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 pro-
grams 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 fore-
casts and assessments of drought, including assessments 
of the severity of drought conditions and impacts; 
(B) communicates drought forecasts, drought condi-
tions, 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 pro-
grams and partnerships. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—The Under Secretary shall consult with 
relevant Federal, regional, State, tribal, and local government agen-
cies, research institutions, and the private sector in the development 
of the National Integrated Drought Information System. 
(d) COOPERATION FROM OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Each Fed-
eral 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.