Committee Marks Up Several Pieces of Legislation
(Washington, DC) – Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a markup to consider four pieces of legislation: H.R. 2413, the “Weather Forecasting Improvement Act of 2013,” H.R. 2431, the “National Integrated Drought Information System Reauthorization Act of 2013,” H.R. 2981, the “Technology and Research Accelerating National Security and Future Economic Resiliency Act of 2013,” and H.R. 3625, “To provide for termination liability costs for certain National Aeronautics and Space Administration projects, and for other purposes.”
H.R. 2413, the Weather Forecasting Improvement Act of 2013, reprioritizes research initiatives at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR).
In her opening remarks, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said, “Weather forecasting and weather research are issues that should be truly bipartisan. I am very pleased that with the addition of the manager’s amendment, we now have a bill which can receive bipartisan support. As amended, this will be a strong bill and it will improve weather forecasting at NOAA. One of the things we learned as we received expert advice on this legislation is that weather research can be strengthened, but we cannot do it at the expense of ocean or climate research. These are all pieces of the same puzzle. The progress in all of these areas is necessary for progress in any single area. This bill will improve the way we research at NOAA, and better integrate that research in the forecasting community. It accomplishes this without harming the other important work that NOAA does.”
Subcommittee on Environment Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Subcommittee Chairman Chris Stewart (R-UT) introduced an amendment to H.R. 2413 in the nature of a substitute that modifies the original language to improve public safety, enhance the American economy, transform the innovation culture at NOAA, and address issues that were brought up during the Subcommittee markup.
Subcommittee Ranking Member Bonamici said of this amendment, “This important bill has become a truly bipartisan effort built on extensive advice from the weather community. This amendment in the nature of a substitute adds to the tools and programs of the original bill. Weather research is strengthened, but not at the expense of other important work. This amendment reflects an understanding that we cannot choose one area of research at the expense of others without endangering the process as a whole.”
The amendment in the nature of a substitute passed by voice vote. H.R. 2413, as amended, passed the Committee by voice vote and was reported favorably out of Committee.
H.R. 2431, the National Integrated Drought Information System Reauthorization Act of 2013, is a collaborative effort between numerous federal agencies and several state governments to provide a dynamic and accessible drought-risk information system.
Ranking Member Johnson said, “The program provides critical drought information to communities all across our nation. Over the past three decades, it is estimated that drought has cost our country hundreds of billions of dollars in economic impacts. Lost estimates of the 2012 drought alone run upwards of 70 billion dollars. Moreover, the effects of climate change are anticipated to exacerbate this problem in many parts of our country, including in my own state of Texas.”
Subcommittee on Energy Ranking Member Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL) offered an amendment to ensure the most accurate, up to date, science is being used to protect against the impacts of natural disasters such as drought. The amendment passed by voice vote.
Subcommittee on Environment Ranking Member Bonamici offered an amendment to increase the authorization amount for NIDIS an additional million dollars. The amendment failed by voice vote.
H.R. 2431, as amended, passed the Committee by voice vote and was reported favorably out of Committee.
H.R. 2981, the “Technology and Research Accelerating National Security and Future Economic Resiliency Act of 2013” (TRANSFER) is a bipartisan piece of legislation designed to help accelerate the commercialization of federally funded research.
Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA) said of the legislation, “If America is going to remain competitive in the 21st Century economy we need to raise our game and efforts like the TRANSFER Act are a step in the right direction. Taking basic research that is conducted in laboratories and translating that research into commercial products not only creates opportunities for American innovation, but also creates and sustains jobs. I believe that this legislation will help bridge the valley of death from research to commercial activities while helping create opportunities for universities, labs, and small businesses.”
Ranking Member Johnson also remarked, “I am fully supportive of the bill’s goal to improve the commercialization of federally-funded R&D by focusing on proof of concept or translational research and creating a suite of services and support for start-up companies from our universities and federal labs. However, the small business community recently expressed concern about using a portion of the STTR funds for the activities authorized in the bill. This is a problem that needs to be addressed if the bill has any chance of moving forward.”
H.R. 2981, as amended, passed the Committee by voice vote and was reported favorably out of Committee.
The markup was recessed prior to the consideration of H.R. 3625, “To provide for termination liability costs for certain National Aeronautics and Space Administration projects, and for other purposes.” The Committee will likely reconvene at the call of the chair.
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