[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4907 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4907

To improve weather research and forecasting by the National Oceanic and 
          Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 31, 2024

Mr. Markey (for himself and Mr. Padilla) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To improve weather research and forecasting by the National Oceanic and 
          Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Forecasting Optimization for Robust 
Earth Climate Analysis and Subseasonal-to-Seasonal Tracking Act of 
2024'' or the ``FORECASTS Tracking Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO WEATHER RESEARCH AND FORECASTING.

    (a) Improvements to Subseasonal-to-Seasonal Forecasting.--Section 
1762 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (15 U.S.C. 8521) is amended--
            (1) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:
    ``(c) Functions.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Under Secretary and the heads of 
        such other programs of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration as the Under Secretary considers appropriate, 
        shall--
                    ``(A) conduct and support fundamental research to 
                improve understanding of the sources and limitations of 
                season-to-season predictability for temperature, 
                precipitation, and other Earth system variables and 
                applications;
                    ``(B) collect and utilize observational data across 
                the Earth system and other information in order to make 
                usable, reliable, and timely foundational forecasts of 
                subseasonal-to-seasonal temperature and precipitation;
                    ``(C) prioritize the advancement of multi-model 
                ensemble forecast systems and forecast verification and 
                evaluation capacity, including--
                            ``(i) the development of advanced coupled 
                        data assimilation methods using robust Earth 
                        system observational data;
                            ``(ii) the development of improved coupled 
                        subseasonal-to-seasonal ensemble prediction 
                        systems;
                            ``(iii) the improvement of exchanges and 
                        interactions between datasets across different 
                        models and Earth system observations to better 
                        understand local relationships between and 
                        drivers of ocean, land, snow, and ice 
                        observations;
                            ``(iv) the provision of additional 
                        resources for the research and development of 
                        multi-model ensemble forecasts for purposes of 
                        advanced forecast modeling; and
                            ``(v) the development of data management 
                        strategies to support operations and research 
                        activities;
                    ``(D) leverage existing research and models from 
                the weather and Earth system enterprises to improve the 
                forecasts under subparagraph (B);
                    ``(E) accelerate the operationalization of emerging 
                modeling technologies developed within the research 
                community, including pursuant to collaborations with 
                other agencies and entities, as determined appropriate 
                through increased funding for activities under section 
                102(b)(5) of the Weather Research and Forecasting 
                Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8512(b)(5)), to 
                support and assist the cross development of fully 
                coupled subseasonal-to- seasonal forecast systems;
                    ``(F) determine and provide information on how the 
                subseasonal-to-seasonal temperature and precipitation, 
                as forecasted under subparagraph (B) may relate to--
                            ``(i) the number and severity of droughts, 
                        fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, heat 
                        waves, marine heat waves, coastal inundation, 
                        winter storms, high-impact weather, or other 
                        relevant natural disasters;
                            ``(ii) snowpack;
                            ``(iii) sea ice conditions; and
                            ``(iv) permafrost thaw and increased 
                        microbial decomposition; and
                    ``(G) develop an Internet clearinghouse to provide 
                the forecasts under subparagraph (B) and the 
                information under subparagraphs (B) and (F) on both 
                national and regional levels.
            ``(2) Earth system defined.--In this subsection, the term 
        `Earth system' includes atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial, ice, 
        and related processes, and data that influence or drive 
        subseasonal-to-seasonal weather and climate.''; and
            (2) by amending subsection (j) to read as follows:
    ``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            ``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
        to the Under Secretary, for each of fiscal years 2025 and 
        2026--
                    ``(A) $50,300,000 to carry out this section; and
                    ``(B) for activities under section 102(b)(5) of the 
                Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 
                (15 U.S.C. 8512(b)(5)) pursuant to subsection (c)(5), 
                such sums as may be necessary to carry out such 
                subsection.
            ``(2) Use of funds.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to an 
        authorization under paragraph (1)(B) shall be used for the 
        designated responsibilities of the modeling team of the 
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the 
        Earth Prediction Innovation Center, including activities that 
        fall under the following focus areas:
                    ``(A) High-performance computing.
                    ``(B) Scientific innovation.
                    ``(C) Management and planning.
                    ``(D) External engagement and community.''.
    (b) Weather and Earth System Modeling And Data Assimilation 
Workforce Innovation Program.--
            (1) In general.--Title IV of the Weather Research and 
        Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8541 et seq.) is 
        amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 415. WEATHER AND EARTH SYSTEM MODELING AND DATA ASSIMILATION 
              WORKFORCE INNOVATION PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--The Under Secretary shall establish a program, 
to be known as the `Weather and Earth System Modeling and Data 
Assimilation Workforce Innovation Program' (in this section referred to 
as the `program').
    ``(b) Education and Recruitment.--In carrying out the program, the 
Under Secretary shall support the education and recruitment of 
personnel and establish a set of new workforce development programs to 
develop pathways for next-generation researchers, engineers, and 
practitioners who are skilled in and can operate or develop weather and 
Earth system technologies that exploit and advance emerging computing 
architectures, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and next-
generation data assimilation and observing systems, including through 
financial assistance for scholarships, fellowships, and research at 
institutions of higher education in areas relevant to improvement of 
data assimilation systems and weather and Earth system data modeling 
capabilities.
    ``(c) Human Capital Planning.--
            ``(1) In general.--In carrying out the program, the Under 
        Secretary shall develop and, on an annual basis, revise a data 
        assimilation and weather and Earth system modeling workforce 
        human capital plan that identifies workforce needs to 
        facilitate innovation in emerging weather technologies and data 
        assimilation systems, including by identifying gaps in funding 
        and expertise, hiring challenges, and policies to mitigate 
        turnover that will help avoid mid-project staffing changes.
            ``(2) Submission of plan.--The Under Secretary shall submit 
        the data assimilation and weather and Earth system modeling 
        workforce human capital plan required under paragraph (1), and 
        any revision to that plan, to the Secretary of Commerce and the 
        Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
            ``(3) Use of plans.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Under Secretary shall use 
                the data assimilation and weather and Earth system 
                modeling workforce human capital plans required under 
                paragraph (1) to carry out the education and 
                recruitment required under subsection (b).
                    ``(B) Pathways to hiring.--In carrying out the data 
                assimilation and weather and Earth system modeling 
                workforce human capital plan required under paragraph 
                (1), the Under Secretary may use the pathways programs 
                established under part 362 of title 5, Code of Federal 
                Regulations (or a successor program), to facilitate the 
                recruitment and hiring of personnel for data 
                assimilation and weather and Earth system modeling 
                activities.
            ``(4) Authority to provide funds.--If the Under Secretary, 
        in preparing the data assimilation and weather and Earth system 
        modeling workforce human capital plan pursuant to paragraph 
        (1), identifies workforce gaps for the data assimilation and 
        weather and Earth system modeling processes of the National 
        Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Under Secretary 
        may--
                    ``(A) use funds made available to the 
                Administration to carry out such plan; and
                    ``(B) establish agreements and awards with 
                institutions of higher education or nonprofit entities 
                to facilitate the integration of innovative data 
                assimilation and weather and Earth system modeling 
                technologies and systems into the larger weather 
                enterprise.
    ``(d) Updates to Direct Hiring Authority.--The Under Secretary, 
acting through the Director of the Office of Human Capital Services, 
shall make necessary updates to the eligibility requirements for the 
direct hiring authority program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration to include the program, the Weather Program Office 
Innovation for Next Generation Scientists Dissertation Fellowship, the 
Consortium for Advanced Data Assimilation Research and Education, and 
any other fellowship or internship programs determined by the Under 
Secretary to be relevant to the weather enterprise.
    ``(e) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the initial date on 
which the Under Secretary provides funds under subsection (c)(4) to an 
institution of higher education or a nonprofit entity, the Under 
Secretary shall, using information about the program collected from any 
such institution or entity in receipt of those funds, 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 report on the effectiveness and impact of those funds 
in improving the quality and preparedness of the weather and Earth 
system modeling and data assimilation workforce.
    ``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Earth system.--The term `Earth system' includes 
        atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial, ice, and related processes, and 
        data that influence or drive subseasonal-to-seasonal weather 
        and climate.
            ``(2) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        `institution of higher education' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            ``(3) Nonprofit entity.--The term `nonprofit entity' has 
        the meaning given that term in section 9901 of the William M. 
        (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
        Year 2021 (15 U.S.C. 4651).
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out the program $40,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2025 through 2030.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents in section 
        1(b) of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 
        2017 (Public Law 115-25; 131 Stat. 91) is amended by inserting 
        after the item relating to section 414 the following:

``Sec. 415. Weather and Earth System Modeling and Data Assimilation 
                            Workforce Innovation Program.''.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 110(a) of the Weather 
Research Forecasting and Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8519(a)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (4)(C), by striking ``; and'' and 
        inserting a semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (5)(C), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) $263,032,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 and 2026, 
        of which--
                    ``(A) $171,516,000 is authorized for weather 
                laboratories and cooperative institutes;
                    ``(B) $51,516,000 is authorized for weather and air 
                chemistry research programs; and
                    ``(C) $40,000,000 is authorized for the joint 
                technology transfer initiative described in section 
                102(b)(4).''.
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