[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4] [House] [Pages 4511-4512] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES IMPROVEMENT ACT AMENDMENTS OF 2008 Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3352) to reauthorize and amend the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 3352 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Hydrographic Services Improvement Act Amendments of 2008''. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. Section 302 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892) is amended-- (1) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows: ``(3) Hydrographic data.--The term `hydrographic data' means information that-- ``(A) is acquired through-- ``(i) hydrographic, bathymetric, photogrammetric, lidar, radar, remote sensing, or shoreline and other ocean- and coastal-related surveying; ``(ii) geodetic, geospatial, or geomagnetic measurements; ``(iii) tide, water level, and current observations; or ``(iv) other methods; and ``(B) is used in providing hydrographic services.''; (2) by amending paragraph (4)(A) to read as follows: ``(A) the management, maintenance, interpretation, certification, and dissemination of bathymetric, hydrographic, shoreline, geodetic, geospatial, geomagnetic, and tide, water level, and current information, including the production of nautical charts, nautical information databases, and other products derived from hydrographic data;''; and (3) by striking paragraph (5). SEC. 3. FUNCTIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATOR. Section 303 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892a) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)-- (A) by striking ``the Act of 1947,'' and inserting ``the Coast and Geodetic Survey Act (33 U.S.C. 883a et seq.)''; and (B) in paragraph (1) by striking ``data;'' and inserting ``data and provide hydrographic services;''; (2) in subsection (b)-- (A) by striking ``the Act of 1947,'' and inserting ``the Coast and Geodetic Survey Act (33 U.S.C. 883a et seq.)''; (B) in paragraph (3) by striking ``title IX of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949; and'' and inserting ``subchapter VI of chapter 10 of title 40, United States Code;''; (C) in paragraph (4) by striking the period and inserting ``; and''; and (D) by adding at the end the following: ``(5) may create, support, and maintain a Joint Hydrographic Institute.''; and (3) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following: ``(c) Acquisition of Hydrographic Data and Provide Hydrographic Services.--To the extent that it does not detract from the promotion of safe and efficient navigation, the Administrator may acquire hydrographic data and provide hydrographic services to-- ``(1) support the conservation and management of coastal and ocean resources; ``(2) save and protect life and property; ``(3) support the resumption of commerce in response to emergencies, natural disasters, and man-made disasters, and ``(4) meet homeland security and maritime domain awareness needs, including carrying out mission assignments (as that term is defined in section 641 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 741).''. SEC. 4. HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES REVIEW PANEL. Section 305 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892c) is amended-- (1) in subsection (c)(1)(A) by striking ``Director'' and inserting ``Co-directors''; (2) in subsections (c)(1)(C), (c)(3), and (e) by striking ``Secretary'' each place it appears and inserting ``Administrator''; and (3) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows: ``(d) Compensation.--Voting members of the panel shall be reimbursed for actual and reasonable expenses, including travel and per diem, incurred in the performance of duties for the panel.''. SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. Section 306 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892d) is amended to read as follows: ``SEC. 306. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. ``There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator the following: ``(1) To carry out nautical mapping and charting functions under sections 303 and 304, except for conducting hydrographic surveys-- ``(A) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; ``(B) $56,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; ``(C) $57,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and ``(D) $58,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. ``(2) To contract for hydrographic surveys under section 303(b)(1), including the leasing or time chartering of vessels-- ``(A) $32,130,000 for fiscal year 2009; ``(B) $32,760,000 for fiscal year 2010; ``(C) $33,390,000 for fiscal year 2011; and ``(D) $34,020,000 for fiscal year 2012. ``(3) To operate hydrographic survey vessels owned by the United States and operated by the Administration-- ``(A) $25,900,000 for fiscal year 2009; ``(B) $26,400,000 for fiscal year 2010; ``(C) $26,900,000 for fiscal year 2011; and ``(D) $27,400,000 for fiscal year 2012. ``(4) To carry out geodetic functions under this title-- ``(A) $32,640,000 for fiscal year 2009; ``(B) $32,280,000 for fiscal year 2010; ``(C) $33,920,000 for fiscal year 2011; and ``(D) $34,560,000 for fiscal year 2012. ``(5) To carry out tide and current measurement functions under this title-- ``(A) $27,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; ``(B) $27,500,000 for fiscal year 2010; ``(C) $28,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and ``(D) $28,500,000 for fiscal year 2012. ``(6) To acquire a replacement hydrographic survey vessel capable of staying at sea continuously for at least 30 days $75,000,000.''. SEC. 6. ADDITION OF SHORT TITLE TO EXISTING LAW. The Act of August 6, 1947 (chapter 504; 33 U.S.C. 883a et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``SEC. 11. SHORT TITLE. ``This Act may be cited as the `Coast and Geodetic Survey Act'.''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Hawaii. General Leave Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Hawaii? There was no objection. Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, H.R. 3352 was introduced by my colleague and our good friend from Alaska (Mr. Young), and it amends the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act to authorize the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to expand the use of hydrographic data and hydrographic services. The Office of Coast Survey, which is within NOAA's National Ocean Service, conducts hydrographic surveys measuring the depth and bottom configuration of bodies of water. The Hydrographic Services Review Panel, a quality assurance program authorized in 2002, suggested several recommendations to improve NOAA's hydrographic [[Page 4512]] services. Strengthening the emergency response and recovery capabilities were among the recommendations suggested. H.R. 3352 addresses these recommendations directly, and meets homeland security and maritime domain awareness needs. I want to commend our friend Congressman Don Young for introducing this bill, and urge all Members to support it. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3352. Hydrographic surveys and shoreline mapping activities provide data to produce accurate nautical charts. Many vessels from large container ships and oil tankers to the smaller commercial fishing vessels and recreational boaters rely on nautical charts to safely navigate U.S. waterways. There is currently a backlog in the survey work, making many nautical charts out of date. H.R. 3352 will reauthorize the program that supports hydrographic surveys and shoreline mapping activities, and continue the efforts to provide all users with accurate nautical charts. I urge an ``aye'' vote. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. ABERCROMBIE. I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3352, as amended. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. WESTMORELAND. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. ____________________