House Report 109-503 - NATIONAL INTEGRATED DROUGHT INFORMATION SYSTEM ACT OF 2006

[House Report 109-503]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

109th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 109-503

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

NATIONAL INTEGRATED DROUGHT INFORMATION SYSTEM ACT OF 2006

_______

June 15, 2006.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed

_______

Mr. Boehlert, from the Committee on Science, submitted the following

R E P O R T

[To accompany H.R. 5136]

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

The Committee on Science, to whom was referred the bill (H.R.
5136) to establish a National Integrated Drought Information
System within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration to improve drought monitoring and forecasting
capabilities, having considered the same, report favorably
thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill as
amended do pass.

CONTENTS

Page
I. Amendment.......................................................2
II. Purpose of the Bill.............................................2
III. Background and Need for the Legislation.........................3
IV. Summary of Hearings.............................................5
V. Committee Actions...............................................7
VI. Summary of Major Provisions of the Bill, as Reported............7
VII. Section-by-Section Analysis (By Title and Section), as Reported.8
VIII. Committee Views.................................................8
IX. Cost Estimate..................................................10
X. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate......................10
XI. Compliance with Public Law 104-4 (Unfunded Mandates)...........11
XII. Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations...............11
XIII. Statement on General Performance Goals and Objectives..........11
XIV. Constitutional Authority Statement.............................12
XV. Federal Advisory Committee Statement...........................12
XVI. Congressional Accountability Act...............................12
XVII. Statement on Preemption of State, Local, or Tribal Law.........12
XVIII.Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported..........12

XIX. Committee Recommendations......................................12
XX. Proceedings of Subcommittee Markup.............................13
XXI. Proceedings of Full Committee Markup...........................25

I. AMENDMENT

The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``National Integrated Drought
Information System Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Drought.--The term ``drought'' means a deficiency in
precipitation--
(A) that leads to a deficiency in surface or
subsurface water supplies (including rivers, streams,
wetlands, ground water, soil moisture, reservoir
supplies, lake levels, and snow pack); and
(B) that causes or may cause--
(i) substantial economic or social impacts;
or
(ii) substantial physical damage or injury to
individuals, property, or the environment.
(2) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means the
Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.

SEC. 3. NIDIS PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--The Under Secretary, through the National Weather
Service and other appropriate weather and climate programs in the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall establish a
National Integrated Drought Information System.
(b) System Functions.--The National Integrated Drought Information
System shall--
(1) provide an effective drought early warning system that--
(A) is a comprehensive system that collects and
integrates information on the key indicators of drought
in order to make usable, reliable, and timely drought
forecasts and assessments of drought, including
assessments of the severity of drought conditions and
impacts;
(B) communicates drought forecasts, drought
conditions, and drought impacts on an ongoing basis
to--
(i) decisionmakers at the Federal, regional,
State, tribal, and local levels of government;
(ii) the private sector; and
(iii) the public,
in order to engender better informed and more timely
decisions thereby leading to reduced impacts and costs;
and
(C) includes timely (where possible real-time) data,
information, and products that reflect local, regional,
and State differences in drought conditions;
(2) coordinate, and integrate as practicable, Federal
research in support of a drought early warning system; and
(3) build upon existing forecasting and assessment programs
and partnerships.
(c) Consultation.--The Under Secretary shall consult with relevant
Federal, regional, State, tribal, and local government agencies,
research institutions, and the private sector in the development of the
National Integrated Drought Information System.
(d) Cooperation From Other Federal Agencies.--Each Federal agency
shall cooperate as appropriate with the Under Secretary in carrying out
this Act.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act--
(1) $11,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
(2) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
(3) $13,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
(4) $14,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
(5) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
(6) $16,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.

II. PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of the bill is to establish a National
Integrated Drought Information System within the National
Weather Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration to improve drought forecasting and monitoring
capabilities.

III. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE LEGISLATION

Drought is neither sudden nor violent but it can be among
the most devastating of natural disasters. Unlike other natural
disasters, which have impacts that are often intense but
localized, drought can simultaneously affect wide swaths of the
Nation. In every one of the years from 1885 to 1995, some part
of the United States has experienced a severe or extreme
drought. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) estimates that drought results in total economic impacts
in the U.S. of $6 to $8 billion each year from such impacts as
crop loss; premature livestock sales; degraded water quality;
decreased tourism revenue from limited rafting, boating,
fishing, golfing and skiing; decreased energy generation
capacity; increased groundwater pumping costs; and reduced
barge tonnage for commercial shipping. According to NOAA, the
total cost of particularly severe droughts, including economic
impact and government aid to affected communities, has exceeded
$60 billion in the past.
Experts in drought mitigation argue that substantial losses
from drought are not inevitable. With adequate forecasting and
monitoring capabilities, government and business can adjust
their activities and substantially mitigate the extent and
severity of many impacts of drought. For example, urban water
managers can change reservoir release schedules and impose pre-
drought water restrictions; agricultural users can alter crop
choice and timing of planting to minimize water needs and
potential crop loss, including changing crop rotations and use
of strategic irrigation techniques; forest managers can alter
fire suppression and mitigation plans, including pre-
positioning of assets and people, and can heighten public
awareness of wildfire prevention needs; waterway managers may
be able to plan water releases and dredging activities to
maintain open waterways; managers of animal stocks can budget
for increased feed costs and can sell excess stock when prices
are more favorable; energy providers can manage reservoir
levels and fuel supplies to minimize cost increases due to
reduced hydropower capacity.
Federal, State and local governments make substantial
investments in research on, and monitoring of, drought. But
significant weaknesses remain in current systems for drought
forecasting and monitoring. Many experts believe these
weaknesses need to be addressed by tying together and building
on current drought research and monitoring efforts to improve
drought forecasting, planning, and mitigation.

Weaknesses in Current Federal Drought Monitoring and Forecasts

Beginning in 1999 and 2000, the Federal Government began
providing drought information as two low-resolution-national
maps: the U.S. Drought Monitor, and the U.S. Seasonal Drought
Outlook.
The Drought Monitor map, updated weekly at http://
www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html. is a subjective assessment
of national-scale trends in drought extent and severity. The
map is a synthesis of multiple drought indices, outlooks and
news accounts produced after consultation among scientists at
NOAA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the
University of Nebraska.
In contrast to the Drought Monitor which assesses current
conditions, the U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook is a forecast
that is produced monthly by NOAA. This map and accompanying
discussion product, the result of a subjective synthesis of
forecast tools, provide a three-month prediction of general,
large-scale drought trends and can be found at: http://
www.cpc.noaa.gov/products/expert_assessment/
seasonal_drought.html.
Water managers, water users, and drought researchers have
identified four primary weaknesses in current drought forecast
and monitoring efforts. First, no mechanism currently exists to
comprehensively assess the extent, severity, or impacts of
drought with the level of detail required to support operation
decision-making. Determination and assessment of drought is
made particularly difficult by the lack of a single definition
that is fully embraced by water users, managers, regulators,
and scientists. No single definition exists because the
definition depends on both the causes and impacts of drought,
which may vary greatly from region to region. Partly due to the
lack of a standard definition of drought, and partly due to the
existence of many disparate monitoring efforts, local
governments each use different sets of indicators and triggers
to determine when a drought occurs. Equally important, there is
no comprehensive effort across all levels of government to
measure the impacts of drought, leaving decision-makers in the
dark as to the extent and severity of the agricultural,
economic, and social consequences of drought.
Second, not all of the data collected by federal programs
are delivered in a timely fashion, and in compatible formats.
Some of the data come from cooperative programs that require
periodic collection and delivery of the data, whereas other
data are collected in a continuous manner. Furthermore,
different federal programs use different data formats, making
the combination of data from multiple sources difficult.
Third, current drought forecast and monitoring products
(the U.S. Drought Monitor and U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook)
provide general guidance on current and future drought risk,
but do not provide enough detail and are not updated frequently
enough to meet the operational needs of most water managers and
users. While water managers can use these low resolution maps
to communicate the overall state and trends of drought, the
maps do not distinguish drought conditions on an individual
reservoir or watershed level, which is the level at which water
managers need information to make operational decisions.
Finally, there is no single coordinating agency that
operates a clearinghouse or a prediction model incorporating
the drought-related data and tools produced by the many
federal, state, and local agencies that work on drought
management and that collect drought-related information.
Current drought forecasts provided by the federal government
involve manually collecting data and products from the many
federal, state, tribal and local sources, subjectively weighing
the value of the many forecast parameters and indices that may
influence drought conditions, and manually drawing maps to
represent ``best estimates'' of drought risk throughout the
country.
To address these issues and facilitate the development of a
more comprehensive, realtime drought information and
forecasting system, NOAA collaborated closely with other
federal agencies, the Western Governors' Association (WGA) and
other stakeholders to identify the drought product needs of
state and local users and developed a plan for a National
Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). The key goals of
NIDIS over the next five years are: to expand monitoring and
data collection systems to include coordinated, comprehensive
coverage of key indicators such as soil moisture and ground
water; (2) to implement an integrated data collection and
dissemination system; and (3) to develop effective and useful
tools to support analysis and decision-making at all levels and
geographic scales.
Under the proposed NIDIS plan, coordination of monitoring
efforts across agencies is expected to lead to more efficient
and effective data collection, decreased duplication of effort,
and more even and complete monitoring of critical regions.
Expanded monitoring will include collection of soil moisture
data (soil moisture is currently modeled but only sparsely
measured) and more comprehensive groundwater measurements.
Also as part of NIDIS, NOAA will develop a web portal as a
single point of information for users of drought related
information and tools, eliminating the need for water managers
to collect data from multiple sites, in multiple formats. Part
of the NIDIS plan includes development of new and higher-
resolution tools to allow users to more closely examine the
drought risk in their state, watershed, and county. NOAA also
expects to significantly improve drought forecasts through an
initiative to statistically re-evaluate drought-related data
from the past 100 years. This effort is expected to yield a
better understanding of the conditions that presage drought in
all regions of the country, providing information that NOAA
scientists can use to improve drought prediction models.
NOAA projects that it will take five to six years to fully
implement NIDIS with gradual improvement in NOAA's drought
forecasting and monitoring capabilities occurring throughout
the implementation process. The social, economic and
environmental effects of drought are expected to grow as
growing U.S. populations demand more water for more uses,
including municipal and agricultural use, recreation and
habitat preservation.

IV. SUMMARY OF HEARINGS

On May 4, 2006, the Subcommittee on Environment,
Technology, and Standards held a hearing titled ``Improving
Drought Monitoring and Forecasting: H.R. 5136, the National
Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006'' to better
understand ways to forecast and predict occurrences of drought,
which can have profound economic, social, and environmental
impacts, and to receive comments on H.R. 5136, the National
Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006.
The witnesses were: (1) Dr. Chester Koblinsky, Director,
Climate Program Office, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration; (2) Mr. Duane Smith, Vice Chair, Western States
Water Council; Representative, Western Governors' Association;
(3) Mr. Kenneth Dierschke, President, Texas Farm Bureau; (4)
Mr. Marc D. Waage, P.E., Manager, Raw Water Supply, Denver
Water, Denver, Colorado; (5) Dr. Donald A. Wilhite, Director,
National Drought Mitigation Center, University of Nebraska.
All of the witnesses expressed support for more effective
drought forecasting and monitoring envisioned as part of NIDIS
in H.R. 5136.
Dr. Koblinsky discussed the role that NOAA has played in
monitoring drought, specifically mentioning the U.S. Drought
Monitor--a weekly update of drought conditions throughout the
United States. He said that because drought is an interplay
between water availability and human use, supplying better
information to natural resource managers will help alleviate
the effects of drought. According to Dr. Koblinsky, NIDIS will
incorporate existing drought information and forecasts, and
fill information and data gaps with additional observations and
research in order to provide this critical information.
Mr. Smith testified that much of the currently available
information is not presented in a usable format. NIDIS, Mr.
Smith said, will integrate a variety of forecasting methods,
analysis techniques and observations to allow decision-makers
to easily access climatic information. Mr. Smith stated that
NIDIS will include assessments from sectors that have not
previously been considered, such as livestock, timber,
wildlife, energy, recreation, and tourism sectors. Mr. Smith
reported that the Western Governors unanimously support NIDIS.
Mr. Dierschke discussed the devastating effects of drought
on his home state of Texas, including over $1 billion in
damages to the agricultural community in 2005 alone. Beyond
direct crop loss, Mr. Dierschke mentioned the long-term effect
of deteriorated rangeland. He argued in support of long-term
weather forecasting, citing the limitations of current one week
forecasts for decision-making. Mr. Dierschke concluded by
saying that the Farm Bureau supports H.R. 5136, and that NIDIS
will help farmers and ranchers better prepare for the future.
Mr. Waage, the Manager of Raw Water Supply for Denver,
discussed the severity of drought in Colorado and how Denver
uses weather-related information to budget water. Describing
ways that NIDIS will improve drought preparedness, Mr. Waage
said NIDISwill: provide a database of up-to-date information;
facilitate interaction between the government and those affected by
drought; and provide much needed long-range weather forecasts. Mr.
Waage strongly supported the bill.
Dr. Wilhite discussed the role that the National Drought
Mitigation Center (NDMC) has had in drought monitoring and
mitigation, including development of the first Internet based
drought impact database. He emphasized the need for sound
information to be readily available for decision-makers. Dr.
Wilhite said that the NDMC could be a helpful partner for NOAA
throughout the implementation of NIDIS and concurred with other
witnesses that better climate data, more reliable forecasts and
a more timely communication of this data will improve water
management. Dr. Whilhite strongly supported the bill.
In response to questions, Dr. Koblinsky discussed the scope
of NIDIS in monitoring not only drought and floods, but a
variety of climatic states, and discussed how NOAA is using the
Ocean Observing System to gather information that is expected
to help develop more accurate long-term forecast tools. While
discussing NOAA's current capabilities and potential
improvements to those capabilities, he noted several aspects of
monitoring and data collection that are in need of improvement,
specifically in the fields of soil moisture sensors and stream
gauging networks.

V. COMMITTEE ACTIONS

On April 6, 2006, Congressmen Ralph Hall and Mark Udall
introduced H.R. 5136, the national Integrated Drought
Information System Act of 2006, which was referred to the
Committee on Science. On May 4, 2006, the Environment,
Technology, and Standards Subcommittee held a hearing on the
state of drought forecasting and monitoring, drought
information needs of water users, and on the bill itself.
The Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards
also met on May 4, 2006 to consider the bill. Subcommittee
Chairman Ehlers offered an amendment, which made technical and
clarifying corrections. The amendment was adopted by a voice
vote and the Subcommittee favorably reported the bill, H.R.
5136, as amended, by a voice vote, and authorized staff to make
technical and conforming changes as necessary.
On June 7, 2006, the Full Committee on Science considered
H.R. 5136. Mr. Hall offered a manager's amendment to reduce
total authorizations to $81 million. The amendment was agreed
to by a voice vote, and the motion to adopt the bill, as
amended, was agreed to by a voice vote. Mr. Gordon moved that
the Full Committee favorably report H.R. 5136, as amended, to
the House with the recommendation that the bill, as amended, do
pass, and that the staff be instructed to prepare the
legislative report and make necessary technical and conforming
changes, and that the Chairman take all necessary steps to
bring the bill before the House for consideration. With a
quorum present, the motion was agreed to by a voice vote.

VI. SUMMARY OF MAJOR PROVISIONS OF THE BILL AS REPORTED

The Act provides a definion of drought, and establishes a
National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) within
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Act
specifies that NIDIS shall serve as an effective early drought
warning system providing the following: (1) a comprehensive
system to collect and integrate information on drought for
usable, reliable, and timely drought assessments and forecasts;
(2) a means to communicate forecasts, conditions and impacts on
an ongoing basis to the private sector, and decision-makers at
all levels of government to aid timely, informed decisions
leading to reduced impacts and costs; and (3) a means to
include timely and, to the extent practicable, real-time
information reflecting local, regional, and State differences
in drought conditions. The Act also specifies that NIDIS shall
coordinate and integrate federal research in support of a
drought early warning system. NOAA shall consult with relevant
government agencies, research institutions and the private
sector in the development of NIDIS.

VII. SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS (BY TITLE AND SECTION), AS REPORTED

Section 1. short title

National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006.

Section 2. Definitions

Defines two terms: (1) ``drought'' means a deficiency in
precipitation that leads to a deficiency in surface or
subsurface water supplies and that causes (or may cause)
substantial economic or social impacts or physical damage or
injury to people, property, or the environment; (2) ``Under
Secretary'' means the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans
and Atmosphere.

Section 3. NIDIS program

Directs the Under Secretary to establish the National
Integrated Drought Information System through the National
Weather Service and other appropriate programs in NOAA.
Specifies that the system shall provide an effective
drought early warning system and shall coordinate and
integrate, as practicable, Federal research in support of the
system. Specifies that NIDIS: be a comprehensive system that
collects and integrates information on drought in order to make
usable, reliable, and timely drought forecasts and assessments;
communicate drought forecasts, conditions and impacts on an
ongoing basis to the public and private sectors, and decision-
makers at all levels of government in order to engender
informed and timely decisions leading to reduced impacts and
costs; include timely, and where practicable, real-time data,
information and products reflecting local, regional, and state
differences in drought conditions; and build upon existing
forecasting and assessment programs and partnerships.
Directs the Under Secretary to consult with relevant
Federal, regional, State, tribal and local government agencies,
research institutions, and the private sector in the
development of NIDIS, and requires each Federal agency to
cooperate, as appropriate, with the Under Secretary in carrying
out the Act.

Section 4. Authorization of appropriations

Authorizes $11 million for Fiscal Year 2007, $12 million
for Fiscal Year 2008, $13 million for Fiscal Year 2009, $14
million for Fiscal Year 2010, and $15 million for Fiscal Year
2011 and $16 million for Fiscal Year 2012.

VIII. COMMITTEE VIEWS

Sec 4(a): NIDIS program established

The Committee commends NOAA and other participating public
and private institutions for developing and disseminating
useful drought information such as the U.S. Drought Monitor and
the U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook. As the pressure on water
resources grows, so does the need for timely information for
managing those resources. The Committee believes that NOAA can
tap extensive existing resources inside and outside of the
agency to develop an effective integrated drought forecast and
monitoring system, including drawing on the National Weather
Service's (NWS) expertise in managing operational forecast
programs and in disseminating timely products to support local
decision-making. As it implements the National Integrated
Drought Information System, the Committee expects NOAA to first
leverage existing information, systems and expertise before
investing in new capabilities.
As a first step towards coordination and integration of
existing efforts, not later than one year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Committee expects NOAA to produce a
report, with input from other Federal and non-Federal entities,
that identifies and inventories current information, systems,
expertise and other resources that can contribute to, and be
incorporated into, NIDIS. The report shall be made widely
available to stakeholders and the public, and copies are to be
delivered to the House Committee on Science and the Senate
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Sec 4(b): System functions

The information and products produced by NIDIS must be
effectively communicated to decision-makers at all levels of
government (including Federal, state, local, and tribal
governments) and public and private users on an ongoing, and
where possible, real-time, basis. The Committee expects NOAA to
make use of its experience disseminating other climate and
weather products in support of decision-making, as well as
knowledge gained from direct study of how end users interpret
hydrologic forecasts, such as the Forecast Evaluation Tool
studies funded by NOAA's Office of Global Programs. The
Committee expects NOAA's activities to include engaging end
users in the development of drought-related products. The
Committee further expects NOAA to work with state, regional,
and local entities to ensure that the drought-related data,
information and products developed and disseminated through
NIDIS are put to effective use. This includes, but is not
limited to, encouraging and supporting the development and
implementation of drought response plans.

Sec 4(b)(3): Building on existing efforts

Existing efforts by Federal, State, and other entities
provide an extensive base on which NIDIS can be built. The
Committee intends NIDIS to provide an example for U.S. efforts
to establish a Global Earth Observing System of Systems that
shall coordinate and integrate existing operational
environmental observation systems.
The Committee expects NOAA to coordinate the activities of
NIDIS with existing established drought-related monitoring,
information, and forecasting systems, including efforts to
assess social, economic and environmental impacts of drought,
such as the National Drought Mitigation Center, U.S. Geological
Survey stream gauge networks, and NOAA's Regional Climate
Centers and Regional Integrated Science and Assessment program,
and university-based programs with expertise in climatic,
mesonet, or drought-related issues (such as NOAA's existing
partnerships with the Oklahoma Climatological Survey, the
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences in
Colorado, and the Utah Climate Center at Utah State
University).
The Committee notes that NIDIS will integrate information
that could be useful for planning related to any extremes of
the hydrologic cycle, including both drought and flooding.
Measurement of precipitation, winds, ground water, soil
saturation as well as snowpack, snow depth and coverage will
greatly facilitate hydrological forecasting to predict and
mitigate the impacts of both drought and flooding.

Sec 4(c): Consultation

The Committee expects NOAA to consult on an ongoing basis
with Federal, regional, state, local, tribal, public and
private entities that are involved in the monitoring or
prediction of, or affected by, drought.

Sec 4(d): Cooperation from other Federal Agencies

NIDIS shall build on existing monitoring efforts of Federal
agencies. To prevent unnecessary duplication of effort and to
make the best possible use of federal resources, the Act
requires all Federal agencies that collect or produce
information that NOAA deems useful to NIDIS to cooperate fully,
at whatever level is necessary to ensure success of the system,
in making that information available in a timely manner.

IX. COST ESTIMATE

A cost estimate and comparison prepared by the Director of
the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 has been timely submitted to
the Committee on Science prior to the filing of this report and
is included in Section X of this report pursuant to House Rule
XIII, clause 3(c)(3).
H.R. 5136 does not contain new budget authority, credit
authority, or changes in revenues or tax expenditures. Assuming
that the sums authorized under the bill are appropriated, H.R.
5136 does authorize additional discretionary spending, as
described in the Congressional Budget Office report on the
bill, which is contained in Section X of this report.

X. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

H.R.5136--National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006

Summary: H.R. 5136 would direct the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish an integrated
drought information system within the National Weather Service.
The new system would provide early warnings of droughts by
collecting and disseminating information and would coordinate
federal research on this subject. The bill would authorize the
appropriation of between $11 million and $16 million a year
over the 2007-2012 period.
Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO
estimates that implementing H.R 5136 would cost $4 million in
2007 and $55 million over the 2007-2011 period. (An additional
$26 million would be spent after 2011, including $16 million
authorized to be appropriated for 2012.) CBO estimates that
enacting this bill would have no effect on revenues or direct
spending.
H.R. 5136 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)
and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal
governments.
Estimated Cost to the Federal Government: The estimated
budgetary impact of H.R. 5136 is shown in the following table.
The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300
(natural resources and environment).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
-----------------------------------------------
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Authorization Level............................................. 11 12 13 14 15 16
Estimated Outlays............................................... 4 11 12 14 14 15
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Basis of Estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R.
5136 will be enacted by the beginning of fiscal year 2007 and
that the entire amounts authorized for the drought information
system will be appropriated for each year. Outlays for the new
system have been estimated on the basis of spending patterns
for similar NOAA programs.
Intergovernmental and Private-Sector Impact: H.R. 5136
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as
defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or
tribal governments.
Estimate Prepared by: Federal Costs: Deborah Reis. Impact
on State, local, and Tribal Governments: Lisa Ramirez-Branum
Impact on the Private Sector: Craig Cammarata
Estimate Approved by: Peter H. Fontaine Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.

June 9, 2006.
Hon. Sherwood L. Boehlert,
Chairman, Committee on Science,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 5136, the National
Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
Sincerely,
Donald B. Marron, Acting Director.
Enclosure.

XI. COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4

H.R. 5136 contains no unfunded mandates.

XII. COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The committee on Science's oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.

XIII. STATEMENT ON GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Pursuant to clause (3)(c) of House rule XIII, the goals of
H.R. 5136 are (1) to improve upon existing drought-related
observations and develop a comprehensive drought information
portal that is easily accessible by all water managers and
interested parties, (2) increase research to improve forecasts,
monitoring, analyses, and decision support related to drought
and reducing drought impacts, (3) increase and improve
monitoring, assessment, analysis and communication of the
social, economic, and environmental impacts of drought,
including quantitative products.

XIV. CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United
States grants Congress the authority to enact H.R. 5136.

XV. FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

H.R. 5136, does not create any advisory committees.

XVI. CONGRESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

The Committee finds that H.R. 5136 does not relate to the
terms and conditions of employment or access to public services
or accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of
the Congressional Accountability Act (Pub. L. 104-1).

XVII. STATEMENT ON PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL, OR TRIBAL LAW

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

XVIII. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

This legislation does not amend any existing Federal
statute.

XIX. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

On 7 June, 2006, a quorum being present, the Committee on
Science favorably reported the National Integrated Drought
Information System Act of 2006, as amended, by a voice vote,
and recommended its enactment.

XX. PROCEEDINGS OF THE MARKUP BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT,
TECHNOLOGY, AND STANDARDS ON H.R. 5136, NATIONAL INTEGRATED DROUGHT
INFORMATION SYSTEM ACT OF 2006

----------

THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2006

House of Representatives,
Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and
Standards,
Committee on Science,
Washington, DC.

The Subcommittee met, pursuant to other business, at 11:41
a.m., in Room 2318 of the Rayburn House Office Building, Hon.
Vernon J. Ehlers [Chairman of the Subcommittee] presiding.
Chairman Ehlers. The Subcommittee markup of H.R. 5136,
National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006. If
the witnesses wish to stay for the markup, they may.
The Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards
will come to order. Pursuant to notice, the Subcommittee meets
to consider the following measure, H.R. 5136, National
Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006.
We will now proceed with the markup, beginning with opening
statements, and the Chairman yields himself such time as he may
consume.
I thank everyone for staying for today's brief Subcommittee
markup of H.R. 5136, National Integrated Drought Information
System Act of 2006. H.R. 5136 directs NOAA to establish a
National Integrated Drought Information System, known as NIDIS.
The system will provide an effective drought early warning
system that will help water resource managers make important
decisions to mitigate the impacts of drought.
I have one short amendment, to clarify some sections of the
bill, and we do not anticipate any other amendments today. I
thank Mr. Hall and Mr. Udall for developing this important
legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support my amendment,
and then to move the underlying bill onto the Full Committee
for its consideration.
[The prepared statement of Chairman Ehlers follows:]
Prepared Statement of Chairman Vernon J. Ehlers
I thank everyone for staying for today's brief Subcommittee markup
of H.R. 5136, National Integrated Drought Information System Act of
2006. H.R. 5136 directs NOAA to establish a National Integrated Drought
Information System (known as NIDIS, nye-diss). The system will provide
an effective drought early warning system that will help water resource
managers make important decisions to mitigate the impacts of drought. I
have one short amendment to clarify some sections of the bill and we do
not anticipate any other amendments today. I thank Mr. Hall and Mr.
Udall for developing this important legislation and I urge my
colleagues to support my amendment and then to move the underlying bill
onto the Full Committee for its consideration.
I now yield to Mr. Wu for an opening statement.

Chairman Ehlers. I now yield to Mr. Wu for an opening
statement.
Mr. Wu. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Drought is a bipartisan issue. A National Integrated
Drought Information System will provide an important tool to
decision-makers, to mitigate the effects of drought on our
economy, environment, and society.
I thank Mr. Hall and Mr. Udall for introducing the
legislation, and you, Mr. Chairman, for a perfecting amendment,
and I also thank the Chairman and his staff for cooperating so
fully with my colleagues and staff on this very important
issue.
I fully support the bill, and in order to expedite
consideration of H.R. 5136, I would conclude by encouraging my
colleagues to join me in support of this legislation.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Chairman Ehlers. The gentleman yields back the balance of
his time. Without objection, all other Members may place
statements in the record. So ordered.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Udall follows:]
Prepared Statement of Representative Mark Udall
First, I would like to thank the Chairman and Ranking Member for
scheduling this hearing and markup and assisting the speedy
consideration of this bill.
I would also like to welcome our witnesses here today. I am very
interested to hear from each of you about your experiences with
planning for drought as well as the potential for a system such as
NIDIS.
As most of you know, the western portion of this country have
experienced severe drought conditions in the past few years.
In my own home State of Colorado, the reduced precipitation in
addition to high temperatures have caused extreme wildfire conditions,
water restrictions, a decline in tourism, reduced crop yields, and many
other harmful effects.
There is no doubt that drought has extremely harmful affects on our
economy, however it is not always addressed as a natural disasters
because it is slow to develop.
Unlike disasters such as tornadoes, droughts do not have a clear
beginning or end, but rather precipitation slowly declines and our
reservoirs and soil becomes increasingly drier.
While the Department of Homeland Security is working to prepare for
natural disasters such as floods and hurricanes, the Federal Government
is not doing enough to mitigate and reduce the effects of drought.
I do not want to disparage the current efforts of NOAA and the
Drought Monitor. This program provides important seasonal drought
information that has aided countless communities to make decisions to
mitigate drought.
But I believe there is much more NOAA can do to provide detailed,
seasonal and long-term, drought monitors on a regional and localized
basis.
I also believe we must do this by making information easily
accessible and understandable to the general public.
There are several different federal agencies that have some
involvement in drought monitoring or forecasts.
Often their information is not available to the general consumer,
or requires a user to visit several different locations to piece
together an accurate picture of the drought conditions in their area.
The federal investment in drought research and mitigation is only
useful if decision-makers can obtain and utilize the information.
This is where I believe NIDIS can be most useful. Not only will
this allow for more comprehensive drought monitoring and forecasting,
but also can provide a one stop shop for drought information.
As one of the sponsors of this legislation, it is no surprise that
I am supportive of the NIDIS proposal.
But we are here today to hear from our witnesses about NIDIS.
And I am intrigued to learn their opinions about NIDIS and how it
can be most effective as well as what improvements we can make to our
drought monitoring systems to provide the most informative data.
I again thank our witnesses for joining us here today and look
forward to your testimony.

[The prepared statement of Mr. Matheson follows:]
Prepared Statement of Representative Jim Matheson
I want to begin today by thanking the Subcommittee on Environment,
Technology, and Standards for holding this hearing and for bringing
attention to an issue that resonates deeply with my constituents and
residents in every state.
Only a few years ago, Utah experienced its worst drought in over
two decades. As I witnessed the profound impact of water scarcity on
agricultural crop losses, forest fires, and the day-to-day lives of
Utahans, I felt it was time to focus national awareness on the topic of
drought and its impact on Utah's economy and resources. In 2002, with
the help of Science Committee staff, I hosted a similar Full Committee
hearing in Salt Lake City entitled, ``Drought: Prediction, Preparation,
and Response.'' We put together an expert panel of witnesses who
illustrated many of the major challenges posed by drought in the West
today and highlighted the need to accurately predict and manage drought
conditions in this country.
The people of Utah have always understood the scarcity and
importance of water much more clearly than the Federal Government. The
West was, is, and always will be a land of little rain. When the first
settlers arrived in Utah over 150 years ago, they faced huge challenges
in successfully finding and moving water so that they could grow crops
and develop communities. Utah's booming population and rapid growth
continues to test the state's ability to meet the increased water
demands of its residents to this day.
Recently, Mother Nature has shown Utah her kinder, gentler side, at
least temporarily. Last year was wetter than average and drought
conditions have somewhat abated for most of the state. But some regions
aren't so lucky. Drought continues to affect the American West but is
also crippling the southern Great Plains and south Texas. History has
shown that no portion of the U.S. is safe from the ravages of extreme
or severe drought conditions.
I believe that part of the solution must include a long-term plan
to better predict and prepare for the drought conditions we will face
throughout the United States. I am pleased the Subcommittee is marking
up the bill, H.R. 5136, National Integrated Drought Information System
Act of 2006, because I believe we need a single, comprehensive network
of drought information to update the tools decision-makers need to
accurately forecast drought and manage water resources. This bill is a
good first step, but I believe we should also invest in data collection
by funding the agencies that monitor snowpack, streamflow and soil
moisture that would better enable us to predict a drought.
More importantly, I also believe we need a comprehensive federal
drought plan that integrates different regional responses and
preparation for drought. That is why I am a co-sponsor of bipartisan
legislation, H.R. 1386, the National Drought Preparedness Act, which
calls for improved drought forecasting similar to H.R. 5136. In
addition, the National Drought Preparedness Act creates a national
drought policy, provides additional tools for drought preparedness
planning, and coordinates the delivery of federal drought programs.
Drought is not a problem we are going to solve this year. It is
complex, and it will continue to affect our nation in profound ways.
But I thank the Subcommittee for raising awareness of this issue and
moving legislation that helps solve one piece of the puzzle by
improving drought forecasting and monitoring. I look forward to all the
testimonies today and to working with my colleagues on the Science
Committee and in Congress to further address this critical issue.
Thank you.

Chairman Ehlers. I ask unanimous consent for the authority
to recess the Subcommittee at any point, and without objection,
it is so ordered.
We will now consider the bill H.R. 5136, the National
Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006. I ask
unanimous consent that the bill is considered as read, and open
to amendment at any point.
And let the Members proceed with the amendments in the
order of the roster. Without objection, so ordered.
The first amendment on the roster is a manager's amendment
offered by the Chair. I have an amendment at the desk. The
Clerk shall report the amendment.
The Clerk. Amendment offered by Mr. Ehlers of Michigan.
Chairman Ehlers. I ask unanimous consent to dispense with
the reading. Without objection, so ordered.
I recognize myself to explain the manager's amendment.
As I mentioned earlier, my amendment simply clarifies the
intent of the bill. It emphasizes that NOAA should build upon
existing forecasting and assessment programs in developing
NIDIS, and makes some small grammatical corrections to the bill
text.
Is there further discussion on this amendment? If no, the
vote occurs on the amendment. All in favor say aye. Those
opposed, say no. The ayes have it, and the amendment is agreed
to.
Are there any other amendments? Hearing none, the question
is on the bill, H.R. 5136, the National Integrated Drought
Information System Act of 2006, as amended. All those in favor
will say aye. All those opposed will say no.
In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it.
I will now recognize Mr. Wu to offer a motion.
Mr. Wu. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Subcommittee
favorably report the bill, H.R. 5136, as amended, to the Full
Committee, with the recommendation that the bill, as amended,
be favorably reported to the House.
Further, I ask unanimous consent that the staff be
instructed to make all necessary technical and conforming
changes to the bill, as amended, in accordance with the
recommendations of the Subcommittee.
Chairman Ehlers. The question is on the motion to report
the bill, as amended, favorably. Those in favor of the motion
will signify by saying aye. Those opposed, no. The ayes have
it, and the bill is favorably reported.
Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon
the table.
I do want to thank the Members for their attendance. This
concludes our Subcommittee markup. The Subcommittee is
adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 11:46 a.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned.]

Appendix:

----------

H.R. 5136, Section-by-Section Analysis, Amendment Roster

Section-by-Section Analysis of H.R. 5136,
National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006

Section 1. Short Title.

National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006.

Section 2. Definitions.

Defines two terms: 1) ``drought'' means a deficiency in
precipitation that leads to a deficiency in surface or subsurface water
supplies and that causes (or may cause) substantial economic or social
impacts or physical damage or injury to people, property, or the
environment; 2) ``Under Secretary'' means the Under Secretary of
Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.

Section 3. NIDIS Program.

Directs the Under Secretary to establish the National Integrated
Drought Information System (NIDIS) through the National Weather Service
and other appropriate programs in NOAA.
Specifies that the system shall provide an effective drought early
warning system and shall coordinate and integrate federal research in
support of the system. Specifies that NIDIS: be a comprehensive system
that collects and integrates information on drought for usable,
reliable, and timely drought assessments and forecasts; communicate
forecasts, conditions and impacts to the public and private sectors,
and decision-makers at all levels of government in order to aid timely,
informed decisions leading to reduced impacts and costs; include timely
and real-time information and products reflecting local, regional, and
State differences in drought conditions.
Directs the Under Secretary to consult with relevant federal,
regional, State, tribal and local agencies, institutions, and the
private sector in the development of NIDIS. Requires each federal
agency to cooperate with the Under Secretary as appropriate in carrying
out the Act.

Section 4. Authorization of Appropriations.

Authorizes $12 million for FY07, $14 million for FY08, $16 million
for each of FY09 and FY10, and $18 million for each of FY11 and FY12.

XXI. PROCEEDINGS OF THE FULL COMMITTEE MARKUP ON H.R. 5136, NATIONAL
INTEGRATED DROUGHT INFORMATION SYSTEM ACT OF 2006

----------

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 2006

House of Representatives,
Committee on Science,
Washington, DC.

The Committee met, pursuant to call, at 2:39 p.m., in Room
2318 of the Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Sherwood L.
Boehlert [Chairman of the Committee] presiding.
Chairman Boehlert. I want to welcome everyone here for this
markup on three important and bipartisan bills. The Committee
on Science will come to order, as I started to say.
Pursuant to notice, the Committee on Science meets to
consider H.R. 5136, the National Integrated Drought Information
System Act of 2006; H.R. 5358, the Science and Mathematics
Education for Competitiveness Act; and H.R. 5356, the Early
Career Research Act.
I ask unanimous consent for the authority to recess the
Committee at any point during consideration of these matters,
and without objection, it is so ordered.
We will now proceed with the markup beginning with opening
statements. I will go first, followed by my distinguished
colleague and partner in this venture, Mr. Gordon.
I am going to make all my general comments on today's bills
now, and not speak on the bills later on. Since we have to
squeeze in a lot of business this afternoon between Floor
votes, and according to the report from the Floor, we can
expect a series of votes some time in the 4:00 to 4:15
timeframe.
As usual with this committee, these bills reflect a lot of
bipartisan work to solve real problems in practical ways.
Our first bill today will be a measure to improve drought
forecasting and monitoring, introduced by Mr. Hall. I
appreciate Mr. Hall bringing this matter to our attention.
Drought may seem like something that is easy to detect, but
hard to do anything about; but that turns out to be wrong on
both counts. It is tricky to figure out when a drought is
developing, but if one knows, one can take many steps to alter
water usage to mitigate drought's often severe economic
consequences. So we need to pay more attention to this costly
phenomenon, and Mr. Hall's bill, building on existing federal
efforts, will enable us to improve drought forecasting and
monitoring, which will save billions, with a ``B,'' billions of
dollars. So, I expect this bill to move smoothly today, and on
the House Floor. We will have one manager's amendment today, to
reduce the authorization levels, to make that progress to the
Floor a little easier.
The other two bills we will take up today are the
Committee's long-awaited innovation package.
Our goal here is to take action on the recommendations of
the National Academy of Sciences, the Council on
Competitiveness, AEA, the Business Roundtable, the National
Association of Manufacturers, and others, who have been calling
for the U.S. to shore up its competitiveness by focusing more
attention and more dollars on research and education.
These calls were really music to our ears, because we have
been issuing the same entreaties ourselves on this committee
for a number of years, and especially in the last couple of
years, as the challenge to future U.S. competitiveness has
never become clearer.
But we didn't want to answer those calls with a laundry
list of new programs of dubious value, that would be unlikely
to ever get funded. It might give us a lot of satisfaction and
some fancy press releases, but that is not what this committee
is about. We are about results. Indeed, we looked around to see
what is working right now, or what has worked in the recent
past, and then, we extended or expanded or built on those
successful programs, and the result is a focused, bipartisan
measure that should be able to move swiftly through the House.
This measure is an intelligent middle ground between those
who want to create scores of new, untested, expensive programs,
and those who argue that all that is necessary is to increase
overall funding for basic research, and leave everything else
to chance. If we are to remain competitive, then we have to
bolster key programs at the National Science Foundation,
especially focused on K-12 and undergraduate education, and it
is the prerogative of the Congress to do that.
I want to thank Dr. Schwarz and Mr. McCaul, two active
freshmen on this committee with a deep understanding of these
issues, for introducing these bills.
And I want to thank Mr. Gordon and the Members on both
sides of the aisle, who worked with us on developing the final
versions of these bills that are in the amendments in the
nature of a substitute, including Dr. Ehlers and Ms. Biggert
and Mr. Calvert, Ms. Jackson Lee and Mr. Green, and Mr. Honda.
You get the idea of how we operate. Fingerprints of Members on
both sides of the aisle are all over these bills, and that is
the way it should be.
The Schwarz bill focuses on education programs at the
National Science Foundation, which runs programs that are
critical to improving math and science education at all levels.
The bill includes enhancing and extending the Noyce Scholarship
program, one of my pet projects, to attract and better train
science and math teachers. We also give renewed emphasis to the
Math and Science Partnership program, now renamed the School
and University Partnership Program.
And we underscore NSF's role in the sometimes neglected,
but critical area of undergraduate education. We also give
clear authority to the Department of Energy for education
programs, and we require an inventory and an evaluation of
those programs.
In Mr. McCaul's bill, we bolster research by ensuring that
both NSF and DOE, we will set aside funding for young
researchers, who are likely to perform the most creative and
pathbreaking work. And we revive and idea from the 1980s, to
try to get industry interested in these young academic
researchers and in their long-term, basic research.
I would add that both of these bills, and the underlying
2002 NSF Act, direct that the programs in these bills, among
other things, help bring more individuals from under-
represented groups into science, math, and engineering, and
that is a goal that many members of this committee have been
very active in pursuing.
So, we are taking action today, as we promised when we
heard from the leaders of the National Academies Gathering
Storm panel last year. We are setting a realistic agenda to
increase U.S. investment in research and education in carefully
targeted ways.
I look forward to moving this legislation today, and to
continuing efforts to see it signed into law this year. And I
will continue to work with the appropriators to see that they
provide the funding called for in the American Competitiveness
Initiative and in these bills.
Now, it is my privilege to turn to my partner in this
venture, the distinguished gentleman from Tennessee, Mr.
Gordon.
[The prepared statement of Chairman Boehlert follows:]

Prepared Statement of Chairman Sherwood L. Boehlert

I want to welcome everyone here for this markup on three important
and bipartisan bills. I'm going to make all my general comments on
today's bills now and not speak on the bills later, since we have to
squeeze in a lot of business this afternoon between Floor votes.
As usual with this committee, these bills reflect a lot of
bipartisan work to solve real problems in practical ways.
Our first bill today will be a measure to improve drought
forecasting and monitoring, introduced by Mr. Hall. I appreciate Mr.
Hall bringing this matter to our attention.
Drought may seem like something that is easy to detect but hard to
do anything about. But that turns out to be wrong on both counts. It's
tricky to figure out when a drought is developing, but if one knows,
one can take many steps to alter water usage to mitigate drought's
often severe economic consequences. So we need to pay more attention to
this costly phenomenon, and Mr. Hall's bill, building on existing
federal efforts, will enable us to improve drought forecasting and
monitoring, which will save billions of dollars. So I expect this bill
to move smoothly today and on the House Floor.
We will have one manager's amendment today to reduce the
authorization levels to make that progress to the Floor a little
easier.
The other two bills we will take up today are the Committee's long
awaited innovation package.
Our goal here is to take action on the recommendations of the
National Academy of Sciences, the Council on Competitiveness, AEA, the
Business Roundtable, the National Association of Manufacturers and
others who have been calling for the U.S. to shore up its
competitiveness by focusing more attention and more dollars on research
and education.
These calls were really music to our ears because we've been
issuing the same entreaties ourselves for years, and especially in the
last couple of years as the challenge to future U.S. competitiveness
has become ever clearer.
But we didn't want to answer these calls with a laundry list of new
programs of dubious value that would be unlikely to ever get funded.
Instead, we looked around to see what is working right now or what has
worked in the recent past, and then we extended or expanded or built on
those successful programs. And the result is a focused, bipartisan
measure that should be able to move swiftly through the House.
This measure is an intelligent middle-ground between those who want
to create scores of new, untested, expensive programs and those who
argue that all that's necessary is to increase overall funding for
basic research and leave everything else to chance. If we are to remain
competitive, then we have to bolster key programs at the National
Science Foundation (NSF), especially programs focused on K-12 and
undergraduate education, and it's the prerogative of the Congress to do
that.
I want to thank Mr. Schwarz and Mr. McCaul, two active freshmen on
this committee with a deep understanding of these issues, for
introducing these bills.
And I want to thank Mr. Gordon and the Members on both sides of the
aisle who worked with us on developing the final versions of these
bills that are in the amendments in the nature of a substitute,
including Mr. Ehlers, Ms. Biggert, Mr. Calvert, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr.
Green and Mr. Honda.
The Schwarz bill focuses on education programs at the National
Science Foundation (NSF), which runs programs that are critical to
improving math and science education at all levels. The bill includes
enhancing and extending the Noyce Scholarship program, one of my pet
projects, to attract and train better science and math teachers. We
also give renewed emphasis to the Math and Science Partnership program,
now renamed the School and University Partnership Program.
And we underscore NSF's role in the sometimes neglected, but
critical area of undergraduate education. We also give clear authority
to the Department of Energy (DOE) for education programs, and we
require an inventory and evaluation of those programs.
In Mr. McCaul's bill, we bolster research by ensuring that both NSF
and DOE we will set aside funding for young researchers, who are likely
to perform the most creative and pathbreaking work. And we revive an
idea from the 1980s to try to get industry interested in these young
academic researchers and in their long-term, basic research.
I would add that both these bills, and the underlying 2002 NSF Act,
direct that the programs in these bills, among other things, help bring
more individuals from under-represented into science, math and
engineering.
So we're taking action today as we promised when we heard from the
leaders of the National Academy's Gathering Storm panel last year. We
are setting a realistic agenda to increase U.S. investment in research
and education in carefully targeted ways.
I look forward to moving this legislation today, and to continuing
efforts to see it signed into law this year. And I will continue to
work with the appropriators to see that they provide the funding called
for in the American Competitiveness Initiative and in these bills.
Mr. Gordon.

Mr. Gordon. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
As usual, I support you in this bill. We have several
Members of this committee that represent drought areas, and
particularly on our side, Mr. Matheson and Mr. Udall have spent
a lot of time in this. This committee can't make it rain, but
we can try to provide some of the tools that will allow these
communities to get ready for these long droughts.
I do reserve the right to speak to these competitiveness
issues after this bill, but I want to yield the rest of my time
on this particular bill to my friend, Mr. Udall.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Gordon follows:]

Prepared Statement of Representative Bart Gordon

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Like much of the legislation that comes
before this committee, today I once again can agree with my Chairman.
Several of our Members represent areas of the country that are
struggling with the effects of a multi-year drought, most notably Mr.
Udall from Colorado and Mr. Matheson from Utah.
While this committee can't make it rain, we can provide an
important tool for predicting and mitigating the impacts of drought on
our economic, environmental and social systems.
I thank Mr. Hall and Mr. Udall for introducing the bill. And I also
thank the Chairman and his staff for cooperating so fully with my
Democratic colleagues on this important issue.
In order to give Mr. Udall the opportunity for a statement on his
bill, I will simply conclude by saying that I fully support the bill
and encourage my colleagues to join me and Mr. Udall in support of this
legislation.
I yield the remainder of my time to the gentleman from Colorado.

Mr. Udall. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Chairman, if I might, I would like to ask unanimous
consent to include my entire statement in the record, given the
time constraints.
Chairman Boehlert. Without objection, so ordered.
Mr. Udall. The gentleman from Tennessee is accurate. In the
West, we have been experiencing some very severe drought
conditions in the past few years. In particular, in Colorado,
we have found that the reduced precipitation, in addition to
high temperatures, causes extreme wildfire conditions, water
restrictions, a decline in tourism, and other harmful effects.
Droughts, of course, are a part of recurring climate
cycles, but that doesn't make them benign, and unlike
hurricanes or other weather events, they develop really slowly,
and their effects are felt over longer periods, and so, as a
result, there is a danger that efforts to mitigate or reduce
the damages don't begin in time.
NOAA operates the Drought Monitor, which provides national
information, but at a recent ETS hearing, chaired by Mr. Ehlers
and attended by the Ranking Member, Mr. Wu, we learned that
there is a lot more we can do to provide regional and local
data to decision-makers, and out of that hearing, it became
obvious that the National Integrated Drought Information
System, or NIDIS, which is authorized in the bill, would be a
great enabler for farmers, water managers, and countless other
users, to make smart decisions by providing necessary data and
resources.
And not only will NIDIS allow for comprehensive drought
monitoring and forecasting, but also, it would provide a one
stop shop for drought information. And Mr. Chairman,
interestingly enough, it would also provide us with important
data when we have an excess of water, and we are preparing for
flood conditions.
So, with that, I would like to thank the Chairman and
Ranking Member for scheduling the bill. In particular, I thank
my colleague, Mr. Hall, for his leadership on this issue, and
the bipartisan manner in which the bill has moved forward.
So, with that, I would yield back my time.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Udall follows:]

Prepared Statement of Representative Mark Udall

I'd like to thank the Chairman and Ranking Member for scheduling
this bill to be marked up today.
I would also like to thank my colleague Mr. Hall for his leadership
on this issue and the bipartisan manner in which this bill has moved
forward.
We have several bills to get through today, so I will be brief.
As most of you know, the western portion of this country have
experienced severe drought conditions in the past few years.
In my own home State of Colorado we are no stranger to drought
conditions. Reduced precipitation in addition to high temperatures has
caused extreme wildfire conditions, water restrictions, a decline in
tourism, and many other harmful effects.
Droughts are a recurring part of climatic cycles, but that does not
make them benign. And unlike hurricanes or other weather events, they
develop slowly and their effects are felt over longer periods. As a
result, there is a danger that efforts to mitigate or reduce the damage
will not begin in time.
The direct impacts of drought include reduced crop yields and
forest productivity, increased fire hazards, lower water levels, and
damage to wildlife habitats. Droughts are costly to our economy as they
reduce the incomes of farmers and increase the prices of foods and
agricultural materials such as timber.
NOAA currently operates the Drought Monitor which provides national
information about drought conditions.
However, we learned at the recent ETS hearing that there is much
more that we can do to provide regional and local data to decision-
makers to prepare for drought conditions.
I believe that the National Integrated Drought Information System,
or NIDIS, authorized in this bill will enable farmers, water managers,
and countless other end users to make smart decisions by providing
necessary data and resources.
Not only will NIDIS allow for comprehensive drought monitoring and
forecasting, but also can provide a one stop shop for drought
information.
While this system will be focused on drought monitoring, it can
also be used for an excess of water in preparation for flooding
conditions.
I believe this is a good bill and will have positive impacts on our
economy and quality of life. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Chairman Boehlert. I thank the distinguished gentleman for
leading us, for serving us a warm-up act.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Johnson follows:]

Prepared Statement of Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson

Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member, for bringing H.R. 5136,
the National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006, before
the Full Committee today.
Texas, perhaps more than any other state, has been hurt very badly
by drought in recent years.
The effects of the drought in Texas have been long-lasting, mired
not only by the dry weather but also in efforts to compensate our
farmers for the huge financial losses they have absorbed.
Texas leads the Nation in livestock and in crop production. Texas
is a major producer of cattle, sheep and lambs, hay and cotton.
The ability to monitor for drought conditions and provide early
warning for drought would save Texas farmers, and the American
agricultural enterprise, countless dollars. I commend Representative
Hall for his leadership on this effort to integrate technology with
agriculture for the betterment of all Americans.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.

Chairman Boehlert. That leads us into the consideration of
H.R. 5136, the National Integrated Drought Information System
Act of 2006, and I would recognize--I ask unanimous consent
that the bill be considered as read and open to amendment at
any point, and that the Members proceed with the amendments in
the order of the roster. Without objection, that is so ordered.
The first amendment on the roster is an amendment offered
by the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Hall. Mr. Hall, are you ready
to proceed?
Mr. Hall. Yes, I have an amendment at the desk.
Chairman Boehlert. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk. Amendment to H.R. 5136, offered by Mr. Hall of
Texas.
Chairman Boehlert. Without objection, I ask unanimous
consent to dispense with the reading. Without objection, so
ordered.
The gentleman from Texas is recognized for five minutes,
and I don't want you to expect this kind of treatment all the
time, for Mr. Udall to give you such a warm welcome, as you
present this bill. But he has done so, and I thank him. Now I
recognize you, Mr. Hall.
Mr. Hall. Mr. Chairman, I thank you, of course, and the
Committee, for quickly moving this very important bill on the
drought, and I am willing to offer some help to the gentleman
from Tennessee. I can make it rain, and I can tell him how to.
Spend about $12 getting your car washed.
I thank Mr. Udall and his staff for working very hard with
us to advance this legislation. Droughts have, as everybody
knows, a very devastating effect on local, State, and national
economies, and it is clear that we need to do a better job of
preparing and mitigating this disaster.
The bill that I have introduced with help from Mr. Udall,
with aid from the Chairman, and support from the other side,
H.R. 5136, will coordinate drought efforts between local,
State, and federal entities, and provide decision-makers with
the very best tools that they can get to manage their natural
resources. It directs NOAA to build a national drought
monitoring and forecasting system, create a drought early
warning system, provide an interactive drought information
delivery system, and designate mechanisms for improved
interaction with the public.
I am pleased that the President's budget included funding
for this new program, and I think Congress should work to get
it authorized. And the manager's amendment on this bill simply
makes some technical corrections, Mr. Chairman. Specifically,
it changes the level of appropriations to mirror the
President's budget request for the program.
And again, Mr. Chairman, I thank you and the other side for
this markup. I would encourage Members to vote for this bill. I
look forward to working with you and the staff to advance this
legislation for a floor vote very quickly.
I yield back the balance of my time, and once again, I am
grateful to you for the time allotted.
Chairman Boehlert. All right. We already discussed the
Clerk reporting the amendment. Yeah, that is what I thought.
Thank you.
Now, I want to thank Mr. Hall for his outstanding work, and
I want to thank Mr. Udall for his outstanding presentation.
The Chair supports the amendment. Is there any further
discussion on the amendment? If no, the vote occurs on the
amendment. All in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. The yeas
have it, and the amendment is agreed to.
Are there any other amendments? Hearing none, the vote is
on the bill, H.R. 5136, the National Integrated Drought
Information System Act of 2006, as amended. All those in favor
say aye. Aye. Opposed, say no. In the opinion of the Chair, the
ayes have it.
I recognize Mr. Gordon to offer a motion.
Mr. Gordon. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee
favorably report H.R. 5136, as amended, to the House, with the
recommendation that the bill, as amended, do pass.
Furthermore, I move that the staff be instructed to prepare
the legislative report, and make necessary technical and
conforming changes, and that the Chairman take all necessary
steps to bring the bill before the House for consideration.
Chairman Boehlert. The question is on the motion to report
the bill, as amended, favorably. Those in favor of the motion
will signify by saying aye. Aye. No, no. The ayes have it, and
the bill is favorably reported.
Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon
the table. I move that Members have two subsequent calendar
days in which to submit supplemental, minority, or additional
views on the measure. I move, pursuant to Clause 1 of Rule 22
of the Rules of the House of Representatives, that the
Committee authorize the Chairman to offer such motions as may
be necessary in the House to adopt and pass H.R. 5136, as
amended. Without objection, so ordered.
I want to thank all the Members for their attendance, not
just today, but for their active participation in the important
deliberations of this committee.
This concludes our markup.
[Whereupon, at 3:53 p.m., the Committee was adjourned.]

Appendix:

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Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards Markup
Memorandum, H.R. 5136, Section-by-Section Analysis, Amendment Roster

Section-by-Section Analysis of H.R. 5136,
National Integrated Drought Information System Act

Section 1. Short Title.

National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006.

Section 2. Definitions.

Section 3. NIDIS Program.

Directs the Under Secretary to establish the National Integrated
Drought Information System (NIDIS) through the National Weather Service
and other appropriate programs in NOAA.
Specifies that the system shall provide an effective drought early
warning system and shall coordinate and integrate federal research in
support of the system. Specifies that NIDIS: be a comprehensive system
that collects and integrates information on drought for usable,
reliable, and timely drought assessments and forecasts; communicate
forecasts, conditions and impacts to the public and private sectors,
and decision-makers at all levels of government in order to aid timely,
informed decisions leading to reduced impacts and costs; include timely
and real-time information and products reflecting local, regional, and
State differences in drought conditions; and build upon existing
efforts.
Directs the Under Secretary to consult with relevant federal,
regional, State, tribal and local agencies, institutions, and the
private sector in the development of NIDIS. Requires each federal
agency to cooperate with the Under Secretary as appropriate in carrying
out the Act.

Section 4. Authorization of Appropriations.

Authorizes $12 million for FY07, $14 million for FY08, $16 million
for each of FY09 and FY10, and $18 million for each of FY11 and FY12.