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e e e o Drought-related data can be better marshaled, interpreted, and disseminated to all parties with an interest in drought, including the media and public at large, so that citizens and experts in drought management alike can gain the knowledge they need to help lessen the impacts of drought. o Drought-related research is the foundation of many drought programs and is critical in the production of high-quality innovations and technology that lead to improved drought preparedness o Even the best preparedness measures may not sufficiently reduce many risks associated with drought nor eliminate the need for emergency relief during severe droughts. o There is considerable sentiment among farmers, ranchers, and tribes to make the U.S. Department of Agriculture's crop insurance more responsive to their needs by extending coverage to include all crops and livestock. o Disaster declarations are much less common for severe urban droughts than for agricultural droughts. Like agricultural droughts, however, they will occur despite the best preparedness measures. o Federal drought-related programs lack a coordinated approach so that delivery of program services is less efficient, effective, and timely than it could be. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and other federal agencies involved in assisting people with drought activities need to improve their internal and extemal coordination practices to provide services more appropriately and expediently. o Some federal drought-related programs are neither authorized nor funded at the level needed to deliver effective services. Furthermore, their eligibility criteria and cost-sharing requirements may restrict participation by tribes, farmers and ranchers, and others who may have limited resources. RECOMMENDATIONS Policy Statement: The Commission believes that national drought policy should use the resources of the federal government to support but not supplant nor interfere with state, tribal, regional, local, and individual efforts to reduce drought impacts. The guiding principles of national drought policy should be: o Favor preparedness over insurance, insurance over relief, and incentives over regulation. o Set research priorities based on the potential of the research results to reduce drought impacts. Coordinate the delivery of federal services through cooperation and collaboration with nonfederal entities This policy requires a shift from the current emphasis on drought relief. It means we must adopt a forward-looking stance to reduce this nation's vulnerability to the impacts of drought. Preparedness- especially drought planning, plan implementation, and proactive mitigation-must become the cornerstone of national drought policy. This basic concept was the conclusion reached by the Senate Task Force on Funding Disaster Relief in March 1995, among other entities. It was universally supported within the Commission and by the overwhelming majority of people who commented on the draft version of this report. We recommend that Congress pass a National Drought Preparedness Act, which would establish a nonfederal/federa] partnership through a National Drought Council as described in Recommendation 5.1. The primary function of the Council is to ensure that the goals of national drought policy are achieved. The goals are: 1. Incorporate planning, implementation of plans and proactive mitigation measures, risk management, resource stewardship, environmental considerations, and public education as the key elements of effective national drought policy.