IB 
Union Calendar No. 285 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 2413 
[Report No. 113–383] 
To prioritize and redirect NOAA resources to a focused program of investment 
on near-term, affordable, and attainable advances in observational, com-
puting, and modeling capabilities to deliver substantial improvement in 
weather forecasting and prediction of high impact weather events, such 
as tornadoes and hurricanes, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 18, 2013 
Mr. BRIDENSTINE (for himself, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. STEWART, and Mr. 
HARRIS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology 
MARCH 21, 2014 
Additional sponsors: Mr. BENTIVOLIO, Mr. COLLINS of New York, Mr. ROHR-
ABACHER, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. 
GRAYSON, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. MAFFEI, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. POE of Texas, 
Mr. TAKANO, Mr. BROUN of Georgia, Mr. STUTZMAN, Mr. SALMON, Mr. 
YOHO, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, and Mrs. HARTZLER 
MARCH 21, 2014 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 18, 2013] 
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A BILL 
To prioritize and redirect NOAA resources to a focused 
program of investment on near-term, affordable, and at-
tainable advances in observational, computing, and mod-
eling capabilities to deliver substantial improvement in 
weather forecasting and prediction of high impact weath-
er events, such as tornadoes and hurricanes, and for 
other purposes. 
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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 ‘‘Weather Forecasting Im-
provement Act of 2013’’. 
SEC. 2. PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITY. 
In accordance with NOAA’s critical mission to provide 
science, service, and stewardship, the Under Secretary shall 
prioritize weather-related activities, including the provision 
of weather data, forecasts, and warnings for the protection 
of life and property and the enhancement of the national 
economy, in all relevant line offices. 
SEC. 3. WEATHER RESEARCH AND FORECASTING INNOVA-
TION. 
(a) PROGRAM.—The Assistant Administrator for OAR 
shall conduct a program to develop improved understanding 
of and forecast capabilities for atmospheric events and their 
impacts, placing priority on developing more accurate, 
timely, and effective warnings and forecasts of high impact 
weather events that endanger life and property. 
(b) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.—The program described in 
subsection (a) shall focus on the following activities: 
(1) Improving the fundamental understanding of 
weather consistent with section 2, including boundary 
layer and other atmospheric processes. 
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(2) Improving the understanding of how the pub-
lic receives, interprets, and responds to warnings and 
forecasts of high impact weather events that endanger 
life and property. 
(3) Research and development, and transfer of 
knowledge, technologies, and applications to the NWS 
and other appropriate agencies and entities, includ-
ing the American weather industry and academic 
partners, related to— 
(A) advanced radar, radar networking tech-
nologies, and other ground-based technologies, in-
cluding those emphasizing rapid, fine-scale sens-
ing of the boundary layer and the use of innova-
tive, 
dual-polarization, 
phased-array 
tech-
nologies; 
(B) aerial weather observing systems; 
(C) high performance computing and infor-
mation technology networks; 
(D) advanced numerical weather prediction 
systems and forecasting tools and techniques that 
improve the forecasting of timing, track, inten-
sity, and severity of high impact weather, in-
cluding through— 
(i) the development of more effective 
mesoscale models; 
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(ii) more effective use of existing, and 
the development of new, regional and na-
tional cloud-resolving models; 
(iii) enhanced global models; and 
(iv) integrated assessment models; 
(E) quantitative assessment tools for meas-
uring the value of data and observing systems, 
including OSSEs (as described in section 8), 
OSEs, and AOAs; 
(F) atmospheric chemistry and interactions 
essential to accurately characterizing atmos-
pheric composition and predicting meteorological 
processes, including cloud microphysical, pre-
cipitation, and atmospheric electrification proc-
esses, to more effectively understand their role in 
severe weather; and 
(G) additional sources of weather data and 
information, including commercial observing 
systems. 
(4) A technology transfer initiative, carried out 
jointly and in coordination with the Assistant Ad-
ministrator for NWS, and in cooperation with the 
American weather industry and academic partners, 
to ensure continuous development and transition of 
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the latest scientific and technological advances into 
NWS operations. 
(c) EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the program 
under this section, the Assistant Administrator for 
OAR shall collaborate with and support the non-Fed-
eral weather research community, which includes in-
stitutions of higher education, private entities, and 
nongovernmental organizations, by making funds 
available through competitive grants, contracts, and 
cooperative agreements. 
(2) SENSE
OF
CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that not less than 30 percent of the funds 
authorized for research and development at OAR by 
this Act should be made available for this purpose. 
(3) REPORT.—The Under Secretary shall trans-
mit to Congress annually, concurrently with NOAA’s 
budget request, a description of current and planned 
activities under this section. 
SEC. 4. TORNADO WARNING IMPROVEMENT AND EXTEN-
SION PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary, in collabora-
tion with the American weather industry and academic 
partners, shall establish a tornado warning improvement 
and extension program. 
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(b) GOAL.—The goal of such program shall be to reduce 
the loss of life and economic losses from tornadoes through 
the development and extension of accurate, effective, and 
timely tornado forecasts, predictions, and warnings, includ-
ing the prediction of tornadoes beyond one hour in advance. 
(c) PROGRAM PLAN.—Not later than 6 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Adminis-
trator for OAR, in consultation with the Assistant Admin-
istrator for NWS, shall develop a program plan that details 
the specific research, development, and technology transfer 
activities, as well as corresponding resources and timelines, 
necessary to achieve the program goal. 
(d) BUDGET FOR PLAN.—Following completion of the 
plan, the Assistant Administrator for OAR, in consultation 
with the Assistant Administrator for NWS, shall transmit 
annually to Congress a proposed budget corresponding to 
the activities identified in the plan. 
SEC. 5. HURRICANE WARNING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary, in collabora-
tion with the American weather industry and academic 
partners, shall establish a hurricane warning improvement 
program. 
(b) GOAL.—The goal of such program shall be to de-
velop and extend accurate hurricane forecasts and warnings 
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in order to reduce loss of life, injury, and damage to the 
economy. 
(c) PROGRAM PLAN.—Not later than 6 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Adminis-
trator for OAR, in consultation with the Assistant Admin-
istrator for NWS, shall develop a program plan that details 
the specific research, development, and technology transfer 
activities, as well as corresponding resources and timelines, 
necessary to achieve the program goal. 
(d) BUDGET FOR PLAN.—Following completion of the 
plan, the Assistant Administrator for OAR, in consultation 
with the Assistant Administrator for NWS, shall transmit 
annually to Congress a proposed budget corresponding to 
the activities identified in the plan. 
SEC. 6. WEATHER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN-
NING. 
Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Assistant Adminis-
trator for OAR, in coordination with the Assistant Admin-
istrators for NWS and NESDIS, shall issue a research and 
development plan to restore and maintain United States 
leadership in numerical weather prediction and forecasting 
that— 
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(1) describes the forecasting skill and technology 
goals, objectives, and progress of NOAA in carrying 
out the program conducted under section 3; 
(2) identifies and prioritizes specific research 
and development activities, and performance metrics, 
weighted to meet the operational weather mission of 
NWS; 
(3) describes how the program will collaborate 
with stakeholders, including the American weather in-
dustry and academic partners; and 
(4) identifies, through consultation with the Na-
tional Science Foundation, American weather indus-
try, and academic partners, research necessary to en-
hance the integration of social science knowledge into 
weather forecast and warning processes, including to 
improve the communication of threat information 
necessary to enable improved severe weather planning 
and decisionmaking on the part of individuals and 
communities. 
SEC. 7. OBSERVING SYSTEM PLANNING. 
The Under Secretary shall— 
(1) develop and maintain a prioritized list of ob-
servation data requirements necessary to ensure 
weather forecasting capabilities to protect life and 
property to the maximum extent practicable; 
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(2) undertake, using OSSEs, OSEs, AOAs, and 
other appropriate assessment tools, ongoing system-
atic evaluations of the combination of observing sys-
tems, data, and information needed to meet the re-
quirements developed under paragraph (1), assessing 
various options to maximize observational capabili-
ties and their cost-effectiveness; 
(3) identify current and potential future data 
gaps in observing capabilities related to the require-
ments under paragraph (1); and 
(4) determine a range of options to address gaps 
identified under paragraph (3). 
SEC. 8. OBSERVING SYSTEM SIMULATION EXPERIMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In support of the requirements of 
section 7, the Assistant Administrator for OAR shall under-
take OSSEs to quantitatively assess the relative value and 
benefits of observing capabilities and systems. Technical 
and scientific OSSE evaluations— 
(1) may include assessments of the impact of ob-
serving capabilities on— 
(A) global weather prediction; 
(B) hurricane track and intensity fore-
casting; 
(C) tornado warning lead times and accu-
racy; and 
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(D) prediction of mid-latitude severe local 
storm outbreaks; and 
(2) shall be conducted in cooperation with other 
appropriate entities within NOAA, other Federal 
agencies, the American weather industry, and aca-
demic partners. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—OSSEs shall quantitatively— 
(1) determine the potential impact of proposed 
space-based, suborbital, and in situ observing systems 
on analyses and forecasts; 
(2) evaluate and compare observing system de-
sign options; and 
(3) assess the relative capabilities and costs of 
various observing systems and combinations of observ-
ing systems in providing data necessary to protect life 
and property. 
(c) IMPLEMENTATION.—OSSEs— 
(1) shall be conducted prior to the acquisition of 
major Government-owned or Government-leased oper-
ational observing systems, including polar-orbiting 
and geostationary satellite systems, with a lifecycle 
cost of more than $500,000,000; and 
(2) shall be conducted prior to the purchase of 
any major new commercially provided data with a 
lifecycle cost of more than $500,000,000. 
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(d) PRIORITY OSSES.—Not later than June 30, 2014, 
the Assistant Administrator for OAR shall complete OSSEs 
to assess the value of data from both Global Positioning Sys-
tem radio occultation and a geostationary hyperspectral 
sounder global constellation. 
(e) RESULTS.—Upon completion of all OSSEs, results 
shall be publicly released and accompanied by an assess-
ment of related private and public sector weather data 
sourcing options, including their availability, affordability, 
and cost effectiveness. Such assessments shall be developed 
in accordance with section 50503 of title 51, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 9. COMPUTING RESOURCES PRIORITIZATION REPORT. 
Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and annually thereafter, the NOAA Chief Infor-
mation Officer, in coordination with the Assistant Admin-
istrator for OAR and the Assistant Administrator for NWS, 
shall produce a report that explains how NOAA intends 
to— 
(1) aggressively pursue the newest, fastest, and 
most cost effective high performance computing tech-
nologies in support of its weather prediction mission; 
(2) ensure a balance between the research re-
quirements to develop the next generation of regional 
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and global models and its highly reliable operational 
models; 
(3) take advantage of advanced development con-
cepts to, as appropriate, make its next generation 
weather prediction models available in beta-test mode 
to its operational forecasters, the American weather 
industry, and its partners in academic and govern-
ment research; 
(4) identify opportunities to reallocate existing 
advanced computing resources from lower priority 
uses to improve advanced research and operational 
weather prediction; and 
(5) harness new computing power in OAR and 
NWS for immediate improvement in forecasting and 
experimentation. 
SEC. 10. COMMERCIAL WEATHER DATA. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Section 60161 of title 51, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘This prohibition shall not extend to— 
‘‘(1) the purchase of weather data through con-
tracts with commercial providers; or 
‘‘(2) the placement of weather satellite instru-
ments on cohosted government or private payloads.’’. 
(b) STRATEGY.— 
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