IIB 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6093 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
MAY 1, 2024 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation 
AN ACT 
To improve the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration’s weather research, support improvements in 
weather forecasting and prediction, expand commercial 
opportunities for the provision of weather data, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthor-
ization Act of 2023’’ or the ‘‘Weather Act Reauthorization 
Act of 2023’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Definitions. 
TITLE I—REAUTHORIZATION OF THE WEATHER RESEARCH AND 
FORECASTING INNOVATION ACT OF 2017 
Sec. 101. Public safety priority. 
Sec. 102. United States weather research and forecasting. 
Sec. 103. Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment 
(VORTEX). 
Sec. 104. Hurricane forecast improvement program. 
Sec. 105. Tsunami Warning and Education Act reauthorization. 
Sec. 106. Observing system planning. 
Sec. 107. Observing system simulation experiments. 
Sec. 108. Computing resources prioritization. 
Sec. 109. Earth prediction innovation center. 
Sec. 110. Satellite architecture planning. 
Sec. 111. Improving uncrewed activities. 
Sec. 112. Interagency Council for Advancing Meteorological Services. 
Sec. 113. Ocean observations. 
Sec. 114. Consolidation of reports. 
Sec. 115. National Landslide Preparedness Act reauthorization. 
Sec. 116. Amendments to Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and 
Control Act of 1998. 
TITLE II—ENHANCING FEDERAL WEATHER FORECASTING AND 
INNOVATION 
Sec. 201. Weather innovation for the next generation. 
Sec. 202. Next generation radar. 
Sec. 203. Data voids in highly vulnerable areas of the United States. 
Sec. 204. Atmospheric rivers forecast improvement program. 
Sec. 205. Coastal flooding and storm surge forecast improvement program. 
Sec. 206. Aviation weather and data innovation. 
Sec. 207. NESDIS joint venture partnership transition program. 
Sec. 208. Advanced weather interactive processing system. 
Sec. 209. Reanalysis and reforecasting. 
Sec. 210. National Weather Service workforce. 
TITLE III—COMMERCIAL WEATHER AND ENVIRONMENTAL 
OBSERVATIONS 
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Sec. 301. Commercial Data Program. 
Sec. 302. Commercial Data Pilot Program. 
Sec. 303. Contracting authority and avoidance of duplication. 
Sec. 304. Data assimilation, management, and sharing practices. 
Sec. 305. Clerical amendment. 
TITLE IV—COMMUNICATING WEATHER TO THE PUBLIC 
Sec. 401. Definitions. 
Sec. 402. Hazardous weather or water event risk communication. 
Sec. 403. Hazard communication research and engagement. 
Sec. 404. National Weather Service communications improvement. 
Sec. 405. NOAA Weather Radio modernization. 
Sec. 406. Post-storm surveys and assessments. 
Sec. 407. Government Accountability Office report on alert dissemination for 
hazardous weather or water events. 
Sec. 408. Data collection management and protection. 
TITLE V—IMPROVING WEATHER INFORMATION FOR 
AGRICULTURE AND WATER MANAGEMENT 
Sec. 501. Weather and climate information in agriculture and water manage-
ment. 
Sec. 502. National Integrated Drought Information System. 
Sec. 503. National Mesonet Program. 
Sec. 504. National Coordinated Soil Moisture Monitoring Network. 
Sec. 505. National water center. 
Sec. 506. Satellite transfers report. 
Sec. 507. Precipitation forecast improvement program. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In this Act, the terms ‘‘seasonal’’, 
‘‘State’’, ‘‘subseasonal’’, ‘‘Under Secretary’’, ‘‘weather en-
terprise’’, ‘‘weather data’’, and ‘‘weather industry’’ have 
the meanings given such terms in section 2 of the Weather 
Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 
U.S.C. 8501). 
(b) WEATHER DATA DEFINED.—Section 2 of the 
Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 
2017 (15 U.S.C. 8501) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (5) as para-
graph (6); and 
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(2) by inserting after paragraph (4) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(5) WEATHER
DATA.—The term ‘weather 
data’ means information used to track and predict 
weather conditions and patterns, including forecasts, 
observations, and derivative products from such in-
formation.’’. 
TITLE I—REAUTHORIZATION OF 
THE 
WEATHER 
RESEARCH 
AND FORECASTING INNOVA-
TION ACT OF 2017 
SEC. 101. PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITY. 
Section 101 of the Weather Research and Fore-
casting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8511) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: 
‘‘The Under Secretary shall ensure the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration remains focused on pro-
viding accurate and timely weather forecasts that protect 
lives and property and enhance the national economy by 
disseminating to the public and core partners through 
nimble, flexible, and mobile methods critical weather infor-
mation and impact-based decision support services.’’. 
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SEC. 102. UNITED STATES WEATHER RESEARCH AND FORE-
CASTING. 
Section 110 of the Weather Research and Fore-
casting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8519) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 110. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Office of Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Research to carry out this title the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) $155,000,000 for fiscal year 2024, of 
which— 
‘‘(A) $90,000,000 is authorized for weath-
er laboratories and cooperative institutes; 
‘‘(B) $30,000,000 is authorized for the 
United States Weather Research Program; 
‘‘(C) $20,000,000 is authorized for tor-
nado, severe storm, and next generation radar 
research; and 
‘‘(D) $15,000,000 is authorized for the 
joint technology transfer initiative described in 
section 102(b)(4) of this title. 
‘‘(2) $156,550,000 for fiscal year 2025, of 
which— 
‘‘(A) $90,900,000 is authorized for weath-
er laboratories and cooperative institutes; 
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‘‘(B) $30,300,000 is authorized for the 
United States Weather Research Program; 
‘‘(C) $20,200,000 is authorized for tor-
nado, severe storm, and next generation radar 
research; and 
‘‘(D) $15,150,000 is authorized for the 
joint technology transfer initiative described in 
section 102(b)(4) of this title. 
‘‘(3) $158,116,000 for fiscal year 2026, of 
which— 
‘‘(A) $91,809,000 is authorized for weath-
er laboratories and cooperative institutes; 
‘‘(B) $30,603,000 is authorized for the 
United States Weather Research Program; 
‘‘(C) $20,402,000 is authorized for tor-
nado, severe storm, and next generation radar 
research; and 
‘‘(D) $15,302,000 is authorized for the 
joint technology transfer initiative described in 
section 102(b)(4) of this title. 
‘‘(4) $159,697,000 for fiscal year 2027, of 
which— 
‘‘(A) $92,727,000 is authorized for weath-
er laboratories and cooperative institutes; 
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‘‘(B) $30,909,000 is authorized for the 
United States Weather Research Program; 
‘‘(C) $20,606,000 is authorized for tor-
nado, severe storm, and next generation radar 
research; and 
‘‘(D) $15,455,000 is authorized for the 
joint technology transfer initiative described in 
section 102(b)(4) of this title. 
‘‘(5) $161,294,000 for fiscal year 2028, of 
which— 
‘‘(A) $93,654,000 is authorized for weath-
er laboratories and cooperative institutes; 
‘‘(B) $31,218,000 is authorized for the 
United States Weather Research Program; 
‘‘(C) $20,812,000 is authorized for tor-
nado, severe storm, and next generation radar 
research; and 
‘‘(D) $15,609,000 is authorized for the 
joint technology transfer initiative described in 
section 8512(b)(4) of this title. 
‘‘(b) LIMITATION.—No additional funds are author-
ized to carry out this title or the amendments made by 
this title.’’. 
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