[House Report 117-412]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


117th Congress    }                                  {      Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session       }                                  {      117-412

======================================================================

 
        NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COMMUNICATIONS IMPROVEMENT ACT

                                _______
                                

 July  14, 2022.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

    Ms. Johnson of Texas, from the Committee on Science, Space, and 
                  Technology, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 7361]

    The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, to whom 
was referred the bill (H.R. 7361) to upgrade the communications 
service used by the National Weather Service, and for other 
purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon 
without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
   I. Amendment........................................................
  II. Purpose of the Bill.............................................2
 III. Background and Need for the Legislation.........................2
  IV. Committee Hearings..............................................2
   V. Committee Consideration and Votes...............................2
  VI. Summary of Major Provisions of the Bill.........................3
 VII. Section-by-Section Analysis (By Title and Section)..............3
VIII. Committee Views.................................................3
  IX. Cost Estimate...................................................3
   X. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate.......................3
  XI. Compliance with Public Law 104-4 (Unfunded Mandates)............3
 XII. Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations................4
XIII. Statement on General Performance Goals and Objectives...........4
 XIV. Federal Advisory Committee Statement............................4
  XV. Duplication of Federal Programs.................................4
 XVI. Earmark Identification..........................................4
XVII. Applicability to the Legislative Branch.........................4
XVIII.Statement on Preemption of State, Local, or Tribal Law..........4

 XIX. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, As Reported...........4
  XX. Proceedings of Full Committee Markup............................6

                        II. Purpose of the Bill

    The purpose of H.R. 7361 is to require the National Weather 
Service to improve its current legacy instant messaging 
communications system (referred to as `NWSChat') by upgrading 
to a cloud-based commercial communications system.

              III. Background and Need for the Legislation

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
(NOAA)'s National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, 
water, and climate data, forecasts, warnings, and impact-based 
decision support services for the protection of life and 
property, and enhancement of the national economy. To 
communicate its services with the media and emergency 
responders, NWS personnel use NWSChat, an instant messaging 
program utilized to share critical warning decision expertise 
and weather information. The current legacy communication 
system has experienced dissemination issues, and the NWS has 
initiatied a demonstration effort to migrate NWSChat to a new 
operational environment. The National Weather Service 
Communications Improvement Act would support NWS's ongoing 
efforts to improve the reliability of their instant messaging 
service by requiring the implementation of a commercial off-the 
shelf solution.

                         IV. Committee Hearings

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(6) of House rule XIII, the 
Committee designates the following hearings as having been used 
to develop or consider the legislation:
    On October 14, 2021, the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology held a hearing titled ``The Future of Forecasting: 
Building a Weather-Ready Nation on all Fronts.'' Dr. Louis 
Uccellini, the Director of the National Weather Service (NWS), 
discussed transitioning NWS from its legacy communication 
system to a new cloud-based platform.
    The following witnesses testified at the October 14, 2021 
hearing:
           Dr. Louis Uccellini, Assistant Administrator 
        for Weather Services and Director of the National 
        Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration
           Mr. Cardell Johnson, Acting Director, 
        Natural Resources and Environment, U.S. Government 
        Accountability Office
           Mr. John Werner, President, National Weather 
        Service Employees Organization
           Mr. Erik Salna, Associate Director for 
        Education and Outreach, International Hurricane 
        Research Center, Extreme Events Institute, Florida 
        International University

                  V. Committee Consideration and Votes

    On April 1, 2022, H.R. 7361 the National Weather Service 
Communications Improvement Act was introduced in the House of 
Representatives by Representative Fenestra and four original 
cosponsors: Representatives Axne, Gimenez, Hinson and Miller-
Meeks. The bill was referred solely to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology.
    The National Weather Service Communications Improvement Act 
was considered in a Full Committee Markup on Tuesday, May 17, 
2022. There were no amendments in the Committee markup. H.R. 
7361 was passed by voice vote and reported favorably to the 
House of Representatives.

              VI. Summary of Major Provisions of the Bill

    H.R. 7361 would direct the NWS to improve its current 
legacy instant messaging service by requiring the 
implementation of a commercial off-the-shelf communications 
system. The bill also authorizes appropriations of $3,000,000 
for each of FY2023 through FY2026 to carry out the activities 
authorized.

        VII. Section-by-Section Analysis (By Title and Section)


Sec. 1. Short title

Sec. 2. National Weather Service communications

    This section amends Title IV of the Weather Research and 
Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 by adding a new section that 
directs the National Weather Service to upgrade its current 
legacy instant message service, commonly known as NWSChat, to a 
cloud-based commercial off-the-shelf communications system. 
This section also authorizes appropriations of $3,000,000 for 
each of FY2023 through FY2026 to carry out this Act.

                         VIII. Committee Views

    The Committee notes the importance of an instant messaging 
service, such as NWSChat, for NWS personnel to communicate 
real-time warning information with the emergency management 
community and the media to support the protection of life and 
property of individuals in the United States and its 
Territories. NWSChat is a critical tool but has faced issues 
with dissemination of information with its current legacy 
system. To address these issues, the NWS has already started to 
use commercial off-the-shelf communication systems. This bill 
would provide the NWS with the necessary authorization to 
continue its transition from its current legacy system to a new 
system and increase the overall performance and reliability of 
an instant messaging system. There are additional Committee 
views incorporated throughout the report.

                           IX. Cost Estimate

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee adopts as its own the 
estimate of new budget authority, entitlement authority, or tax 
expenditures or revenues contained in the cost estimate 
prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 
pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974.

              X. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate

    No Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate for H.R. 7361 
at time of filing.

                     XI. Federal Mandates Statement

    H.R. 7361 contains no unfunded mandates.

         XII. Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations

    The Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are 
reflected in the body of this report.

             XIII. Statement on General Performance Goals 
                             and Objectives

    The goals and objectives of H.R. 7361 are to improve the 
current legacy communications system (referred to as `NWSChat') 
by upgrading to a cloud-based commercial communications system. 
The communication system solution shall satisfy requirements 
set forth by the Director to best accommodate future growth and 
perform successfully with increased numbers of users.

               XIV. Federal Advisory Committee Statement

    H.R. 7361 does not create any advisory committees.

                  XV. Duplication of Federal Programs

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that no provision 
of H.R. 7361 establishes or reauthorizes a program of the 
federal government known to be duplicative of another federal 
program, including any program that was included in a report to 
Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139 or the 
most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.

                      XVI. Earmark Identification

    Pursuant to clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI, the 
Committee finds that H.R. 7361 contains no earmarks, limited 
tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits.

             XVII. Applicability to the Legislative Branch

    The Committee finds that H.R. 7361 does not relate to the 
terms and conditions of employment or access to public services 
or accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of 
the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law 104-1).

          XVIII. Statement on Preemption of State, Local, or 
                               Tribal Law

    This bill is not intended to preempt any state, local, or 
tribal law.

       XIX. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

  In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (new matter is 
printed in italics and existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):

        WEATHER RESEARCH AND FORECASTING INNOVATION ACT OF 2017


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

  (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Weather 
Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017''.
  (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is 
as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
     * * * * * * *

                 TITLE IV--FEDERAL WEATHER COORDINATION

     * * * * * * *
Sec. 415. National Weather Service communications.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


TITLE IV--FEDERAL WEATHER COORDINATION

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 415. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COMMUNICATIONS.

  (a) System Upgrade.--The Director of the National Weather 
Service shall improve the instant messaging service used by 
National Weather Service personnel by implementing a commercial 
off-the-shelf communications solution hosted on the public 
cloud to serve as a replacement for the communications system 
in use as of the date of the enactment of this section 
(commonly referred to as ``NWSChat''). Such communications 
solution shall satisfy requirements set forth by the Director 
to best accommodate future growth and perform successfully with 
increased numbers of users.
  (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out this section $3,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2023 through 2026, to remain available until 
expended.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *




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