[House Report 106-714]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



106th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session                                                     106-714

======================================================================



 
 REAUTHORIZATION OF GRANTS FOR WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY 
                               INSTITUTES

                                _______
                                

 July 10, 2000.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

  Mr. Young of Alaska, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 4132]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 4132) to reauthorize grants for water resources research 
and technology institutes established under the Water Resources 
Research Act of 1984, having considered the same, report 
favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill 
do pass.

                          Purpose of the Bill

    The purpose of H.R. 4132 is to reauthorize grants for water 
resources research and technology institutes established under 
the Water Resources Research Act of 1984.

                               Background

    The state water resources research institutes, under the 
authority of the Water Resources Research Act (42 U.S.C. 10301 
et seq.), have established an effective federal/state 
partnership in water resources, education and information 
transfer. These institutes are located in each of the 50 
states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto 
Rico, and Guam/Federated States of Micronesia. They have worked 
with state and federal agencies and water resources 
stakeholders in their home states for over three decades while 
acting as a network for the exchange of water resources 
research and information transfer among the states.
    In partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the 
water resources research institutes have the capability to 
provide important support to the states in their long-term 
water planning, policy development, and resources management 
efforts. They support research on all topics related to water 
resources and the management of water resources. The 
institutes' outreach and information transfer activities are 
important tools for stakeholders in the water resources 
management community. The nationwide network of water 
institutes, in collaboration with USGS, provides an efficient 
and effective method to meet the diverse water resource needs 
in different parts of our country.
    In 1995, the Water Resources Research Act was amended to 
broadened the scope of the Act to include natural resources and 
agricultural systems. The amendments also changed the matching 
fund requirements for grants to two non-federal dollars for 
each federal dollar. Provided with base support of 
approximately $4 million in direct federal appropriations, the 
institutes leveraged these funds into over $71 million in 
Fiscal Year 1999. Other 1995 amendments encouraged increased 
coordination among other federal agencies and the water 
resource research institutes, and supported a program of 
internships at the undergraduate and graduate levels to carry 
out the educational and training objectives of the Act. In 
Fiscal Year 1999 the institutes had significant research 
collaboration with 123 other universities, 148 state agencies 
and over 273 private sector, local governments or other 
entities. In addition, approximately1000 students were 
partially supported or trained.

                            Committee Action

    H.R. 4132 was introduced on March 30, 2000, by Congressman 
John Doolittle (R-CA). The bill was referred to the Committee 
on Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on 
Water and Power. On May 11, 2000, the Subcommittee met to 
consider the bill. No amendments were offered and the bill was 
ordered favorably reported to the Full Committee by voice vote. 
On May 24, 2000, the Full Resources Committee met to consider 
the bill. No amendments were offered and the bill was ordered 
favorably reported to the House of Representatives by voice 
vote.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis


Section 1. Reauthorization of Water Resources Research Act of 1984

    This section reauthorizes the Water Resources Research Act 
of 1984 to provide authorization for appropriations for Fiscal 
Years 2001 through 2005 for program grants and grants for 
research focused on interstate water problems.

            Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations

    Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Resources' oversight findings and recommendations 
are reflected in the body of this report.

                   Constitutional Authority Statement

    Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United 
States grants Congress the authority to enact this bill.

                    Compliance With House Rule XIII

    1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and 
a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be 
incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) 
of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when 
the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted 
cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
    2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2) 
of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this 
bill does not contain any new budget authority, spending 
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease 
inrevenues or tax expenditures.
    3. Government Reform Oversight Findings. Under clause 
3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives, the Committee has received no report of 
oversight findings and recommendations from the Committee on 
Government Reform on this bill.
    4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause 
3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives and section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act 
of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate 
for this bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                      Washington, DC, June 5, 2000.
Hon. Don Young,
Chairman, Committee on Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4132, a bill to 
reauthorize grants for water resources research and technology 
institutes established under the Water Resources Research Act 
of 1984.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Rachel 
Applebaum.
            Sincerely,
                                          Barry B. Anderson
                                    (For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
    Enclosure.

H.R. 4132--A bill to reauthorize grants for water resources research 
        and technology institutes established under the Water Resources 
        Research Act of 1984

    Summary: H.R. 4132 would reauthorize the Water Resources 
Research Act through 2005. Under that act, the U.S. Geological 
Survey (USGS) provides grants for research and education to 
research and technology institutes located in each of the 50 
states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. The 
bill would authorize the appropriation of $76 million over the 
2001-2005 period for the USGS to continue those grant programs.
    CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 4132 would cost $72 
million over the 2001-2005 period, assuming appropriation of 
the authorized amounts. The bill would not affect direct 
spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would 
not apply. H.R. 4132 contains no intergovernmental or private-
sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 
(UMRA). State and local governments might incur some costs to 
match the federal funds authorized by this bill, but these 
costs would be voluntary.
    Estimated cost to the Federal Government: For this 
estimate, CBO assumes that the authorized amounts will be 
appropriated and that outlays will follow the historical 
spending patterns for these grant programs. The estimated 
impact of H.R. 4132 is shown in the following table. The costs 
of this legislation fall within budget function 300 (natural 
resources and the environment).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
                                                              2000     2001     2002     2003     2004     2005
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION

Spending Under Current Law:
    Budget Authority \1\..................................        5        0        0        0        0        0
    Estimated Outlays.....................................        4        1        0        0        0        0
Proposed Changes:
    Authorization Level...................................        0       12       14       14       18       18
    Estimated Outlays.....................................        0       10       13       14       17       18
Spending Under H.R. 4132:Authorization Level \1\                  5       12       14       14       18       18
    Estimated Outlays.....................................        4       11       13       14       17       18
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The 2000 level is the amount appropriated for that year for USGS grants under the Water Resources Research
  Act.

    Pay-as-You-go Considerations: None.
    Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 4132 
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
defined in UMRA. State and local governments might incur some 
costs to match the federal funds authorized by this bill, but 
these costs would be voluntary.
    Previous CBO estimate: On April 27, 2000, CBO transmitted a 
cost estimate for S. 2297, a bill to reauthorize the Water 
Resources Research Act of 1984, as ordered reported by the 
Senate committee on Environment and Public Works on April 13, 
2000. The bills are nearly identical, and the cost estimates 
are the same.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal costs: Rachel Applebaum. 
Impact on State, local, and tribal governments: Marjorie 
Miller. Impact on the Private Sector: Natalie Tawil.
    Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.

                    Compliance with Public Law 104-4

    This bill contains no unfunded mandates.

               Preemption of State, Local, or Tribal Law

    This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local, or 
tribal law.

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

  In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):

        SECTION 104 OF THE WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ACT OF 1984

  Sec. 104. (a)  * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

  (f)(1) For the purpose of carrying out this section, there is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary the sum of 
[$5,000,000 for fiscal year 1996, $7,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 1997 and 1998, and $9,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
1999 and 2000] $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2001, $10,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2002 and 2003, and $12,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2004 and 2005 such sums to remain available until 
expended.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

  (g)(1) There is further authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary of the Interior the sum of [$3,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 1996 through 2000] $3,000,000 for fiscal year 
2001, $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 and 2003, and 
$6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 and 2005 only for 
reimbursement of the direct cost expenses of additional 
research or synthesis of the results of research by institutes 
which focuses on water problems and issues of a regional or 
interstate nature beyond those of concern only to a single 
State and which relate to specific program priorities 
identified jointly by the Secretary and the institutes. Such 
funds when appropriated shall be matched on a not less than 
dollar-for-dollar basis by funds made available to institutes 
or groups of institutes, by States or other non-Federal 
sources. Funds made available under this subsection shall 
remain available until expended.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                                
