ronmental Research Laboratories of the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration and the relevance of the
research conducted therein to issues of global and national
importance. In conducting such assessment, the Secretary
shall take into consideration—
(1) the adequacy of resources provided to sup-
port the missions of the Environmental Research
Laboratories;
(2) the ability of the Environmental Research
Laboratories to provide research support for the
coastal and ocean management and regulatory re-
sponsibilities of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration;
(3) the capacity of the Environmental Research
Laboratories to process and disseminate environ-
mental data and information collected and proc-
essed, or expected to be collected and processed, by
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion and other appropriate Federal departments and
agencies;
(4) the mission of the Environmental Research
Laboratories to provide solar-terrestrial services to
the Nation;
(5) the ability of the Environmental Research
Laboratories to provide continued support for the
modernization of weather services;
(6) the responsibilities of the Environmental
Research Laboratories to monitor, assess, and pre-
dict changes in the Earth’s climate;
(7) the capability of the Environmental Re-
search Laboratories to integrate and interpret sci-
entific data in order to provide information useful to
policy makers for responding to national and global
environmental concerns;
(8) the operational efficiency and effectiveness
of the Environmental Research Laboratories;
(9) the interaction of the Environmental Re-
search Laboratories with the academic community,
including Joint and Cooperative Institutes, and the
ability of these interactions to improve the quality
and effectiveness of research;
(10) the number, location, and geographic dis-
tribution of the Environmental Research Labora-
tories; and
(11) any other issues that the Secretary may
identify.
(b) COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PLAN.—Not later
than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Secretary shall develop and submit to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the
Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of the
House of Representatives a comprehensive strategic plan,
based on the assessment conducted under subsection (a),
to modernize and improve the role and mission of the En-
vironmental Research Laboratories of the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration. The assessment
conducted under subsection (a) shall be submitted along
with such plan.
SEC. 202. HYDROLOGICAL RESEARCH AND FLOOD FORE-
CAST MODERNIZATION REPORT.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consulta-
tion with the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies,
shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House
of Representatives a report identifying the actions re-
quired to improve the hydrological research programs and
to modernize the Flood Forecasting System of the Na-
tional Weather Service.
(b) REPORT CONTENTS.—The report required under
subsection (a) shall include consideration of—
(1) current, planned, and potential technological
improvements in the collection of observational
hydrological data;
(2) use of additional satellite remote-sensing
data and airborne surveys, including those systems
operated by other Federal agencies, for hydrological
data collection;
(3) improvements in data analysis and com-
puter modeling in support of flood forecasts and pre-
dictions; and
(4) full integration of the River Forecast Cen-
ters in the National Weather Service Modernization
Plan.
SEC. 203. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that any transfers of Na-
tional Weather Service employees from field offices neces-
sitated by the National Implementation Plan for Mod-
ernization of the National Weather Service be carried out
in a manner that will not result in the degradation of serv-
ices in the service area of such field office.
Passed the House of Representatives November 20,
1993.
Attest:
Clerk.