SATELLITE OBSERVING SYSTEMS.

SEC. 106. SATELLITE OBSERVING SYSTEMS. (a) In General.— (1) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce, to enable the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry out its satellite observing systems activities under law, $305,744,000 for fiscal year 1992 and $336,000,000 for fiscal year 1993. Moneys appropriated pursuant to this authorization shall be used to fund those activities relating to data and information services specified by the Act of 1890 and by any other law involving such activities. Such activities include spacecraft procurement, launch, and associated ground station modifications for polar orbiting and geostationary environmental satellite systems, as well as the operation of such satellites and land remote-sensing satellites. (2) Of the sums authorized under paragraph (1), $2,300,000 in fiscal year 1993 are authorized for the administration by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the ground stations for the Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking system. Such administration shall be carried out in consultation with the Department of Transportation and the Department of Defense. (b) Emergency Contingency Fund.— There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce, $110,000,000 for fiscal year 1992, to be deposited in an Emergency Weather Satellite Contingency Fund. Such Fund shall be available subject to the restrictions of appropriations Acts, without fiscal year limitation, to the Secretary only for the purpose of enabling the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to maintain geostationary environmental satellite coverage for monitoring and prediction of106 STAT. 4273 hurricanes and severe storms, including but not limited to the procurement of gap filler satellites, launch vehicles, and payments to foreign governments. (c) Strategic Plan.— (1) The Secretary of Commerce and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall jointly develop and, not more than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a strategic plan for development, procurement, and operation of the environmental satellite program of the Department of Commerce. (2) The objectives of the strategic plan shall be— (A) to ensure continuous and adequate operational environmental satellite coverage; and (B) to require direct Federal fiscal and administrative accountability in all aspects of such environmental satellite program. (3) The strategic plan shall— (A) delineate the management duties and functions of each Federal department or agency involved in such satellite program; (B) establish funding responsibilities for each Federal department or agency in a manner which reflects their respective management duties and functions; (C) set forth procedures to be followed in the development, procurement, and operations of environmental satellites in such program; (D) minimize the potential for developmental and procurement problems, and for cost overruns; (E) provide for effective interagency and international coordination; (F) provide for research and development activities to ensure that the procurement of operational environmental satellites relies on proven technologies, and to investigate potential improvements in data applications and operations for such satellites in order to improve the national weather warning and forecast system; and (G) specify legislative and administrative actions necessary to implement the plan and to accomplish the objectives described in paragraph (2). (d) Geostationary Satellite Complete Program Authorization.— (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce for all fiscal years beginning with fiscal year 1993, not to exceed $1,005,255,000, to remain available until expended, to complete the procurement of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites I, J, K, L, and M, and the procurement of the launching and supporting ground systems of such satellites. (2) None of the funds are authorized to be appropriated for any fiscal year under paragraph (1), unless, within 60 days after the submission of the President’s budget request for such fiscal year, the Secretary of Commerce— (A) certifies to the Congress that— (i) the results of testing indicate that the satellite instruments are likely to meet the technical performance106 STAT. 4274 specifications included in the satellite contract as in effect on October 1, 1992; (ii) the procurements can be completed without requiring further authorization of appropriations beyond amounts authorized under paragraph (1); and (iii) the Secretary foresees no gap in two-satellite service operations resulting from non-performance of the satellite contract; or (B) submits to the Congress a report which describes— (i) the circumstances which prevent a certification under subparagraph (A); (ii) remedial actions undertaken or to be undertaken with respect to such circumstances; (iii) the effects of such circumstances on the launch schedule and satellite coverage; and (iv) a justification for proceeding with the program, if appropriate.