National Drought Preparedness Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-2871
Sponsor: Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-23]
Introduced: 2003-07-24 in the House
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Agriculture and Food
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Agriculture
Department of Defense
Department of the Interior
Disaster relief
Droughts
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency communication systems
Environmental Protection
Executive reorganization
Federal aid to Indians
Federal aid to water resources development
Federal employees
Federal-Indian relations
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Government trust funds
Hydrology
Indian lands
Infrastructure
Interstate relations
Land use
Law
Local laws
Minorities
Planning
Science, Technology, Communications
State government-Indian relations
State laws
Technology transfer
Transfer of employees
Water Resources Development
Water conservation
Water supply
Watersheds

Summary:
action_date: 2003-07-24
text: 
National Drought Preparedness Act of 2003 - Establishes the National Drought Council which shall: (1) develop a national drought policy action plan; (2) evaluate Federal drought-related programs; (3) coordinate and prioritize enhancement of the national integrated drought system; and (4) provide for the development of a drought information delivery system, drought planning models, and drought preparedness plans.
 
Terminates the Council eight years after enactment of this Act.
 
Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the National Office of Drought Preparedness.
 
Establishes within the Department of Agriculture the Drought Assistance Fund, which shall be used to: (1) assist State, local, tribal, and critical service entities with drought-related activities; and (2) expand the technology transfer of drought and water conservation strategies.
 
Requires: (1) the Secretary to publish guidelines for administering a national technical and financial drought assistance program; and (2) the Secretaries of Agriculture, the Interior, and the Army, and other appropriate Federal agency heads to implement integrated drought preparedness plans.
 
Authorizes States, Indian tribes, local governments, and regional, water providers to develop and implement drought preparedness plans.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-09-11
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.
action_date: 2003-08-12
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water and Power.
action_date: 2003-07-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2003-07-25
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1601)
action_date: 2003-07-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
action_date: 2003-07-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
action_date: 2003-07-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
action_date: 2003-07-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
action_date: 2003-07-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-07-24
text: Introduced in House