In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Year 2000 Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Electronic data exchanges are used extensively to 
        transfer information between computer systems. Federal agencies 
        now depend on electronic data exchanges to execute programs and 
        facilitate commerce. Consequently, as computer systems are 
        converted to process Year 2000 dates, the associated data 
        exchanges must also be made Year 2000 compliant.
            (2) The testing and implementation of new data exchanges 
        must be closely coordinated with exchange partners to be 
        completed effectively. If Year 2000 data exchanges do not 
        function properly, data will not be exchanged between systems, 
        or invalid data could cause receiving computer systems to 
        malfunction or produce inaccurate computations.
            (3) The United States 381,000 small manufacturers 
        contribute more than half of the country's total value in 
        manufacturing. However, as of 1997, 88 percent of all companies 
        with fewer than 2,000 employees had not yet started Year 2000 
        remediation projects.
            (4) As small manufacturers are an integral part of the 
        business supply chain, it is imperative that their computer 
        systems are Year 2000 compliant to prevent disruption to the 
        country's manufacturing base.
            (5) The economic well being of the United States is 
        interdependent with the economic well being of other nations of 
        the world. There is very little information on the level of 
        Year 2000 preparedness by other countries and the potential 
        impact on the United States economy. Therefore, to prevent 
        economic disruption in the United States, the Year 2000 
        computer problem must be addressed on a global scale.
            (6) Consumer awareness of the potential and extent of 
        failure of computer hardware, software, and embedded microchips 
        found in many consumer products resulting from the Year 2000 
        problem is small.
            (7) Currently, there is no information to guide consumers 
        in the purchase of Year 2000 compliant consumer goods or to 
        ensure that their existing goods are Year 2000 complaint.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act--
            (1) the term ``end-to-end testing'' means testing data 
        exchange software with respect to--
                    (A) the initiation of the exchange by sending 
                computers;
                    (B) transmission through intermediate 
                communications software and hardware; and
                    (C) receipt and acceptance by receiving computers;
            (2) the term ``small and medium-sized businesses'' means 
        businesses with less than 500 employees;
            (3) the term ``Year 2000 compliant'' means, with respect to 
        information technology, that the information technology 
        accurately processes (including calculating, comparing, and 
        sequencing) date and time data from, into, and between the 20th 
        and 21st centuries and the years 1999 and 2000, and leap year 
        calculations, to the extent that other information technology 
        properly exchanges date and time data with it; and
            (4) the term ``Year 2000 computer problem'' means the 
        potential problems that might be encountered in any level of 
        computer hardware and software from microcode to application 
        programs, files, and databases that need to correctly interpret 
        year date data represented in 2-digit-year format.

SEC. 4. FEDERAL AGENCY ACTIONS.

    To ensure that all computer operations and processing can be 
provided without interruption by Federal agencies after December 31, 
1999, the head of each Federal agency shall--
            (1) take actions necessary to ensure that all systems and 
        hardware administered by the agency are Year 2000 compliant, to 
        the extent necessary to ensure that no significant disruption 
        of the operations of the agency or of the agency's data 
        exchange partners occurs, including--
                    (A) establishing, before March 1, 1999, schedules 
                for testing and implementing new data exchange formats 
                for completing all data exchange corrections, which may 
                include national test days for end-to-end testing of 
                critical processes and associated data exchanges 
                affecting Federal, State, and local governments;
                    (B) notifying data exchange partners of the 
                implications to the agency and the exchange partners if 
                they do not make appropriate date conversion 
                corrections in time to meet the Federal schedule for 
                implementing and testing Year 2000 compliant data 
                exchange processes;
                    (C) giving priority to installing filters necessary 
                to prevent the corruption of mission-critical systems 
                from data exchanges with noncompliant systems; and
                    (D) developing and implementing, as part of the 
                agency's continuity and contingency planning efforts, 
                specific provisions for data exchanges that may fail, 
                including strategies to mitigate operational 
                disruptions if data exchange partners do not make 
                timely date conversion corrections;
            (2) beginning not later than 30 days after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, convene meetings at least quarterly with 
        representatives of the agency's data exchange partners to 
        assess implementation progress; and
            (3) after each meeting convened pursuant to paragraph (2), 
        transmit to the Congress a report summarizing--
                    (A) the results of that meeting; and
                    (B) the status of the agency's completion of key 
                data exchange corrections, including the extent of data 
                exchange inventoried, an assessment of data exchange 
                formats agreed to with data exchange partners, testing 
                and implementation schedules, and testing and 
                implementation completed.

SEC. 5. ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES.

    To ensure that the Nation's small and medium-sized businesses are 
prepared to meet the Year 2000 computer problem challenge, the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, in conjunction with the Small 
Business Administration, shall develop a Year 2000 compliance outreach 
program to assist small and medium-sized businesses. Such program shall 
include--
            (1) the development of a Year 2000 self-assessment 
        checklist;
            (2) an explanation of the Year 2000 computer problem and an 
        identification of best practices for resolving the problem;
            (3) a list of Federal Government Year 2000 information 
        resources; and
            (4) a list of Year 2000 compliant products provided by the 
        General Services Administration.

SEC. 6. INTERNATIONAL ASSESSMENT.

    Within 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology, in conjunction with other 
relevant Federal agencies, shall transmit to the Congress a report 
assessing the international implications of the Year 2000 computer 
problem. Such report shall include--
            (1) an assessment of Year 2000 compliance by the United 
        States major trading partners;
            (2) a description of efforts by the United States to share 
        best practices with other countries;
            (3) the economic implications on world trade and the United 
        States economy of the Year 2000 computer problem, including an 
        identification of impacted United States industrial sectors and 
        Federal agencies; and
            (4) a summary of participation by Federal agencies in 
        international fora addressing the Year 2000 computer problem.

SEC. 7. CONSUMER AWARENESS.

    To ensure that the Nation's consumers are aware of and prepared to 
meet the Year 2000 computer problem challenge, the Under Secretary of 
Commerce for Technology shall develop a Year 2000 consumer awareness 
program to assist the public in becoming aware of the implications of 
the Year 2000 computer problem. Such program shall include--
            (1) the development of a Year 2000 self-assessment 
        checklist;
            (2) a list of Federal Government Year 2000 computer problem 
        information resources;
            (3) a list of Year 2000 compliant products provided by the 
        General Services Administration;
            (4) a series of public awareness announcements or seminars 
        on the impact of the Year 2000 computer problem on consumer 
        products and services; and
            (5) a series of public awareness announcements or seminars 
        on the potential effect that the Year 2000 computer problem 
        could have on the provision of services by the Federal 
        Government to the public, and the progress made in resolving 
        the problem by the Federal agencies providing those services.

A: Year 2000 Act - Requires the head of each Federal agency to:  (1) take actions necessary to ensure that all systems and hardware administered by the agency are Year 2000 compliant to the extent necessary to ensure that no significant disruption of the agency's operations or data exchange partners occurs; and (2) convene, at least quarterly, and report to the Congress on, meetings with representatives of the agency's data exchange partners to assess implementation progress. 
Directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in conjunction with the Small Business Administration, to develop a Year 2000 compliance outreach program to assist the Nation's small and medium-sized businesses to ensure that such businesses are prepared to meet the Year 2000 computer problem (Y2K problem) challenge. 
Requires the Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology:  (1) in conjunction with other relevant Federal agencies, to transmit to the Congress a report assessing the international implications of the Year 2000 computer problem; and (2) to develop a Year 2000 consumer awareness program to assist the public in becoming aware of the implications of such problem.
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Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Educational Technology Utilization 
Extension Assistance Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act to improve the utilization of 
educational technologies in elementary and secondary education by 
creating an educational technology extension service based at 
undergraduate institutions of higher education.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Extension services such as the Manufacturing Extension 
        Partnership and the Agricultural Extension Service have proven 
        to be effective public/private partnerships to integrate new 
        technologies and to improve utilization of existing 
        technologies by small to medium sized manufacturers and the 
        United States agricultural community.
            (2) Undergraduate institutions of higher education working 
        with non-profit organizations, State, and Federal agencies can 
        tailor educational technology extension programs to meet 
        specific local and regional requirements.
            (3) Undergraduate institutions of higher education, often 
        with the assistance of the National Science Foundation, have 
        for the past 20 years been integrating educational technologies 
        into their curricula, and as such they can draw upon their own 
        experiences to advise elementary and secondary school educators 
        on ways to integrate a variety of educational technologies into 
        the educational process.
            (4) Many elementary and secondary school systems, 
        particularly in rural and traditionally under served areas, 
        lack general information on the most effective methods to 
        integrate their existing technology infrastructure, as well as 
        new educational technology, into the educational process and 
        curriculum.
            (5) Most Federal and State educational technology programs 
        have focused on acquiring educational technologies with less 
        emphasis on the utilization of those technologies in the 
        classroom and the training and infrastructural requirements 
        needed to efficiently support those types of technologies. As a 
        result, in many instances, the full potential of educational 
        technology has not been realized.
            (6) Our global economy is increasingly reliant on a 
        workforce not only comfortable with technology, but also able 
        to integrate rapid technological changes into the production 
        process. As such, in order to remain competitive in a global 
        economy, it is imperative that we maintain a work-ready labor 
        force.
            (7) According to ``Teacher Quality: A Report on the 
        Preparation and Qualifications of Public School Teacher'', 
        prepared by the Department of Education, only 1 in 5 teachers 
        felt they were well prepared to work in a modern classroom.
            (8) The most common form of professional development for 
        teachers continue to be workshops that typically last no more 
        than one day and have little relevance to teachers' work in the 
        classroom.
            (9) A 1998 national survey completed by the Department of 
        Education found that only 19 percent of teachers had been 
        formally mentored by another teacher, and that 70 percent of 
        these teachers felt that this collaboration was very helpful to 
        their teaching.

SEC. 4. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    (a) General Authority.--The Director of the National Science 
Foundation, in cooperation with the Secretary of Education and the 
Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall 
provide assistance for the creation and support of regional centers for 
the utilization of educational technologies (hereinafter in this Act 
referred to as ``ETU Centers'').
    (b) Functions of Centers.--
            (1) Establishment.--ETU Centers may be established at any 
        institution of higher education, but such centers may include 
        the participation of non-profit entities, organizations, or 
        groups thereof.
            (2) Objectives of centers.--The objective of the ETU 
        Centers is to enhance the utilization of educational 
        technologies in elementary and secondary education through--
                    (A) advising of elementary and secondary school 
                administrators, school boards, and teachers on the 
                adoption and utilization of new educational 
                technologies and the utility of local schools' existing 
                educational technology assets and infrastructure;
                    (B) participation of individuals from the private 
                sector, universities, State and local governments, and 
                other Federal agencies;
                    (C) active dissemination of technical and 
                management information about the use of educational 
                technologies; and
                    (D) utilization, where appropriate, of the 
                expertise and capabilities that exists in Federal 
                laboratories and Federal agencies.
            (3) Activities of centers.--The activities of the ETU 
        Centers shall include the following:
                    (A) The active transfer and dissemination of 
                research findings and ETU Center expertise to local 
                school authorities, including but not limited to school 
                administrators, school boards, and teachers.
                    (B) The training of teachers in the integration of 
                local schools existing educational technology 
                infrastructure into their instructional design.
                    (C) The training and advising of teachers, 
                administrators, and school board members in the 
                acquisition, utilization, and support of educational 
                technologies.
                    (D) Support services to teachers, administrators, 
                and school board members as agreed upon by ETU Center 
                representatives and local school authorities.
                    (E) The advising of teachers, administrators, and 
                school board members on current skill set standards 
                employed by private industry.
    (c) Program Administration.--
            (1) Proposed rules.--The Director of the National Science 
        Foundation, after consultation with the Secretary of Education 
        and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
        Technology, shall publish in the Federal Register, within 90 
        days after the date of the enactment of this Act, a proposed 
        rules for the program for establishing ETU Centers, including--
                    (A) a description of the program;
                    (B) the procedure to be followed by applicant;
                    (C) the criteria for determining qualified 
                applicants; and
                    (D) the criteria, including those listed in the 
                following sections, for choosing recipients of 
                financial assistance under this section from among 
                qualified applicants.
            (2) Final rules.--The Director of the National Science 
        Foundation shall publish final rules for the program under this 
        Act after the expiration of a 30-day comment period on such 
        proposed rules.
    (d) Eligibility and Selection.--
            (1) Applications required.--Any undergraduate institution 
        of higher education, consortia of such institutions, non-profit 
        organizations, or groups thereof may submit an application for 
        financial support under this section in accordance with the 
        procedures established under subsection (c). In order to 
        receive assistance under this Act, an applicant shall provide 
        adequate assurances that will contribute 50 percent or more of 
        the proposed Center's capital and annual operating and 
        maintenance costs.
            (2) Selection.--The Director of the National Science 
        Foundation, in conjunction with the Secretary of Education and 
        the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
        Technology, shall subject each application to competitive, 
        merit review. In making a decision whether to approve such 
        application and provide financial support under this section, 
        the Director of the National Science Foundation shall consider 
        at a minimum--
                    (A) the merits of the application, particularly 
                those portions of the application regarding the 
                adaption of training and educational technologies to 
                the needs of particular regions;
                    (B) the quality of service to be provided;
                    (C) the geographical diversity and extent of 
                service area, with particular emphasis on rural and 
                traditionally underdeveloped areas; and
                    (D) the percentage of funding and amount of in-kind 
                commitment from other sources.
            (3) Evaluation.--Each ETU Center which receives financial 
        assistance under this section shall be evaluated during its 
        third year of operation by an evaluation panel appointed by the 
        Director of the National Science Foundation. Each evaluation 
        panel shall measure the involved Center's performance against 
        the objectives specified in this section. Funding for an ETU 
        Center shall not be renewed unless the evaluation is positive.

SEC. 6. DEFINITION.

    As used in this Act, the term ``institution of higher education'' 
has the meaning given that term by section 101 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).

A: Educational Technology Utilization Extension Assistance Act - Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), in cooperation with the Secretary of Education and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to provide assistance for the creation and support of regional centers for the utilization of educational technologies (ETU Centers).  Allows ETU Centers to be established at any institution of higher education, and to include the participation of non-profit entities and organizations. 
Requires ETU Centers to enhance the use of educational technologies in elementary and secondary education through: (1) advising school administrators, school boards, and teachers on adopting and using new educational technologies and the usefulness of local schools' existing educational technology assets and infrastructure; (2) participation of individuals from the private sector, universities, State and local governments, and other Federal agencies; (3) active dissemination of technical and management information about the use of educational technologies; and (4) appropriate use of the expertise and capabilities that exist in Federal laboratories and Federal agencies. 
Requires ETU Centers' activities to include: (1) active transfer and dissemination of research findings and ETU Center expertise to local school authorities; (2) training teachers in integrating schools' existing educational technology infrastructure into their instructional design; (3) training and advising teachers, administrators, and school board members in acquiring, using, and supporting educational technologies; (4) support services to teachers, administrators, and school board members; and (5) advising teachers, administrators, and school board members on current skill set standards employed by private industry. 
Sets forth requirements for program administration and application and selection procedures.  Allows any undergraduate institution of higher education, consortia of such institutions and non-profit organizations to apply for financial support in accordance with the procedures.  Requires each applicant to provide adequate assurances that it will contribute 50 percent or more of the proposed ETU Center's capital and annual operating and maintenance costs. 
Requires the NSF Director, in conjunction with the Secretary of Education and the NIST Director, to subject each application to competitive merit review, including specified considerations. Requires each ETU Center to be evaluated during its third year of operation.  Requires a positive evaluation for renewal of funding.
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Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Drought Information Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF NATIONAL INTEGRATED DROUGHT INFORMATION 
              SYSTEM.

    (a) System Amendments.--Section 3 of the National Integrated 
Drought Information System Act of 2006 (15 U.S.C. 313d) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by inserting ``and continue to support'' after 
                ``establish''; and
                    (B) by inserting before the period at the end the 
                following: ``to better inform and provide for more 
                timely decisionmaking to reduce drought related impacts 
                and costs''; and
            (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
    ``(b) System Functions.--The National Integrated Drought 
Information System shall--
            ``(1) provide an effective drought early warning system 
        that--
                    ``(A) collects and integrates information on the 
                key indicators of drought in order to make usable, 
                reliable, and timely forecasts of drought, including 
                assessments of the severity of drought conditions and 
                impacts; and
                    ``(B) provides such information, forecasts, and 
                assessments on both national and regional levels;
            ``(2) communicate drought forecasts, drought conditions, 
        and drought impacts on an ongoing basis to--
                    ``(A) decisionmakers at the Federal, regional, 
                State, tribal, and local levels of government;
                    ``(B) the private sector; and
                    ``(C) the public;
            ``(3) provide timely data, information, and products that 
        reflect local, regional, and State differences in drought 
        conditions;
            ``(4) coordinate, and integrate as practicable, Federal 
        research in support of a drought early warning system;
            ``(5) build upon existing forecasting and assessment 
        programs and partnerships, such as partnerships with--
                    ``(A) the Regional Integrated Sciences and 
                Assessments program of the National Oceanic and 
                Atmospheric Administration;
                    ``(B) Cooperative Extension System offices of the 
                Department of Agriculture;
                    ``(C) the National Institute of Food and 
                Agriculture;
                    ``(D) the Office of the Chief Economist of the 
                Department of Agriculture;
                    ``(E) the Farm Service Agency; and
                    ``(F) other Federal agencies or departments that 
                monitor and disseminate weather and climate 
                information; and
            ``(6) continue ongoing research activities related to 
        drought, including research activities relating to length, 
        severity, and impacts of drought and the role of extreme 
        weather events and climate variability in drought.''.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 4 of such Act (15 
U.S.C. 313d note) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7) $14,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2013 through 
        2017.''.
    (c) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 540 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
        Oceans and Atmosphere shall submit to the Committee on 
        Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
        Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
        Representatives a report on the National Integrated Drought 
        Information System.
            (2) Contents.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) An assessment of the implementation of the 
                National Integrated Drought Information System, 
                including an assessment of how the information, 
                forecasts, and assessments produced by such system are 
                utilized in drought policy planning and response 
                activities.
                    (B) Specific plans for continued development of the 
                system, including future milestones.
                    (C) An identification of research, monitoring, and 
                forecasting needs to enhance the predictive capability 
                of--
                            (i) drought early warnings;
                            (ii) the length and severity of droughts; 
                        and
                            (iii) the contribution of weather events to 
                        reducing the severity or ending drought 
                        conditions.
                    (D) A list of persons in the private sector with 
                whom the Under Secretary collaborates to implement the 
                National Integrated Drought Information System.
                    (E) A description of the outreach activities 
                conducted by the Under Secretary regarding the National 
                Integrated Drought Information System.
            (3) Consultation.--In developing the report required by 
        paragraph (1), the Under Secretary shall consult with relevant 
        Federal, regional, State, tribal, and local government 
        agencies, research institutions, and the private sector.

A:
Drought Information Act of 2012 - Amends the National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006 to specify that: (1) the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere shall continue to support the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) Program, and (2) the program's purpose shall be to better inform and provide for more timely decisionmaking to reduce drought related impacts and costs. Revises NIDIS functions to require the NIDIS to, among other things: (1) provide certain information, forecasts, and assessments described in the Act on both national and regional levels; (2) build upon existing forecasting and assessment programs and partnerships, such as those with specified programs of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), extension system and economist offices of the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and the Farm Service Agency; and (3) continue ongoing research activities related to drought and the role of extreme weather events and climate variability in drought.

Requires the Under Secretary to provide a report to Congress concerning the NIDIS Program that includes a list of persons in the private sector with whom the Under Secretary collaborates on NIDIS implementation and a description of NIDIS outreach activities.

Authorizes appropriations to carry out the Act through FY2017.
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