TASK DEFINITION: In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Weather Modification Research and 
Technology Transfer Authorization Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act to develop and implement a 
comprehensive and coordinated national weather modification policy and 
a national cooperative Federal and State program of weather 
modification research and development.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Weather 
        Modification Advisory and Research Board.
            (2) Executive director.--The term ``Executive Director'' 
        means the Executive Director of the Weather Modification 
        Advisory and Research Board.
            (3) Research and development.--The term ``research and 
        development'' means theoretical analysis, exploration, 
        experimentation, and the extension of investigative findings 
        and theories of scientific or technical nature into practical 
        application for experimental and demonstration purposes, 
        including the experimental production and testing of models, 
        devices, equipment, materials, and processes.
            (4) Weather modification.--The term ``weather 
        modification'' means changing or controlling, or attempting to 
        change or control, by artificial methods the natural 
        development of atmospheric cloud forms or precipitation forms 
        which occur in the troposphere.

SEC. 4. WEATHER MODIFICATION ADVISORY AND RESEARCH BOARD ESTABLISHED.

    (a) In General.--There is established in the Department of Commerce 
the Weather Modification Advisory and Research Board.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Board shall consist of 11 members 
        appointed by the Secretary of Commerce, of whom--
                    (A) at least 1 shall be a representative of the 
                American Meteorological Society;
                    (B) at least 1 shall be a representative of the 
                American Society of Civil Engineers;
                    (C) at least 1 shall be a representative of the 
                National Academy of Sciences;
                    (D) at least 1 shall be a representative of the 
                National Center for Atmospheric Research of the 
                National Science Foundation;
                    (E) at least 2 shall be representatives of the 
                National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the 
                Department of Commerce;
                    (F) at least 1 shall be a representative of 
                institutions of higher education or research 
                institutes; and
                    (G) at least 1 shall be a representative of a State 
                that is currently supporting operational weather 
                modification projects.
            (2) Tenure.--A member of the Board serves at the pleasure 
        of the Secretary of Commerce.
            (3) Vacancies.--Any vacancy on the Board shall be filled in 
        the same manner as the original appointment.
    (b) Advisory Committees.--The Board may establish advisory 
committees to advise the Board and to make recommendations to the Board 
concerning legislation, policies, administration, research, and other 
matters.
    (c) Initial Meeting.--Not later than 30 days after the date on 
which all members of the Board have been appointed, the Board shall 
hold its first meeting.
    (d) Meetings.--The Board shall meet at the call of the Chair.
    (e) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Board shall 
constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.
    (f) Chair and Vice Chair.--The Board shall select a Chair and Vice 
Chair from among its members.

SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE BOARD.

    (a) Promotion of Research and Development.--In order to assist in 
expanding the theoretical and practical knowledge of weather 
modification, the Board shall promote and fund research and 
development, studies, and investigations with respect to--
            (1) improved forecast and decisionmaking technologies for 
        weather modification operations, including tailored computer 
        workstations and software and new observation systems with 
        remote sensors; and
            (2) assessments and evaluations of the efficacy of weather 
        modification, both purposeful (including cloud-seeding 
        operations) and inadvertent (including downwind effects and 
        anthropogenic effects).
    (b) Financial Assistance.--Unless the use of the money is 
restricted or subject to any limitations provided by law, the Board 
shall use amounts in the Weather Modification Research and Development 
Fund--
            (1) to pay its expenses in the administration of this Act; 
        and
            (2) to provide for research and development with respect to 
        weather modifications by grants to, or contracts or cooperative 
        arrangements with, public or private agencies.
    (c) Report.--The Board shall submit to the Secretary of Commerce 
biennially a report on its findings and research results.

SEC. 6. POWERS OF THE BOARD.

    (a) Studies, Investigations, and Hearings.--The Board may make any 
studies or investigations, obtain any information, and hold any 
hearings necessary or proper to administer or enforce this Act or any 
rules or orders issued under this Act.
    (b) Personnel.--The Board may employ, as provided for in 
appropriations Acts, an Executive Director and other support staff 
necessary to perform duties and functions under this Act.
    (c) Cooperation With Other Agencies.--The Board may cooperate with 
public or private agencies to promote the purposes of this Act.
    (d) Cooperative Agreements.--The Board may enter into cooperative 
agreements with the head of any department or agency of the United 
States, an appropriate official of any State or political subdivision 
of a State, or an appropriate official of any private or public agency 
or organization for conducting weather modification activities or 
cloud-seeding operations.
    (e) Conduct and Contracts for Research and Development.--The 
Executive Director, with the approval of the Board, may conduct and may 
contract for research and development activities relating to the 
purpose described in section 2.

SEC. 7. COOPERATION WITH THE WEATHER MODIFICATION OPERATIONS AND 
              RESEARCH BOARD.

    The heads of the departments and agencies of the United States and 
the heads of any other public or private agencies and institutions that 
receive research funds from the United States shall, to the extent 
possible, give full support and cooperation to the Board and to 
initiate independent research and development programs that address 
weather modifications.

SEC. 8. FUNDING.

    (a) In General.--There is established within the Treasury of the 
United States the Weather Modification Research and Development Fund, 
which shall consist of amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (b) 
or received by the Board under subsection (c).
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Board for the purposes of carrying out this Act 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2015. Any sums 
appropriated under this subsection shall remain available, without 
fiscal year limitation, until expended.
    (c) Gifts.--The Board may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or 
donations of services or property.

SOLUTION: Weather Modification Research and Technology Transfer Authorization Act of 2005 - Establishes in the Department of Commerce the Weather Modification Advisory and Research Board to promote and fund research and development (R&D), studies, and investigations with respect to: (1) improved forecast and decisionmaking technologies for weather modification operations, including tailored computer workstations and software and new observation systems with remote sensors; and (2) assessments and evaluations of the efficacy of weather modification, both purposeful (including cloud-seeding operations) and inadvertent (including downwind effects and anthropogenic effects).

Establishes within the U.S. Treasury the Weather Modification Research and Development Fund. Directs the Board, unless the use of the money is restricted or subject to any limitations provided by law, to use amounts in the Fund to: (1) pay its expenses in the administration of this Act; and (2) provide for R&D with respect to weather modifications by grants to, or contracts or cooperative arrangements with, public or private agencies.

PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Breast and Cervical Cancer 
Early Detection Program Reauthorization Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER EARLY DETECTION PROGRAM.

    Title XV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300k et seq.) 
is amended--
            (1) in section 1501(d)--
                    (A) in the heading, by striking ``2000'' and 
                inserting ``2020''; and
                    (B) by striking ``by the year 2000'' and inserting 
                ``by the year 2020'';
            (2) in section 1503, by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Waiver of Services Requirement on Division of Funds.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a 
        demonstration project under which the Secretary, acting through 
        the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
        may waive the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (4) of 
        subsection (a) for not more than 5 States, if--
                    ``(A)(i) the State involved will use the waiver to 
                leverage private funds to supplement each of the 
                services or activities described in paragraphs (1) and 
                (2) of section 1501(a); or
                    ``(ii) the application of such requirement would 
                result in a barrier to the enrollment of qualifying 
                women;
                    ``(B) the State involved provides assurances that 
                the State will, on an annual basis, demonstrate to the 
                Secretary the manner in which the State will use such 
                waiver to maintain or expand the level of screening and 
                follow-up services provided immediately prior to the 
                waiver, and provide documentation of compliance with 
                such maintenance or expansion requirement;
                    ``(C) the State involved submits to the Secretary a 
                plan for maintaining the level of activities carried 
                out under the waiver after the expiration of the 
                waiver;
                    ``(D) the Secretary finds that granting such a 
                waiver to a State will not reduce the number of women 
                in the State that receive each of the services or 
                activities described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of 
                section 1501(a), including making available screening 
                procedures for both breast and cervical cancers; and
                    ``(E) the Secretary finds that granting such a 
                waiver to a State will not adversely affect the quality 
                of each of the services or activities described in 
                paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1501(a).
            ``(2) Duration of waiver.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In granting waivers under 
                paragraph (1), the Secretary--
                            ``(i) shall grant such waivers for a period 
                        of 2 years; and
                            ``(ii) upon request of a State, may extend 
                        a waiver for an additional 2-year period in 
                        accordance with subparagraph (B).
                    ``(B) Additional period.--The Secretary, upon the 
                request of a State that has received a waiver under 
                paragraph (1), shall, at the end of the 2-year waiver 
                period described in subparagraph (A), review 
                performance under the waiver and may extend the waiver 
                for an additional 2-year period if the Secretary 
                determines that--
                            ``(i)(I) without an extension of the 
                        waiver, there will be a barrier to the 
                        enrollment of qualifying women; or
                            ``(II) the State requesting such extended 
                        waiver will use the waiver to leverage private 
                        funds to supplement the services or activities 
                        described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 
                        1501(a);
                            ``(ii) the waiver has not, and will not, 
                        reduce the number of women in the State that 
                        receive the services or activities described in 
                        paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1501(a);
                            ``(iii) the waiver has not, and will not, 
                        result in lower quality in the State of the 
                        services or activities described in paragraphs 
                        (1) and (2) of section 1501(a); and
                            ``(iv) the State has maintained the average 
                        annual level of State fiscal expenditures for 
                        the services and activities described in 
                        paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1501(a) for 
                        the 2 years for which the waiver was granted at 
                        a level that is not less than the level of the 
                        State fiscal expenditures for such services and 
                        activities for the year preceding the first 
                        year for which the waiver is granted.
            ``(3) Reporting requirements.--The Secretary shall include 
        as part of the evaluations and reports required under section 
        1508, the following:
                    ``(A) A description of the total amount of dollars 
                leveraged annually from private entities in States 
                receiving a waiver under paragraph (1) and how these 
                amounts were used.
                    ``(B) With respect to States receiving a waiver 
                under paragraph (1), a description of the percentage of 
                the grant that is expended on providing each of the 
                services or activities described in--
                            ``(i) paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 
                        1501(a); and
                            ``(ii) paragraphs (3) through (6) of 
                        section 1501(a).
                    ``(C) A description of the number of States 
                receiving waivers under paragraph (1) annually.
                    ``(D) With respect to States receiving a waiver 
                under paragraph (1), a description of--
                            ``(i) the number of women receiving 
                        services under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of 
                        section 1501(a) in programs before and after 
                        the granting of such waiver; and
                            ``(ii) the average annual level of State 
                        fiscal expenditures for the services and 
                        activities described in paragraphs (1) and (2) 
                        of section 1501(a) for the year preceding the 
                        first year for which the waiver was granted.
            ``(4) Limitation.--Amounts to which a waiver applies under 
        this subsection shall not be used to increase the number of 
        salaried employees.
            ``(5) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Indian tribe.--The term `Indian tribe' has 
                the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian 
                Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603).
                    ``(B) Tribal organization.--The term `tribal 
                organization' has the meaning given the term in section 
                4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
                    ``(C) State.--The term `State' means each of the 
                several States of the United States, the District of 
                Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American 
                Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
                Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the 
                Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, 
                an Indian tribe, and a tribal organization.'';
            (3) in section 1508--
                    (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``evaluations of 
                the extent to which'' and all that follows through the 
                period and inserting: ``evaluations of--
            ``(1) the extent to which States carrying out such programs 
        are in compliance with section 1501(a)(2) and with section 
        1504(c); and
            ``(2) the extent to which each State receiving a grant 
        under this title is in compliance with section 1502, including 
        identification of--
                    ``(A) the amount of the non-Federal contributions 
                by the State for the preceding fiscal year, 
                disaggregated according to the source of the 
                contributions; and
                    ``(B) the proportion of such amount of non-Federal 
                contributions relative to the amount of Federal funds 
                provided through the grant to the State for the 
                preceding fiscal year.''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b), by striking ``not later than 
                1 year after the date on which amounts are first 
                appropriated pursuant to section 1509(a), and annually 
                thereafter'' and inserting ``not later than 1 year 
                after the date of the enactment of the National Breast 
                and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program 
                Reauthorization of 2006, and annually thereafter''; and
            (4) in section 1510(a)--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' after ``$150,000,000 for 
                fiscal year 1994,''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``, $225,000,000 for fiscal year 
                2007, $245,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, $250,000,000 
                for fiscal year 2009, $255,000,000 for fiscal year 
                2010, and $275,000,000 for fiscal year 2011'' before 
                the period at the end.

            Passed the House of Representatives December 9 (legislative 
      day, December 8), 2006.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.

SOLUTION: National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program Reauthorization Act of 2006 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to change from 2000 to 2020 the target year for achieving the objectives established by the Secretary of Health and Human Services for reductions in the rate of mortality from breast and cervical cancer in the United States for the committee coordinating Public Health Service activities.

Directs the Secretary to establish a demonstration project which allows the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to waive requirements for awarding breast and cervical cancer grants that require 60% of grant funds to be spent on screening and referrals for medical treatments and no more than 40% to be spent on other activities for not more than five states, if: (1) the state involved will use the waiver to leverage private funds to supplement screening and referral services or the application of such requirements would result in a barrier to the enrollment of women; (2) the state involved provides assurance that the state will annually demonstrate how it will use the waiver to maintain or expand the level of screening and follow-up services provided; (3) the state involved submits to the Secretary a plan for maintaining the level of activities carried out under the waiver after the expiration of the waiver; (4) the Secretary finds that granting such a waiver to a state will not reduce the number of women in the state who receive such services, including screening for both breast and cervical cancers; and (5) the Secretary finds that granting such a waiver to a state will not adversely affect the quality of such services. Requires the Secretary to grant such waivers for a period of two years. Allows the Secretary to extend a waiver, upon request of a state, for additional two-year periods if the Secretary reviews performance under the waiver and finds that the waiver requirements are and have been met.

Requires the Secretary to include as part of the evaluations of the activities carried out pursuant to breast and cervical cancer grants: (1) the total amount of dollars leveraged annually from private entities in states receiving a waiver and how these amounts were used; (2) for states receiving a waiver, the percentages of the grant expended on screening and referral services and on other services or activities; (3) the number of states receiving waivers annually; (4) the number of women receiving screening and referral services in programs before and after the granting of a waiver; (5) the average annual level of state fiscal expenditures for such services for the year preceding the grant of the waiver; and (6) the amount of non-federal contributions by the state according to source and the proportion of non-federal funds to federal funds. Prohibits the use of amounts to which a waiver applies to increase the number of salaried employees.

Authorizes appropriations for breast and cervical cancer grants from FY2007-FY2011.

PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited the ``Student Loan Auction Market Act''.

SEC. 2. MARKET-BASED DETERMINATION OF LENDER RETURNS.

    (a) Joint Planning Study To Select Auction Mechanisms for 
Testing.--
            (1) Planning study.--The Secretaries of Education and 
        Treasury jointly shall conduct a planning study, in 
        consultation with the Office of Management and Budget, the 
        Congressional Budget Office, the Government Accountability 
        Office, and other individuals and entities the Secretaries 
        determine appropriate, to--
                    (A) examine the matters described in paragraph (2) 
                in order to determine which market-based mechanisms for 
                determining lender returns on loans made, insured, or 
                guaranteed under part B of title IV of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.) shall be 
                tested under the pilot programs described in subsection 
                (c); and
                    (B) determine what related administrative and other 
                changes will be required in order to ensure that high-
                quality services are provided under a successful 
                implementation of market-based determinations of lender 
                returns for all loans made, insured, or guaranteed 
                under such part.
            (2) Matters examined.--The planning study under this 
        subsection shall examine--
                    (A) whether it is most appropriate to auction 
                existing loans under part B of title IV, to auction the 
                rights to originate loans under such part, or whether 
                the sale of securities backed by federally owned 
                student loan assets originated by banks acting as 
                agents of the Federal Government would provide the most 
                efficient market-based alternative;
                    (B) matters related to efficient financial 
                organization of any auctions or sales, including how 
                loans and origination rights are bundled, the capital 
                structure of any securitization plan, and issues 
                related to servicing; and
                    (C) how to ensure that statutory, regulatory, and 
                administrative requirements do not impede separate 
                management and ownership of loans or assets backed by 
                loans under part B of title IV.
            (3) Mechanisms.--In determining which market-based 
        mechanisms are the most promising models to test the pilot 
        programs under subsection (b), the planning study shall take 
        into account whether a particular market-based mechanism will--
                    (A) ensure loan availability under part B of title 
                IV to all eligible students at all participating 
                institutions;
                    (B) minimize administrative complexity for 
                borrowers, institutions, lenders, and the Federal 
                Government; and
                    (C) reduce Federal costs if used on a program-wide 
                basis.
            (4) Report.--A report on the results of the planning study, 
        together with a plan for implementation of one or more pilot 
        programs using promising market-based approaches for 
        determining lender returns, shall be transmitted to Congress 
        not later than 6 months following the date of enactment of this 
        Act.
            (5) Exclusion.--In conducting the planning study, and 
        proposing pilot programs for testing under this section, the 
        Secretaries of Education and the Treasury shall exclude from 
        consideration the Federal PLUS loans described in section 428B 
        that are the subject of the competitive loan auction pilot 
        program under section 499 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (as added by section 701 of the College Cost Reduction and 
        Access Act).
    (b) Pilot Programs To Be Tested.--
            (1) Authorization.--
                    (A) In general.--Notwithstanding any other 
                provision of law, after the report described in 
                subsection (a)(4) is transmitted to Congress, the 
                Secretary of Education shall, in consultation with the 
                Secretary of the Treasury, begin preparations necessary 
                to carry out pilot programs meeting the requirements of 
                this subsection in accordance with the implementation 
                plan included in the report.
                    (B) Implementation date.--The Secretary of 
                Education shall commence implementation of the pilot 
                programs under this subsection not earlier than July 1, 
                2009.
                    (C) Duration and loan volume.--The pilot programs 
                under this subsection shall be not more than two 
                academic years in duration, and the Secretary of 
                Education may use the pilot programs to determine the 
                lender returns for not more than--
                            (i) 10 percent of the annual loan volume 
                        under this part B of title IV during the first 
                        year of the pilot programs under this 
                        subsection; and
                            (ii) 20 percent of the annual loan volume 
                        under this part B of title IV during the second 
                        year of the pilot programs under this 
                        subsection.
            (2) Voluntary participation.--
                    (A) Participation in any auction-based pilot 
                program under this subsection shall be voluntary for 
                eligible institutions and eligible lenders 
                participating under part B of title IV prior to July 1, 
                2006.
                    (B) All savings to the United States Treasury 
                generated by such auctions shall be distributed to 
                institutions participating under this section on a 
                basis proportionate to loan volume under such part for 
                supplemental, need-based financial aid, except that an 
                institution that is operating as an eligible lender 
                under section 435(d)(2) shall not be eligible for any 
                such distribution.
            (3) Independent evaluation.--The Government Accountability 
        Office shall conduct an independent evaluation of the pilot 
        programs conducted under this section and under section 499 of 
        the Higher Education Act of 1965 (as added by section 701 of 
        the College Cost Reduction and Access Act). Such evaluation 
        shall be completed, and the results of such submitted to the 
        Secretary of Education, the Secretary of the Treasury, and 
        Congress, not later than 120 days after the termination of the 
        pilot programs under this subsection.
    (c) Program-Wide Implementation.--Notwithstanding any other 
provision of part B of title IV, for the first academic year beginning 
not less than 120 days after the independent evaluation described in 
subsection (b)(3) has been transmitted to Congress, and succeeding 
academic years, the Secretary of Education is authorized to implement 
for all loans made under such part (other than loans made under the 
William D. Ford Direct Loan Program), a program-wide, market-based 
system to determine returns to all lenders as the Secretary of 
Education determines appropriate, provided that--
            (1) the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the 
        Secretary of the Treasury, has certified that the auction-based 
        system that the Secretary of Education intends to implement on 
        a program-wide basis would--
                    (A) ensure loan availability under such part to all 
                eligible students at all participating institutions;
                    (B) minimize administrative complexity for 
                borrowers, institutions, lenders, and the Federal 
                Government, including the enhancement of the 
                modernization of the student financial aid system; and
                    (C) reduce Federal costs when used on a program-
                wide basis; and
            (2) the Secretary of Education has notified Congress of the 
        Secretary's intent to implement a program-wide auction-based 
        system, and provided a description of the structure of the 
        auction-based system, at least 120 days before implementing 
        such a system.
    (d) Consultation.--
            (1) In general.--As part of the planning study, pilot 
        programs, and program-wide implementation phases described in 
        this section, the Secretary of Education shall consult with 
        representatives of investment banks, ratings agencies, lenders, 
        institutions of higher education and students, as well as 
        individuals or other entities with pertinent technical 
        expertise. The Secretary of Education shall engage in such 
        consultations using such methods as, and to the extent that, 
        the Secretary determines appropriate to the time constraints 
        associated with the study and programs.
            (2) Services of other federal agencies.--In carrying out 
        the planning study and pilot programs described in this 
        section, the Secretary of Education may use, on a reimbursable 
        basis, the services (including procurement authorities and 
        services), equipment, personnel, and facilities of other 
        agencies and instrumentalities of the Federal Government.

SOLUTION:
Student Loan Auction Market Act - Directs the Secretary of Education (Secretary) and the Secretary of the Treasury to conduct a planning study of alternative market-based mechanisms for setting lenders' yields on Federal Family Education Loans under part B of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Requires such study to be followed by a limited two-year pilot program testing the mechanisms which the study finds most promising in ensuring loan availability, minimizing administrative complexity, and reducing federal costs. Allows the Secretary to implement on a program-wide basis the auction-based system proven to satisfy such criteria, after an independent evaluation by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) of the pilot program, as well as the Competitive Loan Auction Pilot program established under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act.