[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 23 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
H.R.23
One Hundred Fourteenth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the sixth day of January, two thousand and fifteen
An Act
To reauthorize the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program, 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 Windstorm Impact Reduction
Act Reauthorization of 2015''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
(a) Director.--Section 203(1) of the National Windstorm Impact
Reduction Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 15702(1)) is amended by striking
``Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy'' and
inserting ``Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology''.
(b) Lifelines.--Section 203 of the National Windstorm Impact
Reduction Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 15702) is further amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) as paragraphs
(3) through (5), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new
paragraph:
``(2) Lifelines.--The term `lifelines' means public works and
utilities, including transportation facilities and infrastructure,
oil and gas pipelines, electrical power and communication
facilities and infrastructure, and water supply and sewage
treatment facilities.''.
(c) Windstorm.--Paragraph (5) of such section, as redesignated by
subsection (b), is amended by inserting ``northeaster,'' after
``tropical storm,''.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL WINDSTORM IMPACT REDUCTION PROGRAM.
Section 204 of the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004
(42 U.S.C. 15703) is amended--
(1) by striking subsections (a), (b), and (c) and inserting the
following:
``(a) Establishment.--There is established the National Windstorm
Impact Reduction Program, the purpose of which is to achieve major
measurable reductions in the losses of life and property from
windstorms through a coordinated Federal effort, in cooperation with
other levels of government, academia, and the private sector, aimed at
improving the understanding of windstorms and their impacts and
developing and encouraging the implementation of cost-effective
mitigation measures to reduce those impacts.
``(b) Responsibilities of Program Agencies.--
``(1) Lead agency.--The National Institute of Standards and
Technology shall have the primary responsibility for planning and
coordinating the Program. In carrying out this paragraph, the
Director shall--
``(A) ensure that the Program includes the necessary
components to promote the implementation of windstorm risk
reduction measures by Federal, State, and local governments,
national standards and model building code organizations,
architects and engineers, and others with a role in planning
and constructing buildings and lifelines;
``(B) support the development of performance-based
engineering tools, and work with appropriate groups to promote
the commercial application of such tools, including through
wind-related model building codes, voluntary standards, and
construction best practices;
``(C) request the assistance of Federal agencies other than
the Program agencies, as necessary to assist in carrying out
this Act;
``(D) coordinate all Federal post-windstorm investigations
to the extent practicable; and
``(E) when warranted by research or investigative findings,
issue recommendations to assist in informing the development of
model codes, and provide information to Congress on the use of
such recommendations.
``(2) National institute of standards and technology.--In
addition to the lead agency responsibilities described under
paragraph (1), the National Institute of Standards and Technology
shall be responsible for carrying out research and development to
improve model building codes, voluntary standards, and best
practices for the design, construction, and retrofit of buildings,
structures, and lifelines.
``(3) National science foundation.--The National Science
Foundation shall support research in--
``(A) engineering and the atmospheric sciences to improve
the understanding of the behavior of windstorms and their
impact on buildings, structures, and lifelines; and
``(B) economic and social factors influencing windstorm
risk reduction measures.
``(4) National oceanic and atmospheric administration.--The
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall support
atmospheric sciences research to improve the understanding of the
behavior of windstorms and their impact on buildings, structures,
and lifelines.
``(5) Federal emergency management agency.--The Federal
Emergency Management Agency shall--
``(A) support--
``(i) the development of risk assessment tools and
effective mitigation techniques;
``(ii) windstorm-related data collection and analysis;
``(iii) public outreach and information dissemination;
and
``(iv) promotion of the adoption of windstorm
preparedness and mitigation measures, including for
households, businesses, and communities, consistent with
the Agency's all-hazards approach; and
``(B) work closely with national standards and model
building code organizations, in conjunction with the National
Institute of Standards and Technology, to promote the
implementation of research results and promote better building
practices within the building design and construction industry,
including architects, engineers, contractors, builders, and
inspectors.'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c), and by
striking subsections (e) and (f); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (c), as so redesignated, the
following new subsections:
``(d) Budget Activities.--The Director of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, the Director of the National Science
Foundation, the Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, and the Director of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency shall each include in their agency's annual budget request to
Congress a description of their agency's projected activities under the
Program for the fiscal year covered by the budget request, along with
an assessment of what they plan to spend on those activities for that
fiscal year.
``(e) Interagency Coordinating Committee on Windstorm Impact
Reduction.--
``(1) Establishment.--There is established an Interagency
Coordinating Committee on Windstorm Impact Reduction, chaired by
the Director or the Director's designee.
``(2) Membership.--In addition to the chair, the Committee
shall be composed of--
``(A) the heads or such designees of--
``(i) the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
``(ii) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration;
``(iii) the National Science Foundation;
``(iv) the Office of Science and Technology Policy; and
``(v) the Office of Management and Budget; and
``(B) the head of any other Federal agency, or such
designee, the chair considers appropriate.
``(3) Meetings.--The Committee shall meet not less than once a
year at the call of the Director of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology.
``(4) General purpose and duties.--The Committee shall oversee
the planning and coordination of the Program.
``(5) Strategic plan.--The Committee shall develop and submit
to Congress, not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of
the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act Reauthorization of
2015, a Strategic Plan for the Program that includes--
``(A) prioritized goals for the Program that will mitigate
against the loss of life and property from future windstorms;
``(B) short-term, mid-term, and long-term research
objectives to achieve those goals;
``(C) a description of the role of each Program agency in
achieving the prioritized goals;
``(D) the methods by which progress towards the goals will
be assessed; and
``(E) an explanation of how the Program will foster the
transfer of research results into outcomes, such as improved
model building codes.
``(6) Progress report.--Not later than 18 months after the date
of enactment of the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act
Reauthorization of 2015, the Committee shall submit to the Congress
a report on the progress of the Program that includes--
``(A) a description of the activities funded under the
Program, a description of how these activities align with the
prioritized goals and research objectives established in the
Strategic Plan, and the budgets, per agency, for these
activities;
``(B) the outcomes achieved by the Program for each of the
goals identified in the Strategic Plan;
``(C) a description of any recommendations made to change
existing building codes that were the result of Program
activities; and
``(D) a description of the extent to which the Program has
incorporated recommendations from the Advisory Committee on
Windstorm Impact Reduction.
``(7) Coordinated budget.--The Committee shall develop a
coordinated budget for the Program, which shall be submitted to the
Congress not later than 60 days after the date of the President's
budget submission for each fiscal year.''.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON WINDSTORM IMPACT REDUCTION.
Section 205 of the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004
(42 U.S.C. 15704) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 205. NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON WINDSTORM IMPACT
REDUCTION.
``(a) In General.--The Director of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology shall establish an Advisory Committee on
Windstorm Impact Reduction, which shall be composed of at least 7 and
not more than 15 members who are qualified to provide advice on
windstorm impact reduction and represent related scientific,
architectural, and engineering disciplines, none of whom may be
employees of the Federal Government, including--
``(1) representatives of research and academic institutions;
``(2) industry standards development organizations;
``(3) emergency management agencies;
``(4) State and local government; and
``(5) business communities, including the insurance industry.
``(b) Assessments.--The Advisory Committee on Windstorm Impact
Reduction shall offer assessments and recommendations on--
``(1) trends and developments in the natural, engineering, and
social sciences and practices of windstorm impact mitigation;
``(2) the priorities of the Program's Strategic Plan;
``(3) the coordination of the Program;
``(4) the effectiveness of the Program in meeting its purposes;
and
``(5) any revisions to the Program which may be necessary.
``(c) Compensation.--The members of the Advisory Committee
established under this section shall serve without compensation.
``(d) Reports.--At least every 2 years, the Advisory Committee
shall report to the Director on the assessments carried out under
subsection (b) and its recommendations for ways to improve the Program.
``(e) Charter.--Notwithstanding section 14(b)(2) of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), the Advisory Committee shall
not be required to file a charter subsequent to its initial charter,
filed under section 9(c) of such Act, before the termination date
specified in subsection (f) of this section.
``(f) Termination.--The Advisory Committee shall terminate on
September 30, 2017.
``(g) Conflict of Interest.--An Advisory Committee member shall
recuse himself from any Advisory Committee activity in which he has an
actual pecuniary interest.''.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 207 of the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004
(42 U.S.C. 15706) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 207. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``(a) Federal Emergency Management Agency.--There are authorized to
be appropriated to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for carrying
out this title--
``(1) $5,332,000 for fiscal year 2015;
``(2) $5,332,000 for fiscal year 2016; and
``(3) $5,332,000 for fiscal year 2017.
``(b) National Science Foundation.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the National Science Foundation for carrying out this
title--
``(1) $9,682,000 for fiscal year 2015;
``(2) $9,682,000 for fiscal year 2016; and
``(3) $9,682,000 for fiscal year 2017.
``(c) National Institute of Standards and Technology.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to the National Institute of Standards
and Technology for carrying out this title--
``(1) $4,120,000 for fiscal year 2015;
``(2) $4,120,000 for fiscal year 2016; and
``(3) $4,120,000 for fiscal year 2017.
``(d) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration for carrying out this title--
``(1) $2,266,000 for fiscal year 2015;
``(2) $2,266,000 for fiscal year 2016; and
``(3) $2,266,000 for fiscal year 2017.''.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.