[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 87 (Monday, June 27, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H5203-H5205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL GEOLOGIC MAPPING REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005
Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 2362) to reauthorize and amend the National Geologic Mapping
Act of 1992, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
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 Geologic Mapping
Reauthorization Act of 2005''.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENT REFERENCES.
Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this
Act 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 such section or
other provision of the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992
(43 U.S.C. 31a et seq.).
SEC. 3. FINDINGS.
Section 2(a) (43 U.S.C. 31a(a)) is amended as follows:
(1) By striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
``(1) although significant progress has been made in the
production of geologic maps
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since the establishment of the National Cooperative Geologic
Mapping Program in 1992, no modern, digital, geologic map
exists for approximately 75 percent of the Nation;''.
(2) Paragraph (2) is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (C) by inserting ``homeland and'' after
``planning for'';
(B) in subparagraph (E) by striking ``predicting'' and
inserting ``identifying'';
(C) by striking ``and'' after the semicolon at the end of
subparagraph (I);
(D) by redesignating subparagraph (J) as subparagraph (K);
and
(E) by inserting after subparagraph (I) the following:
``(J) recreation and public awareness; and''.
(3) Paragraph (9) is amended by striking ``important'' and
inserting ``available''.
SEC. 4. PURPOSE.
Section 2(b) (43 U.S.C. 31a(b)) is amended by striking
``protection'' and inserting ``management''.
SEC. 5. DEADLINES FOR ACTIONS BY THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL
SURVEY.
Section 4(b)(1) (43 U.S.C. 31c(b)(1)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``not later than'' and
all that follows through the semicolon and inserting ``not
later than one year after the date of the enactment of the
National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 2005;'';
(2) in subparagraph (B) by striking ``not later than'' and
all that follows through ``in accordance'' and inserting
``not later than one year after the date of the enactment of
the National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 2005 in
accordance''; and
(3) in subparagraph (C) in the matter preceding clause (i)
by striking ``not later than'' and all that follows through
``submit'' and inserting ``submit biennially''.
SEC. 6. GEOLOGIC MAPPING PROGRAM OBJECTIVES.
Section 4(c)(2) (43 U.S.C. 31c(c)(2)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``geophysical-map data base, geochemical-
map data base, and a''; and
(2) by striking ``provide'' and inserting ``provides''.
SEC. 7. GEOLOGIC MAPPING PROGRAM COMPONENTS.
Section 4(d)(1)(B)(ii) (43 U.S.C. 31c(d)(1)(B)(ii)) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' after the semicolon at the end of
subclause (I);
(2) by striking the period at the end of subclause (II) and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(III) the needs of Department of the Interior land
management agencies.''.
SEC. 8. GEOLOGIC MAPPING ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
Section 5(a) (43 U.S.C. 31d(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking ``Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency or a designee'' and inserting ``Secretary
of the Interior or a designee from a land management agency
of the Department of the Interior'';
(B) by inserting ``and'' after ``Energy or a designee,'';
and
(C) by striking ``, and the Assistant to the President for
Science and Technology or a designee''; and
(2) in paragraph (3)--
(A) by striking ``Not later than'' and all that follows
through ``consultation'' and inserting ``In consultation'';
(B) by striking ``Chief Geologist, as Chairman'' and
inserting ``Associate Director for Geology, as Chair''; and
(C) by striking ``one representative from the private
sector'' and inserting ``two representatives from the private
sector''.
SEC. 9. FUNCTIONS OF NATIONAL GEOLOGIC MAP DATABASE.
Section 7(a) (43 U.S.C. 31f(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1) by striking ``geologic map'' and
inserting ``geologic-map''; and
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by inserting
``information on how to obtain'' after ``that includes''; and
(B) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``under the Federal
component and the education component'' and inserting ``with
funding provided under the national cooperative geologic
mapping program authorized by section 4(a)''.
SEC. 10. BIENNIAL REPORT.
Section 8 (43 U.S.C. 31g) is amended by striking ``Not
later'' and all that follows through ``biennially'' and
inserting ``Not later than 3 years after the date of the
enactment of the National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization
Act of 2005 and biennially''.
SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; ALLOCATION.
Section 9 (43 U.S.C. 31h) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
``(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this Act $64,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2006 through 2010.''; and
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) by striking ``2000'' and inserting ``2005'';
(B) by striking ``48'' and inserting ``50''; and
(C) by striking ``2'' and inserting ``4''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Mexico (Mr. Pearce) and the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce).
General Leave
Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H.R. 2362, the bill under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Mexico?
There was no objection.
Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 2362, a bill to
reauthorize and amend the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992,
introduced by the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) and the
gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin).
Geologic maps are important in identifying the Nation's water,
energy, and mineral resources. Knowing where our resources are located
is important in developing a sound national energy and minerals program
that will allow us to become more energy independent, providing for a
stronger, more secure economy and homeland.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important
legislation that gets real results by producing new geologic maps on an
annual basis.
I urge adoption of the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
(Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, as my friend and colleague the
gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce) has stated, H.R. 2362 would
reauthorize the Geologic Mapping Act of 1992.
The U.S. Geological Survey and the State geological authorities carry
out the geologic mapping program jointly. Under this program, Federal
and State geologists develop comprehensive geological maps of the
United States and a related database of environmental and scientific
information.
The mapping program contributes significantly to our understanding of
geologic information such as the distribution of mineral energy and
groundwater resources.
Mr. Speaker, we should support H.R. 2362 and I urge its passage.
I would also at this time like to thank the entire Resources staff,
including especially Debra Lanzone.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons).
(Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from
New Mexico (Mr. Pearce) and also the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr.
Udall), for allowing me time to speak on this very important bill which
I introduced along with my very good friend and colleague the
gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin).
H.R. 2362 demonstrates a commitment, a commitment by not only this
body, but by our country, to provide timely geologic information in a
digital format to a variety of users, including our county health
departments, State environmental agencies, Federal agencies, and even
the private sector, Mr. Speaker. To date, no modern digital geologic
map exists for approximately 75 percent of this country.
Geologic mapping has a variety of important uses as we have already
heard. And understanding the subsurface soil, geology soil profiles
through the use of geologic mapping can facilitate better planning,
better planning for a variety of community projects including housing
developments, schools and hospitals, septic systems for rural and urban
communities and water treatment facilities and the construction of even
highways and roadways as well.
Now, siting these types of facilities in appropriate geologic
settings is important to avoid or mitigate for geologic hazards such as
landslides, earthquakes, subsiding soils or swelling soils, sinkholes,
volcanic eruptions and even floodplains.
H.R. 2362 authorizes the cooperative matching grant program between
the State geologic surveys and the United States Geologic Survey
through the fiscal year 2010.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I would urge all of my colleagues,
understanding the
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value of this important piece of legislation, to vote in the
affirmative for its passage.
{time} 1545
Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional requests for time, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Issa). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2362, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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