111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1145 
AN ACT 
To implement a National Water Research and Development 
Initiative, 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 Water Re-
search and Development Initiative Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 2. NATIONAL WATER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
INITIATIVE. 
(a) INITIATIVE AND PURPOSE.—The President shall 
implement a National Water Research and Development 
Initiative (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Initiative’’). The 
purpose of the Initiative is to improve the Federal Govern-
ment’s role in designing and implementing Federal water 
research, development, demonstration, data collection and 
dissemination, education, and technology transfer activi-
ties to address changes in water use, quality, supply, and 
demand in the United States, including providing addi-
tional support to increase water supply through greater 
efficiency, conservation, and measures to abate water 
quality impairment. 
(b) INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 3 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Presi-
dent shall establish, or designate, an interagency 
committee to implement the Initiative under sub-
section (a). The Office of Science and Technology 
Policy shall chair the interagency committee. 
(2) COMPOSITION.—The interagency committee 
shall include a representative from each agency that
conducts research related to water or has authority 
over resources that affect water supply and water 
quality, as well as a representative from the Office 
of Management and Budget. 
(3) FUNCTIONS
OF
THE
INTERAGENCY
COM-
MITTEE.—The interagency committee shall— 
(A) develop a National Water Research 
and Assessment Plan (in this Act referred to as 
the ‘‘plan’’) in accordance with subsection (c) 
and in coordination with State, local, and tribal 
governments; 
(B) coordinate all Federal research, devel-
opment, demonstration, data collection and dis-
semination, education, and technology transfer 
activities pertaining to water; 
(C) encourage cooperation among Federal 
agencies and State, local, and tribal govern-
ments with respect to water-related research, 
development, and technological innovation ac-
tivities to avoid duplication of effort and to en-
sure optimal use of resources and expertise; 
(D) facilitate technology transfer, commu-
nication, and opportunities for information ex-
change with institutions of higher education, 
non-governmental organizations, State and local
governments, 
tribal 
governments, 
industry, 
water resources managers, commercial end 
users, and other members of the stakeholder 
community through the office established in 
paragraph (4); 
(E) provide guidance on outreach to mi-
nority serving institutions that are eligible insti-
tutions under section 371(a) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)) to 
encourage such institutions to apply for funding 
opportunities specified in the plan; 
(F) provide guidance on outreach to insti-
tutions of higher education (as defined in sec-
tion 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)) that are located in 
an area affected by drought and encourage such 
institutions to apply for funding opportunities 
specified in the plan; 
(G) encourage cooperation between Federal 
agencies, State and local governments, and trib-
al governments to develop standard methods for 
collecting, managing, and disseminating data on 
water;
(H) not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act and every 3 years there-
after— 
(i) identify from each agency de-
scribed in paragraph (2) the statutory or 
regulatory barriers preventing the use of 
any technology, technique, data collection 
method, or model that would contribute to 
greater availability of water resources in 
the United States through enhanced effi-
ciency and conservation; and 
(ii) submit a report of the findings 
from clause (i) to Congress; and 
(I) assess the role of Federal water re-
search funding in helping to develop the next 
generation of scientists and engineers at institu-
tions of higher education. 
(4) NATIONAL
WATER
INITIATIVE
COORDINA-
TION OFFICE.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 3 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the President shall establish a National Water 
Initiative Coordination Office (in this Act re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Office’’), with full-time staff, 
to—