[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1484 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1484
To improve weather research and forecasting by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 10, 2025
Mr. Markey (for himself, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Padilla, and Ms. Rosen)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve weather research and forecasting by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Forecasting Optimization for Robust
Earth Climate Analysis and S2S Tracking Act of 2025'' or the ``FORECAST
Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO WEATHER RESEARCH AND FORECASTING.
(a) Improvements to Subseasonal-to-Seasonal Forecasting.--Section
1762 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (15 U.S.C. 8521) is amended--
(1) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:
``(c) Functions.--
``(1) In general.--The Under Secretary and the heads of
such other programs of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration as the Under Secretary considers appropriate,
shall--
``(A) conduct and support fundamental research to
improve understanding of the sources and limitations of
season-to-season predictability for temperature,
precipitation, and other Earth system variables and
applications;
``(B) collect and utilize observational data across
the Earth system and other information in order to make
usable, reliable, and timely foundational forecasts of
subseasonal-to-seasonal temperature and precipitation;
``(C) prioritize the advancement of multi-model
ensemble forecast systems and forecast verification and
evaluation capacity, including--
``(i) the development of advanced coupled
data assimilation methods using robust Earth
system observational data;
``(ii) the development of improved coupled
subseasonal-to-seasonal ensemble prediction
systems;
``(iii) the improvement of exchanges and
interactions between datasets across different
models and Earth system observations to better
understand local relationships between and
drivers of ocean, land, snow, and ice
observations;
``(iv) the provision of additional
resources for the research and development of
multi-model ensemble forecasts for purposes of
advanced forecast modeling; and
``(v) the development of data management
strategies to support operations and research
activities;
``(D) leverage existing research and models from
the weather and Earth system enterprises to improve the
forecasts under subparagraph (B);
``(E) accelerate the operationalization of emerging
modeling technologies developed within the research
community, including pursuant to collaborations with
other agencies and entities, as determined appropriate
through increased funding for activities under section
102(b)(5) of the Weather Research and Forecasting
Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8512(b)(5)), to
support and assist the cross development of fully
coupled subseasonal-to-seasonal forecast systems;
``(F) determine and provide information on how the
subseasonal-to-seasonal temperature and precipitation,
as forecasted under subparagraph (B) may relate to--
``(i) the number and severity of tornadoes,
droughts, hurricanes, fires, floods, heat
waves, marine heat waves, coastal inundation,
winter storms, high-impact weather, or other
relevant natural disasters;
``(ii) snowpack;
``(iii) sea ice conditions; and
``(iv) permafrost thaw and increased
microbial decomposition;
``(G) develop an Internet clearinghouse to provide
the forecasts under subparagraph (B) and the
information under subparagraphs (B) and (F) on both
national and regional levels; and
``(H) leverage emerging technologies, such as
artificial intelligence, machine learning, and use of
unmanned systems.
``(2) Alignment with report.--The Under Secretary and the
heads of such other programs of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration as the Under Secretary considers
appropriate shall carry out the requirements under paragraph
(1) in alignment with the findings of the report submitted to
Congress by the Under Secretary pursuant to subsection (h) on
July 12, 2018, entitled, `Subseasonal and Seasonal Forecasting
Innovation: Plans for the Twenty-First Century'.
``(3) Earth system defined.--In this subsection, the term
`Earth system' includes atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial, ice,
and related processes, and data that influence or drive
subseasonal-to-seasonal weather and climate.''; and
(2) by amending subsection (j) to read as follows:
``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--
``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated
to the Under Secretary, for each of fiscal years 2026 and
2027--
``(A) $28,500,000 to carry out this section; and
``(B) for activities under section 102(b)(5) of the
Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017
(15 U.S.C. 8512(b)(5)) pursuant to subsection
(c)(1)(E), such sums as may be necessary to carry out
such subsection.
``(2) Use of funds.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to an
authorization under paragraph (1)(B) shall be used for the
designated responsibilities of the modeling team of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the
Earth Prediction Innovation Center or an institution of higher
education (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))), including activities that
fall under the following focus areas:
``(A) High-performance computing.
``(B) Scientific innovation.
``(C) Management and planning.
``(D) External engagement and community.''.
(b) Weather and Earth System Modeling And Data Assimilation
Workforce Innovation Program.--
(1) In general.--Title IV of the Weather Research and
Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8541 et seq.) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 415. WEATHER AND EARTH SYSTEM MODELING AND DATA ASSIMILATION
WORKFORCE INNOVATION PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--The Under Secretary shall establish a program,
to be known as the `Weather and Earth System Modeling and Data
Assimilation Workforce Innovation Program' (in this section referred to
as the `program').
``(b) Education and Recruitment.--In carrying out the program, the
Under Secretary shall support the education and recruitment of
personnel and establish a set of new workforce development programs to
develop pathways for next-generation researchers, engineers, and
practitioners who are skilled in and can operate or develop weather and
Earth system technologies that exploit and advance emerging computing
architectures, artificial intelligence and machine learning, unmanned
systems, and next-generation data assimilation and observing systems,
including through financial assistance for scholarships, fellowships,
and research at institutions of higher education in areas relevant to
improvement of data assimilation systems and weather and Earth system
data modeling capabilities.
``(c) Human Capital Planning.--
``(1) In general.--In carrying out the program, the Under
Secretary shall develop and, on an annual basis, revise a data
assimilation and weather and Earth system modeling workforce
human capital plan that identifies workforce needs to
facilitate innovation in emerging weather technologies and data
assimilation systems, including by identifying gaps in funding
and expertise, hiring challenges, and policies to mitigate
turnover that will help avoid mid-project staffing changes.
``(2) Submission of plan.--The Under Secretary shall submit
the data assimilation and weather and Earth system modeling
workforce human capital plan required under paragraph (1), and
any revision to that plan, to the Secretary of Commerce and the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
``(3) Use of plans.--
``(A) In general.--The Under Secretary shall use
the data assimilation and weather and Earth system
modeling workforce human capital plans required under
paragraph (1) to carry out the education and
recruitment required under subsection (b).
``(B) Pathways to hiring.--In carrying out the data
assimilation and weather and Earth system modeling
workforce human capital plan required under paragraph
(1), the Under Secretary may use the pathways programs
established under part 362 of title 5, Code of Federal
Regulations (or a successor program), to facilitate the
recruitment and hiring of personnel for data
assimilation and weather and Earth system modeling
activities.
``(4) Authority to provide funds.--If the Under Secretary,
in preparing the data assimilation and weather and Earth system
modeling workforce human capital plan pursuant to paragraph
(1), identifies workforce gaps for the data assimilation and
weather and Earth system modeling processes of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Under Secretary
may--
``(A) use funds made available to the
Administration to carry out such plan; and
``(B) establish agreements and awards with
institutions of higher education or nonprofit entities
to facilitate the integration of innovative data
assimilation and weather and Earth system modeling
technologies and systems into the larger weather
enterprise.
``(d) Updates to Direct Hiring Authority.--The Under Secretary,
acting through the Director of the Office of Human Capital Services,
shall make necessary updates to the eligibility requirements for the
direct hiring authority program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration to include the program, the Weather Program Office
Innovation for Next Generation Scientists Dissertation Fellowship, the
Consortium for Advanced Data Assimilation Research and Education, and
any other fellowship or internship programs determined by the Under
Secretary to be relevant to the weather enterprise.
``(e) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the initial date on
which the Under Secretary provides funds under subsection (c)(4) to an
institution of higher education or a nonprofit entity, the Under
Secretary shall, using information about the program collected from any
such institution or entity in receipt of those funds, submit to the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives a report on the effectiveness and impact of those funds
in improving the quality and preparedness of the weather and Earth
system modeling and data assimilation workforce.
``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Earth system.--The term `Earth system' includes
atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial, ice, and related processes, and
data that influence or drive subseasonal-to-seasonal weather
and climate.
``(2) Institution of higher education.--The term
`institution of higher education' has the meaning given that
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
``(3) Nonprofit entity.--The term `nonprofit entity' has
the meaning given that term in section 9901 of the William M.
(Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2021 (15 U.S.C. 4651).
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Under Secretary such sums as may be necessary to
carry out the functions of the program, as determined by the Under
Secretary.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents in section
1(b) of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of
2017 (Public Law 115-25; 131 Stat. 91) is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 414 the following:
``Sec. 415. Weather and Earth System Modeling and Data Assimilation
Workforce Innovation Program.''.
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