National Water Research and Development Initiative Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-1145
Sponsor: Rep. Gordon, Bart [D-TN-6]
Introduced: 2009-02-24 in the House
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Advisory bodies
Appropriations
Budget process
California
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Congressional oversight
Department of Commerce
Disaster relief and insurance
Energy efficiency and conservation
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental technology
Executive agency funding and structure
Fishes
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Higher education
Hydrology and hydrography
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Rural conditions and development
Science and engineering education
Technology transfer and commercialization
Water quality
Water resources funding
Water use and supply
Watersheds
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2009-02-24
text: 
National Water Research and Development Initiative Act of 2009 - Directs the President to implement a National Water Research and Development Initiative to improve the federal government's role in designing and implementing federal water research, development, demonstration, data collection and dissemination, education, and technology transfer activities to address changes in U.S. water use, supply, and demand.
 
Directs the President to establish or designate an interagency committee to implement the Initiative, which shall: (1) develop a National Water Research and Assessment Plan; (2) coordinate all water-related federal research, development, demonstration, data collection and dissemination, education, and technology transfer activities; (3) encourage cooperation among federal agencies; and (4) facilitate technology transfer, communication, and opportunities for information exchange with various parties through a National Water Initiative Coordination Office (to be established by the President to provide technical and administrative support to the committee).
 
Requires the Plan to: (1) establish priorities for federal water research; (2) identify each current program and activity related to the Initiative; (3) identify funding levels; (4) set forth a strategy and timeline to achieve specified desired outcomes, including implementation of a National Water Census; (5) address suggestions and incorporate public input received; and (6) be submitted to Congress within one year of enactment.

Directs the President to: (1) provide guidance to each federal agency participating in the Initiative regarding the preparation of requests for appropriations for activities related to the Plan; and (2) submit, concurrent with the annual budget submission to Congress, a report that describes Initiative activities and results during the previous fiscal year and outlines objectives for the next fiscal year.

action_date: 2009-04-21
text: 
National Water Research and Development Initiative Act of 2009 - (Sec. 2) Directs the President to: (1) implement a National Water Research and Development Initiative to improve the federal government's role in designing and implementing federal water research, development, demonstration, data collection and dissemination, education, and technology transfer activities to address changes in U.S. water use, supply, and demand; and (2) establish or designate an interagency committee to implement the Initiative. 
 
Requires the committee to: (1) develop a National Water Research and Assessment Plan in coordination with state, local, and tribal governments; (2) coordinate all water-related federal research, development, demonstration, data collection and dissemination, education, and technology transfer activities; (3) encourage cooperation among federal agencies and state, local, and tribal governments; (4) facilitate technology transfer, communication, and opportunities for information exchange with various parties through a National Water Initiative Coordination Office (to be established by the President to provide technical and administrative support to the committee); (5) provide guidance on outreach to encourage eligible minority serving institutions under the Higher Education Act of 1965 to apply for funding opportunities specified in the Plan; (6) encourage cooperation between federal agencies, state and local governments, and tribal governments to develop standard methods for collecting, managing, and disseminating data on water; and (7) require each agency that conducts water-related research or has authority over resources that affect water supply to identify 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 efficiency and conservation and to report at specified intervals to Congress. 
 
Requires the Plan to: (1) establish priorities for federal water research; (2) identify each current program and activity related to the Initiative; (3) identify funding levels; (4) set forth a strategy and timeline to achieve specified desired outcomes, including implementation of a National Water Census, development of a new generation of water monitoring techniques, and analyses of the social, behavioral, and economic barriers to sustainable use of water resources in the United States; (5) address suggestions and incorporate public input; and (6) be submitted to Congress within one year.
 
(Sec. 3) Directs the President to: (1) provide guidance to each federal agency participating in the Initiative regarding the preparation of requests for appropriations for activities related to the Plan; and (2) submit, concurrent with the annual budget submission to Congress, a report that describes Initiative activities and results for the previous fiscal year and objectives for the next fiscal year. Requires the interagency committee to coordinate the activities of the Initiative with the U.S. Global Change Research Program.
 
(Sec. 6) Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the feasibility and practicality of creating a national water pilot testing facility.
 
(Sec. 7) Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to provide for funding under the energy-intensive industries program of research to develop water efficient technologies that increase energy efficiency, including utilization of impaired water sources in production.
 
(Sec. 8) Authorizes appropriations to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for coordination and outreach activities conducted under this Act through the Office for FY2010-FY2012.

action_date: 2009-04-23
text: 
National Water Research and Development Initiative Act of 2009 - (Sec. 2) Directs the President to: (1) implement a National Water Research and Development Initiative to improve the federal government's role in designing and implementing federal water research, development, demonstration, data collection and dissemination, education, and technology transfer activities to address changes in U.S. water use, quality, supply, and demand; and (2) establish or designate an interagency committee to implement the Initiative. 
 
Requires the committee to: (1) develop a National Water Research and Assessment Plan in coordination with state, local, and tribal governments; (2) coordinate all water-related federal research, development, demonstration, data collection and dissemination, education, and technology transfer activities; (3) encourage cooperation among federal agencies and state, local, and tribal governments; (4) facilitate technology transfer, communication, and opportunities for information exchange with various parties through a National Water Initiative Coordination Office (to be established by the President to provide technical and administrative support to the committee); (5) provide guidance on outreach to encourage eligible minority serving institutions and institutions of higher education located in areas affected by drought to apply for funding opportunities specified in the Plan; (6) encourage cooperation between federal agencies, state and local governments, and tribal governments to develop standard methods for collecting, managing, and disseminating data on water; (7) require each agency that conducts water-related research or has authority over resources that affect water supply to identify 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 efficiency and conservation and to report at specified intervals to Congress; and (8) assess the role of federal water research funding in helping to develop the next generation of scientists and engineers at institutions of higher education.
 
Requires the Plan to: (1) establish priorities for federal water research; (2) identify each current program and activity related to the Initiative; (3) identify funding levels; (4) set forth a strategy and timeline to achieve specified desired outcomes, including implementation of a National Water Census, development of a new generation of water monitoring techniques and technologies, and analyses of the social, behavioral, and economic barriers to sustainable use of water resources in the United States; (5) address suggestions and incorporate public input; and (6) be submitted to Congress within one year and be revised and resubmitted every four years thereafter.
 
(Sec. 3) Directs the President to: (1) provide guidance to each federal agency participating in the Initiative regarding the preparation of requests for appropriations for activities related to the Plan; and (2) submit, concurrent with the annual budget submission to Congress, a report that describes Initiative activities and results for the previous fiscal year and objectives for the next fiscal year. 
 
Requires: (1) the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to submit to Congress an evaluation of the budget as it relates to federal water research and the success of the interagency committee in meeting the desired outcomes; and (2) the interagency committee to coordinate the activities of the Initiative with the U.S. Global Change Research Program.
 
 Expresses the sense of Congress that the interagency committee should collaborate with public institutions of higher education whenever possible.
 
(Sec. 6) Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the feasibility and practicality of creating a national water pilot testing facility.
 
(Sec. 7) Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to provide for funding under the energy-intensive industries program of research to develop water efficient technologies that increase energy efficiency, including utilization of impaired water sources in production.
 
(Sec. 8) Directs the Assistant Administrator for Research and Development of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a wastewater and stormwater reuse and recycling technology demonstration program.
 
(Sec. 9) Amends the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 to require each water resources research and technology institute to: (1) support the goals of the Initiative; and (2) submit to the interagency committee a single, coordinated, annual report that identifies future water research needs. Requires research and development to include technical research on prevention and removal of contaminants of emerging concern, including endocrine disrupting compounds, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products, in water resources.
 
(Sec. 10) Directs the EPA Administrator to establish a national pilot program exploring the use of energy audits of water-related infrastructure to identify energy and water saving opportunities.
 
(Sec. 11) Authorizes appropriations to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for coordination and outreach activities conducted under this Act through the Office for FY2010-FY2014.
 
(Sec. 12) Directs the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences for a study on the impact of changes in snow pack (including from the Sierra Nevada) on water resources and its relation to water supply (including the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta).
 
(Sec. 13) Directs the President to submit to Congress a report that: (1) identifies from each agency on the interagency committee the statutory or regulatory barriers that prevent the use of a technology, technique, data collection method, or model considered under this Act and that thereby contribute to the loss of jobs in rural or agricultural economies dependent on the greater availability of U.S. water resources; (2) identifies the long-term consequences on job losses of such barriers; and (3) recommends steps to remove such barriers.
 
Directs the President to submit a report that: (1) identifies the economic impacts of water diversions for water supply, conservation for fish species, and water quality impairment in the San Joaquin Valley of California; and (2) recommends steps to mitigate such economic impacts to preserve the water-dependent rural economy.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: The Clerk was authorized to correct section numbers, punctuation, and cross references, and to make other necessary technical and conforming corrections in the engrossment of H.R. 1145.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 413 - 10 (Roll no. 205).
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 413 - 10 (Roll no. 205).
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: On motion to recommit with instructions Agreed to by recorded vote: 392 - 28 (Roll no. 204).
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection. (consideration: CR H4716)
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: Floor summary: DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Nunes motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion to recommit seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment requiring a report to Congress from the President detailing statutory or regulatory barriers which prevent the use of technologies under the bill as well as a report identifying impacts of water diversions in the San Joaquin Valley and recommended steps to mitigate such impacts.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: Mr. Nunes moved to recommit with instructions to Science and Technology. (consideration: CR H4715-4717; text: CR H4715)
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. (text: CR H4698-4699)
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H4715)
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 1145.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question of adoption of amendments which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 352, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Moore (WI) amendment.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Shadegg amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced the noes had prevailed. Mr. Shadegg demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings until later in the legislative day.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 352, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Shadegg amendment.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 352, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Blumenauer amendment.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Roskam amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced the noes had prevailed. Mr. Roskam demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings until later in the legislative day.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 352, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Roskam amendment.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Teague amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Teague demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings until later in the legislative day.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 352, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Teague amendment.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 352, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Kirk amendment.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 352, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Arcuri amendment.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 352, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Brown-Waite amendment.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 352, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Cardoza amendment.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 352, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Hastings (WA) amendment.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Kosmas amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced the ayes had prevailed. Ms. Kosmas demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings until later in the legislative day.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 352, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Kosmas amendment.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 352, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 40 minutes of debate on the Gordon amendment.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 1145.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: The Speaker designated the Honorable Jackie Speier to act as Chairwoman of the Committee.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 352 and Rule XVIII.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1145 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order. It shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Science and Technology now printed in the bill. All points of order against the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute are waived except those arising under clause 10 of rule XXI.
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 352. (consideration: CR H4695-4718)
action_date: 2009-04-23
text: Rule H. Res. 352 passed House.
action_date: 2009-04-22
text: Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 352 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1145 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order. It shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Science and Technology now printed in the bill. All points of order against the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute are waived except those arising under clause 10 of rule XXI.
action_date: 2009-04-21
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 33.
action_date: 2009-04-21
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science and Technology. H. Rept. 111-76.
action_date: 2009-04-21
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science and Technology. H. Rept. 111-76.
action_date: 2009-03-26
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2009-03-26
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2009-03-04
text: Committee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2009-02-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Science and Technology.
action_date: 2009-02-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E330-331)
action_date: 2009-02-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-02-24
text: Introduced in House