[Senate Report 110-341]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



110th Congress 
 2d Session                      SENATE                          Report
                                                                110-341
_______________________________________________________________________

                                     

                                                       Calendar No. 752

             GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2007

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 OF THE

           COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION

                                   on

                                S. 2307



                                     

                  May 22, 2008.--Ordered to be printed
       SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
                       one hundred tenth congress
                             second session

                   DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii, Chairman
                   TED STEVENS, Alaska, Vice-Chairman
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West         JOHN McCAIN, Arizona
    Virginia                         KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas
JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts         OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine
BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota        GORDON H. SMITH, Oregon
BARBARA BOXER, California            JOHN ENSIGN, Nevada
BILL NELSON, Florida                 JOHN E. SUNUNU, New Hampshire
MARIA CANTWELL, Washington           JIM DEMINT, South Carolina
FRANK R. LAUTENBERG, New Jersey      DAVID VITTER, Louisiana
MARK PRYOR, Arkansas                 JOHN THUNE, South Dakota
THOMAS CARPER, Delaware              ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi
CLAIRE McCASKILL, Missouri
AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
          Margaret Cummisky, Staff Director and Chief Counsel
         Lila Helms, Deputy Staff Director and Policy Director
       Jean Toal Eisen, Senior Advisor and Deputy Policy Director
     Christine Kurth, Republican Staff Director and General Counsel
                Paul J. Nagle, Republican Chief Counsel
             Mimi Braniff, Republican Deputy Chief Counsel
                                                       Calendar No. 752


110th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session                                                     110-341

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



 
             GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2007

                                _______
                                

                  May 22, 2008.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

       Mr. Inouye, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 2307]

    The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to 
which was referred the bill (S. 2307) to amend the Global 
Change Research Act of 1990, and for other purposes, having 
considered the same, reports favorably thereon with amendments 
and recommends that the bill (as amended) do pass.

                          Purpose of the Bill

  The purpose of S. 2307, the Global Change Research 
Improvement Act of 2007, is to improve the basic research and 
products the Federal government develops to address climate 
change and its impacts and to increase the relevance of the 
Global Change Research Program (GCRP) to State, local, and non-
governmental decision makers. The legislation also would 
establish a new National Climate Service within the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); reinstate a 
Science and Technology Assessment Service within the 
legislative branch; authorize the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology (NIST) to provide improved 
technologies for measuring and reducing greenhouse gas 
emissions; establish a scientific research program on abrupt 
climate change; and authorize appropriations for fiscal years 
(FY) 2009 through 2013.

                          Background and Needs

  Our current understanding of climate change stems largely 
from focused scientific research programs that began in the 
late 1970s. In 1978, the National Climate Program Act 
coordinated the U.S. government's participation in climate 
research conducted under international auspices. International 
research efforts coalesced in 1988 with the establishment of 
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This 
international body regularly assesses the worldwide state of 
knowledge on climate change and issued its Fourth Assessment 
Report over the course of 2007. Following the creation of the 
IPCC, Congress enacted the Global Change Research Act of 1990 
(GCRA) developed by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation to strengthen and coordinate U.S. research 
efforts through the establishment of a U.S. GCRP.
  The GCRA provides for the development and coordination of a 
comprehensive and integrated U.S. research program and regular 
scientific assessments to assist decision makers in 
understanding, assessing, predicting, and responding to impacts 
linked to climate change. The Climate Change Science Program 
(CCSP) is the Bush Administration's restructuring of the 
research program mandated under the Act. While NOAA is 
currently the GCRP's lead agency, several other agencies 
participate in the program, including the National Science 
Foundation (NSF), the Departments of Energy, Agriculture, 
Transportation, and State, the Department of Interior's U.S. 
Geological Survey, and the National Institutes of Health. The 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the 
largest participating agency, by budget, in the program.
  Resource managers require accurate, relevant, timely, and 
user-friendly data on climate change in order to plan for the 
potential impacts of climate change on natural resources. In 
this regard, the existing Federal program has been criticized 
on a number of fronts. The program has not produced a 
comprehensive, integrated national assessment of the projected 
impacts of climate change on key U.S. resources and 
infrastructure, as Congress directed in the GCRA, since 2000. 
The program has yet to produce information that meets the 
expressed needs of decision makers at the local, State, and 
regional levels. Improving scientific understanding on local 
and regional scales is necessary to develop and strengthen 
policies to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Yet 
significant decreases in funding for Federal climate science 
began in FY 2005, from a high of nearly $2 billion in FY 2004 
to $1.54 billion requested in FY 2008. NASA's climate research 
budget suffered the largest cuts. However, the President's FY 
2009 proposed budget would see funding for climate science 
increase to more than $2 billion for the first time since 2003. 
This increase is due to boosts in funding for the American 
Competitiveness Initiative to NSF and the Department of Energy 
Office of Science, as well as budget restructuring in NASA to 
increase spending for Earth sciences, especially satellite 
programs.
  The National Research Council (NRC) has conducted regular 
reviews of the Federal government's climate change research 
efforts. In September, 2007, an NRC panel completed a review of 
the CCSP and identified a number of key concerns -- primarily 
that efforts to understand the impact of such changes on 
society and to analyze mitigation and adaptation strategies 
remain relatively immature. The panel also determined that the 
CCSP has made inadequate progress in supporting decision making 
and risk analyses, assessing impacts on human well being and 
vulnerabilities, studying regional impacts, and communicating 
with a wider group of stakeholders. The panel also cited 
concerns with the removal of Earth observing climate sensors 
from NASA and NOAA satellites under the National Polar-orbiting 
Operational Environmental Satellite System.
  Regardless of which method policy makers choose to address 
the effect climate change has on the Earth, scientists and 
experts must develop standards, measurements, and calibration 
technologies to enable accurate monitoring and verification. 
Sound science is needed to provide a foundation for public 
policy. Measurement technologies allow operators and auditors 
to determine if climate change technologies are indeed 
functioning in the way that they are intended, and whether 
goals are being met. NIST plays a critical role in developing 
such standards and measurement technologies. NIST provides 
products and services that enable researchers to accurately 
monitor physical and chemical events, absorption and emission 
of greenhouse gases, atmospheric conditions, and other 
parameters critical to understanding the complex systems of our 
environment. It also played a critical role in developing the 
standards, measurements, and calibration technologies that 
enable scientists to measure the distribution of chemical 
species, chemical data, and reference measurements relevant to 
environmental processes and decision making regarding human 
health and environmental safety.

                         Summary of Provisions

  S. 2307 would provide five titles to improve the basic 
research and information that the Federal government develops 
on climate change and its impacts and would reinstate the 
Science and Technology Assessment Service.
  Title I of S. 2307 would amend, strengthen, and reauthorize 
the GCRA. It would refocus the GCRP's emphasis on providing 
information and products that are relevant to State, local and 
nongovernmental decision makers. It would require a ten-year 
strategic plan for the GCRP, which would include a detailed 
plan for climate change research, assessment, information 
management, public participation, outreach, and budget. It also 
would direct the President to submit to Congress, no less 
frequently than every four years, a single, integrated, 
comprehensive assessment of the impacts of climate change on 
the natural environment, agriculture, energy production and 
use, land and water resources, and other critical resources. 
The bill also would provide for an independent review of the 
processes for creating the national assessments and strategic 
plans to determine the extent to which scientific findings and 
communications are subjected to non-scientific policy 
considerations.
  Title II of S. 2307 would amend the National Climate Program 
Act to establish a new National Climate Service within NOAA to 
address the need for a permanent mechanism for dissemination of 
the data and information generated by the GCRA. At present, 
NOAA's Climate Program Office utilizes eight Regional 
Integrated Science and Assessment program offices across the 
country to disseminate information at the regional level. 
However, these university-based centers are not permanent but 
rather funded through a grant program. The National Climate 
Service would provide regular climate change information and 
predictions to decision makers, resource managers, and other 
stakeholders.
  Title III would reinstate a Science and Technology Assessment 
Service, modeled on the Office of Technology Assessment, within 
the legislative branch. With increased attention to climate 
change and other scientific and technical developments, 
Congress should have access to unbiased scientific and 
technical expertise.
  Title IV would authorize NIST to develop relevant standards, 
measurements, and calibration technologies to enable accurate 
measuring, monitoring, and verification of greenhouse gas 
emissions, environmental processes, and climate change 
technologies.
  Finally, title V would require the Secretary of Commerce to 
establish a program of scientific research on abrupt climate 
change in the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research of 
NOAA.

                          Legislative History

  Senator Kerry, Chairman of the Science, Technology, and 
Innovation Subcommittee, introduced S. 2307 on November 5, 
2007, with Senator Snowe as an original cosponsor. Senators 
Klobuchar and Nelson (FL) subsequently signed on as cosponsors. 
The bill was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation. The Committee held a hearing November 14, 
2007, on improving the Federal climate change research and 
information program. The science advisor to the President 
testified before the Committee, in addition to a diverse group 
of scientists, nongovernmental organizations, and other 
interested stakeholders.
  On December 4, 2007, the Committee considered a manager's 
amendment to this bill in an open executive session. The 
Committee, by voice vote, ordered S. 2307 to be reported 
favorably, as amended. Provisions similar to those included in 
this bill were passed by the Senate in 2002 and 2003 as part of 
the Energy Policy Act but were rejected by the House.Staff 
assigned to this legislation are ann Zulkosky, Demoractic 
Professional Staff, Kris Sarri, Democratic Senior Professional 
Staff, Floy DesChamps, Republican Senior Advisor, Todd 
Bertoson, Republican Senior Counsel, and Mike Conathan, 
Republican Professional Staff.

                            Estimated Costs

  In compliance with subsection (a)(3) of paragraph 11 of rule 
XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee states 
that, in its opinion, it is necessary to dispense with the 
requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of that subsection in 
order to expedite the business of the Senate.

                      Regulatory Impact Statement

  In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the 
following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the 
legislation, as reported:

                       NUMBER OF PERSONS COVERED

  The reported bill would not authorize any new regulations and 
therefore will not subject any individuals or businesses to new 
regulations. The bill would have little, if any, regulatory 
impact.

                            ECONOMIC IMPACT

  The bill, as reported, is not expected to have a significant 
impact on the nation's economy.

                                PRIVACY

  The reported bill would not have any adverse impact on the 
personal privacy of individuals.

                               PAPERWORK

  The reported bill would not increase paperwork requirements 
for the private sector. The bill would require several reports 
from the Federal government. The legislation also would 
establish a competitive grant program for priority climate 
change research areas as identified by the Committee on Global 
Change Research. Applicants to this grant program would have to 
file documents to apply for this program.

                   Congressionally Directed Spending

  In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee provides that the 
bill as reported contains no congressionally directed spending 
items.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis

Section 1. Short Title.
  This section would provide that the legislation may be cited 
as the ``Global Change Research Improvement Act of 2007.''
Section 2. Table of Contents.
  This section would provide the table of contents for the five 
titles of the Act.

     TITLE I -- AMENDMENT OF THE GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH ACT OF 1990

Section 101. Amendment of Global Change Research Act of 1990.
  This section would specify that changes in this title are in 
reference to the GCRA (15 U.S.C. 2921 et seq.) except as 
otherwise expressly provided.
Section 102. Changes to findings and purpose.
  This section would update and expand the findings and purpose 
to reflect new data, studies, and assessments since the 
enactment of the GCRA, including the Fourth Assessment Report 
of the IPCC. It also would emphasize the need to provide 
information and products that are of relevance to local, State, 
and regional resource managers and decision makers.
Section 103. Changes in definitions.
  This section would add a definition for ``climate change'' 
based on usage by the IPCC, and update the definitions of 
``Committee,'' ``Council,'' and ``global change.''
Section 104. Change in committee name and structure.
  This section would update and change the name of the 
Committee carrying out the Act from the Committee on Earth and 
Environmental Sciences to the Committee on Global Change 
Research. It would add NIST of the Department of Commerce to 
the list of Committee members and allow the Committee to 
establish subcommittees and working groups, as necessary. It 
also would require the Committee to work with appropriate 
Federal, State, regional, and local authorities to ensure that 
the GCRP is designed to produce information needed to develop 
policies to reduce the impacts of global change.
Section 105. Change in National Global Change Research Plan.
  This section would amend and expand the existing national 
Global Change Research Plan that provides for the 
implementation of the GCRP. The Chairman of the Council, 
through the Committee on Global Change Research, would develop 
and submit a 10-year plan for the GCRP within 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act. The revised implementation plan 
would include new strategic elements such as short and long 
term goals and priorities for climate change research, 
assessments, information management, public participation, 
outreach, and budget. The strategic elements also would focus 
on the information needs of Federal, State, regional, and local 
decision makers to measure, predict, mitigate, and adapt to 
global change; require the development of regional scenarios 
and assessments of model predictability; identify capabilities 
and address gaps for climate forecasting and prediction, as 
well as for observing systems currently used to collect 
relevant data; describe activities to facilitate outreach and 
data and information exchange with end users; and identify and 
describe ecosystems and geographic regions nationwide that are 
likely to experience similar global change impacts or 
vulnerabilities.
  This section would add new research elements to the plan to 
better understand the nature of and interaction among physical, 
chemical, biological, land use, and social processes 
responsible for changes in the Earth system; to develop 
indicators and baseline databases, and conduct ongoing 
monitoring to document global change; to address emerging 
research priorities for climate change science; and, to develop 
methods for integrating information for planning and decision 
making by end users.
  This section would add new information management elements to 
the plan to provide recommendations for data products that are 
useful to end users attempting to formulate decisions and 
strategies for mitigating and adapting to global change, and 
for establishing a common assessment and modeling framework to 
be used for both research and operations.
  This section also would expand the NRC's evaluation of the 
research elements of the plan to address both global and 
regional climate research and assessment. Finally, this section 
would require an additional study to examine coastal and ocean 
carbon sequestration technologies and identify regulatory gaps 
while producing recommendations to address those gaps.
  The entire plan would be updated at least once every five 
years and resubmitted to the Congress after each revision.
Section 106. Integrated Program Office.
  This section would require the President to establish a 
Global Change Research Coordination Office to support the work 
of the GCRP. In conjunction with the Committee, the office 
would manage interagency coordination and program integration; 
ensure that the activities and programs of each Federal agency 
participating in the GCRP addresses the goals and objectives 
identified in the strategic and implementation plans; ensure 
that program and budget recommendations of the Committee are 
communicated to the President; coordinate partnership projects 
with GCRP goals; review and provide recommendations on all 
annual appropriations requests; provide technical and 
administrative support to the Committee; serve as the point of 
contact for technical and programmatic information on Federal 
climate change activities for all interested groups; and 
conduct public outreach.
  The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy 
(OSTP) would report to Congress within 90 days after the date 
of enactment on the amount of funding and the adequacy of 
funding mechanisms of the Global Change Research Coordination 
Office.
Section 107. Budget coordination.
  This section would require the President to provide the 
Committee on Global Change Research and the Global Change 
Research Coordination Office the opportunity to review and 
comment on the budget estimate of each agency involved in the 
GCRP's strategic and implementation plan. It also would require 
the President to submit an integrated budget plan, at the time 
of the annual budget request to Congress, and a description of 
those items in each agency's annual budget that are elements of 
the GCRP.
Section 108. Research grants.
  This section would require the Committee on Global Change 
Research to develop a list of priority research areas on 
climate change that are not being adequately addressed by 
Federal agencies. The Director of OSTP would then transmit the 
list to NSF for funding through the Science and Technology 
Policy Institute. The research grants would be authorized for 
FY 2008 and each fiscal year thereafter to NSF at not less than 
$30,000,000.
Section 109. Evaluation of information.
  This section would require the President to submit a single, 
integrated, comprehensive assessment to Congress on the 
information being developed in this title no less than every 4 
years.
Section 110. Repeal of obsolete provision.
  This section would repeal an obsolete provision.
Section 111. Reporting.
  This section would require a report to Congress from NOAA, in 
consultation with NASA and the U.S. Air Force, describing the 
strategy for restoring the decommissioned and scaled down 
climate sensors scheduled for the National Polar-orbiting 
Operational Environmental Satellite System and the 
Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites--R Series.
Section 112. Independent review of GCRP products.
  This section would direct NSF to contract with the National 
Academy of Public Administration to review the process of the 
GCRP and the National Climate Service to determine the extent 
to which scientific findings and communications were subjected 
to non-scientific policy considerations. The results and 
recommendations of the review would be submitted to Congress. 
NSF would be authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2009 through 2013 to carry out this section.
Section 113. Scientific communications.
  This section would require the President to establish 
guidelines and implement a plan requiring NOAA, NASA, NSF, the 
Environmental Protection Agency, and other Federal agencies 
with scientific research programs to adopt policies that ensure 
the integrity of scientific communications.
Section 114. Aging workforce issues program.
  This section would direct the Administrator of NOAA to 
implement a program to address aging workforce issues in 
climate science, global change, and other focuses of NOAA 
research.
Section 115. Authorization of appropriations.
  This section would authorize annual appropriations of such 
sums as may be necessary for FY 2009 through FY 2013. Of the 
amounts appropriated for each fiscal year, $4,000,000 would be 
available to the Global Change Research Coordination Office 
through OSTP for the tasks outlined in section 106, and such 
sums as may be necessary for NOAA, NSF, and NASA, and, to the 
extent that funds remain available, for other Federal agencies 
participating in the GCRP for the purposes of carrying out this 
Act.

                  TITLE II -- NATIONAL CLIMATE SERVICE

Section 201. Amendment of National Climate Program Act.
  This section would specify that changes in this title are in 
reference to the National Climate Program Act (15 U.S.C. 2901 
et seq.).
Section 202. Short Title; Table of Contents.
  This section would provide that the legislation may be cited 
as the ``National Climate Service Act of 2007'' and the table 
of contents for this title.
Section 203. Findings.
  This section would provide that climate change and related 
hazards affect many elements vital to national security and 
human welfare; current progress in research and development is 
inadequate; the United States lacks sufficient tools for 
adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change; 
climate change information needs to be widely disseminated; and 
international cooperation is essential.
Section 204. Purpose.
  This section would state that the purpose of the Act is to 
establish a National Climate Service that will advance the 
national interest and associated international concerns in 
understanding, forecasting, responding, adapting to, and 
mitigating the impacts of natural and human-induced climate 
change and variability.
Section 205. Definitions.
  This section would define: (1) ``Administrator'', (2) 
``Advisory Council'', (3) ``Climate Change'', (4) ``Director'', 
(5) ``Global Change Research Program'', and (6) ``Service''. It 
would clarify the definition of Secretary.
Section 206. National Climate Service.
  This section would establish a National Climate Service (NCS) 
within NOAA that would include a national center and a network 
of regional and local facilities for operational climate 
monitoring and prediction. The NCS would produce and deliver 
authoritative, timely, and usable information about climate 
change, climate variability, trends, and impacts on local, 
State, regional, national, and global scales. This section 
would also require that the Secretary of Commerce submit to 
Congress a plan of action for the NCS. The NCS would utilize 
appropriate research from GCRP activities. This section would 
require the Administrator of NOAA to appoint a director of the 
NCS to manage the organization and execute the functions and 
actions of the NCS. This section also would establish a 
National Climate Service Advisory Council with a diverse 
membership from relevant Federal, State, and local government, 
universities, and non-governmental and private sectors to 
advise the Director of the Service on key priorities for 
climate-related issues that require the attention of the NCS.
  Contract and Grant Authority. This section would provide that 
functions vested in any Federal officer or agency by this Act 
or under the GCRP may be exercised through the facilities and 
personnel of the agency involved or, to the extent provided or 
approved in advance in appropriation Acts, by other persons or 
entities under contracts or grant arrangements entered into by 
such officer or agency.
  Annual Report. This section would require the Secretary of 
Commerce to prepare and submit to the President and authorizing 
committees of Congress a report on the activities conducted 
pursuant to this Act during the preceding fiscal year.
Section 207. Reauthorization.
  Authorization of Appropriations. This section would authorize 
$300,000,000 for FY 2009; $350,000,000 for FY 2010; 
$400,000,000 for FY 2011; $450,000,000 for FY 2012; and, 
$500,000,000 for FY 2013 to the Secretary of Commerce for the 
purposes of carrying out this title.

                   TITLE III -- TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

Section 301. National Science and Technology Assessment Service.
  This section would specify that changes are in reference to 
the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and 
Priorities Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.).
  Establishment. This section would reinstate a Science and 
Technology Assessment Service (STAS) which would be within and 
responsible to the legislative branch of government.
  Composition. This section would provide the structure of the 
STAS including a Science and Technology Board to formulate and 
promulgate the policies of the STAS, and a Director to carry 
out such policies and administer the operations of the Service.
  Functions and Duties. This section would establish the STAS's 
functions, including coordinating and developing information 
for Congress relating to the uses and application of technology 
to address current national science and technology policy 
issues. This section also would direct the service to 
coordinate with the National Research Council.
  Initiation of Activities. This section would describe who 
would initiate assessment activities undertaken by the STAS, 
including the Chairman of any standing, special, or select 
committee of Congress, the Science and Technology Board, or the 
Director of the STAS.
  Administration and Support. This section would provide that 
the Director of the STAS be appointed by the Board and would 
serve for a term of 6 years. The Director would contract for 
administrative support from the Library of Congress.
  Authority. This section would provide to the STAS the 
authority to carry out the provisions of this section.
  Board. This section would describe the Board structure, 
including 13 members, of which the Director would be a 
nonvoting member, along with six from the Senate and six from 
the House of Representatives, divided equally between the 
majority and minority parties.
  Report to Congress. This section would require the STAS to 
submit an annual report to Congress that would include an 
evaluation of technology assessment techniques and the 
identification of technological areas and programs requiring 
future analysis.
  Authorization of Appropriations. This section would authorize 
such sums as may be necessary to the STAS to fulfill the 
requirements of this title.

                 TITLE IV -- CLIMATE CHANGE TECHNOLOGY

Section 401. NIST greenhouse gas functions.
  This section would amend the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 272(c)) to authorize NIST to 
perform research to develop enhanced measurements, 
calibrations, standards, and technologies to reduce production 
of greenhouse gases associated with global warming.
Section 402. Development of new measurement technologies.
  This section would direct the Secretary of Commerce to 
initiate a program to develop innovative standards and 
measurement technologies to calculate greenhouse gas emissions 
and reductions.
Section 403. Enhanced environmental measurements and standards.
  This section would amend the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 271 et seq.) by requiring the 
Director to establish a program to perform and support research 
on global climate change standards and processes, with the goal 
of providing scientific and technical knowledge applicable to 
the reduction of greenhouse gases associated with global 
warming, including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, 
ozone, perfluorocarbons, hydro fluorocarbons, and sulfur 
hexafluoride. This section would direct the Director of NIST to 
utilize the National Measurement Laboratories at NIST to 
improve the accuracy of measurements and control of industrial 
chemical processes to reduce or eliminate greenhouse gases. The 
Director would also utilize the National Voluntary Laboratory 
Accreditation Program to establish a program to address the 
unique needs for accreditation in measuring the production of 
greenhouse gases.
Section 404. Technology development and diffusion.
  This section would provide for the Director of NIST, through 
the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program, to 
develop a program to support the implementation of new 
``green'' manufacturing technologies and techniques.
Section 405. Authorization of appropriations.
  This section would authorize $15,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2009 through 2013 to the Director of the NIST for 
carrying out the purposes of this title.

                    TITLE V -- ABRUPT CLIMATE CHANGE

Section 501. Abrupt climate change research program.
  This section would require the Secretary of Commerce to 
establish a program of scientific research on abrupt climate 
change in the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research of 
NOAA.
Section 502. Purposes of program.
  This section would outline the purposes of the program, which 
would to develop a global array of terrestrial and 
oceanographic indicators of paleoclimate to sufficiently 
identify and describe past instances of abrupt climate change; 
improve the understanding of thresholds and nonlinearities in 
geophysical systems related to the mechanisms of abrupt climate 
change; incorporate such mechanisms into advanced geophysical 
models of climate change; and test the output of such models 
against an improved global array of records of past abrupt 
climate change.
Section 503. Abrupt climate change defined.
  This section would define ``abrupt climate change'' as a 
change in the climate that occurs so rapidly or unexpectedly 
that human or natural systems have difficulty adapting to the 
climate as changed.
Section 504. Authorization of appropriations.
  This section would authorize to be appropriated to the 
Department of Commerce for each of fiscal years 2009 through 
2013, to remain available until expended, such sums as 
necessary, not to exceed $10,000,000, to carry out the research 
program in this title.

                        Changes in Existing Law

  In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 
Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill, 
as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be 
omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new material is printed 
in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown 
in roman):

                   GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH ACT OF 1990

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

                            [15 U.S.C. 2921]

  As used in this Act, the term--
          (1) ``climate change'' means any change in climate 
        over time, whether due to natural variability or as a 
        result of human activity;
          [(1)] (2) ``Committee'' means the Committee on [Earth 
        and Environmental Sciences] Global Change Research 
        established under section 102;
          [(2)] (3) ``Council'' means the [Federal Coordinating 
        Council on Science, Engineering, and Technology;] 
        National Science and Technology Council established by 
        Executive Order 12881, November 23, 1993;
          [(3) ``global change'' means changes in the global 
        environment (including alterations in climate, land 
        productivity, oceans or other water resources, 
        atmospheric chemistry, and ecological systems) that may 
        alter the capacity of the Earth to sustain life;]
          (4) ``global change'' means human-induced or natural 
        changes in the global environment (including climate 
        change and other phenomena affecting land productivity, 
        oceans and coastal areas, freshwater resources, 
        atmospheric chemistry, biodiversity, and ecological 
        systems) that may alter the capacity of Earth to 
        sustain life;
          [(4)] (5) ``global change research'' means study, 
        monitoring, assessment, prediction, and information 
        management activities to describe and understand--
                  (A) the interactive physical, chemical, and 
                biological processes that regulate the total 
                Earth system;
                  (B) the unique environment that the Earth 
                provides for life;
                  (C) changes that are occurring in the Earth 
                system; and
                  (D) the manner in which such system, 
                environment, and changes are influenced by 
                human actions;
          [(5)] (6) ``Plan'' means the National Global Change 
        Research Plan developed under section 104, or any 
        revision thereof; and
          [(6)] (7) ``Program'' means the United States Global 
        Change Research Program established under section 103.

[SEC. 101. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.]

                            [15 U.S.C. 2931]

  [(a) Findings.--The Congress makes the following findings:
          [(1) Industrial, agricultural, and other human 
        activities, coupled with an expanding world population, 
        are contributing to processes of global change that may 
        significantly alter the Earth habitat within a few 
        human generations.
          [(2) Such human-induced changes, in conjunction with 
        natural fluctuations, may lead to significant global 
        warming and thus alter world climate patterns and 
        increase global sea levels. Over the next century, 
        these consequences could adversely affect world 
        agricultural and marine production, coastal 
        habitability, biological diversity, human health, and 
        global economic and social well-being.
          [(3) The release of chlorofluorocarbons and other 
        stratospheric ozone-depleting substances is rapidly 
        reducing the ability of the atmosphere to screen out 
        harmful ultraviolet radiation, which could adversely 
        affect human health and ecological systems.
          [(4) Development of effective policies to abate, 
        mitigate, and cope with global change will rely on 
        greatly improved scientific understanding of global 
        environmental processes and on our ability to 
        distinguish human-induced from natural global change.
          [(5) New developments in interdisciplinary Earth 
        sciences, global observing systems, and computing 
        technology make possible significant advances in the 
        scientific understanding and prediction of these global 
        changes and their effects.
          [(6) Although significant Federal global change 
        research efforts are underway, an effective Federal 
        research program will require efficient interagency 
        coordination, and coordination with the research 
        activities of State, private, and international 
        entities.
  [(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this title is to provide for 
development and coordination of a comprehensive and integrated 
United States research program which will assist the Nation and 
the world to understand, assess, predict, and respond to human-
induced and natural processes of global change.]

SEC. 101. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

  (a) Findings.--The Congress makes the following findings:
          (1) According to the 4th Assessment Report of the 
        Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, most of the 
        observed increase in global average temperatures since 
        the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed 
        increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas 
        concentrations.
          (2) Human-induced changes, in conjunction with 
        natural fluctuations, may lead to significant 
        alterations of world climate patterns. Over this 
        century, these changes could adversely affect world 
        agricultural and marine production, coastal 
        habitability, biological diversity, human health, 
        global social and political stability, and global 
        economic activity.
          (3) Developments in interdisciplinary Earth sciences, 
        global observing systems, and satellite and computing 
        technologies make possible significant scientific 
        understanding and prediction of global changes and 
        their effects, and have resulted in the significant 
        expansion of environmental data and information.
          (4) Development and strengthening of effective 
        policies to mitigate and adapt to global change will 
        rely on improvement in scientific understanding of 
        global environmental and societal processes and on 
        development of information that is of use to 
        decisionmakers at the local, regional, and national 
        levels.
          (5) Although significant Federal global change 
        research efforts are underway, an effective Federal 
        program will require improvements in interagency 
        coordination, coordination with the activities of 
        local, regional, State, private, and international 
        entities, and increased levels of Federal resources.
          (6) Although the United States Global Change Research 
        Program has made significant contributions to 
        understanding Earth's climate and the anthropogenic 
        influences on Earth's climate and its ecosystems, the 
        Program also needs to produce information that better 
        meets the expressed needs of decisionmakers.
          (7) Better predictions of future climate conditions 
        at the regional level are desirable to inform 
        decisions, including those related to land, water, and 
        resource management.
          (8) Improved understanding of global change is needed 
        to identify risks and vulnerabilities under plausible 
        climate futures to assist decisionmakers in the 
        development of policies to help ensure that ecological, 
        social, and economic systems are resilient.
          (9) In order to more effectively meet the needs of 
        decisionmakers and the public, the research agenda of 
        the United States Global Change Research Program and 
        its implementation and products should be informed by 
        continuous feedback from users of information generated 
        by the Program.
  (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this title is to provide for the 
continuation and coordination of a comprehensive and integrated 
United States observation, research, assessment, and outreach 
program which will assist the Nation and the world to better 
understand, assess, predict, mitigate, and adapt to the effects 
of human-induced and natural processes of global change.

[SEC. 102. COMMITTEE ON EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES.]

                            [15 U.S.C. 2932]

SEC. 102. COMMITTEE ON GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH.

  (a) Establishment.--The President, through the Council, shall 
establish a Committee on [Earth and Environmental Sciences.] 
Global Change Research. The Committee shall carry out Council 
functions under section 401 of the National Science and 
Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 (42 
U.S.C. 6651) relating to global change research, for the 
purpose of increasing the overall effectiveness and 
productivity of Federal global change research efforts.
  (b) Membership. The Committee shall consist of at least one 
representative from--
          (1) the National Science Foundation;
          (2) the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration;
          (3) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration of the Department of Commerce;
          (4) the Environmental Protection Agency;
          (5) the Department of Energy;
          (6) the Department of State;
          (7) the Department of Defense;
          (8) the Department of the Interior;
          (9) the Department of Agriculture;
          (10) the Department of Transportation;
          (11) the Office of Management and Budget;
          (12) the Office of Science and Technology Policy;
          (13) the Council on Environmental Quality;
          (14) the National Institute of Standards and 
        Technology of the Department of Commerce;
          [(14)] (15) the National Institute of Environmental 
        Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health; 
        and
          [(15)] (16) such other agencies and departments of 
        the United States as the President or the Chairman of 
        the Council considers appropriate. [Such 
        representatives shall be high ranking officials of 
        their agency or department, wherever possible the head 
        of the portion of that agency or department that is 
        most revelant to the purpose of the title described in 
        section 101(b).] The representatives shall be the 
        Deputy Secretary or the Deputy Secretary's designee 
        (or, in the case of an agency other than a department, 
        the deputy head of that agency or the deputy's 
        designee).
  (c) Chairperson.--The Chairman of the Council, in 
consultation with the Committee, biennially shall select one of 
the Committee members to serve as Chairperson. The Chairperson 
shall be knowledgeable and experienced with regard to the 
administration of scientific research programs, and shall be a 
representative of an agency that contributes substantially, in 
terms of scientific research capability and budget, to the 
Program.
  [(d) Support personnel.--An Executive Secretary shall be 
appointed by the Chairperson of the Committee, with the 
approval of the Committee. The Executive Secretary shall be a 
permanent employee of one of the agencies or departments 
represented on the Committee, and shall remain in the employ of 
such agency or department. The Chairman of the Council shall 
have the authority to make personnel decisions regarding any 
employees detailed to the Council for purposes of working on 
business of the Committee pursuant to section 401 of the 
National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and 
Priorities Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6651).]
  (d) Subcommittees and Working Groups.--The Committee may 
establish such additional subcommittees and working groups to 
carry out its work as it sees fit.
  (e) Functions relative to global change.--The Council, 
through the Committee, shall be responsible for planning and 
coordinating the Program. In carrying out this responsibility, 
the Committee shall--
          (1) serve as the forum for developing the Plan and 
        for overseeing its implementation;
          (2) improve cooperation among Federal agencies and 
        departments with respect to global change research 
        activities;
          (3) provide budgetary advice as specified in section 
        105;
          (4) work with academic, State, industry, and other 
        groups conducting global change research, to provide 
        for periodic public and peer review of the Program;
          (5) cooperate with the Secretary of State in--
                  (A) providing representation at international 
                meetings and conferences on global change 
                research in which the United States 
                participates; and
                  (B) coordinating the Federal activities of 
                the United States with programs of other 
                nations and with international global change 
                research activities such as the International 
                Geosphere- Biosphere Program;
          (6) consult with actual and potential users of the 
        results of the Program to ensure that such results are 
        useful in developing national and international policy 
        responses to global change; [and]
          (7) work with appropriate Federal, State, regional, 
        and local authorities to ensure that the Program is 
        designed to produce information needed to develop 
        policies to reduce the impacts of global change; and
          [(7)] (8) report at least annually to the President 
        and the Congress, through the Chairman of the Council, 
        on Federal global change research priorities, policies, 
        and programs.

[SEC. 104. NATIONAL GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH PLAN.]

                            [15 U.S.C. 2934]

SEC. 104. NATIONAL GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT PLAN.

  (a) Strategic Plan; Revised Implementation Plan.--The 
Chairman of the Council, through the Committee, shall develop a 
strategic plan for the United States Global Climate Change 
Research Program for the 10-year period beginning in 2008 and 
submit the plan to the Congress within 1 year after the date of 
enactment of the Global Change Research Improvement Act of 
2007. The strategic plan shall include a detailed plan for 
research, assessment, information management, public 
participation, outreach, and budget and shall be updated at 
least once every 5 years.
  [(a)] (b) In general.--The Chairman of the Council, through 
the Committee, shall develop a National Global Change Research 
and Assessment Plan for implementation of the Program. The Plan 
shall contain recommendations for national global change 
[research.] research and assessment. The Chairman of the 
Council shall submit the Plan to the Congress within one year 
after the date of enactment of [this title,] the Global Change 
Research Improvement Act of 2007, and a revised Plan shall be 
submitted at least once every three years thereafter.
  [(b)] (c) Contents of the Plan.--The Plan shall--
          (1) establish, for the 10-year period beginning in 
        the year the Plan is submitted, the short-term and 
        long-term goals and priorities for Federal global 
        change research which most effectively advance 
        scientific understanding of global change and provide 
        [usable information on which to base policy decisions 
        relating to] information relevant and readily usable by 
        local, State, and Federal decisionmakers, as well as 
        other end-users, for the formulation of effective 
        decisions and strategies for measuring, predicting, 
        mitigating, and adapting to global change;
          (2) describe specific activities, including research 
        activities, data collection and data analysis 
        requirements, predictive modeling, development of 
        regional scenarios, assessment of model predictability, 
        assessment of climate change impacts, participation in 
        international research efforts, and information 
        management, required to achieve such goals and 
        [priorities;] priorities and propose measures to 
        address gaps and growing needs for these activities;
          (3) identify and address, as appropriate, relevant 
        programs and activities of the Federal agencies and 
        departments represented on the Committee that 
        contribute to the Program;
          (4) set forth the role of each Federal agency and 
        department in implementing the Plan;
          (5) consider and utilize, as appropriate, reports and 
        studies conducted by Federal agencies and departments, 
        the National Research Council, or other entities;
          [(6) make recommendations for the coordination of the 
        global change research activities of the United States 
        with such activities of other nations and international 
        organizations, including--
                  [(A) a description of the extent and nature 
                of necessary international cooperation;
                  [(B) the development by the Committee, in 
                consultation when appropriate with the National 
                Space Council, of proposals for cooperation on 
                major capital projects;
                  [(C) bilateral and multilateral proposals for 
                improving worldwide access to scientific data 
                and information; and
                  [(D) methods for improving participation in 
                international global change research by 
                developing nations; and
          [(7) estimate, to the extent practicable, Federal 
        funding for global change research activities to be 
        conducted under the Plan.]
          (6) make recommendations for the coordination of the 
        global change research and assessment activities of the 
        United States with such activities of other Nations and 
        international organizations, including--
                  (A) a description of the extent and nature of 
                international cooperative activities;
                  (B) bilateral and multilateral efforts to 
                provide worldwide access to scientific data and 
                information, and proposals to improve such 
                access and build capacity for its use; and
                  (C) improving participation by developing 
                Nations in international global change research 
                and environmental data collection;
          (7) detail budget requirements for Federal global 
        change research and assessment activities to be 
        conducted under the Plan;
          (8) include a process for identifying information 
        needed by appropriate Federal, State, regional, and 
        local decisionmakers to develop policies to plan for 
        and address projected impacts of global change;
          (9) identify and sustain the observing systems 
        currently employed in collecting data relevant to 
        global and regional climate change research and 
        prioritize additional observation systems that may be 
        needed to ensure adequate data collection and 
        monitoring of global change;
          (10) identify existing capabilities and gaps in 
        national, regional, and local climate prediction and 
        scenario-based modeling capabilities for forecasting 
        and projecting climate impacts at local and regional 
        levels, and propose measures to address such gaps;
          (11) describe specific activities designed to 
        facilitate outreach and data and information exchange 
        with regional, State, and local governments and other 
        user communities;
          (12) identify and describe ecosystems and geographic 
        regions of the United States that are likely to 
        experience similar impacts of global change or are 
        likely to share similar vulnerabilities to global 
        change; and
          (13) include such additional matter as the Committee 
        deems appropriate.
  [(c)] (d) Research elements.--The Plan shall provide for, but 
not be limited to, the following research elements:
          [(1) Global measurements, establishing worldwide 
        observations necessary to understand the physical, 
        chemical, and biological processes responsible for 
        changes in the Earth system on all relevant spatial and 
        time scales.
          [(2) Documentation of global change, including the 
        development of mechanisms for recording changes that 
        will actually occur in the Earth system over the coming 
        decades.]
          (1) Global and regional research and measurements to 
        understand the nature of and interaction among 
        physical, chemical, biological, land use, and social 
        processes responsible for changes in the Earth system 
        on all relevant spatial and time scales.
          (2) Development of indicators, baseline databases, 
        and ongoing monitoring to document global change, 
        including changes in species distribution and behavior, 
        changes in oceanic and atmospheric chemistry, extent of 
        ice sheets, glaciers, and snow cover, shifts in water 
        distribution and abundance, and changes in sea level.
          (3) Studies of earlier changes in the Earth system, 
        using evidence from the geological and fossil record.
          (4) Predictions, using quantitative models of the 
        Earth system to identify and simulate global 
        environmental processes and trends, and the regional 
        implications of such processes and trends.
          (5) Focused research initiatives to understand the 
        nature of and interaction among physical, chemical, 
        biological, and social processes related to global 
        change.
          (6) Address emerging priorities for climate change 
        science, such as ice sheet melt and movement, the 
        relationship between climate change and hurricane and 
        typhoon development, including intensity, track, and 
        frequency, decreasing water levels in the Great Lakes, 
        and droughts in the western and southeastern United 
        States.
          (7) Methods for integrating information to provide 
        predictive and other tools for planning and 
        decisionmaking by governments, communities and the 
        private sector.
  [(d)] (e) Information management.--The Plan shall provide 
recommendations for collaboration within the Federal Government 
and among nations to--
          (1) establish, develop, and maintain information 
        bases, including necessary management systems which 
        will promote consistent, efficient, and compatible 
        transfer and use of data;
          (2) create globally accessible formats for data 
        collected by various international sources; [and]
          [(3) combine and interpret data from various sources 
        to produce information readily usable by policymakers 
        attempting to formulate effective strategies for 
        preventing, mitigating, and adapting to the effects of 
        global change.]
          (3) combine and interpret data from various sources 
        to produce information readily usable by local, State, 
        and Federal policymakers, and other end-users, 
        attempting to formulate effective decisions and 
        strategies for mitigating and adapting to the effects 
        of global change; and
          (4) establish a common assessment and modeling 
        framework that may be used in both research and 
        operations to project, predict, and assess the 
        vulnerability of natural and managed ecosystems and of 
        human society in the context of other environmental and 
        social changes.
  [(e) National Research Council evaluation.--The Chairman of 
the Council shall enter into an agreement with the National 
Research Council under which the National Research Council 
shall- -
          [(1) evaluate the scientific content of the Plan; and
          [(2) provide information and advice obtained from 
        United States and international sources, and 
        recommended priorities for future global change 
        research.]
  (f) National Research Council Evaluation.--
          (1) Review of strategic plan.--The Chairman of the 
        Council shall enter into an agreement with the National 
        Research Council under which the National Research 
        Council shall--
                  (A) evaluate the scientific content of the 
                Plan;
                  (B) provide information and advice obtained 
                from United States and international sources, 
                and recommended priorities for future global 
                and regional climate research and assessment; 
                and
                  (C) address such other studies on emerging 
                priorities as the Chairman determines to be 
                warranted.
          (2) Additional national research council studies.--
        The Secretary shall execute an agreement with the 
        National Research Council--
                  (A) to examine existing research, potential 
                risks (including adverse impacts to the marine 
                environment), and the effectiveness of ocean 
                iron fertilization or other coastal and ocean 
                carbon sequestration technologies; and
                  (B) identify domestic and international 
                regulatory mechanisms and regulatory gaps for 
                controlling the deployment of such technologies 
                and provide recommendations for addressing such 
                regulatory gaps.
  [(f)] (g) Public participation.--In developing the Plan, the 
Committee shall consult with academic, State, industry, and 
environmental groups and representatives. Not later than 90 
days before the Chairman of the Council submits the Plan, or 
any revision thereof, to the Congress, a summary of the 
proposed Plan shall be published in the Federal Register for a 
public comment period of not less than 60 days.

SEC. 105. BUDGET COORDINATION.

                            [15 U.S.C. 2935]

  (a) Global Change Research Coordination Office.--
          (1) In general.--The President shall establish a 
        Global Change Research Coordination Office. The Office 
        shall have a director, who shall be a senior scientist 
        or other qualified professional with research expertise 
        in climate change science, as well as experience in 
        policymaking, planning, or resource management, and a 
        fulltime staff. The Office shall--
                  (A) manage, in conjunction with the 
                Committee, interagency coordination and program 
                integration of global change research 
                activities and budget requests;
                  (B) ensure that the activities and programs 
                of each Federal agency or department 
                participating in the Program address the goals 
                and objectives identified in the strategic 
                research plan and interagency implementation 
                plans;
                  (C) ensure program and budget recommendations 
                of the Committee are communicated to the 
                President and are integrated into the strategic 
                and implementation plans for the Program;
                  (D) review, solicit, identify, and arrange 
                funding for partnership projects that address 
                critical research objectives or operational 
                goals of the Program, including projects that 
                would fill research gaps identified by the 
                Program, and for which project resources are 
                shared among at least 2 agencies participating 
                in the Program;
                  (E) review and provide recommendations, in 
                conjunction with the Committee, on all annual 
                appropriations requests from Federal agencies 
                or departments participating in the Program;
                  (F) provide technical and administrative 
                support to the Committee;
                  (G) serve as a point of contact on Federal 
                climate change activities for government 
                organizations, academia, industry, professional 
                societies, State climate change programs, 
                interested citizen groups, and others to 
                exchange technical and programmatic 
                information; and
                  (H) conduct public outreach, including 
                dissemination of findings and recommendations 
                of the Committee, as appropriate.
          (2) Funding.--The Office may be funded through 
        interagency funding in accordance with section 631 of 
        The Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 
        2003 (Pub. L. 108-7; 117 Stat. 471).
          (3) Report.--Within 90 days after the date of 
        enactment of the Global Change Research Improvement Act 
        of 2007, the Director of the Office of Science and 
        Technology Policy shall report to the Senate Committee 
        on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House 
        of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology 
        on the funding of the Office. The report shall 
        include--
                  (A) the amount of funding required to 
                adequately fund the Office; and
                  (B) the adequacy of existing mechanisms to 
                fund the Office.
  (b) Research Grants.--
          (1) Committee to develop list of priority research 
        areas.--The Committee shall develop a list of priority 
        areas for research and development on climate change 
        that are not being adequately addressed by Federal 
        agencies. In the list, the Committee shall identify the 
        appropriate agency to lead the such areas of research 
        funded under paragraph (3)(A).
          (2) Director of ostp to transmit list to nsf.--The 
        Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy 
        shall transmit the list to the National Science 
        Foundation.
          (3) Funding through nsf.--
                  (A) Budget request.--The National Science 
                Foundation shall include, as part of the annual 
                request for appropriations for the Science and 
                Technology Policy Institute, a request for 
                appropriations to fund research in the priority 
                areas on the list developed under paragraph 
                (1).
                  (B) Authorization.--For fiscal year 2008 and 
                each fiscal year thereafter, there are 
                authorized to be appropriated to the National 
                Science Foundation not less than $30,000,000, 
                to be made available through the Science and 
                Technology Policy Institute, for research in 
                those priority areas.
  [(a)] (c) Committee guidance.--The Committee shall each year 
provide general guidance to each Federal agency or department 
participating in the Program with respect to the preparation of 
requests for appropriations for activities related to the 
Program.
  [(b)] (d) Submission of reports with agency appropriations 
requests.--(1) Working in conjunction with the Committee, each 
Federal agency or department involved in global change research 
shall include with its annual request for appropriations 
submitted to the President under section 1108 of title 31, 
United States Code, a report which--
          (A) identifies each element of the proposed global 
        change research activities of the agency or department;
          (B) specifies whether each element (i) contributes 
        directly to the Program or (ii) contributes indirectly 
        but in important ways to the Program; and
          (C) states the portion of its request for 
        appropriations allocated to each element of the 
        Program.
  (2) Each agency or department that submits a report under 
paragraph (1) shall submit such report simultaneously to the 
[Committee.] Committee and the Global Change Research 
Coordination Office.
  [(c) Consideration in President's budget.--(1) The President 
shall, in a timely fashion, provide the Committee with an 
opportunity to review and comment on the budget estimate of 
each agency and department involved in global change research 
in the context of the Plan.
  [(2) The President shall identify in each annual budget 
submitted to the Congress under section 1105 of title 31, 
United States Code, those items in each agency's or 
department's annual budget which are elements of the Program.]
  (e) Consideration in President's Budget.--
          (1) In general.--Before each annual budget submitted 
        to the Congress under section 1105 of title 31, United 
        States Code, the President shall, in a timely fashion, 
        provide an opportunity to the Committee and the Global 
        Change Research Coordination Office to review and 
        comment on the budget estimate of each agency and 
        department involved in global change research in the 
        context of the Plan. The Committee and the Global 
        Change Research Coordination Office shall transmit a 
        report containing the results of their reviews to the 
        Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation and the House of Representatives 
        Committee on Science and Technology no later than the 
        date on which the President submits the annual budget 
        to the Congress under section 1105 of title 31, United 
        States Code.
          (2) Program items.--The President shall submit, at 
        the time of the annual budget request to Congress, an 
        integrated budget plan that would consolidate and 
        highlight Program priorities and include a description 
        of those items in each agency's annual budget which are 
        elements of the Program.

SEC. 6. [SCIENTIFIC] ASSESSMENT.

                            [15 U.S.C. 2936]

  [On a periodic basis (not less frequently than every 4 
years), the Council, through the Committee, shall prepare and 
submit to the President and the Congress an assessment] On a 
periodic basis (not less frequently than every 4 years), the 
President shall submit to Congress a single, integrated, 
comprehensive assessment which--
          (1) integrates, evaluates, and interprets the 
        findings of the Program and discusses the scientific 
        uncertainties associated with such findings;
          (2) analyzes the effects of global change on the 
        natural environment, agriculture, energy production and 
        use, land and water resources, transportation, human 
        health and welfare, human social systems, and 
        biological diversity; [and]
          (3) analyzes current trends in global change, both 
        human-inducted and natural, and projects major trends 
        for the subsequent 25 to 100 [years.] years; and
          (4) evaluates the information being developed under 
        this title, considering in particular its usefulness to 
        local, State, and national decisionmakers, as well as 
        to other stakeholders such as the private sector, after 
        providing a meaningful opportunity for the 
        consideration of the views of such stakeholders on the 
        effectiveness of the Program and the usefulness of the 
        information.

SEC. 8. RELATION TO OTHER AUTHORITIES.

                            [15 U.S.C. 2938]

  (a) National Climate Program research activities.--The 
President, the Chairman of the Council, and the Secretary of 
Commerce shall ensure that relevant research activities of the 
National Climate Program, established by the National Climate 
Program Act (15 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.), are considered in 
developing national global change research efforts.
  (b) Availability of research findings.--The President, the 
Chairman of the Council, and the heads of the agencies and 
departments represented on the Committee, shall ensure that the 
research findings of the Committee, and of Federal agencies and 
departments, are available to--
          (1) the Environmental Protection Agency for use in 
        the formulation of a coordinated national policy on 
        global climate change pursuant to section 1103 of the 
        Global Climate Protection Act of 1987 (15 U.S.C. 2901 
        note); and
          (2) all Federal agencies and departments for use in 
        the formulation of coordinated national policies for 
        responding to human- induced and natural processes of 
        global change pursuant to other statutory 
        responsibilities and obligations.
  (c) Effect on Federal response actions.--Nothing in this 
title shall be construed, interpreted, or applied to preclude 
or delay the planning or implementation of any Federal action 
designed, in whole or in part, to address the threats of 
[stratospheric ozone depletion or] global climate change.

                      NATIONAL CLIMATE PROGRAM ACT

[SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  [This Act may be cited as the ``National Climate Program 
Act''.

[SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

                            [15 U.S.C. 2901]

  [The Congress finds and declares the following:
          [(1) Weather and climate change affect food 
        production, energy use, land use, water resources and 
        other factors vital to national security and human 
        welfare.
          [(2) An ability to anticipate natural and man-induced 
        changes in climate would contribute to the soundness of 
        policy decisions in the public and private sectors.
          [(3) Significant improvements in the ability to 
        forecast climate on an intermediate and long-term basis 
        are possible.
          [(4) Information regarding climate is not being fully 
        disseminated or used, and Federal efforts have given 
        insufficient attention to assessing and applying this 
        information.
          [(5) Climate fluctuation and change occur on a global 
        basis, and deficiencies exist in the system for 
        monitoring global climate changes. International 
        cooperation for the purpose of sharing the benefits and 
        costs of a global effort to understand climate is 
        essential.
          [(6) The United States lacks a well-defined and 
        coordinated program in climate-related research, 
        monitoring, assessment of effects, and information 
        utilization.]

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

  (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``National 
Climate Service Act of 2007''.
  (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is 
as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Purpose.
Sec. 4. Definitions.
Sec. 5. National Climate Program.
Sec. 6. National Climate Service.
Sec. 7. Contract and grant authority.
Sec. 8. Annual report.
Sec. 9. Authorization of appropriations.''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

  The Congress finds the following:
          (1) Climate change and related hazards affect public 
        safety, environmental services and security, human 
        health, agriculture, energy use, water resources, 
        wildlife and other natural resources, and other factors 
        vital to national security and human welfare.
          (2) The present rate of advance of national efforts 
        in research and development and the application of such 
        advances is inadequate to meet the challenges posed by 
        observed and projected rates of climate change and the 
        increasing demand for information to guide planning and 
        response across all sectors.
          (3) The United States lacks adequate research, 
        infrastructure, and coordinated outreach and 
        communication mechanisms to meet national climate 
        monitoring, prediction, and decision support needs for 
        adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate 
        change.
          (4) Information regarding climate change is not being 
        fully disseminated or used, and Federal efforts have 
        given insufficient attention to assessing and applying 
        this information.
          (5) Climate change occurs on a global basis making 
        international cooperation essential for the purpose of 
        sharing the benefits and costs of a global effort to 
        understand and communicate these changes.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

                            [15 U.S.C. 2902]

  It is the purpose of the Congress in this Act to establish a 
national climate program that will assist the Nation and the 
world to understand and respond to natural and man-induced 
climate processes and their [implications.] implications and to 
establish a National Climate Service that will advance the 
national interest and associated international concerns in 
understanding, forecasting, responding, adapting to, and 
mitigating the impacts of natural and human-induced climate 
change and climate variability.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

                            [15 U.S.C. 2903]

  [As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:] 
In this Act:
          [(1) The term ``Board'' means the Climate Program 
        Policy Board.
          [(2) The term ``Office'' means the National Climate 
        Program Office.]
          (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means 
        the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration.
          (2) Advisory Council.--The term ``Advisory Council'' 
        refers to the Climate Services Advisory Council.
          (3) Climate change.--The term ``climate change'' 
        means any change in climate over time, whether due to 
        natural variability or as a result of human activity.
          (4) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the 
        Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration's National Climate Service.
          (5) Global change research program.--The term 
        ``Global Change Research Program'' means the United 
        States Global Change Research Program established under 
        section 103 of the Global Change Research Act of 1990 
        (15 U.S.C. 2933).
          [(3)] (6) Program._The term ``Program'' means the 
        National Climate Program.
          [(4)] (7) Secretary._The term ``Secretary'' means the 
        Secretary of [Commerce.] Commerce, acting through the 
        Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration.
          (8) Service.--The term ``Service'' means the National 
        Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National 
        Climate Service.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


[SEC. 7. ANNUAL REPORT.

                            [15 U.S.C. 2906]

  [The Secretary shall prepare and submit to the President and 
the authorizing committees of the Congress, not later than 
March 31 of each year, a report on the activities conducted 
pursuant to this Act during the preceding fiscal year, 
including--
          [(a) a summary of the achievements of the Program 
        during the previous fiscal year;
          [(b) an analysis of the progress made toward 
        achieving the goals and objectives of the Program;
          [(c) a copy of the 5-year plan and any changes made 
        in such plan;
          [(d) a summary of the multiagency budget request for 
        the Program of subsection 5(g); and
          [(e) any recommendations for additional legislation 
        which may be required to assist in achieving the 
        purposes of the Act.

[SEC. 8. CONTRACT AND GRANT AUTHORITY; RECORDS AND AUDITS.

                            [15 U.S.C. 2907]

  [(a) Functions vested in any Federal officer or agency by 
this Act or under the Program may be exercised through the 
facilities and personnel of the agency involved or, to the 
extent provided or approved in advance in appropriation Acts, 
by other persons or entities under contracts or grant 
arrangements entered into by such officer or agency.
  [(b)(1) Each person or entity to which Federal funds are made 
available under a contract or grant arrangement as authorized 
by this Act shall keep such records as the Director of the 
Office shall prescribe, including records which fully disclose 
the amount and disposition by such person or entity of such 
funds, the total cost of the activities for which such funds 
were so made available, the amount of that portion of such cost 
supplied from other sources, and such other records as will 
facilitate an effective audit.
  [(2) The Director of the Office and the Comptroller General 
of the United States, or any of their duly authorized 
representatives, shall, until the expiration of 3 years after 
the completion of the activities (referred to in paragraph (1)) 
of any person or entity pursuant to any contract or grant 
arrangement referred to in subsection (a), have access for the 
purpose of audit and examination to any books, documents, 
papers, and records of such person or entity which, in the 
judgment of the Director or the Comptroller General, may be 
related or pertinent to such contract or grant arrangement.]

SEC. 6. NATIONAL CLIMATE SERVICE.

  (a) Establishment.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish within 
        the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration a 
        National Climate Service not later than a year after 
        the date of the enactment of the Global Change Research 
        Improvement Act of 2007. The Service shall include a 
        national center and a network of regional and local 
        facilities for operational climate monitoring and 
        prediction.
          (2) Duties.--The Service shall produce and deliver 
        authoritative, timely and usable information about 
        climate change, climate variability, trends, and 
        impacts on local, State, regional, national, and global 
        scales.
          (3) Specific services.--The Service, at a minimum, 
        shall--
          (A) provide comprehensive and authoritative 
        information about the state of the climate and its 
        effects, through observations, monitoring, data, 
        information, and products that accurately reflect 
        climate trends and conditions;
          (B) provide predictions and projections on the future 
        state of the climate in support of adaptation, 
        preparedness, attribution, and mitigation;
          (C) utilize appropriate research from the United 
        States Global Change Research Program activities and 
        conduct focused research, as needed, to enhance 
        understanding, information and predictions of the 
        current and future state of the climate and its impacts 
        that is relevant to policy, planning, and decision 
        making;
          (D) utilize assessments from the Global Change 
        Research Program activities and conduct focused 
        assessments as needed to enhance understanding of the 
        impacts of climate change and climate variability;
          (E) assess and strengthen delivery mechanisms for 
        providing climate information to end users;
          (F) communicate climate data, conditions, 
        predictions, projections, indicators, and risks on an 
        ongoing basis to decision- and policy- makers, the 
        private sector, and to the public;
          (G) coordinate and collaborate on climate change, 
        climate variability, and impacts activities with 
        municipal, state, regional, national and international 
        agencies and organizations, as appropriate;
          (H) support the Department of State and international 
        agencies and organizations, as well as domestic 
        agencies and organizations, involved in assessing and 
        responding to climate change and climate variability;
          (I) establish an atmospheric monitoring and 
        verification program utilizing aircraft, satellite, 
        ground sensors, ocean and coastal observing systems, 
        and modeling capabilities to monitor, measure, and 
        verify greenhouse gas levels, dates, and emissions 
        throughout the global oceans and atmosphere; and
          (J) issue an annual report that identifies greenhouse 
        emission and trends on a local, regional, and national 
        level and identifies emissions or reductions 
        attributable to individual or multiple sources covered 
        by the program established under subparagraph (I).
  (b) Action Plan.--Within 1 year after the date of enactment 
of the Global Change Research Improvement Act of 2007, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Senate Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives 
Committee on Science and Technology a plan of action for the 
National Climate Service. The plan, at a minimum, shall--
          (1) provide for the interpretation and communication 
        of climate data, conditions, predictions, projections, 
        and risks on an on-going basis to decision and policy 
        makers at the local, regional, and national levels;
          (2) design, deploy, and operate an adequate national 
        climate observing system that closes gaps in existing 
        coverage;
          (3) support infrastructure and ability to archive and 
        quality ensure climate data, and make federally-funded 
        model simulations and other relevant climate 
        information available from the Global Change Research 
        Program activities and other sources (and related data 
        from paleoclimate studies).
          (4) include a program for long-term stewardship, 
        quality control, development of relevant climate 
        products, and efficient access to all relevant climate 
        data, products, and model simulations;
          (5) establish--
                  (A) a national coordinated computing 
                strategy, including establishing a new, or 
                supplementing support for existing, national 
                climate computing capability to provide 
                dedicated computing capacity for modeling and 
                forecasting, scenarios, and planning resources, 
                and a regular schedule of projections on long- 
                and short-term time horizons over a range of 
                scales, including regional scales; and
                  (B) a mechanism to allow access to such 
                capacity by the National Oceanic and 
                Atmospheric Administration, the National 
                Aeronautics and Space Administration, and 
                National Science Foundation sponsored 
                researchers;
          (6) improve integrated modeling, assessment, and 
        predictive capabilities needed to document and predict 
        climate changes and impacts, and to guide national, 
        regional, and local planning and decision making;
          (7) provide a system of regular consultation and 
        coordination with Federal agencies, States, Indian 
        tribes, non-governmental organizations, the private 
        sector and the academic community to ensure--
                  (A) that the information requirements of 
                these groups are well incorporated; and
                  (B) timely and full sharing, dissemination 
                and use of climate information and services in 
                risk preparedness, planning, decision making, 
                and early warning and natural resources 
                management, both domestically and 
                internationally;
          (8) develop standards, evaluation criteria and 
        performance objectives to ensure that the Service meets 
        the evolving information needs of the public, policy 
        makers and decision makers in the face of a changing 
        climate;
          (9) develop funding estimates to implement the plan; 
        and
          (10) support competitive research programs that will 
        improve elements of the Service described in this Act 
        through the Climate Program Office within the Service 
        headquarter function.
  (c) Coordination With the USGCRP.--The Service shall utilize 
appropriate research from Global Change Research Program 
activities to enhance understanding, information and 
predictions of the current and future state of the climate and 
its impacts that is relevant to policy and decisions. The 
Service shall provide appropriate information about the current 
and future state of the climate and its impacts that are useful 
for research purposes to relevant Global Change Research 
Program activities. The Director of the Service will serve as a 
liaison to the Global Change Research Program and a member of 
the Global Change Research Program should serve on the Advisory 
Council.
  (d) Director.--The Administrator shall appoint a director of 
the Service, who shall oversee all processes associated with 
managing the organization and executing the functions and 
actions described in this Act. The Director will serve as a 
liaison to the Global Change Research Program to ensure the 
transition of research into services and to provide services to 
meet the needs of research.
  (e) National Climate Service Advisory Council.--The 
Administrator shall, in consultation with the chairmen and 
ranking minority party members of the Senate Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of 
Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, and the 
National Academy of Sciences, appoint the membership of a 
National Climate Service Advisory Council composed of 15 
members, with members serving 4-year terms and include a 
diverse membership from appropriate Federal, State and local 
government, universities, non-government and private sectors 
who use climate information and cover a range of sectors, such 
as water, drought, fisheries, coasts, agriculture, health, 
natural resources, transportation, and insurance. The Council 
shall advise the Director of the Service of key priorities in 
climate-related issues that require the attention of the 
Service. The Council shall be responsible for ensuring 
coordination across regional and national concerns and the 
assessment of evolving information needs.

SEC. 7. CONTRACT AND GRANT AUTHORITY.

  Functions vested in any Federal officer or agency by this Act 
or under the Program may be exercised through the facilities 
and personnel of the agency involved or, to the extent provided 
or approved in advance in appropriation Acts, by other persons 
or entities under contracts or grant arrangements entered into 
by such officer or agency.

SEC. 8. ANNUAL REPORT.

  The Secretary shall prepare and submit to the President and 
the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
and the House of Representatives Committee on Science and 
Technology, as part of the annual report to meet the 
requirements of section 102(e)(7) of the Global Change Research 
Act of 1990 (15 U.S.C. 2932(e)(7)), a report on the activities 
conducted pursuant to this Act during the preceding fiscal 
year, including--
          (1) a summary of the achievements of the National 
        Climate Service during the previous fiscal year; and
          (2) an analysis of the progress made toward achieving 
        the goals and objectives of the Service.

[SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

                            [15 U.S.C. 2908]

  [In addition to any other funds otherwise authorized to be 
appropriated for the purpose of conducting climate-related 
programs, there are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of 
this Act, not to exceed $50,000,000 for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 1979, not to exceed $65,000,000 for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 1980, and not to exceed $25,500,000 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1981, of which amount 
not less than $2,653,000 shall be made directly available to 
the National Climate Program Office in the form of a budget 
item separate from the activities of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration.]

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to 
carry out sections 6, 7, and 8 of this Act--
          (1) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
          (2) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
          (3) $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2011;
          (4) $450,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; and
          (5) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.

           NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY ACT

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT, FUNCTIONS, AND ACTIVITIES.

                            [15 U.S.C. 272]

  (a) Establishment of National Institute of Standards and 
Technology.--There is established within the Department of 
Commerce a science, engineering, technology, and measurement 
laboratory to be known as the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 
``Institute'').
  (b) Functions of Secretary and Institute.--The Secretary of 
Commerce (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 
``Secretary'') acting through the Director of the Institute 
(hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Director'') is 
authorized to take all actions necessary and appropriate to 
accomplish the purposes of this Act, including the following 
functions of the Institute--
          (1) to assist industry in the development of 
        technology and procedures needed to improve quality, to 
        modernize manufacturing processes, to ensure product 
        reliability, manufacturability, functionality, and 
        cost-effectiveness, and to facilitate the more rapid 
        commercialization, especially by small- and medium-
        sized companies throughout the United States, of 
        products based on new scientific discoveries in fields 
        such as automation, electronics, advanced materials, 
        biotechnology, and optical technologies;
          (2) to develop, maintain, and retain custody of the 
        national standards of measurement, and provide the 
        means and methods for making measurements consistent 
        with those standards;
          (3) to compare standards used in scientific 
        investigations, engineering, manufacturing, commerce, 
        industry, and educational institutions with the 
        standards adopted or recognized by the Federal 
        Government and to coordinate the use by Federal 
        agencies of private sector standards, emphasizing where 
        possible the use of standards developed by private, 
        consensus organizations;
          (4) to enter into contracts, including cooperative 
        research and development arrangements, and grants and 
        cooperative agreements, in furtherance of the purposes 
        of this Act;
          (5) to provide United States industry, Government, 
        and educational institutions with a national 
        clearinghouse of current information, techniques, and 
        advice for the achievement of higher quality and 
        productivity based on current domestic and 
        international scientific and technical development;
          (6) to assist industry in the development of 
        measurements, measurement methods, and basic 
        measurement technology;
          (7) to determine, compile, evaluate, and disseminate 
        physical constants and the properties and performance 
        of conventional and advanced materials when they are 
        important to science, engineering, manufacturing, 
        education, commerce, and industry and are not available 
        with sufficient accuracy elsewhere;
          (8) to develop a fundamental basis and methods for 
        testing materials, mechanisms, structures, equipment, 
        and systems, including those used by the Federal 
        Government;
          (9) to assure the compatibility of United States 
        national measurement standards with those of other 
        nations;
          (10) to cooperate with other departments and agencies 
        of the Federal Government, with industry, with State 
        and local governments, with the governments of other 
        nations and international organizations, and with 
        private organizations in establishing standard 
        practices, codes, specifications, and voluntary 
        consensus standards;
          (11) to advise government and industry on scientific 
        and technical problems;
          (12) to invent, develop, and (when appropriate) 
        promote transfer to the private sector of measurement 
        devices to serve special national needs; and
          (13) to coordinate Federal, State, and local 
        technical standards activities and conformity 
        assessment activities, with private sector technical 
        standards activities and conformity assessment 
        activities, with the goal of eliminating unnecessary 
        duplication and complexity in the development and 
        promulgation of conformity assessment requirements and 
        measures.
  (c) Implementation activities.--In carrying out the functions 
specified in subsection (b), the Secretary, acting through the 
Director may, among other things--
          (1) construct physical standards;
          (2) test, calibrate, and certify standards and 
        standard measuring apparatus;
          (3) study and improve instruments, measurement 
        methods, and industrial process control and quality 
        assurance techniques;
          (4) cooperate with the States in securing uniformity 
        in weights and measures laws and methods of inspection;
          (5) cooperate with foreign scientific and technical 
        institutions to understand technological developments 
        in other countries better;
          (6) prepare, certify, and sell standard reference 
        materials for use in ensuring the accuracy of chemical 
        analyses and measurements of physical and other 
        properties of materials;
          (7) in furtherance of the purposes of this Act, 
        accept research associates, cash donations, and donated 
        equipment from industry, and also engage with industry 
        in research to develop new basic and generic 
        technologies for traditional and new products and for 
        improved production and manufacturing;
          (8) study and develop fundamental scientific 
        understanding and improved measurement, analysis, 
        synthesis, processing, and fabrication methods for 
        chemical substances and compounds, ferrous and 
        nonferrous metals, and all traditional and advanced 
        materials, including processes of degradation;
          (9) investigate ionizing and nonionizing radiation 
        and radioactive substances, their uses, and ways to 
        protect people structures, and equipment from their 
        harmful effects;
          (10) determine the atomic and molecular structure of 
        matter, through analysis of spectra and other methods, 
        to provide a basis for predicting chemical and physical 
        structures and reactions and for designing new 
        materials and chemical substances, including 
        biologically active macromolecules;
          (11) perform research on electromagnetic waves, 
        including optical waves, and on properties and 
        performance of electrical, electronic, and 
        electromagnetic devices and systems and their essential 
        materials, develop and maintain related standards, and 
        disseminate standard signals through broadcast and 
        other means;
          (12) develop and test standard interfaces, 
        communication protocols, and data structures for 
        computer and related telecommunications systems;
          (13) study computer systems (as that term is defined 
        in section 20(d) of this Act) and their use to control 
        machinery and processes;
          (14) perform research to develop standards and test 
        methods to advance the effective use of computers and 
        related systems and to protect the information stored, 
        processed, and transmitted by such systems and to 
        provide advice in support of policies affecting Federal 
        computer and related telecommunications systems;
          (15) determine properties of building materials and 
        structural elements, and encourage their 
        standardization and most effective use, including 
        investigation of fire-resisting properties of building 
        materials and conditions under which they may be most 
        efficiently used, and the standardization of types of 
        appliances for fire prevention;
          (16) undertake such research in engineering, pure and 
        applied mathematics, statistics, computer science, 
        materials science, and the physical sciences as may be 
        necessary to carry out and support the functions 
        specified in this section;
          (17) compile, evaluate, publish, and otherwise 
        disseminate general, specific and technical data 
        resulting from the performance of the functions 
        specified in this section or from other sources when 
        such data are important to science, engineering, or 
        industry, or to the general public, and are not 
        available elsewhere;
          (18) collect, create, analyze, and maintain specimens 
        of scientific value;
          (19) operate national user facilities;
          (20) evaluate promising inventions and other novel 
        technical concepts submitted by inventors and small 
        companies and work with other Federal agencies, States, 
        and localities to provide appropriate technical 
        assistance and support for those inventions which are 
        found in the evaluation process to have commercial 
        promise;
          (21) demonstrate the results of the Institute's 
        activities by exhibits or other methods of technology 
        transfer, including the use of scientific or technical 
        personnel of the Institute for part-time or 
        intermittent teaching and training activities at 
        educational institutions of higher learning as part of 
        and incidental to their official duties; [and]
          (22) perform research to develop enhanced 
        measurements, calibrations, standards, and technologies 
        which will enable the reduced production in the United 
        States of greenhouse gases associated with global 
        warming, including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous 
        oxide, ozone, perfluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons, and 
        sulfur hexafluoride; and
          [(22)] (23) undertake such other activities similar 
        to those specified in this subsection as the Director 
        determines appropriate.
  (d) Management costs. In carrying out the extramural funding 
programs of the Institute, including the programs established 
under sections 25, 26, and 28 of this Act, the Secretary may 
retain reasonable amounts of any funds appropriated pursuant to 
authorizations for these programs in order to pay for the 
Institute's management of these programs.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 17. CLIMATE CHANGE STANDARDS AND PROCESSES.

  (a) In General.--The Director shall establish within the 
Institute a program to perform and support research on global 
climate change standards and processes, with the goal of 
providing scientific and technical knowledge applicable to the 
reduction of greenhouse gases (as defined in section 4 of the 
Global Climate Change Act of 2002).
  (b) Research Program.--
          (1) In general.--The Director is authorized to 
        conduct, directly or through contracts or grants, a 
        global climate change standards and processes research 
        program.
          (2) Research projects.--The specific contents and 
        priorities of the research program shall be determined 
        in consultation with appropriate Federal agencies, 
        including the Environmental Protection Agency, the 
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and 
        the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The 
        program generally shall include basic and applied 
        research--
                  (A) to develop and provide the enhanced 
                measurements, calibrations, data, models, and 
                reference material standards which will enable 
                the monitoring of greenhouse gases;
                  (B) to develop and provide standards, 
                measurements, and innovative technologies for 
                reducing greenhouse gas emissions in existing 
                industries;
                  (C) to develop and provide standards, 
                measurements, measurement tools, and 
                calibrations that will enhance and promote 
                remote sensing technologies;
                  (D) to assist in establishing a baseline 
                reference point for future trading in 
                greenhouse gases and the measurement of 
                progress in emissions reduction;
                  (E) to develop and provide standards, 
                measurements, measurement tools, calibrations, 
                data, models, and other innovative technologies 
                to support the validation and accreditation of 
                a greenhouse gas trading industry;
                  (F) to assist in developing improved 
                industrial processes designed to reduce or 
                eliminate greenhouse gases, including the 
                development of measurement tools and standards 
                to validate and accredit a carbon offset 
                industry; and
                  (G) that will be exchanged internationally as 
                scientific or technical information which has 
                the stated purpose of developing mutually 
                recognized measurements, standards, and 
                procedures for reducing greenhouse gases.
  (c) National Measurement Laboratories.--
          (1) In general.--In carrying out this section, the 
        Director shall utilize the collective skills of the 
        National Measurement Laboratories of the National 
        Institute of Standards and Technology to improve the 
        accuracy of measurements that will permit better 
        understanding and control of these industrial chemical 
        processes and result in the reduction or elimination of 
        greenhouse gases.
          (2) Material, process, and building research.--The 
        National Measurement Laboratories shall conduct 
        research under this subsection that includes--
                  (A) developing material and manufacturing 
                processes which are designed for energy 
                efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions 
                into the environment;
                  (B) developing environmentally-friendly, 
                `green' chemical processes to be used by 
                industry; and
                  (C) enhancing building performance with a 
                focus in developing standards or tools which 
                will help incorporate low- or no-emission 
                technologies into building designs.
          (3) Standards and tools.--The National Measurement 
        Laboratories shall develop standards and tools under 
        this subsection that include software to assist 
        designers in selecting alternate building materials, 
        performance data on materials, artificial intelligence-
        aided design procedures for building subsystems and 
        `smart buildings', and improved test methods and rating 
        procedures for evaluating the energy performance of 
        residential and commercial appliances and products.
  (d) National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program.--The 
Director shall utilize the National Voluntary Laboratory 
Accreditation Program under this section to establish a program 
to include specific calibration or test standards and related 
methods and protocols assembled to satisfy the unique needs for 
accreditation in measuring the production of greenhouse gases. 
In carrying out this subsection the Director may cooperate with 
other departments and agencies of the Federal Government, State 
and local governments, and private organizations.
  [Sections 17 through 32 (not shown) redesignated as sections 
18 through 33, respectively.]

 NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY, ORGANIZATION, AND PRIORITIES 
                              ACT OF 1976

[42 U.S.C. 6601 et seq. ]

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


     TITLE VII--NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT SERVICE

SEC. 701. ESTABLISHMENT.

  There is hereby created a Science and Technology Assessment 
Service which shall be within and responsible to the 
legislative branch of the Government.

SEC. 702. COMPOSITION.

  The Service shall consist of a Science and Technology Board 
which shall formulate and promulgate the policies of the 
Service, and a Director who shall carry out such policies and 
administer the operations of the Service.

SEC. 703. FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES.

  The Service shall coordinate and develop information for 
Congress relating to the uses and application of technology to 
address current national science and technology policy issues. 
In developing such technical assessments for Congress, the 
Service shall utilize, to the extent practicable, experts 
selected in coordination with the National Research Council.

SEC. 704. INITIATION OF ACTIVITIES.

  Science and technology assessment activities undertaken by 
the Service may be initiated upon the request of--
          (1) the Chairman of any standing, special, or select 
        committee of either House of the Congress, or of any 
        joint committee of the Congress, acting for himself or 
        at the request of the ranking minority member or a 
        majority of the committee members;
          (2) the Board; or
          (3) the Director.

SEC. 705. ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT.

  The Director of the Science and Technology Assessment Service 
shall be appointed by the Board and shall serve for a term of 6 
years unless sooner removed by the Board. The Director shall 
receive basic pay at the rate provided for level III of the 
Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States 
Code. The Director shall contract for administrative support 
from the Library of Congress.

SEC. 706. AUTHORITY.

  The Service shall have the authority, within the limits of 
available appropriations, to do all things necessary to carry 
out the provisions of this section, including, but without 
being limited to, the authority to--
          (1) make full use of competent personnel and 
        organizations outside the Office, public or private, 
        and form special ad hoc task forces or make other 
        arrangements when appropriate;
          (2) enter into contracts or other arrangements as may 
        be necessary for the conduct of the work of the Office 
        with any agency or instrumentality of the United 
        States, with any State, territory, or possession or any 
        political subdivision thereof, or with any person, 
        firm, association, corporation, or educational 
        institution, with or without reimbursement, without 
        performance or other bonds, and without regard to 
        section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 51);
          (3) accept and utilize the services of voluntary and 
        uncompensated personnel necessary for the conduct of 
        the work of the Service and provide transportation and 
        subsistence as authorized by section 5703 of title 5, 
        United States Code, for persons serving without 
        compensation; and
          (4) prescribe such rules and regulations as it deems 
        necessary governing the operation and organization of 
        the Service.

SEC. 707. BOARD.

  The Board shall consist of 13 members as follows--
          (1) 6 Members of the Senate, appointed by the 
        President pro tempore of the Senate, 3 from the 
        majority party and 3 from the minority party;
          (2) 6 Members of the House of Representatives 
        appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives, 3 from the majority party and 3 from 
        the minority party; and
          (3) the Director, who shall not be a voting member.

SEC. 708. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

  The Service shall submit to the Congress an annual report 
which shall include, but not be limited to, an evaluation of 
technology assessment techniques and identification, insofar as 
may be feasible, of technological areas and programs requiring 
future analysis. The annual report shall be submitted not later 
than March 15 of each year.

SEC. 709. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  There are authorized to be appropriated to the Service such 
sums as are necessary to fulfill the requirements of this 
title.

                                  
