I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2608
To reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 26, 2003
Mr. SMITH of Michigan (for himself and Mr. BAIRD) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee 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 committee concerned 
A BILL 
To reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction 
Program, 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 ‘‘National Earthquake 
Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 
2003’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 4 of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act 
of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) is amended by adding 
at the end the following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(8) The term ‘Interagency Coordinating Com-
mittee’ means the Interagency Coordinating Com-
mittee on Earthquake Hazards Reduction estab-
lished under section 5(a). 
‘‘(9) The term ‘Advisory Committee’ means the 
Advisory 
Committee 
established 
under 
section 
5(a)(5).’’. 
SEC. 3. NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION 
PROGRAM. 
Section 5 of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act 
of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7704(b)) is amended—
(1) by amending subsection (a) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—There is established the 
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. 
‘‘(2) PROGRAM ACTIVITIES.—The activities of 
the Program shall be designed to—
‘‘(A) develop effective measures for earth-
quake hazards reduction; 
‘‘(B) promote the adoption of earthquake 
hazards reduction measures by Federal, State,
and local governments, national standards and 
model code organizations, architects and engi-
neers, building owners, and others with a role 
in planning and constructing buildings and life-
lines through—
‘‘(i) grants, contracts, cooperative 
agreements, and technical assistance; 
‘‘(ii) development of standards and 
guidelines for earthquake hazards reduc-
tion for structures and lifelines; and 
‘‘(iii) development and maintenance of 
a repository of information, including tech-
nical data, on seismic risk and hazards re-
duction; and 
‘‘(C) improve the understanding of earth-
quakes and their effects on buildings and life-
lines. 
‘‘(3) INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COMMITTEE 
ON EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—There is established 
an Interagency Coordinating Committee on 
Earthquake Hazards Reduction chaired by the 
Director of the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology (referred to in this subsection 
as the ‘Director’).
‘‘(B) MEMBERSHIP.—The committee shall 
be composed of the directors of—
‘‘(i) the Federal Emergency Manage-
ment Agency; 
‘‘(ii) the United States Geological 
Survey; 
‘‘(iii) the National Science Founda-
tion; 
‘‘(iv) the Office of Science and Tech-
nology Policy; and 
‘‘(v) the Office of Management and 
Budget. 
‘‘(C) MEETINGS.—The Committee shall 
meet not less than 3 times a year at the call of 
the Director. 
‘‘(D) PURPOSE AND DUTIES.—The Inter-
agency Coordinating Committee shall oversee 
the planning, management, and coordination of 
the Program. The Interagency Coordinating 
Committee shall—
‘‘(i) develop, not later than 6 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, 
and update periodically—
‘‘(I) a strategic plan that estab-
lishes goals and priorities for the Pro-
gram activities described under sub-
section (a)(2); and 
‘‘(II) a detailed management plan 
to implement such strategic plan; and 
‘‘(ii) develop a coordinated inter-
agency budget for the Program that will 
ensure appropriate balance among the Pro-
gram activities described under subsection 
(a)(2), and submit such budget to the Di-
rector of the Office of Management and 
Budget at the time designated by that of-
fice for agencies to submit annual budgets. 
‘‘(4) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Interagency Co-
ordinating Committee shall transmit, at the time of 
the President’s budget request to Congress, an an-
nual report to the Committee on Science and the 
Committee on Resources of the House of Represent-
atives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate. Such report shall 
include—
‘‘(A) the Program budget for the current 
fiscal year for each agency that participates in 
the Program, and for each major goal estab-
lished for the Program activities under subpara-
graph (3)(A);
‘‘(B) the proposed Program budget for the 
next fiscal year for each agency that partici-
pates in the Program, and for each major goal 
established for the Program activities under 
subparagraph (3)(A); 
‘‘(C) a description of the activities and re-
sults of the Program during the previous year, 
including an assessment of the effectiveness of 
the Program in furthering the goals established 
in the strategic plan under (3)(A); 
‘‘(D) a description of the extent to which 
the Program has incorporated the recommenda-
tions of the Advisory Committee; and 
‘‘(E) a description of activities, including 
budgets for the current fiscal year and proposed 
budgets for the next fiscal year, that are carried 
out by Program agencies and contribute to the 
Program, but are not included in the Program. 
‘‘(5) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall es-
tablish an Advisory Committee on Earthquake 
Hazards Reduction consisting of non-Federal 
members, including representatives of research 
and academic institutions, industry, and State 
and local government, who are qualified to pro-
vide advice on earthquake hazards reduction. 
The recommendations of the Advisory Com-
mittee shall be considered by Federal agencies 
in implementing the Program. 
‘‘(B) ASSESSMENT.—The Advisory Com-
mittee shall assess—
‘‘(i) trends and developments in the 
science and engineering of earthquake haz-
ards reduction; 
‘‘(ii) effectiveness of the Program in 
carrying out the activities under (a)(2); 
‘‘(iii) the need to revise the Program; 
and 
‘‘(iv) the management, coordination, 
implementation, and activities of the Pro-
gram. 
‘‘(C) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act and at 
least once every 2 years thereafter, the Advisory 
Committee shall report to the Director on its 
findings of the assessment carried out under 
subparagraph (B) and its recommendations for 
ways to improve the Program. In developing 
recommendations, the Committee shall consider 
the recommendations of the United States Geo-
logical Survey Scientific Earthquake Studies 
Advisory Committee. 
‘‘(D) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT 
APPLICATION.—Section 14 of the Federal Advi-
sory Committee Act (5 App. U.S.C. 14) shall 
not apply to the Advisory Committee.’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)—
(A) in paragraph (1)—
(i) by striking ‘‘Federal Emergency 
Management Agency’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘of the Agency’’ and inserting 
‘‘National Institute of Standards and 
Technology shall have the primary respon-
sibility for planning and coordinating the 
Program. In carrying out this paragraph, 
the Director of the Institute’’; 
(ii) by striking subparagraphs (B) and 
(C) and redesignating subparagraphs (D) 
and (E) as subparagraphs (C) and (D), re-
spectively; 
(iii) by inserting after subparagraph 
(A) the following: 
‘‘(B) support the development of perform-
ance-based seismic engineering tools, and work 
with appropriate groups to promote the com-
pears and inserting ‘‘the Director of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 
and the Director of the National Institute 
for Standards and Technology’’; 
(iii) in subparagraph (E), by striking 
‘‘establish, using existing facilities, a Cen-
ter for the International Exchange of 
Earthquake Information’’ and inserting 
‘‘operate, using the National Earthquake 
Information Center, a forum for the inter-
national exchange of earthquake informa-
tion’’; 
(iv) in subparagraph (F), by striking 
‘‘Network’’ and inserting ‘‘System’’; and 
(v) by inserting after subparagraph 
(H) the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(I) work with other Program agencies to 
coordinate Program activities with similar 
eathquake hazards reduction efforts in other 
countries, to ensure that the Program benefits 
from relevant information and advances in 
those countries.’’; and 
(D) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘The 
National’’ and inserting ‘‘In addition to the
lead agency responsibilities described under 
paragraph (1), the National’’; and 
(3) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ‘‘Agency’’ 
and inserting ‘‘Interagency Coordinating Com-
mittee’’. 
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) Section 12 of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction 
Act of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7706) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a), by adding after paragraph 
(7) the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(8) There are authorized to be appropriated to 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency for car-
rying out this Act $18,500,000 for fiscal year 2004, 
$20,500,000 for fiscal year 2005, and $22,500,000 
for fiscal year 2006.’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the 
following: ‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the United States Geological Survey for carrying 
out this Act $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, of 
which not less than $30,000,000 shall be made 
available for completion of the Advanced National 
Seismic Research and Monitoring System established 
under section 13; $83,500,000 for fiscal year 2005, 
of which not less than $30,000,000 shall be made 
available for completion of the Advanced National
Seismic Research and Monitoring System established 
under section 13; $93,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, 
of which not less than $36,000,000 shall be made 
available for completion of the Advanced National 
Seismic Research and Monitoring System established 
under section 13; such sums as may be necessary for 
fiscal year 2007, of which not less than $36,000,000 
shall be made available for completion of the Ad-
vanced National Seismic Research and Monitoring 
System established under section 13; and such sums 
as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008, of which 
not less than $36,000,000 shall be made available 
for completion of the Advanced National Seismic Re-
search and Monitoring System established under 
section 13.’’; 
(3) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the 
following: ‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the National Science Foundation for carrying out 
this 
Act 
$39,000,000 
for 
fiscal 
year 
2004; 
$44,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; and $47,500,000 
for fiscal year 2006.’’; and 
(4) in subsection (d) by adding at the end the 
following: ‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology for carrying out this Act $8,000,000 for fis-
cal year 2004; $9,600,000 for fiscal year 2005; and 
$12,500,000 for fiscal year 2006.’’. 
(b) Section 13 of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction 
Act of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7707) is amended by striking sub-
section (c). 
(c) Section 14(b) of the Earthquake Hazards Reduc-
tion Act of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7708(b)) is amended by strik-
ing paragraph (4) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(4) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; 
‘‘(5) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, all of 
which shall be available for operations and mainte-
nance; and 
‘‘(6) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, all of 
which shall be available for operations and mainte-
nance.’’.
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