[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
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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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