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[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2200 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.2200

                     One Hundred Fifteenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America

                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

         Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
           the third day of January, two thousand and eighteen

                                 An Act

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

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
    This Act may be cited as the ``National Integrated Drought 
Information System Reauthorization Act of 2018''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL INTEGRATED DROUGHT INFORMATION SYSTEM PROGRAM.
    (a) In General.--Section 3 of the National Integrated Drought 
Information System Act of 2006 (15 U.S.C. 313d) is amended--
        (1) in subsection (b)--
            (A) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ``in order to make 
        usable, reliable, and timely forecasts of drought, including'' 
        and inserting ``, including precipitation, soil moisture, and 
        evaporative demand, in order to make usable, reliable, and 
        timely forecasts of drought and'';
            (B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``watershed,'' after 
        ``regional,'';
            (C) in paragraph (4)--
                (i) by inserting ``, through interagency agreements'' 
            after ``integrate''; and
                (ii) by inserting ``information'' after ``warning'';
            (D) by amending paragraph (5) to read as follows:
        ``(5) utilize existing forecasting and assessment programs and 
    partnerships, including forecast communication coordinators and 
    cooperative institutes, and improvements in seasonal precipitation 
    and temperature, subseasonal precipitation and temperature, and low 
    flow water prediction; and''; and
            (E) in paragraph (6), by inserting ``the prediction,'' 
        after ``relating to'';
        (2) by redesignating subsections (c) through (e) as subsections 
    (d) through (f), respectively;
        (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
    ``(c) Partnerships.--The National Integrated Drought Information 
System may--
        ``(1) engage with the private sector to improve drought 
    monitoring, forecast, and communication if the Under Secretary 
    determines the partnership is appropriate, cost-effective, and 
    beneficial to the public and decisionmakers described in subsection 
    (b)(2)(A);
        ``(2) facilitate the development of 1 or more academic 
    cooperative partnerships to assist with National Integrated Drought 
    Information System functions; and
        ``(3) utilize and support, as appropriate, monitoring by 
    citizen scientists, including by developing best practices to 
    facilitate maximum data integration.'';
        (4) in subsection (d), as redesignated, by inserting ``and 
    sustainment'' after ``development''; and
        (5) by striking subsection (f), as redesignated, and inserting 
    the following:
    ``(f) Soil Moisture.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of the National Integrated Drought Information System 
Reauthorization Act of 2018, the Under Secretary, acting through the 
National Integrated Drought Information System, shall develop a 
strategy for a national coordinated soil moisture monitoring 
network.''.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 4 of the National 
Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006 (15 U.S.C. 313d note) 
is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act--
        ``(1) $13,500,000 for fiscal year 2019;
        ``(2) $13,750,000 for fiscal year 2020;
        ``(3) $14,000,000 for fiscal year 2021;
        ``(4) $14,250,000 for fiscal year 2022; and
        ``(5) $14,500,000 for fiscal year 2023.''.
SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF TITLE II OF THE WEATHER RESEARCH AND 
FORECASTING INNOVATION ACT OF 2017.
    (a) Reauthorization of Title II of the Weather Research and 
Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017.--Section 1762 of the Food Security 
Act of 1985 (15 U.S.C. 8521) is amended--
        (1) by amending subsection (j) to read as follows:
    ``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out the activities under this section--
        ``(1) $26,500,000 for fiscal year 2019;
        ``(2) $27,000,000 for fiscal year 2020;
        ``(3) $27,500,000 for fiscal year 2021;
        ``(4) $28,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; and
        ``(5) $28,500,000 for fiscal year 2023.''; and
        (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(k) Derivation of Funds.--Amounts made available to carry out 
this section shall be derived from amounts appropriated or otherwise 
made available to the National Weather Service.''.
    (b) United States Weather Research and Forecasting Improvement.--
Section 110 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 
2017 (15 U.S.C. 8519) is amended to read as follows:
    ``SEC. 110. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
    ``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research to carry out this title--
        ``(1) $136,516,000 for fiscal year 2019, of which--
            ``(A) $85,758,000 is authorized for weather laboratories 
        and cooperative institutes;
            ``(B) $30,758,000 is authorized for weather and air 
        chemistry research programs; and
            ``(C) $20,000,000 is authorized for the joint technology 
        transfer initiative described in section 102(b)(4);
        ``(2) $148,154,000 for fiscal year 2020, of which--
            ``(A) $87,258,000 is authorized for weather laboratories 
        and cooperative institutes;
            ``(B) $40,896,000 is authorized for weather and air 
        chemistry research programs; and
            ``(C) $20,000,000 is authorized for the joint technology 
        transfer initiative described in section 102(b)(4);
        ``(3) $150,154,000 for fiscal year 2021, of which--
            ``(A) $88,758,000 is authorized for weather laboratories 
        and cooperative institutes;
            ``(B) $41,396,000 is authorized for weather and air 
        chemistry research programs; and
            ``(C) $20,000,000 is authorized for the joint technology 
        transfer initiative described in section 102(b)(4);
        ``(4) $152,154,000 for fiscal year 2022, of which--
            ``(A) $90,258,000 is authorized for weather laboratories 
        and cooperative institutes;
            ``(B) $41,896,000 is authorized for weather and air 
        chemistry research programs; and
            ``(C) $20,000,000 is authorized for the joint technology 
        transfer initiative described in section 102(b)(4); and
        ``(5) $154,154,000 for fiscal year 2023, of which--
            ``(A) $91,758,000 is authorized for weather laboratories 
        and cooperative institutes;
            ``(B) $42,396,000 is authorized for weather and air 
        chemistry research programs; and
            ``(C) $20,000,000 is authorized for the joint technology 
        transfer initiative described in section 102(b)(4).
    ``(b) Limitation.--No additional funds are authorized to carry out 
this title and the amendments made by this title.''.
SEC. 4. EARTH PREDICTION INNOVATION CENTER.
    (a) Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation.--Section 102(b) of 
the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 
8512(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
        ``(4) Advancing weather modeling skill, reclaiming and 
    maintaining international leadership in the area of numerical 
    weather prediction, and improving the transition of research into 
    operations by--
            ``(A) leveraging the weather enterprise to provide 
        expertise on removing barriers to improving numerical weather 
        prediction;
            ``(B) enabling scientists and engineers to effectively 
        collaborate in areas important for improving operational global 
        numerical weather prediction skill, including model 
        development, data assimilation techniques, systems architecture 
        integration, and computational efficiencies;
            ``(C) strengthening the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration's ability to undertake research projects in 
        pursuit of substantial advancements in weather forecast skill;
            ``(D) utilizing and leverage existing resources across the 
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration enterprise; and
            ``(E) creating a community global weather research modeling 
        system that--
                ``(i) is accessible by the public;
                ``(ii) meets basic end-user requirements for running on 
            public computers and networks located outside of secure 
            National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration information 
            and technology systems; and
                ``(iii) utilizes, whenever appropriate and cost-
            effective, innovative strategies and methods, including 
            cloud-based computing capabilities, for hosting and 
            management of part or all of the system described in this 
            subsection.''.
    (b) United States Weather Research Program.--Section 108(a) of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 
1992 (15 U.S.C. 8520(a)) is amended--
        (1) in paragraph (10), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
    semi-colon;
        (2) in paragraph (11), by striking the period at the end and 
    inserting ``; and''; and
        (3) by adding at the end the following:
        ``(12) carry out the activities of the Earth Prediction 
    Innovation Center as described in section 102(b)(2) of the Weather 
    Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 
    8512(b)(2)).''.
SEC. 5. COMPUTING RESOURCES PRIORITIZATION.
    (a) In General.--Section 108 of the Weather Research and 
Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8518) is amended to read 
as follows:
    ``SEC. 108. COMPUTING RESOURCE EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT AND ANNUAL 
      REPORT.
    ``(a) Computing Resources.--
        ``(1) In general.--In acquiring computing capabilities, 
    including high performance computing technologies and 
    supercomputing technologies, that enable the National Oceanic and 
    Atmospheric Administration to meet its mission requirements, the 
    Under Secretary shall, when appropriate and cost-effective, assess 
    and prioritize options for entering into multi-year lease 
    agreements for computing capabilities over options for purchasing 
    computing hardware outright.
        ``(2) Acquisition.--In carrying out the requirements of 
    paragraph (1), the Under Secretary shall structure multi-year lease 
    agreements in such a manner that the expiration of the lease is set 
    for a date on or around--
            ``(A) the expected degradation point of the computing 
        resources; or
            ``(B) the point at which significantly increased computing 
        capabilities are expected to be available for lease.
        ``(3) Pilot programs.--
            ``(A) In general.--In order to more efficiently and 
        effectively meet the mission requirements of the National 
        Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Under Secretary may 
        create 1 or more pilot programs for assessing new or innovative 
        information and technology capabilities and services.
            ``(B) Program requirements.--Any program created under 
        paragraph (3) shall assess only those capabilities and services 
        that--
                ``(i) meet or exceed the standards and requirements of 
            the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
            including for processing speed, cybersecurity, and overall 
            reliability; or
                ``(ii) meet or exceed, or are expected to meet or 
            exceed, the performance of similar, in-house information 
            and technology capabilities and services that are owned and 
            operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
            Administration prior to the establishment of the pilot 
            program.
            ``(C) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated, out of funds appropriated to the National 
        Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, to 
        carry out this paragraph $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2019, 
        $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2020, and $5,000,000 for each of 
        fiscal years 2021 through 2023, to remain available until 
        expended.
    ``(b) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of the National Integrated Drought Information System Reauthorization 
Act of 2018, and triennially thereafter until the date that is 6 years 
after the date on which the first report is submitted, the Under 
Secretary, acting through the Chief Information Officer of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and in coordination with the 
Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and the 
Director of the National Weather Service, shall produce and make 
publicly available a report that explains how the Under Secretary 
intends--
        ``(1) to continually support upgrades to pursue the fastest, 
    most powerful, and cost-effective high performance computing 
    technologies in support of its weather prediction mission;
        ``(2) to ensure a balance between the research to operations 
    requirements to develop the next generation of regional and global 
    models as well as highly reliable operational models;
        ``(3) to take advantage of advanced development concepts to, as 
    appropriate, make next generation weather prediction models 
    available in beta-test mode to operational forecasters, the United 
    States weather industry, and partners in academic and Government 
    research;
        ``(4) to use existing computing resources to improve advanced 
    research and operational weather prediction;
        ``(5) to utilize non-Federal contracts to obtain the necessary 
    expertise for advanced weather computing, if appropriate;
        ``(6) to utilize cloud computing; and
        ``(7) to create a long-term strategy to transition the 
    programming language of weather model code to current and broadly-
    used coding language.''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--Section 1(b) of the Weather Research and 
Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-25; 131 Stat. 91) is 
amended by striking the item relating to section 108 and inserting the 
following:

``Sec. 108. Computing resource efficiency improvement and annual 
          report.''.
SEC. 6. SATELLITE ARCHITECTURE PLANNING.
    Section 301 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act 
of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8531) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Next Generation Satellite Architecture.--
        ``(1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall analyze, test, and 
    plan the procurement of future data sources and satellite 
    architectures, including respective ground system elements, 
    identified in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 
    Satellite Observing System Architecture Study that--
            ``(A) lower the cost of observations used to meet the 
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's mission 
        requirements;
            ``(B) disaggregate current satellite systems, where 
        appropriate;
            ``(C) include new, value-adding technological advancements; 
        and
            ``(D) improve weather forecasting and predictions.
        ``(2) Quantitative assessments and partnership authority.--In 
    meeting the requirements described in paragraph (1), the Under 
    Secretary--
            ``(A) may partner with the commercial and academic sectors, 
        non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations, and other 
        Federal agencies; and
            ``(B) shall, consistent with section 107 of this Act, 
        undertake quantitative assessments for objective analyses, as 
        the Under Secretary considers appropriate, to evaluate relative 
        value and benefits of future data sources and satellite 
        architectures described in paragraph (1).
    ``(d) Additional Forms of Transaction Authorized.--
        ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), in order to 
    enhance the effectiveness of data and satellite systems used by the 
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to meet its 
    missions, the Under Secretary may enter into and perform such 
    transaction agreements on such terms as the Under Secretary 
    considers appropriate to carry out basic, applied, and advanced 
    research projects to meet the objectives described in subparagraphs 
    (A) through (D) subsection (c)(1).
        ``(2) Method and scope.--
            ``(A) In general.--A transaction agreement under paragraph 
        (1) shall be limited to research and development activities.
            ``(B) Permissible uses.--A transaction agreement under 
        paragraph (1) may be used--
                ``(i) for the construction, use, operation, or 
            procurement of new, improved, innovative, or value-adding 
            satellites, instrumentation, ground stations, and data;
                ``(ii) to make determinations on how to best use 
            existing or planned data, systems, and assets of the 
            National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and
                ``(iii) only when the objectives of the National 
            Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration cannot be met using 
            a cooperative research and development agreement, grants 
            procurement contract, or cooperative agreement.
        ``(3) Termination of effectiveness.--The authority provided in 
    this subsection terminates effective September 30, 2023.
    ``(e) Transparency.--Not later than 60 days after the date that a 
transaction agreement is made under subsection (d), the Under Secretary 
shall make publicly available, in a searchable format, on the website 
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration all uses of the 
authority under subsection (d), including an estimate of committed 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration resources and the 
expected benefits to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
objectives for the transaction agreement, with appropriate redactions 
for proprietary, sensitive, or classified information.
    ``(f) Reports.--
        ``(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after September 30 of 
    each fiscal year through September 30, 2023, the Under Secretary 
    shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
    Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, 
    and Technology of the House of Representatives a report on the use 
    of additional transaction authority by the National Oceanic and 
    Atmospheric Administration during the previous fiscal year.
        ``(2) Contents.--Each report shall include--
            ``(A) for each transaction agreement in effect during the 
        fiscal year covered by the report--
                ``(i) an indication of whether the transaction 
            agreement is a reimbursable, non-reimbursable, or funded 
            agreement;
                ``(ii) a description of--

                    ``(I) the subject and terms;
                    ``(II) the parties;
                    ``(III) the responsible National Oceanic and 
                Atmospheric Administration line office;
                    ``(IV) the value;
                    ``(V) the extent of the cost sharing among Federal 
                Government and non-Federal sources;
                    ``(VI) the duration or schedule; and
                    ``(VII) all milestones;

                ``(iii) an indication of whether the transaction 
            agreement was renewed during the previous fiscal year;
                ``(iv) the technology areas in which research projects 
            were conducted under that agreement;
                ``(v) the extent to which the use of that agreement--

                    ``(I) has contributed to a broadening of the 
                technology and industrial base available for meeting 
                National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration needs; 
                and
                    ``(II) has fostered within the technology and 
                industrial base new relationships and practices that 
                support the United States; and

                ``(vi) the total value received by the Federal 
            Government under that agreement for that fiscal year; and
            ``(B) a list of all anticipated reimbursable, non-
        reimbursable, and funded transaction agreements for the 
        upcoming fiscal year.
    ``(g) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be 
construed as limiting the authority of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration to use cooperative research and development 
agreements, grants, procurement contracts, or cooperative 
agreements.''.
SEC. 7. INTEGRATION OF OCEAN AND COASTAL DATA FROM THE INTEGRATED OCEAN 
OBSERVING SYSTEM.
    (a) In General.--Section 301(a)(2) of the Weather Research and 
Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8531(a)(2)) is amended--
        (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
    semicolon;
        (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end and 
    inserting ``; and''; and
        (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(C) support increasing use of autonomous, mobile surface, 
        sub-surface, and submarine vehicle ocean and fresh water sensor 
        systems and the infrastructure necessary to share and analyze 
        these data in real-time and feed them into predictive early 
        warning systems.''.
    (b) Commercial Weather Data; Authorization of Appropriations.--
Section 302(c)(3) of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation 
Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8532(c)(3)) is amended--
        (1) by striking ``2017 through 2020'' and inserting ``2019 
    through 2023''; and
        (2) by inserting ``the'' before ``National''.
SEC. 8. IMPROVEMENTS TO COOPERATIVE OBSERVER PROGRAM OF NATIONAL 
WEATHER SERVICE.
    (a) In General.--The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
Atmosphere, acting through the National Weather Service, shall improve 
the Cooperative Observer Program by--
        (1) providing support to--
            (A) State-coordinated programs relating to the Program; and
            (B) States and regions where observations provided through 
        the Program are scarce;
        (2) working with State weather service headquarters to increase 
    participation in the Program and to add stations in States and 
    regions described in paragraph (1)(B);
        (3) where feasible, ensuring that data streams from stations 
    that have been contributing data to the Program for more than 50 
    years are maintained and continually staffed by volunteers;
        (4) prioritizing the recruitment of new volunteers for the 
    Program;
        (5) ensuring that opportunities exist for automated reporting 
    to lessen the burden on volunteers to collect and report data by 
    hand; and
        (6) ensuring that integrated reporting is available for 
    qualitative observations that cannot be automated, such as drought 
    conditions, snow observations, and hazardous weather events, to 
    ensure that volunteers in the Program can report and upload 
    observations quickly and easily.
    (b) Coordination With States and Regions.--Not less frequently than 
every 180 days, the National Weather Service shall coordinate with 
State and regional offices with respect to the status of Cooperative 
Observer Program stations.
    (c) Coordination With Federal Agencies.--The National Weather 
Service shall coordinate with other Federal agencies, including the 
Forest Service, the Department of Agriculture, and the United States 
Geological Survey, to leverage opportunities to grow the Cooperative 
Observer Program network and to more effectively use existing 
infrastructure, weather stations, and staff of the Program.
SEC. 9. HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM AND HYPOXIA RESEARCH AND CONTROL.
    (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Harmful Algal 
Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2017''.
    (b) References to the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and 
Control Act of 1998.--Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever 
in this section an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an 
amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the reference 
shall be considered to be made to a section or other provision of the 
Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (33 
U.S.C. 4001 et seq.).
    (c) Inter-Agency Task Force.--Section 603(a) (33 U.S.C. 4001(a)) is 
amended--
        (1) in paragraph (12), by striking ``and'' at the end;
        (2) by redesignating paragraph (13) as paragraph (14); and
        (3) by inserting after paragraph (12) the following:
        ``(13) the Army Corps of Engineers; and''.
    (d) Scientific Assessments of Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms.--
Section 603 (33 U.S.C. 4001) is amended--
        (1) by striking subsection (f);
        (2) by redesignating subsections (g), (h), (i), and (j) as 
    subsections (f), (g), (h), and (i), respectively; and
        (3) by amending subsection (g) to read as follows:
    ``(g) Scientific Assessments of Marine and Freshwater Harmful Algal 
Blooms.--Not less than once every 5 years the Task Force shall complete 
and submit to Congress a scientific assessment of harmful algal blooms 
in United States coastal waters and freshwater systems. Each assessment 
shall examine both marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms, 
including those in the Great Lakes and upper reaches of estuaries, 
those in freshwater lakes and rivers, and those that originate in 
freshwater lakes or rivers and migrate to coastal waters.''.
    (e) National Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Program.--
        (1) Program duties.--Section 603A(e) (33 U.S.C. 4002(e)) is 
    amended--
            (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``, including to local 
        and regional stakeholders through the establishment and 
        maintenance of a publicly accessible Internet website that 
        provides information as to Program activities completed under 
        this section'' after ``Program'';
            (B) in paragraph (3)--
                (i) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``; and'' and 
            inserting a semicolon;
                (ii) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``and'' after 
            the semicolon at the end; and
                (iii) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(D) to accelerate the utilization of effective methods of 
        intervention and mitigation to reduce the frequency, severity, 
        and impacts of harmful algal bloom and hypoxia events;'';
            (C) in paragraph (4), by striking ``and work cooperatively 
        with'' and inserting ``, and work cooperatively to provide 
        technical assistance to,''; and
            (D) in paragraph (7)--
                (i) by inserting ``and extension'' after ``existing 
            education''; and
                (ii) by inserting ``intervention,'' after ``awareness 
            of the causes, impacts,''.
        (2) National oceanic and atmospheric administration 
    activities.--Section 603A(f) (33 U.S.C. 4002(f)) is amended--
            (A) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``, which shall include 
        unmanned systems,'' after ``infrastructure'';
            (B) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (C) in paragraph (6)(C), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting a semicolon; and
            (D) by adding at the end the following:
        ``(7) use cost effective methods in carrying out this Act; and
        ``(8) develop contingency plans for the long-term monitoring of 
    hypoxia.''.
    (f) Consultation Required.--Section 102 of the Harmful Algal Bloom 
and Hypoxia Amendments Act of 2004 (33 U.S.C. 4001a) is amended by 
striking ``the amendments made by this title'' and inserting ``the 
Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998''.
    (g) Hypoxia or Harmful Algal Bloom of National Significance.--
        (1) Relief.--
            (A) In general.--Upon a determination under paragraph (2) 
        that there is an event of national significance, the 
        appropriate Federal official is authorized to make sums 
        available to the affected State or local government for the 
        purposes of assessing and mitigating the detrimental 
        environmental, economic, subsistence use, and public health 
        effects of the event of national significance.
            (B) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of any 
        activity carried out under this paragraph for the purposes 
        described in subparagraph (A) may not exceed 50 percent of the 
        cost of that activity.
            (C) Donations.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
        an appropriate Federal official may accept donations of funds, 
        services, facilities, materials, or equipment that the 
        appropriate Federal official considers necessary for the 
        purposes described in subparagraph (A). Any funds donated to an 
        appropriate Federal official under this paragraph may be 
        expended without further appropriation and without fiscal year 
        limitation.
        (2) Determinations.--
            (A) In general.--At the discretion of an appropriate 
        Federal official, or at the request of the Governor of an 
        affected State, an appropriate Federal official shall determine 
        whether a hypoxia or harmful algal bloom event is an event of 
        national significance.
            (B) Considerations.--In making a determination under 
        subparagraph (A), the appropriate Federal official shall 
        consider the toxicity of the harmful algal bloom, the severity 
        of the hypoxia, its potential to spread, the economic impact, 
        the relative size in relation to the past 5 occurrences of 
        harmful algal blooms or hypoxia events that occur on a 
        recurrent or annual basis, and the geographic scope, including 
        the potential to affect several municipalities, to affect more 
        than 1 State, or to cross an international boundary.
        (3) Definitions.--In this subsection:
            (A) Appropriate federal official.--The term ``appropriate 
        Federal official'' means--
                (i) in the case of a marine or coastal hypoxia or 
            harmful algal bloom event, the Under Secretary of Commerce 
            for Oceans and Atmosphere; and
                (ii) in the case of a freshwater hypoxia or harmful 
            algal bloom event, the Administrator of the Environmental 
            Protection Agency.
            (B) Event of national significance.--The term ``event of 
        national significance'' means a hypoxia or harmful algal bloom 
        event that has had or will likely have a significant 
        detrimental environmental, economic, subsistence use, or public 
        health impact on an affected State.
            (C) Hypoxia or harmful algal bloom event.--The term 
        ``hypoxia or harmful algal bloom event'' means the occurrence 
        of hypoxia or a harmful algal bloom as a result of a natural, 
        anthropogenic, or undetermined cause.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 609(a) (33 U.S.C. 
4009(a)) is amended by inserting ``, and $20,500,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2019 through 2023'' before the period at the end.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.
```