Drought Information Act of 2013

Summary: Drought Information Act of 2013 - Amends the National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006 to specify that: (1) the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere shall continue to support the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) Program, and (2) the program's purpose shall be to better inform and provide for more timely decisionmaking to reduce drought related impacts and costs.   Revises NIDIS functions to require the NIDIS to, among other things: (1) provide certain information (including concerning water supplies and soil moisture), forecasts, and assessments described in the Act on both national and regional levels; and (2) continue ongoing research and monitoring activities related to drought and the role of extreme weather events and climate variability in drought. Requires the Under Secretary to provide a report to Congress concerning the NIDIS Program that includes a list of partners with whom the Under Secretary collaborates on NIDIS implementation and a description of NIDIS outreach activities. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the Act through FY2018.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Drought Information Act of 2013''.

SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF NATIONAL INTEGRATED DROUGHT INFORMATION 
              SYSTEM.

    (a) System Amendments.--Section 3 of the National Integrated 
Drought Information System Act of 2006 (15 U.S.C. 313d) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by inserting ``and continue to support'' after 
                ``establish''; and
                    (B) by inserting before the period at the end the 
                following: ``to better inform and provide for more 
                timely decisionmaking to reduce drought related impacts 
                and costs''; and
            (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
    ``(b) System Functions.--The National Integrated Drought 
Information System shall--
            ``(1) provide an effective drought early warning system 
        that--
                    ``(A) collects and integrates information on the 
                key indicators of drought and drought impacts, 
                including water supplies and soil moisture, in order to 
                make usable, reliable, and timely forecasts of drought, 
                including assessments of the severity of drought 
                conditions and impacts; and
                    ``(B) provides such information, forecasts, and 
                assessments on both national and regional levels;
            ``(2) communicate drought forecasts, drought conditions, 
        and drought impacts on an ongoing basis to stakeholders and 
        entities engaged in drought planning, preparedness, and 
        management, including--
                    ``(A) decisionmakers at the Federal, regional, 
                State, tribal, and local levels of government;
                    ``(B) the private sector; and
                    ``(C) the public;
            ``(3) provide timely data, information, and products that 
        reflect local, regional, and State differences in drought 
        conditions;
            ``(4) coordinate, and integrate as practicable, Federal 
        research and monitoring in support of a drought early warning 
        system;
            ``(5) build upon existing Federal, State, regional, 
        private, public, and academic forecasting and assessment 
        programs and partnerships; and
            ``(6) continue ongoing research and monitoring activities 
        related to drought, including research activities relating to 
        length, severity, and impacts of drought and the role of 
        extreme weather events and climate variability in drought.''.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 4 of such Act (15 
U.S.C. 313d note) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7) $12,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 
        2018.''.
    (c) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 540 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
        Oceans and Atmosphere shall submit to the Committee on 
        Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
        Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
        Representatives a report on the National Integrated Drought 
        Information System.
            (2) Contents.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) An assessment of the implementation of the 
                National Integrated Drought Information System, 
                including an assessment of how the information, 
                forecasts, and assessments produced by such system are 
                utilized in drought policy planning and response 
                activities.
                    (B) Specific plans for continued development of the 
                system, including future milestones.
                    (C) An identification of research, monitoring, and 
                forecasting needs to enhance the predictive capability 
                of drought early warnings that include--
                            (i) the length and severity of droughts;
                            (ii) the contribution of weather events to 
                        reducing the severity or ending drought 
                        conditions; and
                            (iii) regionally-specific drought impacts.
                    (D) A list of partners with whom the Under 
                Secretary collaborates to implement the National 
                Integrated Drought Information System.
                    (E) A description of the outreach activities 
                conducted by the Under Secretary regarding the National 
                Integrated Drought Information System.
            (3) Consultation.--In developing the report required by 
        paragraph (1), the Under Secretary shall consult with relevant 
        Federal, regional, State, tribal, and local government 
        agencies, research institutions, and the private sector.

            Passed the Senate February 3, 2014.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
113th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                 S. 376

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

To reauthorize the National Integrated Drought Information System, and 
                          for other purposes.