PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Sep 20, 2012
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.
People & committees
Sen. Pryor, Mark L. [D-AR] · D–AR
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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