[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 99 (Tuesday, June 21, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S4426]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4849. Mr. BURR (for himself and Ms. Cantwell) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 4685 proposed by Mr. 
Shelby (for himself and Ms. Mikulski) to the bill H.R. 2578, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, 
and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, and 
for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. STUDY ON GAPS IN NEXRAD COVERAGE AND REQUIREMENT FOR 
                   PLAN TO ADDRESS SUCH GAPS.

       (a) Study on Gaps in NEXRAD Coverage.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall 
     complete a study on gaps in the coverage of the Next 
     Generation Weather Radar of the National Weather Service 
     (referred to in this section as ``NEXRAD'').
       (2) Elements.--In conducting the study required under 
     paragraph (1), the Secretary shall--
       (A) identify areas in the United States with limited or no 
     NEXRAD coverage below 6,000 feet above ground level of the 
     surrounding terrain;
       (B) for the areas identified under subparagraph (A)--
       (i) identify the key weather effects for which prediction 
     would improve with improved radar detection;
       (ii) identify additional sources of observations for high 
     impact weather that were available and operational for such 
     areas on the day before the date of the enactment of this 
     Act, including Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (commonly known 
     as ``TDWR''), air surveillance radars of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration, and cooperative network observers; and
       (iii) assess the feasibility and advisability of efforts to 
     integrate and upgrade Federal radar capabilities that are not 
     owned or controlled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration, including radar capabilities of the Federal 
     Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense;
       (C) assess the feasibility and advisability of 
     incorporating State-operated and other non-Federal radars 
     into the operations of the National Weather Service;
       (D) identify options to improve radar coverage in the areas 
     identified under subparagraph (A); and
       (E) estimate the cost of, and develop a timeline for, 
     carrying out each of the options identified under 
     subparagraph (D).
       (3) Report.--Upon the completion of the study required 
     under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit a report to 
     the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the 
     Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
     Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     House of Representatives that includes the findings of the 
     Secretary with respect to the study.
       (b) Plan to Improve Radar Coverage.--Not later than 30 days 
     after the completion of the study under subsection (a)(1), 
     the Secretary of Commerce shall submit a plan to the 
     congressional committees referred to in subsection (a)(3) for 
     improving radar coverage in the areas identified under 
     subsection (a)(2)(A) by integrating and upgrading, to the 
     extent practicable, additional observation solutions to 
     improve hazardous weather detection and forecasting.
       (c) Requirement for Third-party Reviews Regarding Plan to 
     Improve Radar Coverage.--The Secretary of Commerce shall seek 
     third-party reviews on scientific methodology relating to, 
     and the feasibility and advisability of, implementing the 
     plan submitted under subsection (b), including the extent to 
     which warning and forecast services of the National Weather 
     Service would be improved by additional NEXRAD coverage.
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