[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 133 (Wednesday, December 6, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H8788-H8793]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TSUNAMI WARNING AND EDUCATION ACT

  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1674) to authorize and strengthen the tsunami detection, 
forecast, warning, and mitigation program of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, to be carried out by the National Weather 
Service, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1674

       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 ``Tsunami Warning and 
     Education Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) The term ``Administration'' means the National Oceanic 
     and Atmospheric Administration.
       (2) The term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of 
     the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

     SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

       The purposes of this Act are--
       (1) to improve tsunami detection, forecasting, warnings, 
     notification, outreach, and mitigation to protect life and 
     property in the United States;
       (2) to enhance and modernize the existing Pacific Tsunami 
     Warning System to increase coverage, reduce false alarms, and 
     increase the accuracy of forecasts and warnings, and to 
     expand detection and warning systems to include other 
     vulnerable States and United States territories, including 
     the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico areas;
       (3) to improve mapping, modeling, research, and assessment 
     efforts to improve tsunami detection, forecasting, warnings, 
     notification, outreach, mitigation, response, and recovery;
       (4) to improve and increase education and outreach 
     activities and ensure that those receiving tsunami warnings 
     and the at-risk public know what to do when a tsunami is 
     approaching;
       (5) to provide technical and other assistance to speed 
     international efforts to establish regional tsunami warning 
     systems in vulnerable areas worldwide, including the Indian 
     Ocean; and
       (6) to improve Federal, State, and international 
     coordination for detection, warnings, and outreach for 
     tsunami and other coastal impacts.

     SEC. 4. TSUNAMI FORECASTING AND WARNING PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Administrator, through the National 
     Weather Service and in consultation with other relevant 
     Administration offices, shall operate a program to provide 
     tsunami detection, forecasting, and warnings for the Pacific 
     and Arctic Ocean regions and for the Atlantic Ocean, 
     Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico region.
       (b) Components.--The program under this section shall--
       (1) include the tsunami warning centers established under 
     subsection (d);
       (2) utilize and maintain an array of robust tsunami 
     detection technologies;
       (3) maintain detection equipment in operational condition 
     to fulfill the detection, forecasting, and warning 
     requirements of this Act;
       (4) provide tsunami forecasting capability based on models 
     and measurements, including tsunami inundation models and 
     maps for use in increasing the preparedness of communities, 
     including through the Tsunami-
     Ready program;
       (5) maintain data quality and management systems to support 
     the requirements of the program;
       (6) include a cooperative effort among the Administration, 
     the United States Geological Survey, and the National Science 
     Foundation under which the Geological Survey

[[Page H8789]]

     and the National Science Foundation shall provide rapid and 
     reliable seismic information to the Administration from 
     international and domestic seismic networks;
       (7) provide a capability for the dissemination of warnings 
     to at-risk States and tsunami communities through rapid and 
     reliable notification to government officials and the public, 
     including utilization of and coordination with existing 
     Federal warning systems, including the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio All Hazards Program;
       (8) allow, as practicable, for integration of tsunami 
     detection technologies with other environmental observing 
     technologies; and
       (9) include any technology the Administrator considers 
     appropriate to fulfill the objectives of the program under 
     this section.
       (c) System Areas.--The program under this section shall 
     operate--
       (1) a Pacific tsunami warning system capable of forecasting 
     tsunami anywhere in the Pacific and Arctic Ocean regions and 
     providing adequate warnings; and
       (2) an Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico 
     tsunami warning system capable of forecasting tsunami and 
     providing adequate warnings in areas of the Atlantic Ocean, 
     Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico that are determined--
       (A) to be geologically active, or to have significant 
     potential for geological activity; and
       (B) to pose significant risks of tsunami for States along 
     the coastal areas of the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, or 
     Gulf of Mexico.
       (d) Tsunami Warning Centers.--
       (1) In general.--The Administrator, through the National 
     Weather Service, shall maintain or establish--
       (A) a Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii;
       (B) a West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in 
     Alaska; and
       (C) any additional forecast and warning centers determined 
     by the National Weather Service to be necessary.
       (2) Responsibilities.--The responsibilities of each tsunami 
     warning center shall include--
       (A) continuously monitoring data from seismological, deep 
     ocean, and tidal monitoring stations;
       (B) evaluating earthquakes that have the potential to 
     generate tsunami;
       (C) evaluating deep ocean buoy data and tidal monitoring 
     stations for indications of tsunami resulting from 
     earthquakes and other sources;
       (D) disseminating forecasts and tsunami warning bulletins 
     to Federal, State, and local government officials and the 
     public;
       (E) coordinating with the tsunami hazard mitigation program 
     described in section 5 to ensure ongoing sharing of 
     information between forecasters and emergency management 
     officials; and
       (F) making data gathered under this Act and post-warning 
     analyses conducted by the National Weather Service or other 
     relevant Administration offices available to researchers.
       (e) Transfer of Technology; Maintenance and Upgrades.--
       (1) In general.--In carrying out this section, the National 
     Weather Service, in consultation with other relevant 
     Administration offices, shall--
       (A) develop requirements for the equipment used to forecast 
     tsunami, which shall include provisions for multipurpose 
     detection platforms, reliability and performance metrics, and 
     to the maximum extent practicable how the equipment will be 
     integrated with other United States and global ocean and 
     coastal observation systems, the global earth observing 
     system of systems, global seismic networks, and the Advanced 
     National Seismic System;
       (B) develop and execute a plan for the transfer of 
     technology from ongoing research described in section 6 into 
     the program under this section; and
       (C) ensure that maintaining operational tsunami detection 
     equipment is the highest priority within the program carried 
     out under this Act.
       (2) Report to congress.--
       (A) Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, the National Weather Service, in consultation with 
     other relevant Administration offices, shall transmit to 
     Congress a report on how the tsunami forecast system under 
     this section will be integrated with other United States and 
     global ocean and coastal observation systems, the global 
     earth observing system of systems, global seismic networks, 
     and the Advanced National Seismic System.
       (B) Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment to 
     this Act, the National Weather Service, in consultation with 
     other relevant Administration offices, shall transmit a 
     report to Congress on how technology developed under section 
     6 is being transferred into the program under this section.
       (f) Federal Cooperation.--When deploying and maintaining 
     tsunami detection technologies, the Administrator shall seek 
     the assistance and assets of other appropriate Federal 
     agencies.
       (g) Annual Equipment Certification.--At the same time 
     Congress receives the budget justification documents in 
     support of the President's annual budget request for each 
     fiscal year, the Administrator shall transmit to the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Science of the House of 
     Representatives a certification that--
       (1) identifies the tsunami detection equipment deployed 
     pursuant to this Act, as of December 31 of the preceding 
     calendar year;
       (2) certifies which equipment is operational as of December 
     31 of the preceding calendar year;
       (3) in the case of any piece of such equipment that is not 
     operational as of such date, identifies that equipment and 
     describes the mitigation strategy that is in place--
       (A) to repair or replace that piece of equipment within a 
     reasonable period of time; or
       (B) to otherwise ensure adequate tsunami detection 
     coverage;
       (4) identifies any equipment that is being developed or 
     constructed to carry out this Act but which has not yet been 
     deployed, if the Administration has entered into a contract 
     for that equipment prior to December 31 of the preceding 
     calendar year, and provides a schedule for the deployment of 
     that equipment; and
       (5) certifies that the Administrator expects the equipment 
     described in paragraph (4) to meet the requirements, cost, 
     and schedule provided in that contract.
       (h) Congressional Notifications.--The Administrator shall 
     notify the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
     of the Senate and the Committee on Science of the House of 
     Representatives within 30 days of--
       (1) impaired regional forecasting capabilities due to 
     equipment or system failures; and
       (2) significant contractor failures or delays in completing 
     work associated with the tsunami forecasting and warning 
     system.
       (i) Report.--Not later than January 31, 2010, the 
     Comptroller General of the United States shall transmit a 
     report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science of 
     the House of Representatives that--
       (1) evaluates the current status of the tsunami detection, 
     forecasting, and warning system and the tsunami hazard 
     mitigation program established under this Act, including 
     progress toward tsunami inundation mapping of all coastal 
     areas vulnerable to tsunami and whether there has been any 
     degradation of services as a result of the expansion of the 
     program;
       (2) evaluates the National Weather Service's ability to 
     achieve continued improvements in the delivery of tsunami 
     detection, forecasting, and warning services by assessing 
     policies and plans for the evolution of modernization 
     systems, models, and computational abilities (including the 
     adoption of new technologies); and
       (3) lists the contributions of funding or other resources 
     to the program by other Federal agencies, particularly 
     agencies participating in the program.
       (j) External Review.--The Administrator shall enter into an 
     arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences to review 
     the tsunami detection, forecast, and warning program 
     established under this Act to assess further modernization 
     and coverage needs, as well as long-term operational 
     reliability issues, taking into account measures implemented 
     under this Act. The review shall also include an assessment 
     of how well the forecast equipment has been integrated into 
     other United States and global ocean and coastal observation 
     systems and the global earth observing system of systems. Not 
     later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, 
     the Administrator shall transmit a report containing the 
     National Academy of Sciences' recommendations, the 
     Administrator's responses to the recommendations, including 
     those where the Administrator disagrees with the Academy, a 
     timetable to implement the accepted recommendations, and the 
     cost of implementing all the Academy's recommendations, to 
     the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Science of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (k) Report.--Not later than 3 months after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall establish a 
     process for monitoring and certifying contractor performance 
     in carrying out the requirements of any contract to construct 
     or deploy tsunami detection equipment, including procedures 
     and penalties to be imposed in cases of significant 
     contractor failure or negligence.

     SEC. 5. NATIONAL TSUNAMI HAZARD MITIGATION PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Administrator, through the National 
     Weather Service and in consultation with other relevant 
     Administration offices, shall conduct a community-based 
     tsunami hazard mitigation program to improve tsunami 
     preparedness of at-risk areas in the United States and its 
     territories.
       (b) Coordinating Committee.--In conducting the program 
     under this section, the Administrator shall establish a 
     coordinating committee comprising representatives of Federal, 
     State, local, and tribal government officials. The 
     Administrator may establish subcommittees to address region-
     specific issues. The committee shall--
       (1) recommend how funds appropriated for carrying out the 
     program under this section will be allocated;
       (2) ensure that areas described in section 4(c) in the 
     United States and its territories can have the opportunity to 
     participate in the program;
       (3) provide recommendations to the National Weather Service 
     on how to improve the TsunamiReady program, particularly on 
     ways to make communities more tsunami resilient through the 
     use of inundation maps and other mitigation practices; and

[[Page H8790]]

       (4) ensure that all components of the program are 
     integrated with ongoing hazard warning and risk management 
     activities, emergency response plans, and mitigation programs 
     in affected areas, including integrating information to 
     assist in tsunami evacuation route planning.
       (c) Program Components.--The program under this section 
     shall--
       (1) use inundation models that meet a standard of accuracy 
     defined by the Administration to improve the quality and 
     extent of inundation mapping, including assessment of 
     vulnerable inner coastal and nearshore areas, in a 
     coordinated and standardized fashion to maximize resources 
     and the utility of data collected;
       (2) promote and improve community outreach and education 
     networks and programs to ensure community readiness, 
     including the development of comprehensive coastal risk and 
     vulnerability assessment training and decision support tools, 
     implementation of technical training and public education 
     programs, and providing for certification of prepared 
     communities;
       (3) integrate tsunami preparedness and mitigation programs 
     into ongoing hazard warning and risk management activities, 
     emergency response plans, and mitigation programs in affected 
     areas, including integrating information to assist in tsunami 
     evacuation route planning;
       (4) promote the adoption of tsunami warning and mitigation 
     measures by Federal, State, tribal, and local governments and 
     nongovernmental entities, including educational programs to 
     discourage development in high-risk areas; and
       (5) provide for periodic external review of the program.
       (d) Savings Clause.--Nothing in this section shall be 
     construed to require a change in the chair of any existing 
     tsunami hazard mitigation program subcommittee.

     SEC. 6. TSUNAMI RESEARCH PROGRAM.

       The Administrator shall, in consultation with other 
     agencies and academic institutions, and with the coordinating 
     committee established under section 5(b), establish or 
     maintain a tsunami research program to develop detection, 
     forecast, communication, and mitigation science and 
     technology, including advanced sensing techniques, 
     information and communication technology, data collection, 
     analysis, and assessment for tsunami tracking and numerical 
     forecast modeling. Such research program shall--
       (1) consider other appropriate research to mitigate the 
     impact of tsunami;
       (2) coordinate with the National Weather Service on 
     technology to be transferred to operations;
       (3) include social science research to develop and assess 
     community warning, education, and evacuation materials; and
       (4) ensure that research and findings are available to the 
     scientific community.

     SEC. 7. GLOBAL TSUNAMI WARNING AND MITIGATION NETWORK.

       (a) International Tsunami Warning System.--The 
     Administrator, through the National Weather Service and in 
     consultation with other relevant Administration offices, in 
     coordination with other members of the United States 
     Interagency Committee of the National Tsunami Hazard 
     Mitigation Program, shall provide technical assistance and 
     training to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, 
     the World Meteorological Organization, and other 
     international entities, as part of international efforts to 
     develop a fully functional global tsunami forecast and 
     warning system comprising regional tsunami warning networks, 
     modeled on the International Tsunami Warning System of the 
     Pacific.
       (b) International Tsunami Information Center.--The 
     Administrator, through the National Weather Service and in 
     consultation with other relevant Administration offices, in 
     cooperation with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic 
     Commission, shall operate an International Tsunami 
     Information Center to improve tsunami preparedness for all 
     Pacific Ocean nations participating in the International 
     Tsunami Warning System of the Pacific, and may also provide 
     such assistance to other nations participating in a global 
     tsunami warning system established through the 
     Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. As part of its 
     responsibilities around the world, the Center shall--
       (1) monitor international tsunami warning activities around 
     the world;
       (2) assist member states in establishing national warning 
     systems, and make information available on current 
     technologies for tsunami warning systems;
       (3) maintain a library of materials to promulgate knowledge 
     about tsunami in general and for use by the scientific 
     community; and
       (4) disseminate information, including educational 
     materials and research reports.
       (c) Detection Equipment; Technical Advice and Training.--In 
     carrying out this section, the National Weather Service--
       (1) shall give priority to assisting nations in identifying 
     vulnerable coastal areas, creating inundation maps, obtaining 
     or designing real-time detection and reporting equipment, and 
     establishing communication and warning networks and contact 
     points in each vulnerable nation;
       (2) may establish a process for transfer of detection and 
     communication technology to affected nations for the purposes 
     of establishing the international tsunami warning system; and
       (3) shall provide technical and other assistance to support 
     international tsunami programs.
       (d) Data-Sharing Requirement.--The National Weather 
     Service, when deciding to provide assistance under this 
     section, may take into consideration the data sharing 
     policies and practices of nations proposed to receive such 
     assistance, with a goal to encourage all nations to support 
     full and open exchange of data.

     SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
     Administrator to carry out this Act--
       (1) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, of which--
       (A) not less than 27 percent of the amount appropriated 
     shall be for the tsunami hazard mitigation program under 
     section 5; and
       (B) not less than 8 percent of the amount appropriated 
     shall be for the tsunami research program under section 6;
       (2) $26,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, of which--
       (A) not less than 27 percent of the amount appropriated 
     shall be for the tsunami hazard mitigation program under 
     section 5; and
       (B) not less than 8 percent of the amount appropriated 
     shall be for the tsunami research program under section 6;
       (3) $27,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, of which--
       (A) not less than 27 percent of the amount appropriated 
     shall be for the tsunami hazard mitigation program under 
     section 5; and
       (B) not less than 8 percent of the amount appropriated 
     shall be for the tsunami research program under section 6;
       (4) $28,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, of which--
       (A) not less than 27 percent of the amount appropriated 
     shall be for the tsunami hazard mitigation program under 
     section 5; and
       (B) not less than 8 percent of the amount appropriated 
     shall be for the tsunami research program under section 6; 
     and
       (5) $29,000,000 for fiscal year 2012, of which--
       (A) not less than 27 percent of the amount appropriated 
     shall be for the tsunami hazard mitigation program under 
     section 5; and
       (B) not less than 8 percent of the amount appropriated 
     shall be for the tsunami research program under section 6.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to yield the time to 
Mr. Boehlert.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from New 
York will control the time.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
York.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in just about 2 weeks, we will reach the second 
anniversary of the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami that began off the 
coast of Indonesia and resulted in the deaths of at least 150,000 
people and injuring and dislocation of millions more. It was an event 
that stunned the entire world and eventually prompted an enormous 
outpouring of international aid. Among other things, the event was a 
reminder of the often forgotten but awesome power of nature, which we 
ignore at our own peril.
  But an acknowledgement of nature's power does not mean that we are 
powerless. Quite the contrary, we needlessly seal our own doom if we 
fail to take steps that can reduce the significant impact of natural 
disasters at home and abroad. And in the case of tsunamis, which by 
definition travel across the seas paying no mind to international 
borders, the approach has to be global to be effective.
  The tsunamis that can cause damage in the U.S. are just as likely to 
begin overseas as off our own coast. And in addition to humanitarian 
concerns, the U.S. pays a high price both in aid and in threats to 
international stability when cataclysmic death results from tsunamis 
overseas. So we need to take action to improve the understanding of 
tsunamis by both scientists and the general public, to improve our 
detection of tsunamis, and to improve our ability to issue warnings 
about approaching tsunamis, and to ensure populations know how to 
respond to such warnings.
  Happily, we are not starting from scratch in any of these areas. The 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration already runs research, 
detection, warning, and outreach programs, and the administration began 
augmenting those programs in 2005 after the Indian Ocean tsunami. But 
we need to ensure that the focus on tsunamis continues even as memories 
of the 2004 tragedy fade, and we need to further strengthen the 
administration

[[Page H8791]]

program along the lines of expert advice we have heard at Science 
Committee hearings. The experts were particularly concerned that more 
be done in the area of outreach so that the public understands more 
about tsunamis and what to do if one is approaching. They also called 
for more research so we could predict tsunamis and their paths more 
accurately.
  I should add that tsunamis are not a theoretical threat for the U.S. 
The seismically active west coast is particularly vulnerable and has 
experienced tsunamis in the past. Even a small tsunami can cause 
damage. An earthquake off the coast of Japan last month produced a 
tsunami that hit California with wave surges of only 5 or 6 feet, but 
it caused an estimated $700,000 in damage in just one town.
  So we need to maintain and strengthen the Nation's tsunami programs. 
That is exactly what H.R. 1674 would do; it would give specific 
continuing congressional direction to efforts in tsunami research, 
prediction, detection, warning, and outreach, the full spectrum of 
needed activities. The bill would also improve congressional oversight 
of the program by requiring updates on the condition of tsunami 
monitoring equipment and several studies of the overall effectiveness 
of the tsunami program.
  This is a good, carefully targeted, economical, bipartisan bill. I 
wish to thank my cosponsor, Jay Inslee, for all his hard work and 
persistence on this bill. He understands well how his constituents in 
Washington State could be in harm's way for a tsunami. I also want to 
thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the Science Committee 
who, as usual, contributed to the bill which passed the committee long 
ago by voice vote. I also want to thank the Transportation and 
Infrastructure and International Relations Committees for working with 
us on their jurisdictional claims. And, finally, I want to thank 
Senator Ted Stevens and Senator Dan Inouye and their staffs for working 
with us to put together a compromise bill. This bill is ready for 
Senate action and should go to the President for signature this week.
  Mr. Speaker, we ought to act now to prevent future tragedies from 
tsunamis. We can't prevent tsunamis, but we can greatly limit the loss 
of life from them. This bill will help us do just that, not just in the 
U.S., but abroad, and I urge its passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  First, Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment for an appreciation 
of Mr. Boehlert, the retiring chairman of the Science Committee. He is 
a consummate legislator; he has talked the talk and walked the walk of 
promoting the public good over partisanship. He has run the Science 
Committee in a gentlemanly, bipartisan fashion. And to me, as an aging 
junior Member of this body, when I think of who I would like to be when 
I grow up, one of those people is Sherry Boehlert.

                              {time}  1300

  I rise in support of H.R. 1674, the U.S. Tsunami Warning and 
Education Act. I am an original cosponsor of this legislation, and I am 
proud to have worked with Chairman Boehlert and Chairman Ehlers on this 
important bill.
  We cannot prevent earthquakes and tsunamis, but we can prepare for 
them. We can ensure that citizens of our coastal communities take 
appropriate safety steps when the inevitable occurs.
  Detection and forecasting are not sufficient. State and local 
communities must be prepared to disseminate the warning and direct the 
public to safety areas. Individual citizens must know where to go when 
they receive a warning. All this must be done well in advance of a 
tsunami.
  I am fortunate to represent a beautiful expanse of the Oregon coast. 
However, we are also well aware of the potential danger presented by 
the Cascadia fault located just offshore of Oregon, Washington and 
California.
  In Oregon, we face the threat of a 9.0 Richter Scale coastal 
earthquake and resulting tsunami. Scientists warn it is not whether 
this natural disaster will occur, but when. Unlike hurricanes Katrina 
and Rita, there will be absolutely no warning of the earthquake. When 
the 9.0 Cascadia earthquake hits, it will rock the ground for 4 to 5 
minutes, perhaps raising and dropping the ground level 4 to 8 feet at 
each rumble. After the quake, Oregonians will have only 10 to 30 
minutes to reach high ground before the tsunami rolls ashore.
  Oregon has already done a great deal to keep our coastline beautiful 
and our citizens safe. Cannon Beach, Oregon, was one of the first 
coastal communities to be designated tsunami-ready by NOAA. H.R. 1674 
builds upon the successful partnership that exists between the Federal, 
State and local governments on the west coast to ensure that all U.S. 
coastal communities will be prepared to deal with tsunamis.
  This bill authorizes the type of comprehensive system we must have if 
we are to avoid the catastrophic loss of life caused by the December 
2004 Indonesian earthquake.
  Previously, funding for tsunamis focused more heavily on detection 
and forecasting systems hardware. While this hardware will help protect 
the Chinese and Japanese across the ocean in the event of a Cascadia 
earthquake, it is only mitigation programs focusing on educating the 
public that are key to protecting Oregonians, Washingtonians and 
Californians from a Cascadia fault quake.
  I am particularly pleased that this legislation includes a specific 
percentage of funding for tsunami hazard education and mitigation. 
While I would like to see a more aggressive increase in funding over 
the lifetime of the bill, I believe these funding levels represent a 
good start. This program supports vital activities such as inundation 
mapping, public education and encouraging local communication networks.
  Again, I would like to thank Chairman Boehlert and Chairman Ehlers 
for working with me in a bipartisan and collegial manner on this 
legislation. H.R. 1674 is a good bill, and I urge all Members to 
support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on H.R. 1674, as amended, the bill now 
under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, let me say to Mr. Wu how much I appreciate 
his kind remarks. We are partners on the Science Committee in a 
bipartisan manner to bring forward an agenda from that committee that 
not only does the committee proud, does this Congress proud, but does 
this Nation proud.
  And one of the privileges of being the chairman of the Science 
Committee is to work with my fellow chairmen like Don Young, and I 
happen to be a senior member of that committee. I appreciate his 
leadership, don't always follow it, but I really do appreciate his 
leadership. We have had a good, constructive working relationship in so 
many areas, and particularly on this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young).
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his kind 
words. We will miss you. I even tried to get you to run again.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1674, the Tsunami 
Warning and Education Act. I want to commend Chairman Boehlert, and 
even Mr. Inslee from Washington, Mr. Wu, for working on this 
legislation in an effort to make America's coastal communities safer.
  Alaska, my State, is no stranger to the horrible forces of tsunamis. 
During the past century, four large tsunamis have devastated our 
coastline. The worst occurred in 1964, when the State was struck by a 
magnitude 9.4 earthquake. Many of the communities along Prince William 
Sound and Kodiak Island were completely wiped out. Tsunami waves killed 
more than 100 people and caused almost $400 million worth of damage, 
and that is not in today's dollars, but 1964 dollars, to Alaska alone.
  The inability to properly warn Alaskans of these deadly tsunamis 
prompted the creation of a tsunami warning

[[Page H8792]]

system for Alaska and the rest of the Pacific. H.R. 1674 enhances and 
modernizes this existing tsunami warning system. It also expands the 
detection and warning system to include other vulnerable areas of the 
United States.
  It is not enough to have warning systems in place, people need to 
know where to go when a tsunami is going to hit. The mitigation program 
in this bill helps develop evacuation plans and improves awareness in 
vulnerable communities.
  This bill will help protect Alaskans and other Americans from the 
same kind of devastation we suffered in 1964. I support this 
legislation with all my heart.
  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to my 
friend and colleague from Oregon (Ms. Hooley).
  (Ms. HOOLEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to publicly 
thank Chairman Boehlert for the kind of job he does every single day on 
committee, which is working across the aisle and trying to make this 
world a better place for people, a little safer, and to really look at 
the future. He cares very much about the future. And I thank the 
gentleman from Oregon for all of his work on this legislation and for 
yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues not only from the west coast but 
across the country in support of this legislation.
  I know that the impetus for this bill was the horrible destruction 
and loss of life that occurred in Southeast Asia in December of 2004. 
But one only has to look at last month's news and the tsunami warnings 
issued along the west coast after an earthquake in Japan to understand 
that the threat is very real and very important.
  In the last 2 years, I have made a lot of trips to the Oregon coast, 
and talked with many constituents about the possibility of a tsunami of 
similar size and destructive force striking somewhere along Oregon, 
Washington or the northern California coast.
  I have spoken with State geologists, tsunami researchers at many 
universities, and emergency management planners, and they all agree it 
is not a question of if but when the next big tsunami will strike the 
west coast.
  While this legislation or any legislation will not guarantee total 
protection, I do think that the funding in this bill for education and 
mitigation programs will go a long way towards making our Nation's 
citizens more aware of the dangers posed by tsunamis and more prepared 
to act and ultimately safer. This is truly a bill that will save lives.
  I am also pleased there is money included in the legislation that 
will improve international coordination for detection and warnings, 
particularly in vulnerable regions like the Indian Ocean. It is in the 
best interest of the United States to assist in detection and 
monitoring of seismic events and tsunamis around the world because a 
large tsunami generated in Japan has a potential to do major damage to 
many places along the western coastline.
  It is for these reasons that I am proud to be a cosponsor of this 
legislation and urge my colleagues in the House and the other Chamber 
to quickly pass this legislation and to begin to provide support for 
our communities and our citizens.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 4 minutes to 
the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), who is a real leader not just 
on the Science Committee but in this Congress. We benefit greatly from 
his special experience as a scientist, a physicist, a respected member 
of his profession, but also a respected colleague. When Vern Ehlers 
talks, we listen.
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his kind words, and 
also have a good deal of sorrow in my heart because of his departure 
from this Congress. You have contributed so much, Mr. Chairman, and we 
deeply appreciate what you have done.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this life-saving bill. 
H.R. 1674, as amended, will provide the tools our communities need to 
protect their citizens from the threat of tsunamis.
  On December 26, 2004, one of the most devastating tsunamis ever 
recorded struck the unsuspecting nations of the Indian Ocean Basin. 
According to the U.N., almost a quarter-million people lost their lives 
or have never been found, and millions more were displaced. These 
numbers are impossible to comprehend. It represents more than the 
number of people killed in the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear weapons 
blasts. The effects of this tragedy will be felt for generations.
  As we recovered from the shock of the event, we naturally began to 
ask the question: How can we prevent this from happening again?
  H.R. 1674, as amended, the Tsunami Warning and Education Act, is part 
of the answer. Tsunami warning systems can save lives by giving people 
the time they need to get out of harm's way. This bill will expand the 
coverage of our tsunami warning systems to cover both the coasts of the 
U.S., not just the Pacific coast, giving more of our citizens critical 
protection.
  Of equal importance, this bill will help communities develop 
efficient evacuation plans as well as effective systems for 
broadcasting warnings. It will also help educate the public so that 
they know how to respond to those warnings. In short, this bill will 
give our coastal communities the tools they need to save lives.
  Our Nation has been fortunate not to have experienced a tsunami of 
the magnitude of the Indian Ocean tsunami--yet. Nor have we escaped all 
harm. Tsunamis have killed over 300 people in the U.S. in my lifetime, 
and the threat remains real, whether in Alaska or Crescent City, 
California, or any of our other coastal areas.
  It is critical that we give our coastal communities the tools and 
timely information they need to alert their citizens to coming danger, 
and passing this bill will help make that happen.
  It is unfortunate that it often takes a tragic event to bring natural 
disaster response planning to our attention. This makes it all the more 
important that we seize on this opportunity to help prevent future 
tragedies here in the U.S. and around the world. It is of utmost 
importance that we pass this bill to establish a tsunami forecast and 
warning system for the United States, aid other countries in doing the 
same, and educate the public to understand and heed the warnings.
  I want to once again emphasize this bill will save lives. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in strong support of H.R. 1674, as amended.
  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to my colleague 
from Washington (Mr. Inslee).
  (Mr. INSLEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. INSLEE. Mr. Speaker, today we will be taking action so that 
America's shorelines do not suffer the same fate as Indonesia's on 
December 26, 2004. I am very pleased that this prolonged effort has 
arrived today where Congress is going to take measures to give 
Americans a warning and an ability to avoid damage from a tsunami 
before that big tsunami hits.
  We are in danger and threatened on our coastlines in Washington. 
First, I will allude to the Pacific. Right off the coastline of 
Washington and Oregon in the Pacific is what is called the Cascadia 
subduction zone. This is an evil twin sister of the fault in Indonesia. 
It is almost identical to the fault off the coastline of Indonesia that 
caused that quake that cost hundreds of thousands of lives. We have 
similar subduction zones in the Alaskan-Aleutian zone. We are in the 
bull's-eye of a potential tsunami. In fact, one happened on February 
26, 1700, off the coastline of Washington, and sent what could have 
been 50-foot waves onto the coastline. We need to do a better job, and 
this bill is a good start.
  The good news is we have some great technology to deal with this 
issue. We have these detection buoys that use a product developed in 
Redmond, Washington, in my district, by a company called Paro 
Scientific. These buoys are anchored off the coastline and they have a 
little sensor that is on the bottom of the ocean that can measure the 
difference of depth of one-tenth of an inch over 2-mile deep water. It 
is an incredible technology. Then it radios changes in the average 
depth of the ocean to a satellite. In a matter of seconds, we have a 
system that can generate information along our coastlines. We have six 
of these buoys, we need at least 20 in the Pacific. For the first

[[Page H8793]]

time, this bill will put some buoys in the Atlantic as well.

                              {time}  1315

  This will be a first international tsunami warning system using what 
are called piezometers to measure the depth of the ocean.
  The second thing the bill is going to do is the critical link in the 
chain of warning because buoys aren't enough. We have got to have a way 
to warn people, to educate people, to have systems in place so that 
they can evacuate along the coastlines. A little community called 
LaPush, Washington now has a system where they can move the whole city 
in about 12 to 15 minutes. We need to have those systems, and this bill 
is going to do that.
  I want to say there is an additional benefit of this bill. False 
alarms happen as well. And when false alarms happen, we lose millions 
of dollars when we have false alarms. This whole system will reduce 
false alarms so that for the first time we can have a credible, 
meaningful, reliable tsunami detection and warning system in this 
country. It is overdue. I am glad we are going to have it happen. It is 
one of the crowning achievements of the great career of Chairman 
Sherwood Boehlert, who has done such great work for the environment and 
for science. We are all going to miss his great leadership.
  I want to note a fellow who just left the Speaker's chair, 
Representative Charlie Bass, who hopefully will take credit for this as 
well for his great environmental stewardship. And it is a good day for 
America's shorelines to protect us from tsunamis.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I want to thank Mr. Inslee for those very kind comments. I want to 
thank all my colleagues. It has been a great privilege to work with you 
and for you and for this great institution.
  I also want to observe, before we bring this to a close, the great 
work of the staff on both sides of the aisle who have labored long and 
hard, almost 2 years on this bill alone. We don't give enough 
recognition to the staff. Those of us who are more visible, we come 
before the House and we are recorded on C-SPAN and everybody says they 
are doing some good deeds. But the real driving force behind so much of 
what we do is the very able professional staff that we literally are 
blessed with, both Democrat and Republican.
  And this comes from a former staff member, but I came to Capitol Hill 
42 years ago as a starry-eyed young staffer. I got 3 years off for good 
behavior. I was elected county executive back home, and for the past 24 
years I have been privileged to serve in my own right as a Member. But 
in those 42 years, one of the most dramatic changes, and people are 
asking me this all the time as I am taking leave, what has changed 
about the House and about Congress, this institution? One of the most 
dramatic changes that is so often overlooked is a change for the good, 
for the positive, the very high degree of professionalism so evident in 
the staffs of the committees. And I take the Science Committee as a 
classic example of how it should be done by all. The professionalism, 
the hard work, dedication on both sides of the aisle.
  And we are going into a new chapter. We as Republicans are going from 
the majority to the minority. The Democrats are going from the minority 
to the majority. And people are saying, well, what is going to change? 
Well, I will tell you what is not going to change in the Science 
Committee. It is the working relationship across that center divide, 
the professionals who day in and day out prepare us for the debates, 
the hearings, and for the activities that we are about. That is not 
going to change. The Democrats will have a few more and the Republicans 
will have a few less, but I guarantee you this: As the next Congress 
comes to a close and people are looking back on its performance, I 
fully expect that the Science Committee once again will be one of the 
stars in this Chamber.
  So with that, let me say to my colleagues on the committee how 
fortunate I consider myself to have had the privilege of working with 
and for you over the years, and as I say to all my colleagues in this 
Chamber, I urge your support for H.R. 1674, as amended. It is a bill 
that demonstrates that when we work together, we can accomplish so much 
for so many.
  Mr. Speaker, I insert an exchange of letters between the Committees 
on Science and International Relations in the Record.
  I want to thank the staff on both sides of the aisle, who have 
labored for more than 2 years on this bill. That includes Eric Webster, 
who has since moved on to NOAA, and David Goldston, Sara Gray, Chad 
English, and especially Amy Carroll, who has worked tirelessly to keep 
this bill moving forward.

         Congress of the United States, Committee on International 
           Relations,
                                 Washington, DC, December 6, 2006.
     Hon. Sherwood Boehlert,
     Chairman, Committee on Science,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing regarding the 
     jurisdictional interest of the Committee on International 
     Relations in H.R. 1674, the Tsunami Warning and Education 
     Act, as proposed for consideration under suspension of the 
     Rules of the House.
       The Committee on International Relations recognizes the 
     importance of H.R. 1674 and the need for the legislation to 
     move expeditiously. Therefore, I will not stand in the way of 
     floor consideration. This, of course, is conditional on our 
     mutual understanding that nothing in this legislation or my 
     decision to allow the bill to come to the floor waives, 
     reduces or otherwise affects the jurisdiction of the 
     Committee on International Relations, and that a copy of this 
     letter and your letter in response will be included in the 
     Congressional Record when the bill is considered on the House 
     Floor.
       Thank you for your attention to this matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Henry J. Hyde,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                         Committee on Science,

                                 Washington, DC, December 6, 2006.
     Hon. Henry J. Hyde,
     Chairman, Committee on International Relations, Washington, 
         DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding 
     floor consideration of H.R. 1674, the Tsunami Warning and 
     Education Act, as proposed for consideration under suspension 
     of the Rules of the House. I appreciate your willingness to 
     work with me so that H.R. 1674 can move expeditiously to the 
     floor.
       I agree that your action does not waive, reduce or 
     otherwise affect any jurisdiction your Committee might have 
     over H.R. 1674. As you requested, the exchange of letters 
     between our two committees will be included in the 
     Congressional Record during consideration of the bill on the 
     House floor.
       Thank you for your cooperation in moving this important 
     legislation.
           Sincerely,
                                                Sherwood Boehlert,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gillmor). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1674, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds of those voting having 
responded in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as 
amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________