Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a legislative hearing to examine the state of drought forecasting, monitoring, and decision making and the role of the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). The Committee also discussed draft legislation to reauthorize the NIDIS Act of 2006. Testifying before the Committee were: Director of NOAA's National Integrated Drought Information System, Dr.Roger S. Pulwarty; Oklahoma Water Resources Board Executive Director, Mr. J.D. Strong; University of California at Irvine Professor, Dr. James Famiglietti; City of Indianapolis Mayor, Mr. Gregory Ballard; and Maryland Farm Bureau President, Ms. Patricia Langenfelder.
Congresswoman Johnson and her fellow Democratic Members expressed concern over the extreme drought conditions that are afflicting large parts of the U.S. and stressed the critical role of NIDIS in understanding drought and its impacts. In addition, Democratic Members highlighted the importance of considering the role of climate change when discussing drought, the increased need for proactive water management and planning, and the need for the development of better prediction and forecasting models.
Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson said in her opening statement, “In my own home State of Texas, over the last few years, scant rainfall and high temperatures have conspired to wreak havoc on the economy…Given the potential for massive economic damage, we need to recognize droughts for what they are – an extreme weather event – and design policies accordingly…Just as we design policies, programs and infrastructure to make predictions and limit the impacts of other extreme weather events, we should strengthen our capacity to do the same for droughts. One tool at our disposal is NOAA’s NIDIS program. In its six years of existence, NIDIS has already provided important seasonal and long-term drought information that has aided countless communities in preparing for and mitigating the impacts of drought.”
“We cannot have a comprehensive approach to drought research and mitigation without exploring the potential linkages with a changing global climate. While I will be the first to urge caution in jumping to conclusions about the present-day impacts of a warming planet, I know that climatologists around the world are coming to a much better understanding of this complex relationship. We should leave the science to the scientists. To play politics and categorically deny the linkage between climate change and extreme weather is both irrational and irresponsible. Policymakers at every level have a duty to protect public welfare, and ignoring the realities of climate change simply leaves us less-informed and ill-prepared for catastrophic events such as droughts and floods,” said Congresswoman Johnson.
Congresswoman Johnson went on to say after the hearing, “The NIDIS program is an essential part of understanding and preparing for drought. The witnesses’ testimony will be helpful as we prepare to reauthorize the NIDIS Act of 2006 and seek to make NIDIS a more effective and useful system.”
