I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4563 
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 
JULY 21, 2025 
Mr. FROST (for himself and Mr. WEBSTER of Florida) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology 
A BILL 
To require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration 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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fixing Gaps in Hurri-
cane Preparedness Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. HURRICANE SOCIAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND ECONOMIC 
SCIENCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (in this 
section referred to as the ‘‘Administrator’’), in consulta-
tion with the Director of the National Science Foundation, 
shall carry out research and development to improve the 
understanding of how the public receives, interprets, and 
responds to and values hurricane forecasts and warnings. 
(b) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.—In conducting 
the research and development in accordance with sub-
section (a), the Administrator shall— 
(1) conduct a comprehensive review of what is 
known about how the public receives, interprets, and 
responds to and makes decisions regarding hurricane 
forecasts and warnings, including— 
(A) how the connections between weather 
observations, downstream models, and processes 
affect the decision tools or products derived 
from such hurricane forecasts and warnings; 
(B) how such hurricane forecasts and 
warnings generated by decision tools and prod-
ucts are used by emergency managers, govern-
ments, and other users to benefit the public and 
stakeholder groups; 
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(C) how past experiences with hurricanes 
impacts decision making; 
(D) how the source of such hurricane fore-
casts and warnings affects interpretation; 
(E) how tropical cyclone warnings and 
watches are received and interpreted; 
(F) how understanding of and response to 
such hurricane forecasts and warnings vary 
across demographic groups, including the elder-
ly, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable 
populations; 
(G) language barriers; and 
(H) how understanding and response to 
such hurricane forecasts and warnings varies 
across geographic areas, including rural, urban, 
and suburban; 
(2) identify data gaps based on the review con-
ducted pursuant to paragraph (1); 
(3) taking into the account the data gaps iden-
tified pursuant to paragraph (2), carry out social 
and behavioral research, including data collection, to 
improve the understanding of how the public, includ-
ing vulnerable populations, receive, interpret, and re-
spond to hurricane forecasts and warnings and to in-
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form evidence-based updates to existing hurricane 
forecasts and warnings; 
(4) carry out research, including data collection, 
to evaluate and quantify the economic value of ex-
tending lead times of tropical cyclone warnings and 
watches, including to vulnerable populations; 
(5) identify affected populations and gather 
data to conduct baseline assessments; 
(6) conduct retrospective assessments of pre-
vious hurricane forecasts and warnings and improve-
ments to better understand the key components of 
the value of the forecasts and warnings provided; 
(7) conduct ex ante assessments based on po-
tential forecasts and warnings improvements and ex-
pected actions or behavior changes; 
(8) conduct cost benefit analysis of forecasts 
and warnings improvement alternatives; 
(9) conduct risk assessments for pre-, during, 
and post-storm periods in regions and communities 
with significant elderly populations, including retire-
ment communities; 
(10) establish policies and procedures for the 
collection, archiving, and stewardship of data on 
community response, including the response of vul-
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nerable populations, to high-impact tropical systems; 
and 
(11) integrate and consider research and devel-
opment described in this subsection in the develop-
ment or enhancement of hurricane products, infor-
mation, and services. 
(c) PILOT STUDY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days, the 
Administrator shall seek to enter into an agreement 
with an appropriate entity, as determined by the Ad-
ministrator, to conduct a pilot study using a mixed 
methods approach, such as surveys, focus groups, 
and interviews, to gather information from hurricane 
prone population areas regarding their levels of pre-
paredness for hurricanes. The surveys shall evaluate 
the following: 
(A) Possession of disaster supplies. 
(B) Evacuation decisions. 
(C) Levels of trust of tropical cyclone in-
formation from various sources. 
(D) Access to tropical cyclone warnings in 
a survey participant’s first language. 
(E) Determination regarding a survey par-
ticipant’s reasoning that may hinder the ability 
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of such a participant to evacuate or willingness 
to evacuate. 
(F) Any additional information the Admin-
istrator determines necessary. 
(2) ADDITIONAL
CRITERIA.—The pilot study 
described in paragraph (1) shall define its method-
ology and be made publicly available on a website of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion. 
Æ 
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