[Senate Report 118-140]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
118th Congress } { Report
SENATE
1st Session } { 118-140
_______________________________________________________________________
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COMMUNICATIONS IMPROVEMENT ACT
__________
R E P O R T
of the
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
on
S. 1414
December 19, 2023.--Ordered to be printed
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
49-010 WASHINGTON : 2024
SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
one hundred eighteenth congress
first session
MARIA CANTWELL, Washington, Chair
AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota TED CRUZ, Texas
BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii JOHN THUNE, South Dakota
EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts ROGER WICKER, Mississippi
GARY C. PETERS, Michigan DEB FISCHER, Nebraska
TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin JERRY MORAN, Kansas
TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska
JON TESTER, Montana MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee
KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona TODD C. YOUNG, Indiana
JACKY ROSEN, Nevada TED BUDD, North Carolina
BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico ERIC SCHMITT, Missouri
JOHN HICKENLOOPER, Colorado SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia
RAPHAEL WARNOCK, Georgia CYNTHIA LUMMIS, Wyoming
PETER WELCH, Vermont J.D. VANCE, Ohio
Lila Helms, Staff Director
Brad Grantz, Minority Staff Director
118th Congress } { Report
SENATE
1st Session } { 118-140
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NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COMMUNICATIONS IMPROVEMENT ACT
_______
December 19, 2023.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Ms. Cantwell, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 1414]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to
which was referred the bill (S. 1414) to improve the instant
messaging 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.
Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of S. 1414, the National Weather Service
Communications Improvement Act, is to amend the Weather
Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017\1\ to improve
the reliability of the National Weather Service's (NWS)
internal messaging system during extreme weather events such as
floods, fires, tornadoes, and tsunami, by authorizing the use
of a commercial cloud communications service.
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\1\15 U.S.C. 8541 et seq.; Public Law 115-25.
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Background and Needs
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's
(NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, water,
and climate data as well as forecasts, warnings, and impact-
based decision support services for the purposes of protecting
life and property and enhancing the national economy. The
National Weather Service Communications Improvement Act would
direct the NWS to improve its instant messaging service by
requiring the NWS to implement a commercial off-the-shelf
(COTS) communications solution hosted on the public cloud to
accommodate future growth and improve alert system performance.
This bill would increase reliability of the internal messaging
system between NWS forecasters and regional weather offices to
improve forecasts and real-time data-sharing between NWS
personnel, and therefore improve accuracy and timeliness of
hazard communications with the public.
NWS currently uses NWSChat, an instant messaging service,
to share important weather information and decision expertise
with partners across all levels of government, emergency
managers, and media.\2\ This service allows multiple users to
communicate with each other in chat rooms and gives each NWS
office its own specific chat room.\3\ NWSChat is utilized to
improve decision-making during discussions related to severe
weather events, to provide real-time feedback to partners, and
to communicate significant event reports back to NWS personnel
for effective warning decisions.\4\
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\2\``Frequently Asked Questions,'' NOAA, National Weather Service
(https://nwschat.
weather.gov/FAQ.php).
\3\Ibid.
\4\Ibid.
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COMMERCIAL OFF-THE-SHELF COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTION
A COTS communications solution is a pre-packaged, ready-to-
use communications system that is commercially available and
can be easily integrated into an organization's existing
infrastructure.\5\ They are often lower in cost, require less
development time, can be readily integrated into existing
systems, and can lower lifecycle costs resulting from using
readily available and up-to-date product.\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\Christopher Trick, ``What Is COTS (Commercial-off-the-Shelf)?,''
Trenton Systems (https://www.trentonsystems.com/blog/what-is-cots-
commercial-off-the-shelf#::text=COTS%2C%20or%20
commercial%2Doff%2D,interoperate%20with%20existing%20system%20components
).
\6\Firoz Irani, ``Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) vs Custom
Software Development,'' MotoCMS (https://www.motocms.com/blog/en/
commercial-off-the-shelf/).
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Summary of Provisions
If enacted, S. 1414 would amend title IV of the Weather
Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017\7\ by doing the
following:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\Public Law 115-25.
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Require the Director of the NWS to improve instant
messaging services used by the NWS by fiscal year 2028.
Require the improved internal instant messaging
services used by forecasters and other NOAA personnel
to be hosted on the public cloud.
Legislative History
S. 1414, the National Weather Service Communications
Improvement Act, was introduced on May 3, 2023, by Senator
Cantwell (for herself and Senator Cruz) and was referred to the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate. On May 10, 2023, the Committee met in open Executive
Session and, by voice vote, ordered S. 1416 reported favorably
without amendment.
On March 9, 2023, H.R. 1496, a House companion bill to S.
1414, was introduced by Representative Feenstra (for himself
and 13 cosponsors) and was referred to the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives.
Three additional cosponsors were later added. On May 16, 2023,
H.R. 1496 was reported favorably without amendment.
Estimated Costs
In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget
Office:
S. 1414 would require the National Weather Service (NWS) to
replace its current instant messaging system with an updated,
cloud-based system. The NWS uses instant messages to share
critical warning decisions and other types of significant
weather information with public safety officials, emergency
personnel, and the media. In 2022, NWS started to replace the
instant messaging system and allocated $3 million in 2023 to
continue those activities.
Using information from the NWS and spending patterns for
similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing S. 1414
would cost $11 million over the 2024-2028 period; any spending
would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall
within budget function 300 (natural resources and environment).
TABLE 1.--ESTIMATED INCREASES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION UNDER S. 1414
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By fiscal year, millions of dollars--
---------------------------------------------
2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2024-2028
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Estimated Authorization........................................... 3 3 3 3 0 12
Estimated Outlays................................................. 2 2 3 3 1 11
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On May 11, 2023, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R.
1496, the National Weather Service Communications Improvement
Act, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology on March 29, 2023. The two pieces of
legislation are similar, and CBO's estimates of their budgetary
effects are the same.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Aurora Swanson.
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Director of Budget Analysis.
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director, Congressional Budget Office.
Regulatory Impact Statement
Because S. 1414 does not create any new programs, the
legislation will have no additional regulatory impact, and will
result in no additional reporting requirements. The legislation
will have no further effect on the number or types of
individuals and businesses regulated, the economic impact of
such regulation, the personal privacy of affected individuals,
or the paperwork required from such individuals and businesses.
Congressionally Directed Spending
In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no
provisions contained in the bill, as reported, meet the
definition of congressionally directed spending items under the
rule.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Short title
This section would provide that the bill may be cited as
the ``National Weather Service Communications Improvement
Act''.
Section 2. National Weather Service communications
Section 2 would add a new section 415 to title IV of the
Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017.
Subsection (a) of this new section 415 would add a
requirement for the Director of the NWS to improve instant
messaging services used within the NWS by October 1, 2027. The
subsection would also require the new instant messaging service
to be a commercial off-the-shelf communications solution that
replaces NWSChat and is hosted on the public cloud. The
subsection would also require the Director of the NWS to ensure
the communications solution would accommodate future growth,
perform successfully with increased users, is easy to use and
is similar to current systems already in use. The subsection
further would define the term ``public cloud''.
Subsection (b) of this new section 415 would clarify that
funds for this section can only come from amounts authorized to
NOAA before the date of enactment of this Act.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
material is printed in italic, existing law in which no change
is proposed is shown in roman):
WEATHER RESEARCH AND FORECASTING INNOVATION ACT OF 2017
* * * * * * *
[15 U.S.C. 8541 et seq.]
TITLE IV--FEDERAL WEATHER COORDINATION
SEC. 401. * * *
SEC. 415. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COMMUNICATIONS.
(a) Improvement of Instant Messaging Service.--
(1) In general.--The Director of the National Weather
Service shall improve the instant messaging service
used by personnel of the National Weather Service by
implementing by October 1, 2027, a commercial off-the-
shelf communications solution that replaces the instant
messaging service commonly referred to as ``NWSChat''.
(2) Requirements.--The communications solution
implemented under paragraph (1) shall--
(A) be hosted on the public cloud; and
(B) satisfy requirements set forth by the
Director to ensure that the solution--
(i) best accommodates future growth;
(ii) performs successfully with
increased numbers of users;
(iii) is easy to use for the majority
of users; and
(iv) is similar to systems already in
commercial use.
(3) Definition of public cloud.--In this subsection,
the term ``public cloud'' means an information
technology model in which service providers make
computing services, including compute and storage and
develop-and-deploy environments and applications,
available on-demand to organizations and individuals
over the public internet.
(b) No Additional Funds Authorized.--Funds to carry out this
section may only come from amounts authorized to be
appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration before the date of the enactment of the National
Weather Service Communications Improvement Act.
* * * * * * *