H. R. 5136

One Hundred Ninth Congress

of the

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and six 

An Act 

To establish a National Integrated Drought Information System within the National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to improve drought monitoring and 

forecasting capabilities.

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 Act of 2006’’. 

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

In this Act: 

(1) DROUGHT.—The term ‘‘drought’’ means a deficiency in 

precipitation—

(A) that leads to a deficiency in surface or subsurface 

water supplies (including rivers, streams, wetlands, ground 

water, soil moisture, reservoir supplies, lake levels, and 

snow pack); and 

(B) that causes or may cause—

(i) substantial economic or social impacts; or 

(ii) substantial physical damage or injury to 

individuals, property, or the environment. 

(2) UNDER SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Under Secretary’’ means 

the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere. 

SEC. 3. NIDIS PROGRAM. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary, through the National 

Weather Service and other appropriate weather and climate programs in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 

shall establish a National Integrated Drought Information System. 

(b) SYSTEM FUNCTIONS.—The National Integrated Drought 

Information System shall—

(1) provide an effective drought early warning system 

that—

(A) is a comprehensive system that collects and 

integrates information on the key indicators of drought 

in order to make usable, reliable, and timely drought forecasts and assessments of drought, including assessments 

of the severity of drought conditions and impacts; 

(B) communicates drought forecasts, drought conditions, and drought impacts on an ongoing basis to—

(i) decisionmakers at the Federal, regional, State, 

tribal, and local levels of government; 

(ii) the private sector; and 
H. R. 5136—2

(iii) the public, 

in order to engender better informed and more timely 

decisions thereby leading to reduced impacts and costs; 

and 

(C) includes timely (where possible real-time) data, 

information, and products that reflect local, regional, and 

State differences in drought conditions; 

(2) coordinate, and integrate as practicable, Federal 

research in support of a drought early warning system; and 

(3) build upon existing forecasting and assessment programs and partnerships. 

(c) CONSULTATION.—The Under Secretary shall consult with 

relevant Federal, regional, State, tribal, and local government agencies, research institutions, and the private sector in the development 

of the National Integrated Drought Information System. 

(d) COOPERATION FROM OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Each Federal agency shall cooperate as appropriate with the Under Secretary 

in carrying out this Act. 

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act—

(1) $11,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; 

(2) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 

(3) $13,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 

(4) $14,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; 

(5) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and 

(6) $16,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.