[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 52 (Tuesday, April 1, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H2759-H2763]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              WEATHER FORECASTING IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2014

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 2413) to prioritize and redirect NOAA resources to a 
focused program of investment on near-term, affordable, and attainable 
advances in observational, computing, and modeling capabilities to 
deliver substantial improvement in weather forecasting and prediction 
of high impact weather events, such as tornadoes and hurricanes, and 
for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2413

       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 ``Weather Forecasting 
     Improvement Act of 2014''.

     SEC. 2. PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITY.

       In accordance with NOAA's critical mission to provide 
     science, service, and stewardship, the Under Secretary shall 
     prioritize weather-related activities, including the 
     provision of improved weather data, forecasts, and warnings 
     for the protection of life and property and the enhancement 
     of the national economy, in all relevant line offices.

     SEC. 3. WEATHER RESEARCH AND FORECASTING INNOVATION.

       (a) Program.--The Assistant Administrator for OAR shall 
     conduct a program to develop improved understanding of and 
     forecast capabilities for atmospheric events and their 
     impacts, placing priority on developing more accurate, 
     timely, and effective warnings and fore-casts of high impact 
     weather events that endanger life and property.
       (b) Program Elements.--The program described in subsection 
     (a) shall focus on the following activities:
       (1) Improving the fundamental understanding of weather 
     consistent with section 2, including the boundary layer and 
     other atmospheric processes affecting high impact weather 
     events.
       (2) Improving the understanding of how the public receives, 
     interprets, and responds to warnings and forecasts of high 
     impact weather events that endanger life and property.
       (3) Research and development, and transfer of knowledge, 
     technologies, and applications to the NWS and other 
     appropriate agencies and entities, including the American 
     weather industry and academic partners, related to--
       (A) advanced radar, radar networking technologies, and 
     other ground-based technologies, including those emphasizing 
     rapid, fine-scale sensing of the boundary layer and lower 
     troposphere, and the use of innovative, dual-polarization, 
     phased array technologies;
       (B) aerial weather observing systems;
       (C) high performance computing and information technology 
     and wireless communication networks;
       (D) advanced numerical weather prediction systems and 
     forecasting tools and techniques that improve the forecasting 
     of timing, track, intensity, and severity of high impact 
     weather, including through--
       (i) the development of more effective mesoscale models;
       (ii) more effective use of existing, and the development of 
     new, regional and national cloud-resolving models;
       (iii) enhanced global weather models; and
       (iv) integrated assessment models;
       (E) quantitative assessment tools for measuring the impact 
     and value of data and observing systems, including OSSEs (as 
     described in section 8), OSEs, and AOAs;
       (F) atmospheric chemistry and interactions essential to 
     accurately characterizing atmospheric composition and 
     predicting meteorological processes, including cloud 
     microphysical, precipitation, and atmospheric electrification 
     processes, to more effectively understand their role in 
     severe weather; and
       (G) additional sources of weather data and information, 
     including commercial observing systems.
       (4) A technology transfer initiative, carried out jointly 
     and in coordination with the Assistant Administrator for NWS, 
     and in cooperation with the American weather industry and 
     academic partners, to ensure continuous development and 
     transition of the latest scientific and technological 
     advances into NWS operations and to establish a process to 
     sunset outdated and expensive operational methods and tools 
     to enable cost-effective transfer of new methods and tools 
     into operations.
       (c) Extramural Research.--
       (1) In general.--In carrying out the program under this 
     section, the Assistant Administrator for OAR shall 
     collaborate with and support the non-Federal weather research 
     community, which includes institutions of higher education, 
     private entities, and nongovernmental organizations, by 
     making funds available through competitive

[[Page H2760]]

     grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements.
       (2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     not less than 30 percent of the funds authorized for research 
     and development at OAR by this Act should be made available 
     for this purpose.
       (d) Report.--The Under Secretary shall transmit to Congress 
     annually, concurrently with NOAA's budget request, a 
     description of current and planned activities under this 
     section.

     SEC. 4. TORNADO WARNING IMPROVEMENT AND EXTENSION PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Under Secretary, in collaboration with 
     the American weather industry and academic partners, shall 
     establish a tornado warning improvement and extension 
     program.
       (b) Goal.--The goal of such program shall be to reduce the 
     loss of life and economic losses from tornadoes through the 
     development and extension of accurate, effective, and timely 
     tornado forecasts, predictions, and warnings, including the 
     prediction of tornadoes beyond one hour in advance.
       (c) Program Plan.--Not later than 6 months after the date 
     of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Administrator for 
     OAR, in consultation with the Assistant Administrator for 
     NWS, shall develop a program plan that details the specific 
     research, development, and technology transfer activities, as 
     well as corresponding resources and timelines, necessary to 
     achieve the program goal.
       (d) Budget for Plan.--Following completion of the plan, the 
     Assistant Administrator for OAR, in consultation with the 
     Assistant Administrator for NWS, shall transmit annually to 
     Congress a proposed budget corresponding to the activities 
     identified in the plan.

     SEC. 5. HURRICANE WARNING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Under Secretary, in collaboration with 
     the American weather industry and academic partners, shall 
     establish a hurricane warning improvement program.
       (b) Goal.--The goal of such program shall be to develop and 
     extend accurate hurricane forecasts and warnings in order to 
     reduce loss of life, injury, and damage to the economy.
       (c) Program Plan.--Not later than 6 months after the date 
     of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Administrator for 
     OAR, in consultation with the Assistant Administrator for 
     NWS, shall develop a program plan that details the specific 
     research, development, and technology transfer activities, as 
     well as corresponding resources and timelines, necessary to 
     achieve the program goal.
       (d) Budget for Plan.--Following completion of the plan, the 
     Assistant Administrator for OAR, in consultation with the 
     Assistant Administrator for NWS, shall transmit annually to 
     Congress a proposed budget corresponding to the activities 
     identified in the plan.

     SEC. 6. WEATHER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING.

       Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, and annually thereafter, the Assistant Administrator for 
     OAR, in coordination with the Assistant Administrators for 
     NWS and NESDIS, shall issue a research and development plan 
     to restore and maintain United States leadership in numerical 
     weather prediction and forecasting that--
       (1) describes the forecasting skill and technology goals, 
     objectives, and progress of NOAA in carrying out the program 
     conducted under section 3;
       (2) identifies and prioritizes specific research and 
     development activities, and performance metrics, weighted to 
     meet the operational weather mission of NWS;
       (3) describes how the program will collaborate with 
     stakeholders, including the American weather industry and 
     academic partners; and
       (4) identifies, through consultation with the National 
     Science Foundation, American weather industry, and academic 
     partners, research necessary to enhance the integration of 
     social science knowledge into weather forecast and warning 
     processes, including to improve the communication of threat 
     information necessary to enable improved severe weather 
     planning and decisionmaking on the part of individuals and 
     communities.

     SEC. 7. OBSERVING SYSTEM PLANNING.

       The Under Secretary shall--
       (1) develop and maintain a prioritized list of observation 
     data requirements necessary to ensure weather forecasting 
     capabilities to protect life and property to the maximum 
     extent practicable;
       (2) undertake, using OSSEs, OSEs, AOAs, and other 
     appropriate assessment tools, ongoing systematic evaluations 
     of the combination of observing systems, data, and 
     information needed to meet the requirements listed under 
     paragraph (1), assessing various options to maximize 
     observational capabilities and their cost-effectiveness;
       (3) identify current and potential future data gaps in 
     observing capabilities related to the requirements listed 
     under paragraph (1); and
       (4) determine a range of options to address gaps identified 
     under paragraph (3).

     SEC. 8. OBSERVING SYSTEM SIMULATION EXPERIMENTS.

       (a) In General.--In support of the requirements of section 
     7, the Assistant Administrator for OAR shall undertake OSSEs 
     to quantitatively assess the relative value and benefits of 
     observing capabilities and systems. Technical and scientific 
     OSSE evaluations--
       (1) may include assessments of the impact of observing 
     capabilities on--
       (A) global weather prediction;
       (B) hurricane track and intensity forecasting;
       (C) tornado warning lead times and accuracy;
       (D) prediction of mid-latitude severe local storm 
     outbreaks; and
       (E) prediction of storms that have the potential to cause 
     extreme precipitation and flooding lasting from 6 hours to 1 
     week; and
       (2) shall be conducted in cooperation with other 
     appropriate entities within NOAA, other Federal agencies, the 
     American weather industry, and academic partners to ensure 
     the technical and scientific merit of OSSE results.
       (b) Requirements.--OSSEs shall quantitatively--
       (1) determine the potential impact of proposed space-based, 
     suborbital, and in situ observing systems on analyses and 
     forecasts, including potential impacts on extreme weather 
     events across all parts of the Nation;
       (2) evaluate and compare observing system design options; 
     and
       (3) assess the relative capabilities and costs of various 
     observing systems and combinations of observing systems in 
     providing data necessary to protect life and property.
       (c) Implementation.--OSSEs--
       (1) shall be conducted prior to the acquisition of major 
     Government-owned or Government-leased operational observing 
     systems, including polar-orbiting and geostationary satellite 
     systems, with a lifecycle cost of more than $500,000,000; and
       (2) shall be conducted prior to the purchase of any major 
     new commercially provided data with a lifecycle cost of more 
     than $500,000,000.
       (d) Priority Osses.--Not later than June 30, 2014, the 
     Assistant Administrator for OAR shall complete OSSEs to 
     assess the value of data from both Global Positioning System 
     radio occultation and a geostationary hyperspectral sounder 
     global constellation.
       (e) Results.--Upon completion of all OSSEs, results shall 
     be publicly released and accompanied by an assessment of 
     related private and public sector weather data sourcing 
     options, including their availability, affordability, and 
     cost effectiveness. Such assessments shall be developed in 
     accordance with section 50503 of title 51, United States 
     Code.

     SEC. 9. COMPUTING RESOURCES PRIORITIZATION REPORT.

       Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, and annually thereafter, the NOAA Chief Information 
     Officer, in coordination with the Assistant Administrator for 
     OAR and the Assistant Administrator for NWS, shall produce 
     and make publicly available a report that explains how NOAA 
     intends to--
       (1) aggressively pursue the newest, fastest, and most cost 
     effective high performance computing technologies in support 
     of its weather prediction mission;
       (2) ensure a balance between the research requirements to 
     develop the next generation of regional and global models and 
     its highly reliable operational models;
       (3) take advantage of advanced development concepts to, as 
     appropriate, make its next generation weather prediction 
     models available in beta-test mode to its operational 
     forecasters, the American weather industry, and its partners 
     in academic and government research;
       (4) identify opportunities to reallocate existing advanced 
     computing resources from lower priority uses to improve 
     advanced research and operational weather prediction; and
       (5) harness new computing power in OAR and NWS for 
     immediate improvement in forecasting and experimentation.

     SEC. 10. COMMERCIAL WEATHER DATA.

       (a) Amendment.--Section 60161 of title 51, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``This 
     prohibition shall not extend to--
       ``(1) the purchase of weather data through contracts with 
     commercial providers; or
       ``(2) the placement of weather satellite instruments on 
     cohosted government or private payloads.''.
       (b) Strategy.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in 
     consultation with the Under Secretary, shall transmit to the 
     Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate a strategy to enable the 
     procurement of quality commercial weather data. The strategy 
     shall assess the range of commercial opportunities, including 
     public-private partnerships, for obtaining both surface-based 
     and space-based weather observations. The strategy shall 
     include the expected cost effectiveness of these 
     opportunities as well as provide a plan for procuring data, 
     including an expected implementation timeline, from these 
     nongovernmental sources, as appropriate.
       (2) Requirements.--The strategy shall include--
       (A) an analysis of financial or other benefits to, and 
     risks associated with, acquiring commercial weather data or 
     services, including through multiyear acquisition approaches;

[[Page H2761]]

       (B) an identification of methods to address planning, 
     programming, budgeting, and execution challenges to such 
     approaches, including--
       (i) how standards will be set to ensure that data is 
     reliable and effective;
       (ii) how data may be acquired through commercial 
     experimental or innovative techniques and then evaluated for 
     integration into operational use;
       (iii) how to guarantee public access to all forecast-
     critical data to ensure that the American weather industry 
     and the public continue to have access to information 
     critical to their work; and
       (iv) in accordance with section 50503 of title 51, United 
     States Code, methods to address potential termination 
     liability or cancellation costs associated with weather data 
     or service contracts; and
       (C) an identification of any changes needed in the 
     requirements development and approval processes of the 
     Department of Commerce to facilitate effective and efficient 
     implementation of such strategy.

     SEC. 11. WEATHER RESEARCH AND INNOVATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

       (a) Establishment.--The Under Secretary shall establish a 
     Federal Advisory Committee to--
       (1) provide advice for prioritizing weather research 
     initiatives at NOAA to produce real improvement in weather 
     forecasting;
       (2) provide advice on existing or emerging technologies or 
     techniques that can be found in private industry or the 
     research community that could be incorporated into 
     forecasting at NWS to improve forecasting;
       (3) identify opportunities to improve communications 
     between weather forecasters, emergency management personnel, 
     and the public; and
       (4) address such other matters as the Under Secretary or 
     the Advisory Committee believes would improve innovation in 
     weather forecasting.
       (b) Composition.--
       (1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall appoint leading 
     experts and innovators from all relevant fields of science 
     and engineering that inform meteorology, including 
     atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric physics, hydrology, social 
     science, risk communications, electrical engineering, and 
     computer modeling.
       (2) Number.--The Advisory Committee shall be composed of at 
     least 12 members, with the chair of the Advisory Committee 
     chosen by the Under Secretary from among the members.
       (3) Restriction.--The Under Secretary may not appoint a 
     majority of members who are employees of NOAA-funded research 
     centers.
       (c) Annual Report.--The Advisory Committee shall transmit 
     annually to the Under Secretary a report on progress made by 
     NOAA in adopting the Advisory Committee's recommendations. 
     The Under Secretary shall transmit a copy of such report to 
     the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
     of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
     and Transportation of the Senate.
       (d) Duration.--Section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee 
     Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Advisory Committee 
     until the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of 
     this Act.

     SEC. 12. INTERAGENCY WEATHER RESEARCH AND INNOVATION 
                   COORDINATION.

       (a) Establishment.--The Director of the Office of Science 
     and Technology Policy shall establish an Inter-agency 
     Committee for Advancing Weather Services to improve 
     coordination of relevant weather research and forecast 
     innovation activities across the Federal Government. The 
     Interagency Committee shall--
       (1) include participation by the National Aeronautics and 
     Space Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, 
     NOAA and its constituent elements, the National Science 
     Foundation, and such other agencies involved in weather 
     forecasting research as the President determines are 
     appropriate;
       (2) identify and prioritize top forecast needs and 
     coordinate those needs against budget requests and program 
     initiatives across participating offices and agencies; and
       (3) share information regarding operational needs and 
     forecasting improvements across relevant agencies.
       (b) Co-chair.--The Federal Coordinator for Meteorology 
     shall serve as a co-chair of this panel.
       (c) Further Coordination.--The Director shall take such 
     other steps as are necessary to coordinate the activities of 
     the Federal Government with those of the American weather 
     industry, State governments, emergency managers, and academic 
     researchers.

     SEC. 13. OAR AND NWS EXCHANGE PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Assistant Administrator for OAR and 
     the Assistant Administrator for NWS may establish a program 
     to detail OAR personnel to the NWS and NWS personnel to OAR.
       (b) Goal.--The goal of this program is to enhance 
     forecasting innovation through regular, direct interaction 
     between OAR's world-class scientists and NWS's operational 
     staff.
       (c) Elements.--The program shall allow up to 10 OAR staff 
     and NWS staff to spend up to 1 year on detail. Candidates 
     shall be jointly selected by the Assistant Administrator for 
     OAR and the Assistant Administrator for NWS.
       (d) Report.--The Under Secretary shall report annually to 
     the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
     of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
     and Transportation of the Senate on participation in such 
     program and shall highlight any innovations that come from 
     this interaction.

     SEC. 14. VISITING FELLOWS AT NWS.

       (a) In General.--The Assistant Administrator for NWS may 
     establish a program to host postdoctoral fellows and academic 
     researchers at any of the National Centers for Environmental 
     Prediction.
       (b) Goal.--This program shall be designed to provide direct 
     interaction between forecasters and talented academic and 
     private sector researchers in an effort to bring innovation 
     to forecasting tools and techniques available to the NWS.
       (c) Selection and Appointment.--Such fellows shall be 
     competitively selected and appointed for a term not to exceed 
     1 year.

     SEC. 15. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) AOA.--The term ``AOA'' means an Analysis of 
     Alternatives.
       (2) NESDIS.--The term ``NESDIS'' means the National 
     Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service.
       (3) NOAA.--The term ``NOAA'' means the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration.
       (4) NWS.--The term ``NWS'' means the National Weather 
     Service.
       (5) OAR.--The term ``OAR'' means the Office of Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Research.
       (6) OSE.--The term ``OSE'' means an Observing System 
     Experiment.
       (7) OSSE.--The term ``OSSE'' means an Observing System 
     Simulation Experiment.
       (8) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means 
     the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.

     SEC. 16. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) Fiscal Year 2014.--There are authorized to be 
     appropriated for fiscal year 2014--
       (1) $83,000,000 to OAR to carry out this Act, of which--
       (A) $65,000,000 is authorized for weather laboratories and 
     cooperative institutes; and
       (B) $18,000,000 is authorized for weather and air chemistry 
     research programs; and
       (2) out of funds made available for research and 
     development in NWS, an additional amount of $14,000,000 for 
     OAR to carry out the joint technology transfer initiative 
     described in section 3(b)(4).
       (b) Alternative Funding for Fiscal Year 2014.--If the 
     Budget Control Act of 2011 (Public Law 112-25) is repealed or 
     replaced with an Act that increases allocations, subsection 
     (a) shall not apply, and there are authorized to be 
     appropriated for fiscal year 2014--
       (1) $96,500,000 to OAR to carry out this Act, of which--
       (A) $77,500,000 is authorized for weather laboratories and 
     cooperative institutes; and
       (B) $19,000,000 is authorized for weather and air chemistry 
     research programs; and
       (2) out of funds made available for research and 
     development in NWS, an additional amount of $16,000,000 for 
     OAR to carry out the joint technology transfer initiative 
     described in section 3(b)(4).
       (c) Fiscal Years 2015 Through 2017.--For each of fiscal 
     years 2015 through 2017, there are authorized to be 
     appropriated--
       (1) $100,000,000 to OAR to carry out this Act, of which--
       (A) $80,000,000 is authorized for weather laboratories and 
     cooperative institutes; and
       (B) $20,000,000 is authorized for weather and air chemistry 
     research programs; and
       (2) an additional amount of $20,000,000 for the joint 
     technology transfer initiative described in section 3(b)(4).
       (d) Limitation.--No additional funds are authorized to 
     carry out this Act, and the amendments made by this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Smith) and the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 2413, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2413, the Weather Forecasting Improvement Act of 
2014, will greatly improve our severe weather forecasting capabilities. 
I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Bridenstine) for his work on 
this bill.
  Severe weather routinely affects large portions of the United States. 
This past year has been no different. The United States needs a world-
class weather prediction system that helps protect American lives and 
property.
  Our leadership has slipped in severe weather forecasting. European 
weather models routinely predict America's weather better than we can. 
We need to make up for lost ground. H.R. 2413 improves weather 
observation systems

[[Page H2762]]

and advances computing and next generation modeling capabilities. The 
enhanced prediction of major storms is of great importance to 
protecting the public from injury and loss of property.
  This legislation is the result of multiple hearings, a subcommittee 
markup, and Member negotiations. Again, I thank the gentleman from 
Oklahoma for taking the lead on this issue. I also want to thank the 
former chairman of the Environment Subcommittee, the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Stewart), and the Environment Subcommittee ranking member, 
the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici), for their contributions to 
this bipartisan bill.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2413, the Weather Forecasting 
Improvement Act. This bill is a bipartisan agreement by members of the 
Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
  I am pleased to join my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, 
the bill's sponsor, Mr. Bridenstine, Subcommittee Chair Schweikert, 
former subcommittee chair, Mr. Stewart, and Chairman Smith in support 
of this bill. I want to thank them, as well as Ranking Member Johnson, 
for their work on this important bill. Members on both sides of the 
aisle can be assured that this bill represents a truly bipartisan 
effort and is built on extensive discussions with and advice from the 
weather community.
  After devastating tornadoes in his district, Mr. Bridenstine 
introduced a well-intentioned bill that went a long way toward 
improving the tools available to NOAA for evaluating emerging forecast 
technologies. His emphasis on tornado research was appropriate and 
helpful. At the subcommittee markup, Mr. Grayson added a valuable 
amendment for a focused hurricane research program.
  Representative Stewart, then the chairman of the Environment 
Subcommittee, worked with my staff and me on a manager's amendment to 
add to the tools and programs in the original bill. We drew on expert 
advice from the weather enterprise and from extensive reports from the 
National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Public 
Administration.
  Experts told us that, to improve weather forecasting, the research at 
the Office of Oceans and Atmospheric Research, or OAR, and the 
forecasting at the National Weather Service had to be better 
coordinated. This legislation contains important provisions to improve 
that coordination. This bill encourages NOAA to integrate research and 
operations in a way that models the successful innovation structure 
used by the Department of Defense.
  The bill we are considering today also creates numerous opportunities 
for the broader weather community to provide input to NOAA, and their 
insights as well. At every opportunity, we charge the agency to consult 
with the American weather industry and researchers as they develop 
research plans and undertake new initiatives. We also press NOAA to get 
serious about exploring private sector solutions to their data needs.
  The bill makes clear that we expect the historical support for 
extramural research to continue. The engine of weather forecasting 
innovation has not always been found within NOAA, but is often found in 
the external research community and labs that work with NOAA. That 
collaboration must continue and will continue under this legislation.

                              {time}  1645

  In addition, the bill includes an explicit focus on tapping the 
expertise of social scientists on how to best communicate risks and 
warnings to the public. Witnesses who came before the Science Committee 
emphasized the importance of this work. The best forecasting skill and 
technology in the world won't be as effective unless the messages to 
the public result in the right safety response.
  The bill before us today is designed to improve public safety, 
enhance the American economy, and transform the innovation culture at 
NOAA. I am confident that its passage will improve weather forecasting 
and tangibly benefit our constituents.
  I can assure Members on both sides of the aisle that weather research 
is strengthened in this bill but not at the expense of other important 
work at NOAA.
  During the committee process, we heard from witness after witness who 
stressed that weather forecasting involves many different scientific 
disciplines. This integrated multidisciplinary approach reflects an 
understanding that we cannot choose to strengthen one area of research 
at OAR without endangering the progress in the other areas because they 
are all interconnected. Physical and chemical laws do not respect OAR's 
budgetary boundaries of climate, weather, and oceans, and this bill 
only addresses organizational issues in weather at NOAA.
  Thank you, again, to Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Johnson for 
giving us the support to work out a compromise. I want to reiterate my 
thanks to Mr. Bridenstine for his willingness to work with us and 
accept changes to the original bill. I particularly want to thank 
Representative Chris Stewart, the former chair of the Environment 
Subcommittee, whose attitude throughout the process was collaborative 
and constructive, allowing us to arrive at the bipartisan bill we have 
before us today. Chairman Schweikert, who took on the chairmanship of 
the subcommittee when Mr. Stewart went to the Committee on 
Appropriations, has brought with him that same collaborative spirit. 
Finally, I want to thank the very hardworking staff on both sides of 
the aisle.
  Mr. Speaker, weather is not a partisan issue. The American public 
needs and deserves the best weather forecasting service we can provide. 
This bill has broad support in the weather community among research 
institutions, established businesses, and emerging companies. 
Supporters include the American Commercial Space Weather Association, 
University Consortium for Atmospheric Research, GeoOptics, PlanetiQ, 
and the Weather Coalition.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman 
from Oklahoma (Mr. Bridenstine), who is a member of the Science 
Committee and is the author of this bill.
  Mr. BRIDENSTINE. Mr. Speaker, on May 20 of last year, a massive 
tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, with very little warning. The Moore 
tornado killed 24 Oklahomans, injured 377, and resulted in an estimated 
$2 billion worth of damage. A warning was issued only 15 minutes before 
the tornado touched down, just 15 minutes. In fact, 15 minutes is the 
standard in America. Mr. Speaker, America can do better than 15 
minutes.
  The Weather Forecasting Improvement Act is the first step toward 
restoring America's leadership in weather and weather forecasting and 
prediction. I would like to thank Chairman Lamar Smith and the Science 
Committee staff for their very hard work.
  H.R. 2413, the Weather Forecasting Improvement Act, is critical 
legislation that will save lives and protect property and critical 
infrastructure.
  I would also like to thank the former Environment Subcommittee 
chairman, Chris Stewart, now a member of the Appropriations Committee, 
and my friend and colleague from Oregon, Representative Suzanne 
Bonamici, for making this truly a very bipartisan effort.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is about priorities. When America is over $17 
trillion in debt, the answer is not more spending, but to prioritize 
necessary spending toward its best uses. Saving lives and protecting 
property should be the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration's top priority. This bill codifies that priority.
  H.R. 2413 directs NOAA to prioritize weather-related activities and 
rebalances NOAA's funding priorities to bring weather-related 
activities to a higher amount. The bill completes this reprioritization 
in a fiscally responsible manner. H.R. 2413 does not increase NOAA's 
overall authorization. I would like to repeat that. H.R. 2413 does not 
increase NOAA's overall authorization. It doesn't spend one more dime.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill helps get weather research projects out of the 
lab and into the field, thereby speeding up the development and 
fielding of lifesaving weather forecasting technology.

[[Page H2763]]

By requiring coordination and prioritization across the range of NOAA 
agencies, H.R. 2413 will help get weather prediction and forecasting 
technologies off the drawing board and into the field.
  This bill authorizes dedicated tornado and hurricane warning programs 
to coordinate research and development activities. It directs the 
Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research to prioritize its research 
and development. And it codifies technology transfer between OAR--the 
researchers--and the National Weather Service--the operators--a vital 
link that ensures next-generation weather technologies are implemented.
  Mr. Speaker, perhaps most importantly, H.R. 2413 enhances NOAA's 
collaboration with the private sector and with universities. Oklahoma 
is on the cutting edge of weather research, prediction, and forecasting 
with absolutely world-class institutions such as the National Weather 
Center and the National Severe Storms Laboratory at the University of 
Oklahoma.
  And I would like to anchor here, just to brag for a second, about 
what is happening at the University of Oklahoma. As a Navy pilot, I 
have seen firsthand phased array radar technology being used to detect, 
track, and target enemy aircraft many, many miles away. What this 
technology is now being used for at the University of Oklahoma is to 
detect and track clouds and very small particles in clouds. Those 
particles can provide reflected radar energy that goes into a data 
assimilation system, into a numerical weather model, and we can now 
predict tornadoes over an hour in advance, which is a goal of this 
piece of legislation.

  Saving lives and property requires us to be able to warn people based 
on the forecast of a tornado, not just based on the detection of a 
tornado, moving from 15 minutes to over an hour in advance to detect 
tornadoes. Not only is this possible, it has been done. And they are 
doing it currently at the University of Oklahoma.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill also clarifies that NOAA can purchase weather 
data through contracts with commercial providers and place weather 
satellite instruments on private payloads. Leveraging the private 
sector will lead to lower costs for better weather data; again, saving 
lives and property.
  Mr. Speaker, the imbalance of NOAA's resources is leaving America 
further behind our international competitors. The Science Committee 
received compelling testimony showing that the European Union has 
better capabilities in some areas of numerical weather prediction, 
forecasting, and risk communication, and other countries, such as 
Britain and Japan, are closing in fast.
  Misallocating resources can have terrible consequences, as my 
constituents and the people of Oklahoma understand all too well every 
tornado season.
  The Weather Forecasting Improvement Act is a first step toward 
rebalancing NOAA's priorities, moving new technologies from the lab 
bench to the field, and leveraging formidable capabilities developed in 
the private sector and at universities. I urge my colleagues to support 
this bipartisan bill.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I will continue to reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Schweikert), who is also chairman of the Environment 
Subcommittee of the Science Committee.
  Mr. SCHWEIKERT. I thank Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Bonamici, and 
the sponsor of our bill.
  Mr. Speaker, this is actually one of those moments where you are 
going over a piece of legislation--and I am very proud of everyone who 
has worked on it, and maybe this language is a little too strong, but 
in many ways, it sort of removes, whether it be excuses or statutory 
straitjackets, away from NOAA, away from OAR. And the optionality of, 
how do you design data sets, how do you reach out to the cloud, to the 
world around you, and gather their technology, and how they are doing 
weather forecasting.
  You have just heard Chairman Bridenstine speak of big weather events, 
whether they be tornadoes that affect his district--but think of the 
Members who have had input into this piece of legislation. I am from 
the desert Southwest. We have someone from the wet and rainy Northwest. 
We have had people from around the country that represent very, very 
different types of climates in their districts, and that is, actually, 
something that is really special about this piece of legislation.
  I have a level of enthusiasm. Last month was my birthday, and my wife 
bought me this weather station that sits on the side of the house, and 
it talks to the WiFi, which talks to the cloud. And their goal is to 
set up hundreds of thousands of data points that are collected by 
enthusiasts, like myself, across the country and put that data 
together.
  Can you imagine a world where NOAA actually becomes the hub of so 
many data sets? Then it has the optionality of reaching out and finding 
what technology, what mechanics are out there to put it together and 
help us, from our little microclimates that I may have in my 
neighborhood to the terrible storm that may be threatening the Florida 
coast.
  This is the future, and this bill actually moves us towards that 
future.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues on the 
committee. I really appreciate working with them.
  I want to make clear that when we worked on this--this is a 
reprioritization of how the Office of Oceanic and Atmosphere Research 
lays out its own weather research efforts. The key reprioritization is 
to put in place a clear process that ties the needs of forecasters at 
the National Weather Service to the research initiatives at OAR.
  I am glad that my colleagues have worked on this important bill. This 
legislation will make real and measurable improvements in weather 
research and weather forecasting, and I urge my colleagues to support 
this effort.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman 
from Oklahoma (Mr. Bridenstine), Ms. Bonamici, and David Schweikert for 
their hard work on this bill. I appreciate all of the effort they have 
put into it. It is a wonderful product. It is going to save lives. It 
is going to save property, and it is going to benefit many, many 
Americans.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 2413, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to 
prioritize and redirect NOAA resources to a focused program of 
investment on affordable and attainable advances in observational, 
computing, and modeling capabilities to deliver substantial improvement 
in weather forecasting and prediction of high impact weather events, 
such as those associated with hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, floods, 
storm surges, and wildfires, and for other purposes.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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