I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 6080 

To require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry 

out research and development to improve the understanding of how 

the public receives, interprets, and responds to and values hurricane 

forecasts and warnings, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 26, 2023 

Mr. FROST (for himself and Mr. WEBSTER of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and 

Technology 

A BILL 

To require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry out research and development to improve 

the understanding of how the public receives, interprets, 

and responds to and values hurricane forecasts and 

warnings, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fixing Gaps in Hurri5 cane Preparedness Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. HURRICANE SOCIAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND ECONOMIC 

2 SCIENCES. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Na4 tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (in this 

5 section referred to as the ‘‘Administrator’’), in consulta6 tion with the Director of the National Science Foundation, 

7 shall carry out research and development to improve the 

8 understanding of how the public receives, interprets, and 

9 responds to and values hurricane forecasts and warnings. 

10 (b) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.—In conducting 

11 the research and development in accordance with sub12 section (a), the Administrator shall— 

13 (1) conduct a comprehensive review of what is 

14 known about how the public receives, interprets, and 

15 responds to and makes decisions regarding hurricane 

16 forecasts and warnings, including— 

17 (A) how the connections between weather 

18 observations, downstream models, and processes 

19 affect the decision tools or products derived 

20 from such hurricane forecasts and warnings; 

21 (B) how such hurricane forecasts and 

22 warnings generated by decision tools and prod23 ucts are used by emergency managers, govern24 ments, and other users to benefit the public and 

25 stakeholder groups; 


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1 (C) how past experiences with hurricanes 

2 impacts decision making; 

3 (D) how the source of such hurricane fore4 casts and warnings affects interpretation; 

5 (E) how tropical cyclone warnings and 

6 watches are received and interpreted; 

7 (F) how understanding of and response to 

8 such hurricane forecasts and warnings vary 

9 across demographic groups, including the elder10 ly, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable 

11 populations; 

12 (G) language barriers; and 

13 (H) how understanding and response to 

14 such hurricane forecasts and warnings varies 

15 across geographic areas, including rural, urban, 

16 and suburban. 

17 (2) identify data gaps based on the review con18 ducted pursuant to paragraph (1); 

19 (3) taking into the account the data gaps iden20 tified pursuant to paragraph (2), carry out social 

21 and behavioral research, including data collection, to 

22 improve the understanding of how the public, includ23 ing vulnerable populations, receive, interpret, and re24 spond to hurricane forecasts and warnings and to inVerDate Sep 11 2014 17:27 Oct 28, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6080.IH H6080

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1 form evidence-based updates to existing hurricane 

2 forecasts and warnings; 

3 (4) carry out research, including data collection, 

4 to evaluate and quantify the economic value of ex5 tending lead times of tropical cyclone warnings and 

6 watches, including to vulnerable populations; 

7 (5) identify affected populations and gather 

8 data to conduct baseline assessments; 

9 (6) conduct retrospective assessments of pre10 vious hurricane forecasts and warnings and improve11 ments to better understand the key components of 

12 the value of the forecasts and warnings provided; 

13 (7) conduct ex ante assessments based on po14 tential forecasts and warnings improvements and ex15 pected actions or behavior changes; 

16 (8) conduct cost benefit analysis of forecasts 

17 and warnings improvement alternatives; 

18 (9) conduct risk assessments for pre-, during, 

19 and post-storm periods in regions and communities 

20 with significant elderly populations, including retire21 ment communities; 

22 (10) establish policies and procedures for the 

23 collection, archiving, and stewardship of data on 

24 community response, including the response of vulVerDate Sep 11 2014 17:27 Oct 28, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6080.IH H6080

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1 nerable populations, to high-impact tropical systems; 

2 and 

3 (11) integrate and consider research and devel4 opment described in this subsection in the develop5 ment or enhancement of hurricane products, infor6 mation, and services. 

7 (c) PILOT STUDY.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days, the 

9 Administrator shall seek to enter into an agreement 

10 with an appropriate entity, as determined by the Ad11 ministrator, to conduct a pilot study using a mixed 

12 methods approach, such as surveys, focus groups, 

13 and interviews, to gather information from hurricane 

14 prone population areas regarding their levels of pre15 paredness for hurricanes. The surveys shall evaluate 

16 the following: 

17 (A) Possession of disaster supplies. 

18 (B) Evacuation decisions. 

19 (C) Levels of trust of tropical cyclone in20 formation from various sources. 

21 (D) Access to tropical cyclone warnings in 

22 a survey participant’s first language. 

23 (E) Determination regarding a survey par24 ticipant’s reasoning that may hinder the ability 


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1 of such a participant to evacuate or willingness 

2 to evacuate. 

3 (F) Any additional information the Admin4 istrator determines necessary. 

5 (2) ADDITIONAL CRITERIA.—The pilot study 

6 described in paragraph (1) shall define its method7 ology and be made publicly available on a website of 

8 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra9 tion. 

Æ 


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