[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4883 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4883
To reauthorize the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 6, 2002
Mr. Young of Alaska (for himself, Mr. Hansen, Mr. Gilchrest, and Mr.
Saxton) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reauthorize the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Hydrographic Services Improvement
Act Amendments of 2002''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
Section 302 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998
(33 U.S.C. 892) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (3) by inserting ``geospatial or
geomagnetic'' after ``geodetic''; and
(2) in paragraph (4) by inserting ``geospatial,
geomagnetic,'' after ``geodetic,''.
SEC. 3. FUNCTIONS OF ADMINISTRATOR.
(a) Hydrographic Monitoring Systems.--Section 303(b)(4) of the
Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892a(b)(4)) is
amended to read as follows:
``(4) shall design, install, maintain, and operate real-
time hydrographic monitoring systems to enhance navigation
safety and efficiency.''.
(b) Conservation and Management of Coastal and Ocean Resources.--
Section 303 of such Act (33 U.S.C. 892a) is further amended by adding
at the end the following:
``(c) Conservation and Management of Coastal and Ocean Resources.--
Where appropriate and to the extent that it does not detract from the
promotion of safe and efficient navigation, the Secretary may use
hydrographic data and services to support the conservation and
management of coastal and ocean resources.''.
SEC. 4. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Section 304(b)(1) of the Hydrographic Services
Improvement Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892b(1)) is amended to read as
follows:
``(1) In general.--The Administrator--
``(A) by not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act
Amendments of 2002, shall, subject to the availability
of appropriations, develop and implement a quality
assurance program that is equally available to all
applicants, under which the Administrator may certify
hydrographic products that satisfy the standards
promulgated by the Administrator under section
303(a)(3) of this Act;
``(B) may authorize the use of the emblem or any
trademark of the Administration on a hydrographic
product certified under subparagraph (A); and
``(C) may charge a fee for such certification and
use.''.
(b) Acceptance and Recognition of Certifications.--Section 304(b)
of such Act (33 U.S.C. 892b(b)) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(3) Acceptance and recognition of certifications.--The
Administrator shall, to the maximum extent practicable, assure
that any international organizations and agreements to which
the United States is a party which affect hydrographic products
and nautical charts accept or recognize, respectively,
hydrographic products certified by the Administrator under this
subsection.''.
SEC. 5. HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES REVIEW PANEL.
Section 305 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998
(33 U.S.C. 892c) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 305. HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES REVIEW PANEL.
``(a) Establishment.--No later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act Amendments of
2002, the Secretary shall establish the Hydrographic Services Review
Panel.
``(b) Duties.--
``(1) In general.--The panel shall advise the Administrator
on matters related to the responsibilities and authorities set
forth in section 303 of this Act and such other appropriate
matters as the Administrator refers to the panel for review and
advice.
``(2) Administrative resources.--The Administrator shall
make available to the panel such information, personnel, and
administrative services and assistance as it may reasonably
require to carry out its duties.
``(c) Membership.--
``(1) In general.--
``(A) The panel shall consist of 15 voting members
who shall be appointed by the Administrator. The
Director of the Joint Hydrographic Institute and no
more than 2 employees of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration appointed by the
Administrator shall serve as nonvoting members of the
panel. The voting members of the panel shall be
individuals who, by reason of knowledge, experience, or
training, are especially qualified in one or more of
the disciplines and fields relating to hydrographic
surveying, tide, current geodetic and geospatial
measurement, marine transportation, port
administration, vessel pilotage, and coastal and
fishery management.
``(B) An individual may not be appointed as a
voting member of the panel if the individual is a full-
time officer or employee of the United States.
``(C) Any voting member of the panel who is an
applicant for, or beneficiary (as determined by the
Secretary) of, any assistance under this Act shall
disclose to the panel that relationship, and may not
vote on any matter pertaining to that assistance.
``(2) Terms.--
``(A) The term of office of a voting member of the
panel shall be 4 years, except that of the original
appointees, five shall be appointed for a term of 2
years, five shall be appointed for a term of 3 years,
and five shall be appointed for a term of 4 years, as
specified by the Administrator at the time of
appointment.
``(B) Any individual appointed to a partial or full
term may be reappointed for one additional full term. A
voting member may serve after the date of the
expiration of the term of office for which appointed
until his or her successor has taken office.
``(3) Nominations.--At least once each year, the Secretary
shall publish a notice in the Federal Register soliciting
nominations for membership on the panel.
``(4) Chairman and vice chairman.--
``(A) The panel shall select one voting member to
serve as the Chairman and another voting member to
serve as the Vice Chairman.
``(B) The Vice Chairman shall act as Chairman in
the absence or incapacity of the Chairman.
``(d) Compensation.--Voting members of the panel shall--
``(1) receive compensation at a rate established by the
Secretary, not to exceed the maximum daily rate payable under
section 5376 of title 5, United States Code, when actually
engaged in the performance of duties for such panel; and
``(2) be reimbursed for actual and reasonable expenses
incurred in the performance of such duties.
``(e) Meetings.--The panel shall meet on a biannual basis and, at
any other time, at the call of the Chairman or upon the request of a
majority of the voting members or of the Secretary.
``(f) Powers.--The panel may exercise such powers as are reasonably
necessary in order to carry out its duties under subsection (b).''.
SEC. 6. PLAN REGARDING PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND REMOTE SENSING.
(a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration shall submit to the Congress a plan for
increasing, consistent with this Act, contracting with the private
sector for photogrammetric, remote sensing, and other geospatial
reference services related to hydrographic data acquisition or
hydrographic services activities performed by the National Ocean
Service. In preparing the plan, the Administrator shall consult with
private sector entities knowledgeable in photogrammetry and remote
sensing.
(b) Contents.--The plan shall include the following:
(1) An assessment of which of the photogrammetric, remote
sensing, and other geospatial reference services related to
hydrographic data acquisition or hydrographic services
activities performed by the National Ocean Service can be
performed adequately by private-sector entities.
(2) An evaluation of the relative cost-effectiveness of the
Federal Government and private-sector entities in performing
those activities.
(3) A strategy for enhancing and improving the acquisition
and contract management capabilities of the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration to assist in the utilization of
private sector entities for photogrammetric, remote sensing and
other geospatial reference services related to hydrographic
data acquisition or hydrographic services activities performed
by the National Ocean Service, including--
(A) the transfer and retraining of personnel to
become contracting officer technical representatives;
(B) education in the use of the procedures
described in section 303(b)(3) of the Hydrographic
Services Improvement Act of 1998, as amended by this
Act; and
(C) the utilization of training, education, and
acquisition and contract management capabilities of
other Federal agencies that are expert and experienced
in contracting for such services.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 306 of such Act (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 of this Act, except for conducting
hydrographic surveys--
``(A) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;
``(B) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
``(C) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
``(D) $65,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; and
``(E) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.
``(2) To contract for hydrographic surveys under section
303(d)(1), including the leasing or time chartering of
vessels--
``(A) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;
``(B) $42,500,000 for fiscal year 2004;
``(C) $45,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
``(D) $47,500,000 for fiscal year 2006; and
``(E) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.
``(3) To carry out geodetic functions under this title--
``(A) $27,500,000 for fiscal year 2003;
``(B) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
``(C) $32,500,000 for fiscal year 2005;
``(D) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; and
``(E) $35,500,000 for fiscal year 2007.
``(4) To carry out tide and current measurement functions
under this title--
``(A) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;
``(B) $27,500,000 for fiscal year 2004;
``(C) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
``(D) $32,500,000 for fiscal year 2006; and
``(E) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.
``(5) To carry out activities authorized under this title
that enhance homeland security, including electronic navigation
charts, hydrographic surveys, real time tide and current
measurements, and geodetic functions, in addition to other
amounts authorized by this section, $50,000,000.''.
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