[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 23, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H1330-H1331]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES AMENDMENTS OF 2004

  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 958) to authorize certain hydrographic services programs, to 
name a cove in Alaska in honor of the late Able Bodied Seaman Eric 
Steiner Koss, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 958

       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 ``Hydrographic Services 
     Amendments of 2004''.

            TITLE I--NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES IMPROVEMENT

     SEC. 101. REFERENCES.

       Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this 
     title an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an 
     amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the 
     reference shall be considered to be made to a section or 
     other provision of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act 
     of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892 et seq.).

     SEC. 102. FUNCTIONS OF ADMINISTRATOR.

       (a) Regional Navigation Response Teams.--Section 303(a) (33 
     U.S.C. 892a(a)) is amended by striking paragraphs (7) and (8) 
     and inserting the following:
       ``(7) establish, equip, and maintain up to 4 Regional 
     Navigation Response teams in priority coastal areas 
     identified by the Secretary, in consultation with the 
     Commandant of the Coast Guard, to conduct activities related 
     to navigational safety and the validation of hydrographic 
     data;
       ``(8) to the greatest extent practicable and cost-
     effective, fulfill the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (7) 
     through contracts or other agreements with private sector 
     entities; and
       ``(9) participate in the development of, and implement for 
     the United States in cooperation with other appropriate 
     Federal agencies, international standards for hydrographic 
     data and hydrographic services.''.
       (b) Authority To Accept Volunteer Services.--Section 303 
     (33 U.S.C. 892a) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(d) Authority To Accept Volunteer Services.--
       ``(1) In general.--To help fulfill the duties of the 
     Administrator, including authorities under the Act of 1947 
     (33 U.S.C. 883a et seq.), this Act, or in response to a 
     maritime emergency, the Administrator may--
       ``(A) establish a volunteer program; and
       ``(B) enter into special agreements with qualified 
     organizations to assist in the implementation of a volunteer 
     program.
       ``(2) Legal status of volunteers.--
       ``(A) Paragraphs (1) through (5) of section 7(c) of the 
     Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(c)) shall apply 
     to volunteers who provide services to the Administrator under 
     a volunteer program established under paragraph (1).
       ``(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), any reference in 
     section 7(c) of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 
     742f(c)) to the Secretary of Interior or the Secretary of 
     Commerce is deemed to refer to the Administrator.
       ``(3) Qualified organization.--In this subsection, the term 
     `qualified organization' means a nongovernmental, not-for-
     profit organization, determined by the Administrator to have 
     demonstrated expertise in boating safety and a commitment to 
     improving the quality of hydrographic services and related 
     oceanographic and meteorological information that is made 
     available to mariners.
       ``(e) Participation in Joint Institute.--The Secretary may 
     participate in a joint institute that develops new 
     hydrographic technology and conducts academic, educational, 
     and outreach activities that assist the Administrator in 
     fulfilling the functions of the Administrator under this 
     section.''.

     SEC. 103. KOSS COVE.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law 
     or existing policy, the cove described in subsection (b) 
     shall be known and designated as ``Koss Cove'', in honor of 
     the late Able Bodied Seaman Eric Steiner Koss of the National 
     Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vessel RAINIER who 
     died in the performance of a nautical charting mission off 
     the Alaskan coast.
       (b) Cove Described.--The cove referred to in subsection (a) 
     is--
       (1) adjacent to and southeast of Point Elrington, Alaska, 
     and forms a portion of the southern coast of Elrington 
     Island;
       (2) \3/4\ mile across the mouth;
       (3) centered at 59 degrees 56.1 minutes North, 148 degrees 
     14 minutes West; and
       (4) 45 miles of Seward, Alaska.
       (c) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, 
     document, record, map, or other paper of the United States to 
     the cove described in subsection (b) is deemed to be a 
     reference to Koss Cove.

     SEC. 104. DEPICTION OF SAME SHORELINES ON CHARTS AND MAPPING 
                   PRODUCTS.

       Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of the 
     Act, the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the 
     Interior, in consultation with the Federal Emergency 
     Management Agency, shall provide to the Committee on 
     Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
     on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a plan 
     to depict the same shorelines on National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration nautical charts and United States 
     Geological Survey mapping products.

     SEC. 105. AMENDMENTS TO THE HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES PANEL.

       Section 305 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 
     1998 (33 U.S.C. 892c) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``Secretary'' and 
     inserting ``Secretary of Commerce''; and
       (2) in subsection (c)(3), subsection (d), and subsection 
     (e), by striking ``Secretary'' each place it appears and 
     inserting ``Administrator''.

[[Page H1331]]

     SEC. 106. GREAT LAKES WATER LEVEL MEASUREMENTS.

       Section 306(5) of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act 
     of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892d(5)) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (E) as 
     clauses (i) through (v), respectively;
       (2) by striking ``(5)'' and inserting ``(5)(A)''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(B) Of the amounts authorized under subparagraph (A), 
     $2,000,000 in each fiscal year is authorized for the Great 
     Lakes Water Level Observation Network.''.

                    TITLE II--FISHERY SURVEY VESSELS

     SEC. 201. FISHERY SURVEY VESSELS.

       Section 302(c) of the Fisheries Survey Vessel Authorization 
     Act of 2000 (33 U.S.C. 891b note) is amended by striking 
     ``$60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 and 2003'' and 
     inserting ``$51,000,000 for fiscal year 2005 and $39,000,000 
     for fiscal year 2006.

     SEC. 202. ACQUISITION OF HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEY VESSEL.

       No later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall submit to the 
     Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and 
     the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate--
       (1) a detailed requirements package and cost estimate for 
     the construction and equipping of a hydrographic survey 
     vessel that is capable of--
       (A) staying at sea continuously for at least 30 days;
       (B) carrying at least 4 hydrographic survey launches;
       (C) conducting hydrographic surveys; and
       (D) conducting other work necessary to provide mariners 
     with the accurate and timely data needed to conduct safe and 
     efficient maritime commerce;
       (2) an explanation of what vessel or vessels would be 
     retired if a vessel described in paragraph (1) were to become 
     operational; and
       (3) a comparison of the 10-year estimated costs of 
     operation and maintenance of a new vessel described in 
     paragraph (1) versus such costs for a vessel or vessels 
     proposed for retirement under paragraph (2).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Saxton) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton).


                             General Leave

  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on H.R. 958.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the Secretary of Commerce, through the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Association, is responsible for the United States 
navigation services programs. These include the collection of 
hydrographic data, the production and distribution of nautical charts, 
the maintenance of geodetic reference systems, and the measurement and 
prediction of tides and currents.
  In the 1990s, years of budget cuts and a revolution in technology 
left NOAA decades behind in meeting its mission goals and made it 
unable to provide the up-to-date products needed to assure safe and 
efficient marine transportation. In response to this problem, Congress 
enacted the Hydrographic Services Act of 1998. Coupled with increased 
appropriations, the 1998 act has reduced the nautical charting backlog 
for areas critical to navigation and modernized NOAA hydrographic, 
geodetic, and tide and current measurement programs.
  To build on that reauthorization, H.R. 958 creates four regional 
navigation response teams which will conduct activities related to 
navigational safety and the validation of hydrographic data. The bill 
allows the Secretary of Commerce to accept volunteer services and 
create a volunteer program.

                              {time}  1415

  Section 103 of the bill names a cove in Alaska for a sailor who 
drowned while on a nautical charting mission. The bill requires the 
Secretary to provide Congress with a plan to depict shorelines 
consistently on NOAA and the United States Geographical Survey maps. It 
makes technical modifications to the Hydrographic Services Panel. It 
also clarifies that $2 million of the funds authorized each fiscal year 
are for the Great Lakes Water Level Observation Network.
  Finally, Title II of the bill reauthorizes the Fishery Survey Vessel 
Authorization Act of 2000 for 2 years and authorizes the Secretary to 
provide Congress with a plan detailing requirements for the cost for 
the construction and equipping of the hydrographic survey vessel.
  H.R. 958 will continue the progress we have made to get our coastline 
surveys up to date and to make our ports and waterways safer. This is a 
noncontroversial bill and I urge all Members to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. KILDEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, the programs of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, especially NOAA's hydrographic survey, 
current and tide measurements, and nautical charts are extremely 
important to ensure safe marine commerce and navigation.
  H.R. 958 is noncontroversial legislation that would make helpful 
amendments to the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act to clarify 
authority and address recognized gaps in operations.
  I am pleased that this legislation would authorize emergency response 
survey teams to go in and resurvey coastal areas after catastrophic 
storms which will enhance safe navigation for both commercial mariners 
and recreational boaters. I am also very much appreciative that this 
legislation includes my amendment adopted by the Subcommittee on 
Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans to authorize specific 
annual funding for water level observations important to my State of 
Michigan.
  Great Lakes water level measurements constitute one of the longest, 
high-quality hydrological data sets in North America. Reference gauge 
records begin as far back as 1860 and some sporadic records date back 
to the early 1800s.
  We will learn from these observations that the water levels of the 
Great Lakes can and do fluctuate greatly from year to year. These 
fluctuations can have dramatic negative consequences for shipping, port 
and marine operations, and lakeshore erosion throughout the Great Lakes 
Basin.
  My amendment will ensure that adequate funding is allocated by NOAA 
to carry out those important observations in the future.
  In closing, NOAA's navigation and hydrographic services are vital to 
the economic and environmental well-being of our Nation, and I urge all 
Members to support this noncontroversial bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Terry). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 958, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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