Congressman Smith Amendment Funds Weather Forecasting Improvements

Today, I introduced an amendment to H.R. 2578, the Fiscal Year 2016 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Act that increases funding for improved weather forecasting technology by $21 million. The funding would be used to implement activities authorized in the bipartisan Science Committee legislation, H.R. 1561, the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2015, which passed the House of Representatives unanimously just weeks ago. The amendment was approved by voice vote. Full passage on the bill is expected later this week.

My amendment takes direct, strong action to address America’s weather forecasting shortcomings in order to reduce the loss of life and property from severe storms. The amendment I offer on behalf of myself, Science Committee Vice Chairman Frank Lucas, and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Jim Bridenstine directs the full $120 million authorized in House-passed H.R. 1561, the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2015, be provided in the NOAA Operations, Research, and Facilities appropriation account.

The recent flooding in Texas and tornadoes in Oklahoma demonstrate the immediate need to quickly implement better weather research and forecasting by fully funding H.R. 1561. The House unanimously passed that bill just two weeks ago. We also unanimously passed it over a year ago in April, 2014. Now, thanks to Chairman Culberson’s initiative and support, the CJS bill will add the needed resources to transform our antiquated 1980’s weather forecasting system into a 21st Century weather enterprise in the next few years.

H.R. 1561, the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2015 aims to improve protection of lives and property through a focused program of investment on near-term, affordable, and attainable advances in observational, computing, and modeling capabilities to support substantial improvement in weather forecasting and prediction of high impact weather events with an emphasis on research-to-operations technology transfer at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The bill codifies and expands NOAA weather research activities, directing the agency to place priority emphasis on development of more accurate and timely warnings and forecasts of high impact weather events, including: hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, floods, storm surges, and wildfires. It would improve understanding of how the public responds to warnings and transfer new technology to the National Weather Service, the American weather industry, and academic partners.

I worked with Congressman John Culberson (R-Texas), chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, to amend H.R. 2578 and add funding for weather forecasting activities.

The weather forecasting bill, H.R. 1561, previously received 25 letters of support from various entities representing the weather enterprise and industry.

Accuweather: “This bill is unique and creative and for the first time both acknowledges and brings together the government agencies, academia, and the American Weather Industry as cooperative and constructive partners in improving the data, research, models, and most importantly the warnings of severe weather, to the American public.”

Global Weather Corporation: “We applaud your forward thinking to motivate innovative approaches that improve weather data procurement. Among other things, this will enable NOAA to better consider commercial data that could be more cost sustainable and help save lives.”

Science and Technology Corporation (STC): “This bipartisan bill will help improve America’s severe weather forecasting capabilities through a visionary weather research plan at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).”

The Weather Coalition: “When passed, this bill will represent a major step toward improvements in our nation’s weather prediction capabilities.”

More statements of support can be found here.