[House Report 106-714]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
106th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 106-714
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REAUTHORIZATION OF GRANTS FOR WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY
INSTITUTES
_______
July 10, 2000.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Young of Alaska, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 4132]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill
(H.R. 4132) to reauthorize grants for water resources research
and technology institutes established under the Water Resources
Research Act of 1984, having considered the same, report
favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill
do pass.
Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of H.R. 4132 is to reauthorize grants for water
resources research and technology institutes established under
the Water Resources Research Act of 1984.
Background
The state water resources research institutes, under the
authority of the Water Resources Research Act (42 U.S.C. 10301
et seq.), have established an effective federal/state
partnership in water resources, education and information
transfer. These institutes are located in each of the 50
states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto
Rico, and Guam/Federated States of Micronesia. They have worked
with state and federal agencies and water resources
stakeholders in their home states for over three decades while
acting as a network for the exchange of water resources
research and information transfer among the states.
In partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the
water resources research institutes have the capability to
provide important support to the states in their long-term
water planning, policy development, and resources management
efforts. They support research on all topics related to water
resources and the management of water resources. The
institutes' outreach and information transfer activities are
important tools for stakeholders in the water resources
management community. The nationwide network of water
institutes, in collaboration with USGS, provides an efficient
and effective method to meet the diverse water resource needs
in different parts of our country.
In 1995, the Water Resources Research Act was amended to
broadened the scope of the Act to include natural resources and
agricultural systems. The amendments also changed the matching
fund requirements for grants to two non-federal dollars for
each federal dollar. Provided with base support of
approximately $4 million in direct federal appropriations, the
institutes leveraged these funds into over $71 million in
Fiscal Year 1999. Other 1995 amendments encouraged increased
coordination among other federal agencies and the water
resource research institutes, and supported a program of
internships at the undergraduate and graduate levels to carry
out the educational and training objectives of the Act. In
Fiscal Year 1999 the institutes had significant research
collaboration with 123 other universities, 148 state agencies
and over 273 private sector, local governments or other
entities. In addition, approximately1000 students were
partially supported or trained.
Committee Action
H.R. 4132 was introduced on March 30, 2000, by Congressman
John Doolittle (R-CA). The bill was referred to the Committee
on Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on
Water and Power. On May 11, 2000, the Subcommittee met to
consider the bill. No amendments were offered and the bill was
ordered favorably reported to the Full Committee by voice vote.
On May 24, 2000, the Full Resources Committee met to consider
the bill. No amendments were offered and the bill was ordered
favorably reported to the House of Representatives by voice
vote.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Reauthorization of Water Resources Research Act of 1984
This section reauthorizes the Water Resources Research Act
of 1984 to provide authorization for appropriations for Fiscal
Years 2001 through 2005 for program grants and grants for
research focused on interstate water problems.
Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Resources' oversight findings and recommendations
are reflected in the body of this report.
Constitutional Authority Statement
Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United
States grants Congress the authority to enact this bill.
Compliance With House Rule XIII
1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the
Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and
a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be
incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B)
of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when
the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted
cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2)
of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this
bill does not contain any new budget authority, spending
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease
inrevenues or tax expenditures.
3. Government Reform Oversight Findings. Under clause
3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives, the Committee has received no report of
oversight findings and recommendations from the Committee on
Government Reform on this bill.
4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause
3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives and section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act
of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate
for this bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, June 5, 2000.
Hon. Don Young,
Chairman, Committee on Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4132, a bill to
reauthorize grants for water resources research and technology
institutes established under the Water Resources Research Act
of 1984.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Rachel
Applebaum.
Sincerely,
Barry B. Anderson
(For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
Enclosure.
H.R. 4132--A bill to reauthorize grants for water resources research
and technology institutes established under the Water Resources
Research Act of 1984
Summary: H.R. 4132 would reauthorize the Water Resources
Research Act through 2005. Under that act, the U.S. Geological
Survey (USGS) provides grants for research and education to
research and technology institutes located in each of the 50
states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. The
bill would authorize the appropriation of $76 million over the
2001-2005 period for the USGS to continue those grant programs.
CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 4132 would cost $72
million over the 2001-2005 period, assuming appropriation of
the authorized amounts. The bill would not affect direct
spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would
not apply. H.R. 4132 contains no intergovernmental or private-
sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
(UMRA). State and local governments might incur some costs to
match the federal funds authorized by this bill, but these
costs would be voluntary.
Estimated cost to the Federal Government: For this
estimate, CBO assumes that the authorized amounts will be
appropriated and that outlays will follow the historical
spending patterns for these grant programs. The estimated
impact of H.R. 4132 is shown in the following table. The costs
of this legislation fall within budget function 300 (natural
resources and the environment).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
-----------------------------------------------------
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
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SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Spending Under Current Law:
Budget Authority \1\.................................. 5 0 0 0 0 0
Estimated Outlays..................................... 4 1 0 0 0 0
Proposed Changes:
Authorization Level................................... 0 12 14 14 18 18
Estimated Outlays..................................... 0 10 13 14 17 18
Spending Under H.R. 4132:Authorization Level \1\ 5 12 14 14 18 18
Estimated Outlays..................................... 4 11 13 14 17 18
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The 2000 level is the amount appropriated for that year for USGS grants under the Water Resources Research
Act.
Pay-as-You-go Considerations: None.
Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 4132
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as
defined in UMRA. State and local governments might incur some
costs to match the federal funds authorized by this bill, but
these costs would be voluntary.
Previous CBO estimate: On April 27, 2000, CBO transmitted a
cost estimate for S. 2297, a bill to reauthorize the Water
Resources Research Act of 1984, as ordered reported by the
Senate committee on Environment and Public Works on April 13,
2000. The bills are nearly identical, and the cost estimates
are the same.
Estimate prepared by: Federal costs: Rachel Applebaum.
Impact on State, local, and tribal governments: Marjorie
Miller. Impact on the Private Sector: Natalie Tawil.
Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
Compliance with Public Law 104-4
This bill contains no unfunded mandates.
Preemption of State, Local, or Tribal Law
This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local, or
tribal law.
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman):
SECTION 104 OF THE WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ACT OF 1984
Sec. 104. (a) * * *
* * * * * * *
(f)(1) For the purpose of carrying out this section, there is
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary the sum of
[$5,000,000 for fiscal year 1996, $7,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 1997 and 1998, and $9,000,000 for each of fiscal years
1999 and 2000] $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2001, $10,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2002 and 2003, and $12,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 2004 and 2005 such sums to remain available until
expended.
* * * * * * *
(g)(1) There is further authorized to be appropriated to the
Secretary of the Interior the sum of [$3,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 1996 through 2000] $3,000,000 for fiscal year
2001, $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 and 2003, and
$6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 and 2005 only for
reimbursement of the direct cost expenses of additional
research or synthesis of the results of research by institutes
which focuses on water problems and issues of a regional or
interstate nature beyond those of concern only to a single
State and which relate to specific program priorities
identified jointly by the Secretary and the institutes. Such
funds when appropriated shall be matched on a not less than
dollar-for-dollar basis by funds made available to institutes
or groups of institutes, by States or other non-Federal
sources. Funds made available under this subsection shall
remain available until expended.
* * * * * * *