A bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced legislation Friday to help the National Weather Service make critical upgrades to its forecasting and storm prediction capabilities.
The “Weather Act Reauthorization bill,” H.R. 3816, would “fund ongoing critical research programs while also establishing new programs to advance forecasting, expand commercial data partnerships, strengthen emergency preparedness, and advance tools for farmers, ranchers and resource managers,” according to a release from sponsor Rep. Frank Lucas.
The Oklahoma Republican used to chair the Science, Space and Technology Committee. The panel’s current ranking member, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), is the bill’s main co-sponsor.
The legislation would fund the modernization of weather research programs, including for tornado warning and hurricane forecasting technologies. And it would increase NOAA’s access to forecasting data by expanding its authority to contract with the private sector.
