Chief Deputy Whip
Rep. Diana DeGette
DeGette is a fourth generation Coloradoan, educated at Denver's South High School and Colorado College. Read More...

The Daily WhipLine

Thursday, April 23, 2009

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Floor Schedule and Procedure

• H. Res. 352 – Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 1145 – National Water Research and Development Initiative Act of 2009 (Rep. Arcuri–Rules):  The structured rule provides for one hour of general debate on the bill to be equally divided and controlled by the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on Science and Technology.  The rule further provides that the amendments made in order may be offered only in the order printed in the report from the Committee on Rules accompanying the resolution (a list of the amendments is also located in the “Bill Summary & Key Issues” section of today’s Daily WhipLine).  These amendments may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent.  The rule also provides for one motion to recommit the bill with or without instructions,  Debate on the rule will be managed by Rep. Arcuri, and consideration will proceed as follows: 
• One hour of debate on the rule.
• Possible vote on a Democratic Motion ordering the previous question. Democrats are urged to vote yes.
• Vote on adoption of the rule. Democrats are urged to vote yes.
• H.R. 1145 – National Water Research and Development Initiative Act of 2009 (Rep. Gordon  – Science & Technology):  Pursuant to the rule, general debate on the bill will be managed by Science and Technology Committee Chair Rep. Bart Gordon.  Debate on the bill will proceed as follows:
  • One hour of general debate on the bill.
  • Debate and possible recorded votes on amendments to the bill.
  • Possible debate and vote on Republican motion to recommit the bill.
  • Vote on passage of the bill.  Democrats are urged to VOTE YES.
• Postponed Suspension Votes:
  1. H.Res. 247 - Expressing support for designation of March 22, 2009, as "National Rehabilitation Counselors Appreciation Day" (Rep. Skelton – Education and Labor)
  2. H.R. 1139 - COPS Improvements Act of 2009 (Rep. Weiner – Judiciary)

Bill Summary & Key Issues

Summary of H.R. 1145 – National Water Research and Development Initiative Act of 2009

Thirty-six states expect to experience significant water shortages by 2013.  Diminished supplies of water and intense competition for limited resources are forcing local water agencies to make tough decisions on water allocations and limiting access to needed water by businesses and families. Over twenty federal agencies carry out research and development on some aspect of water supply, water quality or water management.  Despite spending millions of dollars on research at each of these agencies, an increase in the number of water shortages and emerging conflicts over water supplies suggest that we are still inadequately prepared to address the nation’s water management issues.

H.R. 1145 coordinates national research and development efforts on water and provides a clear path forward to ensure adequate water supplies for generations to come.  This bill will ensure that we have an effective national water strategy that uses federal research and development dollars efficiently and eliminates redundant programs. 

The bill requires the President to establish or designate an interagency committee with representation from all Federal agencies dealing with water to implement a National Water Research and Development Initiative to improve Federal activities on water, including research, development, demonstration, data collection and dissemination, education, and technology transfer.  

The interagency committee would be charged with developing a Plan to accomplish the following research outcomes:  the implementation of a national water census, the development of new water technologies and techniques, the development of tools to facilitate water resource conflicts, the development of information technology systems to enhance water quality and supply, the improvement of hydrologic prediction models, an enhanced understanding related to ecosystem services, and an analyses of the energy-water nexus. To ensure that water related climate change concerns are addressed, the bill requires the interagency committee to coordinate the activities of the Initiative with the United States Global Change Research Program.

In an effort to provide technical and administrative support, the bill creates a National Water Initiative Coordination Office.  The Office would disseminate information to the public and serve as a point of contact for the Initiative. The bill authorizes $2 million per year to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for coordination and outreach activities undertaken by the National Water Initiative Coordination Office.
H.R. 1145 directs the President to provide guidance to each Federal agency in the Initiative with respect to the President’s annual request.   The President is required to describe and list the items in the request that are elements of the Plan or help to achieve the outcomes of the Plan.

There is currently no Senate companion to H.R. 1145.  The legislation has been endorsed by the National Beverage Association, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Water Innovations Alliance, Natural Resources Defense Council, Water Environment Research Foundation, Council of Scientific Society Presidents, Food & Water Watch, Water Research Foundation, Alliance Environmental, and Clean Water Action.

Amendments to H.R. 1145 – National Water Research and Development Initiative Act of 2009

1. Gordon (TN), Would require that the National Water Research Development Plan specified in the bill be revised and resubmitted to Congress every 4 years after its initial submission. Also, it would authorize appropriations of $2 million for each of fiscal years 2013 and 2014. It also would (1) require review of measures related to abating water quality impairment, (2) require the committee to work with institutions of higher education, (3) require cooperation with commercial end users, (4) require relevant information be posted on a public website, and (5) require research into watershed hydrology. It would require that the plan include a focus on the (1) development of the effect of invasive species on water supplies, (2) development of technologies to treat eutrophic water bodies, (3) development of a program to assist state and local regions regarding land conservation, (4) improvement of understanding of chemical impairments to water supply and quality, and (5) identification of whether a need exists for additional water research facilities. It requires the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to write to Congress and evaluate the budget as it relates to water research. It expresses the sense of Congress that the interagency committee should collaborate with public institutions of higher education. It requires the EPA to establish a pilot program exploring the use of energy audits of water-related infrastructure to identify energy and water saving opportunities. (40 minutes)



2. Kosmas (FL)/ Driehaus (OH), Would direct agencies under the interagency committee to assess the impact of natural disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes on water resources.(10 minutes)



3. Hastings, Doc (WA), Would add to the water research and development plan an assessment of potential water storage projects that would enhance water supply, water planning, and other beneficial uses. (10 minutes)



4. Cardoza (CA), Would direct the Secretary of the Interior and the National Academy of Science to study the impact of changes to snow pack, including snow pack in the Sierra Nevadas, on water resources and its relation to water supply, including the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. (10 minutes)



5. Brown-Waite (FL), Would require agencies included in the interagency committee to work on improvement of understanding of water-intensive sectors of the economy and industrial needs for water. (10 minutes)



6. Arcuri (NY), Would require the plan to include improvement of understanding of competing water supply uses and how different uses interact with and impact each other. (10 minutes)



7. Kirk (IL), Would add to the plan a direction that agencies included in the interagency committee work to achieve projection of the long-term ice cover and water level outlook for major water bodies in the United States, including the Great Lakes, the potential impacts of the results of such projections on infrastructure, and resource management options based on such projections. (10 minutes)



8. Teague (NM), Would require that the plan's analysis of the energy required to provide reliable water supplies and the water required for the production of alternative and renewable energy resources. (10 minutes)



9. Roskam (IL), Would require GAO to study whether any of the requirements of the underlying legislation are duplicative of existing programs.  Prior to implementation of the bill, the President will, based upon the GAO report, determine whether the programs are duplicative or not.  If the President differs in his determination from the GAO conclusions, he must offer a justification for his determination.  The effective date is delayed until the President has made that determination. (10 minutes)



10. Blumenauer (OR), Would create a wastewater and stormwater reuse and recycling technology demonstration program within the Environmental Protection Agency.  Under the program, the Assistant Administrator for Research and Development would develop and fund projects to demonstrate, evaluate, and test the techniques and technologies to reuse and recycle stormwater and wastewater at the building, site, neighborhood, and watershed scales for urban, industrial, agricultural, environmental, and recreational uses as well as to augment potable water supplies. (10 minutes)



11. Shadegg (AZ), Would require the interagency committee to identify and recommend against duplication of Federal water-related research, development, and technological innovation activities by more than one agency or program.  It also would require the President to ensure that Federal agencies do not request appropriations for activities duplicated by state, local, and tribal governments. (10 minutes)



12. Moore (WI), Would require the interagency committee to assess the role of Federal water research funding in helping to develop the next generation of scientists and engineers at institutions of higher education.   (10 minutes)

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