U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

1 

69–010 

" ! SENATE 110TH CONGRESS

2d Session 

REPORT

2008

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 


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(II) 

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 Virginia 

JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts 

BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota 

BARBARA BOXER, California 

BILL NELSON, Florida 

MARIA CANTWELL, Washington 

FRANK R. LAUTENBERG, New Jersey 

MARK PRYOR, Arkansas 

THOMAS CARPER, Delaware 

CLAIRE McCASKILL, Missouri 

AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota 

JOHN McCAIN, Arizona 

KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas 

OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine 

GORDON H. SMITH, Oregon 

JOHN ENSIGN, Nevada 

JOHN E. SUNUNU, New Hampshire 

JIM DEMINT, South Carolina 

DAVID VITTER, Louisiana 

JOHN THUNE, South Dakota 

ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi 

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 


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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 


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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 userfriendly 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 


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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. 


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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. 


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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.’’


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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. 


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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. 


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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. 


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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. 


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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. 


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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. 


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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. 


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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; 

ø(1)¿ (2) ‘‘Committee’’ means the Committee on øEarth and 

Environmental Sciences¿ Global Change Research established 

under section 102; 

ø(2)¿ (3) ‘‘Council’’ means the øFederal Coordinating Council 

on Science, Engineering, and Technology;¿ National Science 

and Technology Council established by Executive Order 12881, 

November 23, 1993; 

ø(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; 

ø(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; 

ø(5)¿ (6) ‘‘Plan’’ means the National Global Change Research 

Plan developed under section 104, or any revision thereof; and 

ø(6)¿ (7) ‘‘Program’’ means the United States Global Change 

Research Program established under section 103. 


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øSEC. 101. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.¿ 

[15 U.S.C. 2931] 

ø(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress makes the following findings: 

ø(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. 

ø(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. 

ø(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. 

ø(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. 

ø(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. 

ø(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. 

ø(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 preVerDate Aug 31 2005 00:02 May 24, 2008 Jkt 069010 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 6604 Sfmt 6603 E:\HR\OC\SR341.XXX SR341

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diction 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 humaninduced and natural processes of global change. 

øSEC. 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 øEarth 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; 


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(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; 

ø(14)¿ (15) the National Institute of Environmental Health 

Sciences of the National Institutes of Health; and 

ø(15)¿ (16) such other agencies and departments of the 

United States as the President or the Chairman of the Council 

considers appropriate. øSuch 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. 

ø(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; 


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(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; øand¿ 

(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 

ø(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. 

øSEC. 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. 

ø(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 øresearch.¿ research and assessment. The Chairman of the Council shall submit 

the Plan to the Congress within one year after the date of enactment of øthis title,¿ the Global Change Research Improvement Act 

of 2007, and a revised Plan shall be submitted at least once every 

three years thereafter. 

ø(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 øusable 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, 


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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 øpriorities;¿ 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; 

ø(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—

ø(A) a description of the extent and nature of necessary 

international cooperation; 

ø(B) the development by the Committee, in consultation 

when appropriate with the National Space Council, of proposals for cooperation on major capital projects; 

ø(C) bilateral and multilateral proposals for improving 

worldwide access to scientific data and information; and 

ø(D) methods for improving participation in international global change research by developing nations; and 

ø(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 


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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. 

ø(c)¿ (d) RESEARCH ELEMENTS.—The Plan shall provide for, but 

not be limited to, the following research elements: 

ø(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. 

ø(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 


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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. 

ø(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; øand¿ 

ø(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. 

ø(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- 

- 

ø(1) evaluate the scientific content of the Plan; and 

ø(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 


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(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. 

ø(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 


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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. 

ø(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. 

ø(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 øComVerDate Aug 31 2005 00:02 May 24, 2008 Jkt 069010 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 6604 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\SR341.XXX SR341

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mittee.¿ Committee and the Global Change Research Coordination 

Office. 

ø(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. 

ø(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. øSCIENTIFIC¿ ASSESSMENT. 

[15 U.S.C. 2936] 

øOn 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; øand¿ 

(3) analyzes current trends in global change, both human-inducted and natural, and projects major trends for the subsequent 25 to 100 øyears.¿ 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. 


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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 østratospheric ozone depletion or¿ global climate change. 

NATIONAL CLIMATE PROGRAM ACT 

øSECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

øThis Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Climate Program Act’’. 

øSEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

[15 U.S.C. 2901] 

øThe Congress finds and declares the following: 

ø(1) Weather and climate change affect food production, energy use, land use, water resources and other factors vital to 

national security and human welfare. 

ø(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. 

ø(3) Significant improvements in the ability to forecast climate on an intermediate and long-term basis are possible. 

ø(4) Information regarding climate is not being fully disseminated or used, and Federal efforts have given insufficient attention to assessing and applying this information. 

ø(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. 

ø(6) The United States lacks a well-defined and coordinated 

program in climate-related research, monitoring, assessment of 

effects, and information utilization.¿ 


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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 øimplications.¿ 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] 

øAs used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:¿ In 

this Act: 

ø(1) The term ‘‘Board’’ means the Climate Program Policy 

Board. 


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ø(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). 

ø(3)¿ (6) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘Program’’ means the National Climate Program. 

ø(4)¿ (7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of øCommerce.¿ 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. 

* * * * * * * 

øSEC. 7. ANNUAL REPORT. 

[15 U.S.C. 2906] 

øThe 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—

ø(a) a summary of the achievements of the Program during 

the previous fiscal year; 

ø(b) an analysis of the progress made toward achieving the 

goals and objectives of the Program; 

ø(c) a copy of the 5-year plan and any changes made in such 

plan; 

ø(d) a summary of the multiagency budget request for the 

Program of subsection 5(g); and 

ø(e) any recommendations for additional legislation which 

may be required to assist in achieving the purposes of the Act. 

øSEC. 8. CONTRACT AND GRANT AUTHORITY; RECORDS AND AUDITS. 

[15 U.S.C. 2907] 

ø(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. 

ø(b)(1) Each person or entity to which Federal funds are made 

available under a contract or grant arrangement as authorized by 


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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. 

ø(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 

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gional, 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; 


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(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. 


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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. 

øSEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

[15 U.S.C. 2908] 

øIn 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 

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ing 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 


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(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; 


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(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 parttime or intermittent teaching and training activities at educational institutions of higher learning as part of and incidental to their official duties; øand¿ 

(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 

ø(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. 

* * * * * * * 


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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—


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(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. 


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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, 


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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. 

Æ 


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