IB 

Union Calendar No. 197

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 135

[Report No. 108–309, Part I] 

To establish the ‘‘Twenty-First Century Water Commission’’ to study and 

develop recommendations for a comprehensive water strategy to address 

future water needs. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 7, 2003

Mr. LINDER (for himself, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. DUNCAN, and Mr. SHUSTER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 

each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

OCTOBER 8, 2003

Reported from the Committee on Resources with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

OCTOBER 8, 2003

Referral to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure extended for 

a period ending not later than October 31, 2003

OCTOBER 31, 2003

Additional sponsors: Mr. STENHOLM, Mr. ISSA, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. 

HAYWORTH, Mr. ROYCE, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. PASTOR, Mr. 

RENZI, Mr. MARSHALL, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mr. GERLACH, Mr. MCINNIS, Mr. BEAUPREZ, Mr. CANTOR, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. 

CARDOZA, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. BURNS, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. 

SESSIONS, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. GARY G. MILLER of 

California, and Mr. NORWOOD

OCTOBER 31, 2003

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure discharged; committed 
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to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 7, 2003] 

A BILL

To establish the ‘‘Twenty-First Century Water Commission’’ 

to study and develop recommendations for a comprehensive water strategy to address future water needs.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Twenty-First Century 

5 Water Commission Act of 2003’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds that—

8 (1) the Nation’s water resources will be under in9 creasing stress and pressure in the coming decades; 

10 (2) a thorough assessment of technological and 

11 economic advances that can be employed to increase 

12 water supplies or otherwise meet water needs in every 

13 region of the country is important and long overdue; 

14 and 

15 (3) a comprehensive strategy to increase water 

16 availability and ensure safe, adequate, reliable, and 

17 sustainable water supplies is vital to the economic 

18 and environmental future of the Nation. 
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1 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT. 

2 There is established a commission to be known as the 

3 ‘‘Twenty-First Century Water Commission’’ (in this Act re4 ferred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 

5 SEC. 4. DUTIES. 

6 The duties of the Commission shall be to—

7 (1) use existing water assessments and conduct 

8 such additional assessments as may be necessary to 

9 project future water supply and demand; 

10 (2) study current water management programs 

11 of Federal, Interstate, State, and local agencies, and 

12 private sector entities directed at increasing water 

13 supplies and improving the availability, reliability, 

14 and quality of freshwater resources; and 

15 (3) consult with representatives of such agencies 

16 and entities to develop recommendations consistent 

17 with laws, treaties, decrees, and interstate compacts 

18 for a comprehensive water strategy which—

19 (A) respects the primary role of States in 

20 adjudicating, administering, and regulating 

21 water rights and water uses; 

22 (B) identifies incentives intended to ensure 

23 an adequate and dependable supply of water to 

24 meet the needs of the United States for the next 

25 50 years; 
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1 (C) suggests strategies that avoid increased 

2 mandates on State and local governments; 

3 (D) eliminates duplication and conflict 

4 among Federal governmental programs; 

5 (E) considers all available technologies and 

6 other methods to optimize water supply reli7 ability, availability, and quality, while safe8 guarding the environment; 

9 (F) recommends means of capturing excess 

10 water and flood water for conservation and use 

11 in the event of a drought; 

12 (G) suggests financing options for com13 prehensive water management projects and for 

14 appropriate public works projects; 

15 (H) suggests strategies to conserve existing 

16 water supplies, including recommendations for 

17 repairing aging infrastructure; and 

18 (I) includes other objectives related to the ef19 fective management of the water supply to ensure 

20 reliability, availability, and quality, which the 

21 Commission shall consider appropriate. 

22 SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP. 

23 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission 

24 shall be composed of 9 members who shall be appointed not 
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1 later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act. 

2 Member shall be appointed as follows: 

3 (1) 5 members appointed by the President; 

4 (2) 2 members appointed by the Speaker of the 

5 House of Representatives, in consultation with the 

6 Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; and 

7 (3) 2 members appointed by the Majority Leader 

8 of the Senate, in consultation with the Minority 

9 Leader of the Senate.

10 (b) QUALIFICATIONS.—Members shall be appointed to 

11 the Commission from among individuals who—

12 (1) are of recognized standing and distinction in 

13 water policy issues; and 

14 (2) while serving on the Commission, do not hold 

15 any other position as an officer or employee of the 

16 United States, except as a retired officer or retired ci17 vilian employee of the United States. 

18 (c) OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.—In appointing mem19 bers of the Commission, every effort shall be made to ensure 

20 that the members represent a broad cross section of regional 

21 and geographical perspectives in the United States. 

22 (d) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the Commis23 sion shall be designated by the President. 
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1 (e) TERMS.—Members of the Commission shall be ap2 pointed not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 

3 of this Act and shall serve for the life of the Commission. 

4 (f) VACANCIES.—A vacancy on the Commission shall 

5 not affect its operation, and shall be filled in the same man6 ner as the original appointment provided under subsection 

7 (a). 

8 (g) COMPENSATION AND TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Mem9 bers of the Commission shall serve without compensation, 

10 except members shall receive travel expenses, including per 

11 diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable 

12 provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57, United States 

13 Code. 

14 SEC. 6. MEETINGS AND QUORUM. 

15 (a) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall hold its first 

16 meeting not later than 60 days after the date on which all 

17 members have been appointed under section 5, and shall 

18 hold additional meetings at the call of the Chairperson or 

19 a majority of its members. 

20 (b) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the Com21 mission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of 

22 business. 

23 SEC. 7. DIRECTOR AND STAFF. 

24 A Director shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 

25 House of Representatives and the Majority Leader of the 
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1 Senate, in consultation with the Minority Leader and 

2 chairmen of the Resources and Transportation and 

3 Infrustructure Committees of the House of Representatives, 

4 and the Minority Leader and chairmen of the Energy and 

5 Natural Resources and Environment and Public Works 

6 Committees of the Senate. The Director and any staff re7 porting to the Director shall be paid a rate of pay not to 

8 exceed the maximum rate of basic pay for GS–15 of the 

9 General Schedule. 

10 SEC. 8. POWERS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMISSION. 

11 (a) HEARINGS.—The Commission shall hold no fewer 

12 than 10 hearings during the life of the Commission. Hear13 ings may be held in conjunction with meetings of the Com14 mission. The Commission may take such testimony and re15 ceive such evidence as the Commission considers appro16 priate to carry out this Act. At least 1 hearing shall be 

17 held in Washington, D.C., for the purpose of taking testi18 mony of representatives of Federal agencies, national orga19 nizations, and Members of Congress. Other hearings shall 

20 be scheduled in distinct geographical regions of the United 

21 States and should seek to ensure testimony from individuals 

22 with a diversity of experiences, including those who work 

23 on water issues at all levels of government and in the pri24 vate sector. 
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1 (b) INFORMATION AND SUPPORT FROM FEDERAL

2 AGENCIES.—Upon request of the Commission, any Federal 

3 agency shall—

4 (1) provide to the Commission, within 30 days 

5 of its request, such information as the Commission 

6 considers necessary to carry out the provisions of this 

7 Act; and 

8 (2) detail to temporary duty with the Commis9 sion on a reimbursable basis such personnel as the 

10 Commission considers necessary to carry out the pro11 visions of this Act, in accordance with section 5(b)(5), 

12 Appendix, title 5, United States Code. 

13 SEC. 9. REPORTS. 

14 (a) INTERIM REPORTS.—Not later than 6 months after 

15 the date of the first meeting of the Commission, and every 

16 6 months thereafter, the Commission shall transmit an in17 terim report containing a detailed summary of its progress, 

18 including meetings and hearings conducted in the interim 

19 period, to—

20 (1) the President; 

21 (2) the Committee on Resources and the Com22 mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 

23 House of Representatives; and 
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1 (3) the Committee on Energy and Natural Re2 sources and the Committee on the Environment and 

3 Public Works of the Senate. 

4 (b) FINAL REPORT.—As soon as practicable, but not 

5 later than 3 years after the date of the first meeting of the 

6 Commission, the Commission shall transmit a final report 

7 containing a detailed statement of the findings and conclu8 sions of the Commission, and recommendations for legisla9 tion and other policies to implement such findings and con10 clusions, to—

11 (1) the President; 

12 (2) the Committee on Resources and the Com13 mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 

14 House of Representatives; and 

15 (3) the Committee on Energy and Natural Re16 sources and the Committee on the Environment and 

17 Public Works of the Senate. 

18 SEC. 10. TERMINATION. 

19 The Commission shall terminate not later than 30 

20 days after the date on which the Commission transmits a 

21 final report under section 7(b). 

22 SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

23 There are authorized to be appropriated $9,000,000 to 

24 carry out this Act.
Union Calendar No. 197

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 135

[Report No. 108–309, Part I] 

A BILL

To establish the ‘‘Twenty-First Century Water 

Commission’’ to study and develop recommendations for a comprehensive water strategy to address future water needs. 

OCTOBER 31, 2003

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed