[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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