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[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 692 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 692

    To improve hurricane preparedness by establishing the National 
         Hurricane Research Initiative, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 30, 2011

  Mr. Nelson of Florida introduced the following bill; which was read 
     twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                             Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
    To improve hurricane preparedness by establishing the National 
         Hurricane Research Initiative, 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 Hurricane Research 
Initiative Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Eligible entities.--The term ``eligible entities'' 
        means Federal, State, regional, and local government agencies 
        and departments, tribal governments, universities, research 
        institutes, for-profit entities, and nongovernmental 
        organizations.
            (2) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian tribe'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 102 of the Federally 
        Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 479a).
            (3) Initiative.--The term ``Initiative'' means the National 
        Hurricane Research Initiative established under section 
        3(a)(1).
            (4) State.--The term ``State'' means any State of the 
        United States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, 
        the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, 
        and the Virgin Islands.
            (5) Tribal government.--The term ``tribal government'' 
        means the governing body of an Indian tribe.
            (6) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means 
        the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL HURRICANE RESEARCH INITIATIVE.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall establish an 
        initiative to be known as the ``National Hurricane Research 
        Initiative'' for the purposes described in paragraph (2). The 
        Initiative shall consist of--
                    (A) the activities carried out under this section; 
                and
                    (B) the research carried out under section 4.
            (2) Purposes.--The purposes described in this paragraph are 
        as follows:
                    (A) To conduct research, incorporating to the 
                maximum extent practicable the needs of eligible 
                entities, to enable the following:
                            (i) Improvement of the understanding and 
                        prediction of hurricanes and other tropical 
                        storms, including--
                                    (I) storm tracking and prediction;
                                    (II) forecasting of storm 
                                formation, intensity, and wind and rain 
                                patterns, both within the tropics and 
                                as the storms move poleward;
                                    (III) storm surge modeling, inland 
                                flood modeling, and coastal erosion;
                                    (IV) the interaction with and 
                                impacts of storms with the natural and 
                                built environment; and
                                    (V) the impacts to and response of 
                                society to destructive storms, 
                                including the socioeconomic impacts 
                                requiring emergency management, 
                                response, and recovery.
                            (ii) Development of infrastructure that is 
                        resilient to the forces associated with 
                        hurricanes and other tropical storms.
                            (iii) Mitigation of the impacts of 
                        hurricanes on coastal populations, the coastal 
                        built environment, and natural resources, 
                        including--
                                    (I) coral reefs;
                                    (II) mangroves;
                                    (III) wetlands; and
                                    (IV) other natural systems that can 
                                reduce hurricane wind and flood forces.
                            (iv) Improvement of communication with the 
                        public about hurricane forecasts and risks 
                        associated with hurricanes to reduce the 
                        harmful impacts of hurricanes and improve the 
                        response of society to destructive storms.
                    (B) To provide training for the next generation of 
                hurricane researchers and forecasters.
    (b) Implementation Plan.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall, in 
        coordination with the Director of the National Science 
        Foundation, develop a detailed, 5-year implementation plan for 
        the Initiative that--
                    (A) incorporates the priorities for Federal science 
                and technology investments set forth in the June 2005 
                publication, ``Grand Challenges for Disaster 
                Reduction'', and in related 2008 implementation plans 
                for hurricane and coastal inundation hazards of the 
                Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction of the Committee on 
                Environment and Natural Resources of the National 
                Science and Technology Council;
                    (B) to the extent practicable and as appropriate, 
                establishes strategic goals, benchmarks, milestones, 
                and a set of systematic criteria and performance 
                metrics by which the overall effectiveness of the 
                Initiative may be evaluated on a periodic basis, 
                including evaluation of mechanisms for the effective 
                transition of research to operations and the 
                application of research results for reducing hurricane 
                losses and related public benefits; and
                    (C) identifies opportunities to leverage the 
                results of the research carried out under section 4 
                with other Federal and non-Federal hurricane research, 
                coordination, and loss-reduction initiatives, such as--
                            (i) the National Windstorm Impact Reduction 
                        Program established by section 204(a) of the 
                        National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004 
                        (15 U.S.C. 15703);
                            (ii) the National Flood Insurance Program 
                        established under chapter 1 of the National 
                        Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4011 et 
                        seq.);
                            (iii) the initiatives of the Robert T. 
                        Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
                        Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.);
                            (iv) wind hazard mitigation initiatives 
                        carried out by a State;
                            (v) the Science Advisory Board, Social 
                        Science Working Group, and Hurricane Forecast 
                        Improvement Project of the National Oceanic and 
                        Atmospheric Administration; and
                            (vi) the Working Group for Tropical Cyclone 
                        Research of the Office of the Federal 
                        Coordinator for Meteorological Services and 
                        Supporting Research.
            (2) Review.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall make the 
        implementation plan required by paragraph (1) available for 
        review by the following:
                    (A) The Director of the National Science 
                Foundation.
                    (B) The Secretary of Homeland Security.
                    (C) The Director of the National Institute for 
                Standards and Technology.
                    (D) The Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps 
                of Engineers.
                    (E) The Commander of the Naval Meteorology and 
                Oceanography Command.
                    (F) The Associate Administrator for Science Mission 
                Directorate of the National Aeronautics and Space 
                Administration.
                    (G) The Director of the U.S. Geological Survey.
                    (H) The Director of the Office of Science and 
                Technology Policy.
                    (I) The Director of the National Economic Council.
            (3) Revisions.--The Under Secretary shall revise the 
        implementation plan required by paragraph (1) not less 
        frequently than once every 5 years.
    (c) Research.--
            (1) Establishment of research objectives.--The Under 
        Secretary shall, in consultation with the Director of the 
        National Science Foundation, establish objectives for research 
        carried out pursuant to section 4 that are--
                    (A) consistent with the purposes described in 
                subsection (a)(2); and
                    (B) based on the findings of the expert assessments 
                and strategies published in the following:
                            (i) The June 2005 publication entitled, 
                        ``Grand Challenges for Disaster Reduction'', 
                        and the related 2008 implementation plans for 
                        hurricane and coastal inundation hazards of the 
                        Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction of the 
                        Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 
                        of the National Science and Technology Council.
                            (ii) The January 2007 report by the 
                        National Science Board entitled, ``Hurricane 
                        Warning: The Critical Need for a National 
                        Hurricane Initiative''.
                            (iii) The February 2007 report by the 
                        Office of the Federal Coordinator for 
                        Meteorological Services and Supporting Research 
                        entitled, ``Interagency Strategic Research Plan 
                        for Tropical Cyclones: The Way Ahead''.
                            (iv) Reports from the Hurricane Intensity 
                        Working Group of the National Science Advisory 
                        Board of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                        Administration.
            (2) Areas of concentration.--The objectives required by 
        paragraph (1) shall provide for 3 areas of concentration as 
        follows:
                    (A) Fundamental hurricane research, which may 
                include research to support continued development and 
                maintenance of community weather research and forecast 
                models, including advanced methods of observing storm 
                structure and assimilating observations into the 
                models, in which the agency or institution hosting the 
                models ensures broad access and use of the model by the 
                civilian research community.
                    (B) Technology assessment and development.
                    (C) Research on integration, transition, and 
                application of research results.
    (d) National Workshops and Conferences.--The Under Secretary may, 
in coordination with the Director of the National Science Foundation, 
carry out a series of national workshops and conferences that assemble 
a broad collection of scientific disciplines--
            (1) to address hurricane-related research questions; and
            (2) to encourage researchers to work collaboratively to 
        carry out the purposes described in subsection (a)(2).
    (e) Public Internet Web Site.--The Under Secretary shall facilitate 
the establishment of a public Internet Web site for the Initiative--
            (1) to foster collaboration and interactive dialogues among 
        the Under Secretary, the Director of the National Science 
        Foundation, and the public;
            (2) to enhance public access to Initiative documents and 
        products, including--
                    (A) reports and publications of the Initiative;
                    (B) the most recent 5-year implementation plan 
                developed under subsection (b); and
                    (C) each annual cross-cut budget and report 
                submitted to Congress under subsection (f); and
            (3) that includes a publicly accessible clearinghouse of 
        Federal research and development centers engaged in research 
        and development efforts that are complementary to the 
        Initiative.
    (f) Annual Cross-Cut Budget and Report.--
            (1) Requirement for annual cross-cut budget and report.--
        Beginning with the first fiscal year beginning after the date 
        the Under Secretary completes the implementation plan required 
        by subsection (b), the Director of the Office of Science and 
        Technology Policy shall, in conjunction with the Under 
        Secretary, the Director of the National Science Foundation, and 
        the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, submit to 
        Congress each year, together with documents submitted to 
        Congress in support of the budget of the President for the 
        fiscal year beginning in such year (as submitted pursuant to 
        section 1105 of title 31, United States Code)--
                    (A) a coordinated annual report for the Initiative 
                for the last fiscal year ending before the date on 
                which the report is submitted; and
                    (B) a cross-cut budget for the Initiative for the 
                first fiscal year beginning after the date on which the 
                report is submitted.
            (2) Contents.--The report required by paragraph (1)(A) 
        shall--
                    (A) document the grants and contracts awarded to 
                eligible entities under section 4;
                    (B) for each eligible entity that receives a grant 
                or contract under section 4, identify what major 
                activities were undertaken with such funds, grants, and 
                contracts; and
                    (C) for each research activity or group of 
                activities in an area of concentration described in 
                subsection (c)(2), as appropriate, identify any 
                accomplishments, which may include full or partial 
                achievement of any strategic goals, benchmarks, 
                milestones, or systematic criteria and performance 
                metrics established for the implementation plan under 
                subsection (b)(1)(B).

SEC. 4. NATIONAL HURRICANE RESEARCH.

    (a) National Science Foundation Competitive Grant Research 
Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Director of the National Science 
        Foundation shall, in coordination with the Under Secretary, 
        establish a program to award grants to eligible entities to 
        carry out research that is consistent with the research 
        objectives established under section 3(c)(1).
            (2) Selection.--The National Science Foundation shall 
        select grant recipients under this section through its merit 
        review process.
    (b) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Research 
Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall, in coordination 
        with the Director of the National Science Foundation, carry out 
        a program of research that is consistent with the research 
        objectives established under section 3(c)(1).
            (2) Research activities.--Research carried out under 
        paragraph (1) may be carried out through--
                    (A) intramural research;
                    (B) awarding grants to eligible entities to carry 
                out research;
                    (C) contracting with eligible entities to carry out 
                research; or
                    (D) entering into cooperative agreements to carry 
                out research.
            (3) Demonstration projects authorized.--Research carried 
        out under this subsection may include demonstration projects.
    (c) Collaboration.--To the maximum extent practicable, each entity 
carrying out research under this section shall collaborate with 
existing Federal and federally funded research centers operating in 
related fields, for-profit organizations, and international, regional, 
State, local, and tribal governments--
            (1) to gather and share experiential information; and
            (2) to advance scientific and engineering knowledge, 
        technology transfer, and technology commercialization in the 
        course of conduct of hurricane-related research and its 
        application to mitigating the impacts of hurricanes and other 
        tropical storms on society.
                                 <all>
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