IIA
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2811
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
NOVEMBER 20 (legislative day, NOVEMBER 2), 1993
Received
NOVEMBER 23, 1993
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation
AN ACT
To authorize certain atmospheric, weather, and satellite pro-
grams and functions of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration, 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 Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration Atmospheric and Satellite
Program Authorization Act of 1993’’.
TITLE I—AUTHORIZATION OF
APPROPRIATIONS
SEC. 101. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
(a) OPERATIONS AND RESEARCH.—There are au-
thorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce
(in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) to enable the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to
carry out the operations and research duties of the Na-
tional Weather Service, $473,256,000 for fiscal year 1994
and $492,185,000 for fiscal year 1995. Such duties in-
clude meteorological, hydrological, and oceanographic pub-
lic warnings and forecasts, as well as applied research in
support of such warnings and forecasts.
(b) SYSTEMS ACQUISITION.—There are authorized to
be appropriated to the Secretary to enable the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry out the
public warning and forecast systems duties of the National
Weather Service, $76,299,000 for fiscal year 1994 and
$14,600,000 for fiscal year 1995. Such duties include the
development, acquisition, and implementation of major
public warning and forecast systems. None of the funds
authorized under this subsection shall be used for the pur-
poses for which funds are authorized under section 102(b)
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Authorization Act of 1992 (Public Law 102–567). None
period between such transmittal and the next Octo-
ber 1, whichever period is longer, has passed; or
(3) it is to be used only for spare parts, not as
an installation at a particular site.
For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘‘legislative day’’
means any day on which either House of Congress is in
session.
(c) ASOS COMPLETE PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION.—
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), there are author-
ized to be appropriated to the Secretary for all fiscal years
beginning after September 30, 1994, an aggregate of
$30,808,000, to remain available until expended, to com-
plete the acquisition and deployment of—
(A) the Automated Surface Observing System
and related systems, including multisensor and
backup arrays for National Weather Service sites at
airports; and
(B) Automated Meteorological Observing Sys-
tem and Remote Automated Meteorological Observ-
ing System replacement units,
and to cover all associated activities, including program
management and operations and maintenance through
September 30, 1996.
(2) No funds are authorized to be appropriated for
any fiscal year under paragraph (1) unless, within 60 days
after the submission of the President’s budget request for
such fiscal year, the Secretary—
(A) certifies to the Congress that—
(i) the systems meet the technical perform-
ance specifications included in the system con-
tract as in effect on February 20, 1991;
(ii) the systems can be fully deployed,
sited, and operational without requiring further
appropriations 
beyond 
amounts 
authorized
under paragraph (1); and
(iii) the Secretary does not foresee any
delays in the systems deployment and oper-
ations schedule; or
(B) submits to the Congress a report which de-
scribes—
(i) the circumstances which prevent a cer-
tification under subparagraph (A);
(ii) remedial actions undertaken or to be
undertaken with respect to such circumstances;
(iii) the effects of such circumstances on
the systems deployment and operations schedule
and systems coverage; and
(iv) a justification for proceeding with the
program, if appropriate.
(d) AWIPS COMPLETE
PROGRAM
AUTHORIZA-
TION.—(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), there are
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for all fiscal
years beginning after September 30, 1994, an aggregate
of $315,887,000, to remain available until expended, to
complete the acquisition and deployment of the Advanced
Weather Interactive Processing System and NOAA Port
and to cover all associated activities, including program
management and operations and maintenance through
September 30, 1999.
(2) No funds are authorized to be appropriated for
any fiscal year under paragraph (1) unless, within 60 days
after the submission of the President’s budget request for
such fiscal year, the Secretary—
(A) certifies to the Congress that—
(i) the systems meet the technical perform-
ance specifications included in the system con-
tract as in effect on January 5, 1993;
(ii) the systems can be fully deployed,
sited, and operational without requiring further
appropriations 
beyond 
amounts 
authorized
under paragraph (1); and
(iii) the Secretary does not foresee any
delays in the systems deployment and oper-
ations schedule; or
(B) submits to the Congress a report which de-
scribes—
(i) the circumstances which prevent a cer-
tification under subparagraph (A);
(ii) remedial actions undertaken or to be
undertaken with respect to such circumstances;
(iii) the effects of such circumstances on
the systems deployment and operations schedule
and systems coverage; and
(iv) a justification for proceeding with the
program, if appropriate.
(e) CONSTRUCTION
OF WEATHER FORECAST OF-
FICES.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the
Secretary to enable the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration to carry out construction, repair, and
modification activities relating to new and existing weath-
er forecast offices, $62,784,000 for fiscal year 1994 and
$14,739,000 for fiscal year 1995. Such activities include
planning, design, and land acquisition related to such of-
fices.
SEC. 102. ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH.
(a) CLIMATE AND AIR QUALITY RESEARCH.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to enable the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry
out its climate and air quality research duties,
$105,922,000 
for 
fiscal 
year 
1994 
and
$138,737,000 for fiscal year 1995. Such duties in-
clude interannual and seasonal climate research and
long-term climate and air quality research.
(2) CLIMATE
AND
GLOBAL
CHANGE.—Of the
sums authorized under paragraph (1), $66,902,000
for fiscal year 1994 and $84,573,000 for fiscal year
1995 are authorized to be appropriated for the pur-
poses of studying climate and global change, includ-
ing global observations, monitoring, and data and in-
formation management relating to the study of
changes in the Earth’s climatic system, and fun-
damental research on oceanic and atmospheric proc-
esses critical to climate prediction and diagnostics.
(b) ATMOSPHERIC PROGRAMS.—There are author-
ized to be appropriated to the Secretary to enable the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry
out its atmospheric research duties, $42,103,000 for fiscal
year 1994 and $52,980,000 for fiscal year 1995. Such du-
ties include research for developing improved prediction
capabilities for atmospheric processes, as well as solar-ter-
restrial research and services.
SEC. 103. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE, DATA,
AND INFORMATION SERVICE.
(a) SATELLITE OBSERVING SYSTEMS.—There are
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to enable
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to
carry 
out 
its 
satellite 
observing 
systems 
duties,
$206,383,000 for fiscal year 1994 and $217,710,000 for
fiscal year 1995, except that no funds may be expended
for Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite
until the requirements of section 105(d)(2) (A) or (B) of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Au-
thorization Act of 1992 (Public Law 102–567) have been
fulfilled by the Secretary. Such duties include spacecraft
procurement, launch, and associated ground station sys-
tems involving polar orbiting and geostationary environ-
mental satellites, as well as the operation of such satellites.
None of the funds authorized under this subsection shall
be used for the purposes for which funds are authorized
under section 105(d) of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration Authorization Act of 1992 (Public
Law 102–567). None of the funds authorized under this
subsection for fiscal year 1995 shall be used for the pur-
poses for which funds are authorized under subsection (b)
of this section.
(b) POES COMPLETE PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION.—
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), there are author-