II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 517

To establish the Weather Modification Operations and Research Board, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 3, 2005

Mrs. HUTCHISON introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

A BILL

To establish the Weather Modification Operations and 

Research Board, 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 ‘‘Weather Modification 

5 Research and Technology Transfer Authorization Act of 

6 2005’’. 

7 SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 

8 It is the purpose of this Act to develop and implement 

9 a comprehensive and coordinated national weather modi10 fication policy and a national cooperative Federal and 
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1 State program of weather modification research and devel2 opment. 

3 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

4 In this Act: 

5 (1) BOARD.—The term ‘‘Board’’ means the 

6 Weather Modification Advisory and Research Board. 

7 (2) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Execu8 tive Director’’ means the Executive Director of the 

9 Weather Modification Advisory and Research Board. 

10 (3) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.—The term 

11 ‘‘research and development’’ means theoretical anal12 ysis, exploration, experimentation, and the extension 

13 of investigative findings and theories of scientific or 

14 technical nature into practical application for experi15 mental and demonstration purposes, including the 

16 experimental production and testing of models, de17 vices, equipment, materials, and processes. 

18 (4) WEATHER MODIFICATION.—The term 

19 ‘‘weather modification’’ means changing or control20 ling, or attempting to change or control, by artificial 

21 methods the natural development of atmospheric 

22 cloud forms or precipitation forms which occur in 

23 the troposphere. 
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1 SEC. 4. WEATHER MODIFICATION ADVISORY AND RE2 SEARCH BOARD ESTABLISHED. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the De4 partment of Commerce the Weather Modification Advisory 

5 and Research Board. 

6 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall consist of 

8 11 members appointed by the Secretary of Com9 merce, of whom—

10 (A) at least 1 shall be a representative of 

11 the American Meteorological Society; 

12 (B) at least 1 shall be a representative of 

13 the American Society of Civil Engineers; 

14 (C) at least 1 shall be a representative of 

15 the National Academy of Sciences; 

16 (D) at least 1 shall be a representative of 

17 the National Center for Atmospheric Research 

18 of the National Science Foundation; 

19 (E) at least 2 shall be representatives of 

20 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin21 istration of the Department of Commerce; 

22 (F) at least 1 shall be a representative of 

23 institutions of higher education or research in24 stitutes; and 
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1 (G) at least 1 shall be a representative of 

2 a State that is currently supporting operational 

3 weather modification projects. 

4 (2) TENURE.—A member of the Board serves 

5 at the pleasure of the Secretary of Commerce. 

6 (3) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy on the Board 

7 shall be filled in the same manner as the original ap8 pointment. 

9 (b) ADVISORY COMMITTEES.—The Board may estab10 lish advisory committees to advise the Board and to make 

11 recommendations to the Board concerning legislation, poli12 cies, administration, research, and other matters. 

13 (c) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 30 days after 

14 the date on which all members of the Board have been 

15 appointed, the Board shall hold its first meeting. 

16 (d) MEETINGS.—The Board shall meet at the call of 

17 the Chair. 

18 (e) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the 

19 Board shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of 

20 members may hold hearings. 

21 (f) CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.—The Board shall select 

22 a Chair and Vice Chair from among its members. 

23 SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE BOARD. 

24 (a) PROMOTION OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOP25 MENT.—In order to assist in expanding the theoretical 
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1 and practical knowledge of weather modification, the 

2 Board shall promote and fund research and development, 

3 studies, and investigations with respect to—

4 (1) improved forecast and decision-making tech5 nologies for weather modification operations, includ6 ing tailored computer workstations and software and 

7 new observation systems with remote sensors; and 

8 (2) assessments and evaluations of the efficacy 

9 of weather modification, both purposeful (including 

10 cloud-seeding operations) and inadvertent (including 

11 downwind effects and anthropogenic effects). 

12 (b) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—Unless the use of the 

13 money is restricted or subject to any limitations provided 

14 by law, the Board shall use amounts in the Weather Modi15 fication Research and Development Fund—

16 (1) to pay its expenses in the administration of 

17 this Act, and 

18 (2) to provide for research and development 

19 with respect to weather modifications by grants to, 

20 or contracts or cooperative arrangements, with pub21 lic or private agencies. 

22 (c) REPORT.—The Board shall submit to the Sec23 retary biennially a report on its findings and research re24 sults. 
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1 SEC. 6. POWERS OF THE BOARD. 

2 (a) STUDIES, INVESTIGATIONS, AND HEARINGS.— 

3 The Board may make any studies or investigations, obtain 

4 any information, and hold any hearings necessary or prop5 er to administer or enforce this Act or any rules or orders 

6 issued under this Act. 

7 (b) PERSONNEL.—The Board may employ, as pro8 vided for in appropriations Acts, an Executive Director 

9 and other support staff necessary to perform duties and 

10 functions under this Act. 

11 (c) COOPERATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES.—The 

12 Board may cooperate with public or private agencies to 

13 promote the purposes of this Act. 

14 (d) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The Board may 

15 enter into cooperative agreements with the head of any 

16 department or agency of the United States, an appropriate 

17 official of any State or political subdivision of a State, or 

18 an appropriate official of any private or public agency or 

19 organization for conducting weather modification activities 

20 or cloud-seeding operations. 

21 (e) CONDUCT AND CONTRACTS FOR RESEARCH AND

22 DEVELOPMENT.—The Executive Director, with the ap23 proval of the Board, may conduct and may contract for 

24 research and development activities relating to the pur25 poses of this section. 
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1 SEC. 7. COOPERATION WITH THE WEATHER MODIFICATION 

2 OPERATIONS AND RESEARCH BOARD. 

3 The heads of the departments and agencies of the 

4 United States and the heads of any other public or private 

5 agencies and institutions that receive research funds from 

6 the United States shall, to the extent possible, give full 

7 support and cooperation to the Board and to initiate inde8 pendent research and development programs that address 

9 weather modifications. 

10 SEC. 8. FUNDING. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established within the 

12 Treasury of the United States the Weather Modification 

13 Research and Development Fund, which shall consist of 

14 amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (b) or re15 ceived by the Board under subsection (c). 

16 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

17 authorized to be appropriated to the Board for the pur18 poses of carrying out the provisions of this Act 

19 $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2005 through 2014. 

20 Any sums appropriated under this subsection shall remain 

21 available, without fiscal year limitation, until expended. 

22 (c) GIFTS.—The Board may accept, use, and dispose 

23 of gifts or donations of services or property. 

24 SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

25 This Act shall take effect on October 1, 2005.

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