[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:

                              ----------                              


     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.

    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; 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.



