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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 517 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 517

 To establish the Weather Modification Operations and Research Board, 
                        and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 3, 2005

Mrs. Hutchison introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To establish the Weather Modification Operations and Research Board, 
                        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 ``Weather Modification Research and 
Technology Transfer Authorization Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act to develop and implement a 
comprehensive and coordinated national weather modification policy and 
a national cooperative Federal and State program of weather 
modification research and development.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Weather 
        Modification Advisory and Research Board.
            (2) Executive director.--The term ``Executive Director'' 
        means the Executive Director of the Weather Modification 
        Advisory and Research Board.
            (3) Research and development.--The term ``research and 
        development'' means theoretical analysis, exploration, 
        experimentation, and the extension of investigative findings 
        and theories of scientific or technical nature into practical 
        application for experimental and demonstration purposes, 
        including the experimental production and testing of models, 
        devices, equipment, materials, and processes.
            (4) Weather modification.--The term ``weather 
        modification'' means changing or controlling, or attempting to 
        change or control, by artificial methods the natural 
        development of atmospheric cloud forms or precipitation forms 
        which occur in the troposphere.

SEC. 4. WEATHER MODIFICATION ADVISORY AND RESEARCH BOARD ESTABLISHED.

    (a) In General.--There is established in the Department of Commerce 
the Weather Modification Advisory and Research Board.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Board shall consist of 11 members 
        appointed by the Secretary of Commerce, of whom--
                    (A) at least 1 shall be a representative of the 
                American Meteorological Society;
                    (B) at least 1 shall be a representative of the 
                American Society of Civil Engineers;
                    (C) at least 1 shall be a representative of the 
                National Academy of Sciences;
                    (D) at least 1 shall be a representative of the 
                National Center for Atmospheric Research of the 
                National Science Foundation;
                    (E) at least 2 shall be representatives of the 
                National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the 
                Department of Commerce;
                    (F) at least 1 shall be a representative of 
                institutions of higher education or research 
                institutes; and
                    (G) at least 1 shall be a representative of a State 
                that is currently supporting operational weather 
                modification projects.
            (2) Tenure.--A member of the Board serves at the pleasure 
        of the Secretary of Commerce.
            (3) Vacancies.--Any vacancy on the Board shall be filled in 
        the same manner as the original appointment.
    (b) Advisory Committees.--The Board may establish advisory 
committees to advise the Board and to make recommendations to the Board 
concerning legislation, policies, administration, research, and other 
matters.
    (c) Initial Meeting.--Not later than 30 days after the date on 
which all members of the Board have been appointed, the Board shall 
hold its first meeting.
    (d) Meetings.--The Board shall meet at the call of the Chair.
    (e) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Board shall 
constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.
    (f) Chair and Vice Chair.--The Board shall select a Chair and Vice 
Chair from among its members.

SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE BOARD.

    (a) Promotion of Research and Development.--In order to assist in 
expanding the theoretical and practical knowledge of weather 
modification, the Board shall promote and fund research and 
development, studies, and investigations with respect to--
            (1) improved forecast and decision-making technologies for 
        weather modification operations, including tailored computer 
        workstations and software and new observation systems with 
        remote sensors; and
            (2) assessments and evaluations of the efficacy of weather 
        modification, both purposeful (including cloud-seeding 
        operations) and inadvertent (including downwind effects and 
        anthropogenic effects).
    (b) Financial Assistance.--Unless the use of the money is 
restricted or subject to any limitations provided by law, the Board 
shall use amounts in the Weather Modification Research and Development 
Fund--
            (1) to pay its expenses in the administration of this Act, 
        and
            (2) to provide for research and development with respect to 
        weather modifications by grants to, or contracts or cooperative 
        arrangements, with public or private agencies.
    (c) Report.--The Board shall submit to the Secretary biennially a 
report on its findings and research results.

SEC. 6. POWERS OF THE BOARD.

    (a) Studies, Investigations, and Hearings.--The Board may make any 
studies or investigations, obtain any information, and hold any 
hearings necessary or proper to administer or enforce this Act or any 
rules or orders issued under this Act.
    (b) Personnel.--The Board may employ, as provided for in 
appropriations Acts, an Executive Director and other support staff 
necessary to perform duties and functions under this Act.
    (c) Cooperation With Other Agencies.--The Board may cooperate with 
public or private agencies to promote the purposes of this Act.
    (d) Cooperative Agreements.--The Board may enter into cooperative 
agreements with the head of any department or agency of the United 
States, an appropriate official of any State or political subdivision 
of a State, or an appropriate official of any private or public agency 
or organization for conducting weather modification activities or 
cloud-seeding operations.
    (e) Conduct and Contracts for Research and Development.--The 
Executive Director, with the approval of the Board, may conduct and may 
contract for research and development activities relating to the 
purposes of this section.

SEC. 7. COOPERATION WITH THE WEATHER MODIFICATION OPERATIONS AND 
              RESEARCH BOARD.

    The heads of the departments and agencies of the United States and 
the heads of any other public or private agencies and institutions that 
receive research funds from the United States shall, to the extent 
possible, give full support and cooperation to the Board and to 
initiate independent research and development programs that address 
weather modifications.

SEC. 8. FUNDING.

    (a) In General.--There is established within the Treasury of the 
United States the Weather Modification Research and Development Fund, 
which shall consist of amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (b) 
or received by the Board under subsection (c).
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Board for the purposes of carrying out the 
provisions of this Act $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2005 
through 2014. Any sums appropriated under this subsection shall remain 
available, without fiscal year limitation, until expended.
    (c) Gifts.--The Board may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or 
donations of services or property.

SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect on October 1, 2005.
                                 <all>
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