of drought, 
                including assessments of the severity of drought 
                conditions and impacts; and
                    ``(B) provides such information, forecasts, and 
                assessments on both national and regional levels;
            ``(2) communicate drought forecasts, drought conditions, 
        and drought impacts on an ongoing basis to stakeholders and 
        entities engaged in drought planning, preparedness, and 
        management, including--
                    ``(A) decisionmakers at the Federal, regional, 
                State, tribal, and local levels of government;
                    ``(B) the private sector; and
                    ``(C) the public;
            ``(3) provide timely data, information, and products that 
        reflect local, regional, and State differences in drought 
        conditions;
            ``(4) coordinate, and integrate as practicable, Federal 
        research and monitoring in support of a drought early warning 
        system;
            ``(5) build upon existing Federal, State, regional, 
        private, public, and academic forecasting and assessment 
        programs and partnerships; and
            ``(6) continue ongoing research and monitoring activities 
        related to drought, including research activities relating to 
        length, severity, and impacts of drought and the role of 
        extreme weather events and climate variability in drought.''.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 4 of such Act (15 
U.S.C. 313d note) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7) $14,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 
        2018.''.
    (c) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 540 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
        Oceans and Atmosphere shall 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 on the National Integrated Drought 
        Information System.
            (2) Contents.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) An assessment of the implementation of the 
                National Integrated Drought Information System, 
                including an assessment of how the information, 
                forecasts, and assessments produced by such system are 
                utilized in drought policy planning and response 
                activities.
                    (B) Specific plans for continued development of the 
                system, including future milestones.
                    (C) An identification of research, monitoring, and 
                forecasting needs to enhance the predictive capability 
                of drought early warnings that include--
                            (i) the length and severity of droughts;
                            (ii) the contribution of weather events to 
                        reducing the severity or ending drought 
                        conditions; and
                            (iii) regionally-specific drought impacts.
                    (D) A list of partners with whom the Under 
                Secretary collaborates to implement the National 
                Integrated Drought Information System.
                    (E) A description of the outreach activities 
                conducted by the Under Secretary regarding the National 
                Integrated Drought Information System.
            (3) Consultation.--In developing the report required by 
        paragraph (1), the Under Secretary shall consult with relevant 
        Federal, regional, State, tribal, and local government 
        agencies, research institutions, and the private sector.
                                                       Calendar No. 222

113th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                 S. 376

                          [Report No. 113-114]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To reauthorize the National Integrated Drought Information System, and 
                          for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                            October 28, 2013

                       Reported with an amendment