Title: National Integrated Drought Information System Reauthorization Act of 2018
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
National Integrated Drought Information System Reauthorization Act of 2018
This bill reauthorizes through FY2023 and modifies the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) Program.
The bill amends the National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006 to require, under NIDIS, that the collection and integration of information on the key indicators of drought and drought impacts includes indicators of precipitation, soil moisture, and evaporative demand.
NIDIS shall also:
NIDIS may:
NIDIS shall develop a strategy for a national coordinated soil moisture monitoring network.
The bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to extend through FY2023 certain activities related to the provision of agricultural and silvicultural weather and climate information.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2200 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2200

To reauthorize the National Integrated Drought Information System, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 6, 2017

 Mr. Thune (for himself and Mr. Nelson) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To reauthorize the National Integrated Drought Information System, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Integrated Drought 
Information System Reauthorization Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL INTEGRATED DROUGHT INFORMATION SYSTEM PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 3 of the National Integrated Drought 
Information System Act of 2006 (15 U.S.C. 313d) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ``in order to 
                make usable, reliable, and timely forecasts of drought, 
                including'' and inserting ``including, precipitation, 
                soil moisture, and evaporative demand, in order to make 
                usable, reliable, and timely forecasts of drought 
                and'';
                    (B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``watershed,'' 
                after ``regional,'';
                    (C) in paragraph (4)--
                            (i) by inserting ``, through interagency 
                        agreements'' after ``integrate''; and
                            (ii) by inserting ``information'' after 
                        ``warning'';
                    (D) by amending paragraph (5) to read as follows:
            ``(5) utilize existing forecasting and assessment programs 
        and partnerships, including forecast communication coordinators 
        and cooperative institutes, and improvements in seasonal, 
        subseasonal, and low flow water prediction; and''; and
                    (E) in paragraph (6), by inserting ``the 
                prediction,'' after ``relating to'';
            (2) by redesignating subsections (c) through (e) as 
        subsections (d) through (f), respectively;
            (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
    ``(c) Partnerships.--The National Integrated Drought Information 
System may--
            ``(1) engage with the private sector to improve drought 
        forecast and communication if the Under Secretary determines 
        the partnership is appropriate, cost-effective, and beneficial 
        to the public and decisionmakers described in subsection 
        (b)(2)(A); and
            ``(2) facilitate the development of one or more academic 
        cooperative partnerships to assist with National Integrated 
        Drought Information System functions.'';
            (4) in subsection (d), as redesignated, by inserting ``and 
        sustainment'' after ``development''; and
            (5) by striking subsection (f), as redesignated, and 
        inserting the following:
    ``(f) Soil Moisture.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of the National Integrated Drought Information System 
Reauthorization Act of 2018, the Under Secretary, acting through the 
National Integrated Drought Information System, shall develop a 
strategy for a national coordinated soil moisture monitoring 
network.''.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 4 of the National 
Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006 (15 U.S.C. 313d note) 
is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act--
            ``(1) $13,500,000 for fiscal year 2018;
            ``(2) $14,500,000 for fiscal year 2019;
            ``(3) $15,500,000 for fiscal year 2020;
            ``(4) $16,500,000 for fiscal year 2021;
            ``(5) $17,500,000 for fiscal year 2022; and
            ``(6) $18,500,000 for fiscal year 2023.''.

SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF WEATHER AND CLIMATE INFORMATION IN 
              AGRICULTURE.

    Section 1762(j) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (15 U.S.C. 
8521(j)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out the activities under this section--
            ``(1) $26,500,000 for fiscal year 2018;
            ``(2) $27,500,000 for fiscal year 2019;
            ``(3) $28,500,000 for fiscal year 2020;
            ``(4) $29,500,000 for fiscal year 2021;
            ``(5) $30,500,000 for fiscal year 2022; and
            ``(6) $31,500,000 for fiscal year 2023.''.
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