I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2431 

To reauthorize the National Integrated Drought Information System. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 19, 2013 

Mr. HALL (for himself, Mr. SMITH of Texas, and Mr. BEN RAY LUJA ́N of 

New Mexico) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

A BILL 

To reauthorize the National Integrated Drought Information 

System. 

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 ‘‘National Integrated 

5 Drought Information System Reauthorization Act of 

6 2013’’. 

7 SEC. 2. NIDIS PROGRAM AMENDMENTS. 

8 Section 3 of the National Integrated Drought Infor9 mation System Act of 2006 (15 U.S.C. 313d) is amend10 ed— 


pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 2431 IH

1 (1) in subsection (a), by inserting before the pe2 riod at the end the following: ‘‘to better inform and 

3 provide for more timely decisionmaking to reduce 

4 drought related impacts and costs’’; 

5 (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the 

6 following: 

7 ‘‘(b) SYSTEM FUNCTIONS.—The National Integrated 

8 Drought Information System shall— 

9 ‘‘(1) provide an effective drought early warning 

10 system that— 

11 ‘‘(A) collects and integrates information on 

12 the key indicators of drought and drought im13 pacts in order to make usable, reliable, and 

14 timely forecasts of drought, including assess15 ments of the severity of drought conditions and 

16 impacts; and 

17 ‘‘(B) provides such information, forecasts, 

18 and assessments on both national and regional 

19 levels; 

20 ‘‘(2) communicate drought forecasts, drought 

21 conditions, and drought impacts on an ongoing basis 

22 to public and private entities engaged in drought 

23 planning and preparedness, including— 


pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 2431 IH

1 ‘‘(A) decisionmakers at the Federal, re2 gional, State, tribal, and local levels of govern3 ment; 

4 ‘‘(B) the private sector; and 

5 ‘‘(C) the public; 

6 ‘‘(3) provide timely data, information, and 

7 products that reflect local, regional, and State dif8 ferences in drought conditions; 

9 ‘‘(4) coordinate, and integrate as practicable, 

10 Federal research and monitoring in support of a 

11 drought early warning system; 

12 ‘‘(5) build upon existing forecasting and assess13 ment programs and partnerships, including through 

14 the designation of one or more cooperative institutes 

15 to assist with National Integrated Drought Informa16 tion System functions; and 

17 ‘‘(6) continue ongoing research and monitoring 

18 activities related to drought.’’; and 

19 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

20 ‘‘(e) REPORT.— 

21 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months 

22 after the date of enactment of the National Inte23 grated Drought Information System Reauthorization 

24 Act of 2013, the Under Secretary shall transmit to 

25 the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of 


pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 2431 IH

1 the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

2 Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Sen3 ate a report that contains— 

4 ‘‘(A) an analysis of the implementation of 

5 the National Integrated Drought Information 

6 System program, including how the informa7 tion, forecasts, and assessments are utilized in 

8 drought policy planning and response activities; 

9 ‘‘(B) specific plans for continued develop10 ment of such program, including future mile11 stones; and 

12 ‘‘(C) an identification of research, moni13 toring, and forecasting needs to enhance the 

14 predictive capability of drought early warnings 

15 that include— 

16 ‘‘(i) the length and severity of 

17 droughts; 

18 ‘‘(ii) the contribution of weather 

19 events to reducing the severity or ending 

20 drought conditions; and 

21 ‘‘(iii) regionally specific drought im22 pacts. 

23 ‘‘(2) CONSULTATION.—In developing the report 

24 under paragraph (1), the Under Secretary shall con25 sult with relevant Federal, regional, State, tribal, 


pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 2431 IH

1 and local government agencies, research institutions, 

2 and the private sector.’’. 

3 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

4 Section 4 of such Act is amended to read as follows: 

5 ‘‘SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

6 ‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

7 this Act $13,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 

8 2018.’’. 

Æ 


pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS