SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘NOAA Weather Radio 
Modernization Act of 2021’’ or ‘‘NWR Modernization Act 
of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
(a) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Administrator’’ 
means the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
Atmosphere and Administrator of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration. 
(b) NOAA WEATHER RADIO.—The term ‘‘NOAA 
Weather Radio’’ means the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration Weather Radio All Hazards net-
work. 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The NOAA Weather Radio is a nationwide 
network of transmitters that are critical to pro-
tecting life and property by broadcasting weather 
and other hazard alerts. 
(2) NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts currently 
reach 95 percent of the United States population. 
(3) NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts originate 
from all National Weather Service Offices, but are 
only available via a receiver located in sufficient 
proximity to a radio transmitting tower.
(4) There are limited options to obtain NOAA 
Weather Radio broadcasts via the Internet or mobile 
device application, which are provided by volunteer 
mechanisms obtaining the audio feed in an ad hoc 
manner. 
(5) NOAA Weather Radio should provide equal 
access and availability to unimpeded broadcasts of 
weather and non-weather hazards to every person lo-
cated within the United States, its territories, and 
tribal lands. 
SEC. 4. UPGRADING EXISTING SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall, to the 
maximum extent practicable, expand coverage of the 
NOAA Weather Radio and ensure its reliability. In doing 
so, the Administrator shall— 
(1) maintain support for existing systems serv-
ing areas not covered by or having poor quality cel-
lular service; 
(2) ensure consistent maintenance and oper-
ations monitoring, with timely repairs to broadcast 
transmitter site equipment and antennas; and 
(3) enhance the ability to amplify Non-Weather 
Emergency Messages via NOAA Weather Radio as 
necessary.
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$20,000,000 to remain available until expended. 
(c) EXPANDING ACCESS.—As part of the activities in 
this section, the Administrator shall acquire additional 
transmitters as required to expand coverage to rural and 
underserved communities, national parks, and recreation 
areas. 
SEC. 5. MODERNIZATION INITIATIVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In parallel to the activities under 
section 4, the Administrator shall, to the maximum extent 
practicable, enhance NOAA Weather Radio to ensure its 
capabilities and coverage remain valuable to the public. In 
carrying out these activities, the Administrator shall— 
(1) upgrade the telecommunications infrastruc-
ture to accelerate the transition of broadcasts to 
Internet Protocol-based communications over non- 
copper media; 
(2) accelerate software upgrades to the Ad-
vanced Weather Interactive Processing System, or 
the relevant system successors, in order to imple-
ment partial county notifications and alerts; 
(3) consult with relevant stakeholders, including 
the private sector, to enhance accessibility and 
usability of NOAA Weather Radio data and feeds;
(4) develop options, including, but not limited 
to, satellite backup capability and commercial pro-
vider partnerships for NOAA Weather Radio con-
tinuity in the event of Weather Forecast Office out-
ages; 
(5) research and develop alternative options, in-
cluding, but not limited to, microwave capabilities, to 
transmit NOAA Weather Radio signals to transmit-
ters that are remote or do not have IP capability; 
and 
(6) transition critical applications to the Inte-
grated Dissemination Program, or the relevant pro-
gram successors. 
(b) PRIORITY.—In carrying out the objectives de-
scribed in subsection (a), the Administrator shall prioritize 
practices, capabilities, and technologies recommended by 
the assessment in subsection (c), to maximize accessibility, 
particularly in remote and underserved areas of the coun-
try. 
(c) ASSESSMENT FOR MANAGEMENT AND DISTRIBU-
TION.—Not later than 12 months after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Administrator shall complete an as-
sessment of access to NOAA Weather Radio. In con-
ducting such an assessment, the Administrator shall take 
into consideration and provide recommendations on—
(1) the need for continuous, adequate, and 
operational real-time broadcasts of the NOAA 
Weather Radio in both urban and rural areas; 
(2) solicited inputs from relevant stakeholders 
on the compatibility of NOAA Weather Radio data 
for third party platforms that provide online serv-
ices, such as websites and mobile device applications, 
or deliver NOAA Weather Radio access; 
(3) existing or new management systems, which 
promote consistent, efficient, and compatible access 
to NOAA Weather Radio; 
(4) the ability of NOAA to aggregate real time 
broadcast feeds at one or more central locations; 
(5) effective interagency coordination; 
(6) the potential effects of an electromagnetic 
pulse or geomagnetic disturbance on NOAA Weather 
Radio; and 
(7) any other function the Administrator deems 
necessary.
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$40,000,000 to remain available until expended. 
Passed the House of Representatives May 11, 2022. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5324 
AN ACT 
To provide guidance for and investment in the up-
grade and modernization of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio 
All Hazards network, and for other purposes.