[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.
____________________