A bill to coordinate and promote Great Lakes activities, and for other purposes.

short title

    Sec. 101. This Act may be cited as the ``Great Lakes Federal 
Effectiveness Act''.

                      great lakes research council

    Sec. 102. (a) Establishment of Council.--There is established a 
Great Lakes Research Council.
    (b) Duties of Council.--The Council shall--
            (1) advise and promote the coordination of Federal research 
        activities to avoid unnecessary duplication and ensure greater 
        effectiveness in achieving ecosystem protection of the Great 
        Lakes through the goals of the Great Lakes Water Quality 
        Agreement;
            (2) no later than one year after the date of enactment of 
        this Act, prepare and provide to interested parties, a document 
        which includes--
                    (A) an assessment of the research activities needed 
                to fulfill the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement 
                goals;
                    (B) an assessment of existing Federal expertise and 
                capabilities in those activities needed to fulfill the 
                Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement goals, including an 
                inventory of existing Federal Great Lakes research 
                programs, projects, facilities, and personnel; and
                    (C) recommendations for long-term and short-term 
                priorities for Federal research on the Great Lakes, 
                based on a comparison of the assessment conducted under 
                subparagraph (A) and existing programs;
            (3) identify topics for and participate in meetings, 
        workshops, symposia, and conferences on Great Lakes research 
        issues;
            (4) make recommendations for the uniform collection of data 
        for enhancing research and management protocols relating to the 
        Great Lakes ecosystem;
            (5) advise and cooperate in the establishment of a 
        comprehensive, multi-media data base for the Great Lakes 
        ecosystem; and
            (6) ensure that the results, findings, and information 
        regarding Great Lakes research programs conducted or sponsored 
        by the Federal Government be disseminated in a timely manner, 
        and in useful forms, to interested persons, using as much as 
        possible existing mechanisms, such as the Great Lakes Research 
        Inventory prepared by the International Joint Commission.
    (c) Membership.--(1) The Council shall be comprised of one research 
manager with extensive knowledge, scientific expertise, and experience 
in the Great Lakes ecosystem for each of the following agencies--
            (A) the Environmental Protection Agency;
            (B) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;
            (C) the United States Coast Guard;
            (D) the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; and
            (E) any other relevant Federal department, agency or 
        instrumentality, as determined by the Council membership.
    (2) Other persons who are not Federal employees may serve as ex 
officio members of the Council, at the request of the Council 
membership.
    (d) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Council shall be elected 
by the members and shall serve for a period of two years. No member of 
the Council may serve as Chairperson for more than two consecutive 
terms.
    (e) Compensation.--While performing official duties as members of 
the Council, members of the Council are entitled to receive 
compensation for travel and transportation expenses under section 5703 
of title 5, United States Code.
    (f) Interagency Cooperation.--The head of each department, agency, 
or other instrumentality of the Federal Government which is a member of 
the Council--
            (1) shall cooperate with the Council to implement the 
        recommendations developed under subsection (b);
            (2) may, upon written request of the Chairperson of the 
        Council, make available, on a reimbursable basis or otherwise, 
        personnel, services, or facilities as may be necessary to 
        assist the Council in achieving the purposes of this Act; and
            (3) shall, upon written request from the Chairperson, 
        furnish data or information necessary to achieve the purposes 
        of this Act.

                       international cooperation

    Sec. 103. (a) International Joint Commission.--The Council shall 
invite the International Joint Commission to serve as Secretariat and 
principal coordinating body for the Council.
    (b) Funding.--Agencies represented on the Council may reimburse 
costs associated with activities authorized under this Act conducted by 
the International Joint Commission.

                          effect on other laws

    Sec. 104. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to amend, 
restrict, or otherwise alter the authority of any Federal department, 
agency, or instrumentality, under any law, to undertake Great Lakes 
research activities.

                              definitions

    Sec. 105. In this Act--
            (1) ``Council'' means the Great Lakes Research Council 
        established under section 102 of this Act.
            (2) ``Great Lakes'' means--
                    (A) Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake 
                Ontario, and Lake Superior;
                    (B) their connecting waters, including the St. 
                Marys River; the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, the 
                Detroit River, and the Niagara River; and
                    (C) the St. Lawrence River.
            (3) ``Great Lakes research'' means the application of 
        scientific and/or engineering expertise to explain, understand, 
        and predict physical, chemical, biological, and socioeconomic 
        processes, and their interaction, in the Great Lakes ecosystem.
            (4) ``Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement'' means the 
        bilateral agreement between the United States and Canada which 
        was signed in 1978 and amended by the Protocol of 1987.

Summary: Great Lakes Federal Effectiveness Act - Establishes a Great Lakes Research Council to: (1) advise and promote the coordination of Federal research activities to avoid unnecessary duplication and ensure greater effectiveness in achieving ecosystem protection of the Great Lakes through the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. (2) prepare and provide to interested parties a document which includes an assessment of research activities needed to fulfill the goals of the Agreement and of existing Federal expertise in such activities and recommendations for research priorities. (3) identify topics for and participate in workshops and conferences on Great Lakes research issues. (4) make recommendations for the uniform collection of data for enhancing research and management protocols relating to the Great Lakes ecosystem. (5) advise and cooperate in the establishment of a multi-media data base for such ecosystem. And (6) ensure that findings and information regarding such research are disseminated in a timely manner.