IB 
Union Calendar No. 264 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 1856 
[Report No. 108–326, Part I] 
To reauthorize the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control 
Act of 1998, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 29, 2003 
Mr. EHLERS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Science, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
OCTOBER 24, 2003 
Reported from the Committee on Science with an amendment 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
OCTOBER 24, 2003 
Referral to the Committee on Resources extended for a period ending not later 
than October 31, 2003 
OCTOBER 31, 2003 
Referral to the Committee on Resources extended for a period ending not later 
than November 7, 2003 
NOVEMBER 7, 2003 
Referral to the Committee on Resources extended for a period ending not later 
than November 21, 2003 
NOVEMBER 7, 2003 
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for a period 
ending not later than November 21, 2003, for consideration of such pro-
visions of the bill and amendment as fall within the jurisdiction of that 
committee pursuant to clause 1(q), rule X
NOVEMBER 21, 2003 
Referral to the Committees on Resources and Transportation and 
Infrastructure extended for a period ending not later than January 31, 2004 
JANUARY 31, 2004 
Referral to the Committees on Resources, and Transportation and 
Infrastructure extended for a period ending not later than April 2, 2004 
APRIL 2, 2004 
Additional sponsors: Mr. ENGLISH, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. BONNER, Mr. UPTON, 
Mr. GREENWOOD, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. HOLT, Ms. 
LEE, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. PUTNAM, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. LIPINSKI, 
Mr. BURR, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. KLINE, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. 
HONDA, Mr. KIND, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, and Mr. DAVIS of Florida 
APRIL 2, 2004 
Committees on Resources, and Transportation and Infrastructure discharged; 
committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the 
Union and ordered to be printed 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 29, 2003] 
A BILL 
To reauthorize the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia 
Research and Control Act of 1998, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Harmful Algal Bloom 
and Hypoxia Research Amendments Act of 2003’’. 
SEC. 2. RETENTION OF TASK FORCE. 
Section 603 of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia 
Research and Control Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 1451 note) 
is amended by striking subsection (e).
SEC. 3. SCIENTIFIC ASSESSMENTS AND RESEARCH PLANS. 
Such section 603 is further amended— 
(1) in subsection (a) by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘In developing the assessments and research plans described 
in subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f), the Task Force shall 
work with appropriate State, Indian tribe, and local gov-
ernments to ensure that the assessments and research plans 
fulfill the requirements of subsections (b)(2), (c)(2), (d)(2), 
(e)(2), and (f)(2). Additionally, the Task Force shall consult 
with appropriate industry, academic institutions, and non- 
governmental organizations throughout the development of 
the assessments and research plans.’’; and 
(2) by striking subsections (b) and (c) and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(b) SCIENTIFIC ASSESSMENTS OF HARMFUL ALGAL 
BLOOMS.—(1) Not less than once every 5 years the Task 
Force shall complete and submit to the Committee on 
Science of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
a scientific assessment of harmful algal blooms in United 
States coastal waters. The first such assessment shall be 
completed not later than 24 months after the date of enact-
ment of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research 
Amendments Act of 2003 and should consider only marine 
harmful algal blooms. All subsequent assessments shall ex-
amine both marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms, 
including those in the Great Lakes and upper reaches of 
estuaries. 
‘‘(2) The assessments under this subsection shall— 
‘‘(A) examine the causes and ecological con-
sequences, and economic costs, of harmful algal 
blooms; 
‘‘(B) describe the potential ecological and eco-
nomic costs and benefits of possible policy and man-
agement actions for preventing, controlling, and miti-
gating harmful algal blooms; 
‘‘(C) evaluate progress made by, and the needs 
of, Federal research programs on the causes, charac-
teristics, and impacts of harmful algal blooms; and 
‘‘(D) identify ways to improve coordination and 
to prevent unnecessary duplication of effort among 
Federal agencies and departments with respect to re-
search on harmful algal blooms. 
‘‘(c) SCIENTIFIC
ASSESSMENT
OF
FRESHWATER 
HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS.—(1) Not later than 24 months 
after the date of enactment of the Harmful Algal Bloom and 
Hypoxia Research Amendments Act of 2003 the Task Force 
shall complete and submit to the Committee on Science of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a sci-
entific assessment of current knowledge about harmful algal 
blooms in freshwater locations such as the Great Lakes and 
upper reaches of estuaries, including a research plan for 
coordinating Federal efforts to better understand freshwater 
harmful algal blooms. 
‘‘(2) The freshwater harmful algal bloom scientific as-
sessment shall— 
‘‘(A) examine the causes and ecological con-
sequences, and the economic costs, of harmful algal 
blooms with significant effects on freshwater locations, 
including estimations of the frequency and occurrence 
of significant events; 
‘‘(B) establish priorities and guidelines for a 
competitive, peer-reviewed, merit-based interagency 
research program, as part of the Ecology and Ocean-
ography of Harmful Algal Blooms (ECOHAB) 
project, to better understand the causes, characteris-
tics, and impacts of harmful algal blooms in fresh-
water locations; and 
‘‘(C) identify ways to improve coordination and 
to prevent unnecessary duplication of effort among 
Federal agencies and departments with respect to re-
search on harmful algal blooms in freshwater locations. 
‘‘(d) NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PLAN INTO 
REDUCING IMPACTS FROM HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS.—(1)
Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of 
the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research Amend-
ments Act of 2003, the Task Force shall develop and submit 
to the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate a research plan providing for a com-
prehensive and coordinated national research program to 
develop prevention, control, and mitigation methods to re-
duce the impacts of harmful algal blooms on coastal eco-
systems (including the Great Lakes), public health, and the 
economy. 
‘‘(2) The research plan shall— 
‘‘(A) establish priorities and guidelines for a 
competitive, peer-reviewed, merit-based interagency 
research program on methods for the prevention, con-
trol, and mitigation of harmful algal blooms; 
‘‘(B) identify ways to improve coordination and 
to prevent unnecessary duplication of effort among 
Federal agencies and departments with respect to the 
actions described in paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(C) include to the maximum extent practicable 
diverse institutions, including Historically Black Col-
leges and Universities and those serving large propor-
tions of Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific 
Americans, and other underrepresented populations.