I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3035
To establish an advisory commission to provide advice and recommendations
on the creation of an integrated, coordinated Federal policy designed
to prepare for and respond to serious drought emergencies.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NOVEMBER 12, 1997
Mr. SKEEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees
on Agriculture, and Resources, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To establish an advisory commission to provide advice and
recommendations on the creation of an integrated, co-
ordinated Federal policy designed to prepare for and
respond to serious drought emergencies.
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 Drought Pol-
icy Act of 1997’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that—
(1) the United States often suffers serious eco-
nomic and environmental losses from severe regional
droughts and there is no coordinated Federal strat-
egy to respond to such emergencies;
(2) at the Federal level, even though historically
there have been frequent, significant droughts of na-
tional consequences, drought is addressed mainly
through special legislation and ad hoc action rather
than through a systematic and permanent process as
occurs with other natural disasters;
(3) several Federal agencies have a role in
drought from predicting, forecasting, and monitoring
of drought conditions to the provision of planning,
technical, and financial assistance;
(4) there has never been one single Federal
agency in a lead or coordinating role with regard to
drought;
(5) the State, local, and tribal governments
have had to deal individually and separately with
each Federal agency involved in drought assistance;
and
(6) the President should appoint an advisory
commission to provide advice and recommendations
on the creation of an integrated, coordinated Federal
policy designed to prepare for and respond to serious
drought emergencies.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a com-
mission to be known as the National Drought Policy Com-
mission (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commis-
sion’’).
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—
(1) COMPOSITION.—The Commission shall be
composed of 14 members. The members of the Com-
mission shall include—
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, or the
designee of the Secretary, who shall serve as
Chairperson of the Commission;
(B) the Secretary of the Interior, or the
designee of the Secretary;
(C) the Secretary of the Army, or the des-
ignee of the Secretary;
(D) the Secretary of Commerce, or the
designee of the Secretary;
(E) the Director of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, or the designee of the Di-
rector;
(F) the Administrator of the Small Busi-
ness Administration, or the designee of the Ad-
ministrator;
(G) two persons nominated by the National
Governors’ Association and appointed by the
President, of whom—
(i) one shall be the governor of a
State east of the Mississippi River; and
(ii) one shall be a governor of a State
west of the Mississippi River;
(H) a person nominated by the National
Association of Counties and appointed by the
President;
(I) a person nominated by the United
States Conference of Mayors and appointed by
the President; and
(J) four persons appointed by the Sec-
retary of Agriculture who shall be representa-
tive of groups acutely affected by drought emer-
gencies, such as the agricultural production
community, the credit community, rural water
associations, and Native Americans.
(2) DATE.—The appointments of the members
of the Commission shall be made no later than 60
days after the date of enactment of this Act.
(c) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT; VACANCIES.—Mem-
bers shall be appointed for the life of the Commission. Any
vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers, but
shall be filled in the same manner as the original appoint-
ment.
(d) INITIAL MEETING.—No later than 30 days after
the date on which all members of the Commission have
been appointed, the Commission shall hold its first meet-
ing.
(e) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the
call of the Chairperson.
(f) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the
Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser num-
ber of members may hold hearings.
(g) VICE CHAIRPERSON.—The Commission shall se-
lect a Vice Chairperson from among the members who are
not Federal officers or employees.
SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.
(a) STUDY
AND REPORT.—The Commission shall
conduct a thorough study and submit a report on national
drought policy, as provided under subsection (c).
(b) CONTENT OF STUDY AND REPORT.—In conduct-
ing the study and report, the Commission shall—
(1) determine, in consultation with the National
Drought Mitigation Center in Lincoln, Nebraska,
what needs exist on the Federal, State, local, and
tribal levels to prepare for and respond to drought
emergencies;
(2) review all existing Federal laws and pro-
grams relating to drought;
(3) review those State, local, and tribal laws
and programs relating to drought the Commission
finds pertinent;
(4) determine what differences exist between
the needs of those affected by drought and the Fed-
eral laws and programs designed to mitigate the im-
pacts of and respond to drought;
(5) collaborate with the Western Drought Co-
ordination Council in order to consider regional
drought initiatives and the application of such initia-
tives at the national level;
(6) make recommendations on how Federal
drought laws and programs can be better integrated
with ongoing State, local, and tribal programs into
a comprehensive national policy to mitigate the im-
pacts of and respond to drought emergencies without
diminishing the rights of States to control water
through State law; and
(7) include a recommendation on whether all
Federal drought preparation and response programs
should be consolidated under one existing Federal
agency and, if so, identify such agency.
(c) SUBMISSION OF REPORT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—No later than 18 months
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commis-
sion shall submit a report to the President and the
Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate
and the Committee on Government Reform and
Oversight of the House of Representatives which
shall contain a detailed statement of the findings
and conclusions of the Commission, together with its
recommendations for such legislation and adminis-
trative actions as it considers appropriate.
(2) APPROVAL OF REPORT.—Before submission
of the report, the contents of the report shall be ap-
proved by unanimous consent or majority vote. If
the report is approved by majority vote, members
voting not to approve the contents shall be given the
opportunity to submit dissenting views with the re-
port.
SEC. 5. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.
(a) HEARINGS.—The Commission may hold such
hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such
testimony, and receive such evidence as the Commission
considers necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.