April 6, 2006

“While we cannot stop nature, we can do a better job predicting, monitoring, and mitigating this devastating problem,” Hall said.  “The bill that I have introduced today will coordinate drought efforts between local, state, and federal entities and provide decision makers with the best tools to manage our natural resources.”

            The bill designates the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as the lead agency to devise this integrated system.  It directs NOAA to build a national drought monitoring and forecasting system, create a drought early warning system, provide an interactive drought information delivery system, and designate mechanisms for improved interaction with the public.  “This bill will hopefully improve our analysis of conditions, provide us with more accurate seasonal forecasts, and equip us with a better understanding of the climate interactions that produce droughts,” Hall explained.

            Hall’s drought legislation is his latest initiative on this important topic.  The legislator has also been concerned with providing immediate short-term relief to farmers affected by the drought.  “The USDA has declared that every county in my district is a primary disaster area.  The farmers need emergency disaster payments to assist them in this time of crisis,” Hall said.  “I have been working with Members from the Texas and Oklahoma delegations to urge Congress and the Administration to provide this relief soon to affected farmers.”

            “Droughts, like other weather extremes such as floods and tornadoes, have devastating effects on our economy and society,” Hall maintained.  “With droughts causing between $6 and $8 billion a year in estimated losses to the economy, we cannot continue to deal with this problem in an ad hoc way.  We need a comprehensive short-term and long-term drought policy, and I call on Members of Congress to work with me to advance these initiatives.”