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S 3584 112th Congress Senate Science, Technology, Communications Atmospheric science and weather Congressional oversight Emergency planning and evacuation Farmland Government information and archives Natural disasters Public-private cooperation Water use and supply

Drought Information Act of 2012

Introduced: September 20, 2012 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 20, 2012
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Sep 20, 2012
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
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.

What's happening now September 20, 2012

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1