Following final Senate action last night, a bill creating a federal system for dealing with drought moves to the President's desk for his signature. The legislation creates the National Integrated Drought Information System, a drought preparedness and response system, within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The bill authorized $81 million to fund the program through fiscal year 2012, including $11 million next year.
According to Sen. Peter Domenici, R-N.M., one of the bill's sponsors, the administration has voiced support for the NIDIS system.