[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4640 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4640

 To designate public colleges and universities that provide research, 
data, and recommendations on physical science, social science, economic 
 analysis, policy analysis, risk analysis, monitoring, predicting, and 
  planning for coastal flooding as National Centers of Excellence in 
                 Coastal Flood Research and Education.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 13, 2017

   Mr. Taylor (for himself, Mr. Wittman, and Mr. Scott of Virginia) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
  Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on 
  Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To designate public colleges and universities that provide research, 
data, and recommendations on physical science, social science, economic 
 analysis, policy analysis, risk analysis, monitoring, predicting, and 
  planning for coastal flooding as National Centers of Excellence in 
                 Coastal Flood Research and Education.

    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 Centers of Excellence in 
Coastal Flood Research and Education Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN COASTAL FLOOD RESEARCH AND 
              EDUCATION.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration shall designate public colleges and 
universities as National Centers of Excellence in Coastal Flood 
Research and Education (in this section referred to as ``National 
Centers of Excellence''). The Administrator shall make the first such 
designations by not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of such designation are the following:
            (1) To recognize those institutions of higher education 
        that have exhibited national leadership in research and 
        education in coastal flooding.
            (2) To identify such National Centers of Excellence as 
        sources for expert advice and guidance for Federal agencies 
        engaged in coastal flooding research and education issues and 
        projects.
    (c) Criteria for Designation.--The Administrator shall designate as 
National Centers of Excellence only those public universities and 
colleges that--
            (1) have demonstrated proven expertise in physical and 
        environmental science, flooding, and socioeconomic impacts of 
        flooding research;
            (2) are located in a State that frequently experiences 
        coastal flooding;
            (3) have previously partnered with, or received funds from, 
        Federal agencies for coastal flooding and watershed issues, 
        including the Corps of Engineers, the United States Geological 
        Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
        the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Science 
        Foundation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, 
        and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
            (4) have been designated by State legislation as technical 
        and scientific advisory entities with respect to coastal 
        flooding for State agencies and localities;
            (5) can demonstrate formal institutional collaborations in 
        coastal flooding research and education with other public 
        universities or colleges within the same State; and
            (6) can demonstrate a history of convening local, State, 
        and Federal entities, including Department of Defense commands, 
        to develop plans for coastal flooding.

SEC. 3. PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION WITH FEDERAL, REGIONAL, STATE, 
              AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS.

    As a condition of designation as a National Center of Excellence 
under this Act, the Administrator shall require a public college or 
university to enter into an agreement with the Administrator under 
which it agrees to--
            (1) collaborate on Federal flood-related issues with 
        Federal agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management 
        Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National 
        Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science 
        Foundation, and the Department of Agriculture;
            (2) collaborate and share best practices on regional, 
        State, and locally specific flooding and flood-related issues 
        with--
                    (A) State, county, and local governments;
                    (B) local councils of governments or regional 
                planning organizations;
                    (C) State agriculture, natural resource, 
                environment, economic development, and water agencies;
                    (D) floodplain managers;
                    (E) State homeland security personnel, county 
                disaster recovery coordinators, emergency management 
                personnel, and first responders;
                    (F) resource conservation and development councils;
                    (G) watershed organizations and boards;
                    (H) agriculture and commodity organizations and 
                farmers;
                    (I) environmental organizations; and
                    (J) business and development organizations; and
            (3) explore opportunities to collaborate, when appropriate, 
        on Federal flood-related issues with other Federal agencies 
        such as the Bureau of Reclamation, the Tennessee Valley 
        Authority, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park 
        Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Public Health 
        Service, the National Science Foundation, the Department of 
        Defense, the Department of the Interior, the Department of 
        Housing and Urban Development, and various national 
        laboratories.

SEC. 4. INFORMATION COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION; REVIEWS AND 
              ADDITIONAL DESIGNATIONS.

    (a) Annual Report.--The Administrator shall annually submit to 
Congress and the President a report describing the activities, 
partnerships and collaborations, Federal policy recommendations, 
previous and continuing budgets, and findings of, and any other 
applicable information from, the National Centers of Excellence, and 
make such report available to the public in an easily accessible 
electronic format on website of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration.
    (b) Review of Reports From National Centers of Excellence.--The 
Administrator shall review reports from National Centers of Excellence 
to ensure that recommendations and guidance of such Centers in regard 
to flooding and flood-related issues are communicated to relevant 
Federal agencies.
    (c) Review of National Centers of Excellence and Potential 
Designees.--The Administrator shall periodically review the National 
Centers of Excellence and potential new designees as such Centers, to--
            (1) ensure that the National Centers of Excellence continue 
        to meet the criteria for designation under this Act; and
            (2) designate additional National Centers of Excellence in 
        accordance with this Act.
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