[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 106 (Monday, June 25, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H5590-H5591]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES IMPROVEMENT AMENDMENTS ACT

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 221) to reauthorize the Hydrographic Services 
Improvement Act of 1998, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 221

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Hydrographic Services 
     Improvement Amendments Act''.

     SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES IMPROVEMENT 
                   ACT OF 1998.

       (a) Reauthorizations.--Section 306 of the Hydrographic 
     Services Improvement Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892d) is 
     amended--
       (1) by inserting before ``There are authorized'' the 
     following: ``(a) In General.--'';
       (2) in subsection (a) (as designated by paragraph (1))--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``surveys--'' and all 
     that follows through the end of the paragraph and inserting 
     ``surveys, $70,814,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 
     2023.'';
       (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``vessels--'' and all 
     that follows through the end of the paragraph and inserting 
     ``vessels, $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 
     2023.'';
       (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``Administration--'' and 
     all that follows through the end of the paragraph and 
     inserting ``Administration, $29,932,000 for each of fiscal 
     years 2019 through 2023.'';
       (D) in paragraph (4), by striking 
     ``title--'' and all that follows through the end of the 
     paragraph and inserting ``title, $26,800,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 2019 through 2023.''; and
       (E) in paragraph (5), by striking 
     ``title--'' and all that follows through the end of the 
     paragraph and inserting ``title, $30,564,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 2019 through 2023.''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(b) Arctic Programs.--Of the amount authorized by this 
     section for each fiscal year--
       ``(1) $10,000,000 is authorized for use to acquire 
     hydrographic data, provide hydrographic services, conduct 
     coastal change analyses necessary to ensure safe navigation, 
     and improve the management of coastal change in the Arctic; 
     and
       ``(2) $2,000,000 is authorized for use to acquire 
     hydrographic data and provide hydrographic services in the 
     Arctic necessary to delineate the United States extended 
     Continental Shelf.''.
       (b) Limitation on Administrative Expenses for Surveys.--
     Section 306 of such Act (33

[[Page H5591]]

     U.S.C. 892d) is further amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(c) Limitation on Administrative Expenses for Surveys.--
     Of amounts authorized by this section for each fiscal year 
     for hydrographic surveys, not more than 5 percent is 
     authorized for administrative costs.''.

     SEC. 3. GAO STUDY.

       The Comptroller General of the United States shall, by not 
     later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this 
     Act--
       (1) conduct a study comparing the unit costs of 
     hydrographic surveys conducted by the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration and the unit costs of procuring 
     performance of such surveys; and
       (2) report to the Congress on the findings of such study.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Brown) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska.


                             General Leave

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material for the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Alaska?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 221, the 
Hydrographic Services Improvement Amendments Act.
  I was an original cosponsor and chairman of the House Natural 
Resources Committee when Representative Jim Saxton of New Jersey 
introduced the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998. My 
legislation will reauthorize the act through 2022 and will allow NOAA 
to conduct and contract for hydrographic surveys around the U.S., with 
specific focus on the Arctic.
  Alaska is what makes the United States an Arctic Nation. My State has 
more coastline than any other State in this country, and we don't know 
what is under the surface. We are seeing a significant increase in 
vessel traffic, exploration, and resource development in our Arctic 
waters.
  While hydrographic surveys are a critical part of the maritime 
safety, economic, and environmental efforts nationwide, they are 
especially important in the Arctic.
  Mr. Speaker, there are more than 550,000 square nautical miles in the 
U.S. Arctic exclusive economic zone, otherwise a 200-mile limit. It 
would take decades to survey even half of that space.
  NOAA has designated 38,000 miles as survey priority areas, and 
estimates a range up to 25 years to survey just those priority areas, 
if resources remain at their current level.
  Alaskan waters are incredibly under-surveyed. Before this year, the 
last time the entrances and mouth to the Yukon River were surveyed was 
1899. The river is the most effective route to deliver food and goods 
to coastal and inland villages in western Alaska, and the last on-the-
ground surveys were completed the same year that gold was discovered in 
Nome.
  Mr. Speaker, there are other areas around the Nation that have the 
same problem. This is a very important piece of legislation. If we are 
to continue to utilize the ocean onshore and offshore, I urge the 
passage of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill reauthorizes the Hydrographic Services 
Improvement Act, which funds vital navigation and safety services of 
NOAA's Office of Coast Survey, which maintains more than 1,000 charts 
and publications used by Federal and State agencies, private 
organizations, and the public.
  It is no small feat to do this for our Nation's 95,000 miles of 
shoreline and 3.4 million square nautical miles of water.
  It is critical that we ensure Federal capacity for hydrographic 
surveys, mapping, and charting. NOAA vessels and data support a wide 
range of activities and inform decisions with significant economic, 
environmental, and safety impacts.
  As we face rapidly changing ocean conditions, hydrographic services 
will only become more important. This is particularly true in the 
Arctic, where we will eventually see almost entirely ice-free summers. 
It is not a matter of if, but when and how soon. With that comes an 
entirely new seascape for maritime commerce and transport, defense, and 
natural resources.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my colleague Mr. Young for his hard 
work. I encourage adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 221, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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