including for use in long-term planning and risk 
management by States, Tribal governments, local-
ities, and emergency managers in coordination with 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as ap-
propriate. 
(5) Establishing skill metrics for coastal inun-
dation forecasting that quantify the benefits of dy-
namical modeling, data assimilation, and machine 
learning improvements in the probabilistic forecast 
of coastal flooding, including high tide flooding, and 
storm surge risk and impacts. 
(6) Improving operational regional storm surge 
models and, in collaboration with the United States 
Geological Survey, wave prediction models to en-
hance probabilistic guidance and messaging. 
(d) INNOVATIVE OBSERVATIONS AND MODELING.— 
The Under Secretary shall ensure the program periodically 
examines, tests, and evaluates the value of incorporating 
enhanced model physics, hybrid dynamical or machine 
learning based prediction systems, and innovative observa-
tions, such as novel sensor technologies, observation net-
works, crewed or uncrewed systems, and hosted instru-
ments on commercial aircrafts, vessels, and satellites, with 
respect to the improvement of coastal flooding, including 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:31 Jul 16, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00087
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3816.IH
H3816
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
high tide flooding, and storm surge forecasts, predictions, 
and warnings. 
(e) PROGRAM PLAN.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary 
shall develop a plan that details the specific research, de-
velopment, data acquisition, and technology transfer ac-
tivities, as well as corresponding resources and timelines, 
necessary to achieve the goal of the program under sub-
section (b). 
(f) ANNUAL BUDGET FOR PLAN SUBMISSION.—After 
the development of the plan pursuant to subsection (e), 
the Under Secretary shall, not less frequently than annu-
ally, submit to Congress a proposed budget corresponding 
with the activities identified in such plan. 
SEC. 206. AVIATION WEATHER AND DATA INNOVATION. 
(a) PROGRAM.—The Under Secretary shall maintain 
an airborne observation program (in this section referred 
to as the ‘‘program’’) for the acquisition of atmospheric 
sensor data and the deployment of critical atmospheric 
sensors, including in partnership with the weather enter-
prise. 
(b) ACTIVITIES.—The program shall include activi-
ties that carry out the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:31 Jul 16, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00088
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3816.IH
H3816
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(1) Procurement of weather data available from 
commercial aircraft, as determined by the Under 
Secretary. 
(2) Acquisition of additional vertical profile ob-
servations that provide spatial and temporal density, 
as determined by the Under Secretary. 
(3) Analysis of procured data when incor-
porated into the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration’s unified forecast system in order to 
provide improved forecast information for aircraft. 
(c) BUDGET.—The Under Secretary shall, not less 
frequently than annually, submit to Congress a proposed 
budget corresponding with the activities described in sub-
section (b), including an analysis of activities that can be 
complemented by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration aircraft. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—From 
amounts authorized to be appropriated for the Commercial 
Data Program under section 302 of the Weather Research 
and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017, there shall be 
available not more than $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2026 through 2030 to carry out the program. 
(e) AVIATION WEATHER AND TURBULENCE FORE-
CASTING.—The Director of the National Weather Service 
shall include turbulence events, icing conditions, or other 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:31 Jul 16, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00089
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3816.IH
H3816
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
phenomena in the forecasting capabilities of the Aviation 
Weather Center and the Center Weather Service Units, 
and deliver operational forecasts with consistent, timely, 
and accurate weather and turbulence information for the 
airspace system and the protection of lives and property. 
(f) COORDINATION.—In carrying out subsection (e), 
the Director of the National Weather Service shall give 
consideration to recommendations from the Administrator 
of the Federal Aviation Administration in furtherance of 
section 44720 of title 49, United States Code, and improve 
weather and turbulence forecasting capabilities by car-
rying out the following: 
(1) Designating or establishing within the Fed-
eral Government an interagency working group to 
determine weather and environmental data or obser-
vation requirements, needs, and potential solutions 
related to aviation weather and turbulence modeling 
or forecasting. 
(2) Identifying current and future potential 
data gaps related to turbulence events or phenomena 
that can— 
(A) identify or inform route-specific flight 
planning; and 
(B) be supplemented or filled by commer-
cial aviation tools. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:31 Jul 16, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00090
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3816.IH
H3816
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(3) Transitioning research initiatives and pilot 
programs, including a pilot program of instrumenta-
tion for observing greenhouse gases and other at-
mospheric factors deployed on commercial aircraft 
and support for the evaluation of a sustained observ-
ing network using such instrumentation, into oper-
ations that improve the forecasting capabilities of 
the Aviation Weather Center. 
(4) Developing and deploying improved prob-
abilistic aviation weather forecast guidance tech-
nology. 
(5) Updating interagency agreements as appro-
priate, including to address reimbursable agree-
ments. 
(g) NEXT GENERATION AVIATION RESEARCH.— 
Paragraph (3) of section 102(b) of the Weather Research 
and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 
8512(b)), as amended by section 111(a), is further amend-
ed by— 
(1) redesignating subparagraphs (F) and (G) as 
subparagraphs (G) and (H), respectively; and 
(2) inserting after subparagraph (E) the fol-
lowing new subparagraph: 
‘‘(F) aviation weather phenomena, includ-
ing atmospheric composition and turbulence, to 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:31 Jul 16, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00091
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3816.IH
H3816
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
improve scientific understanding and forecast 
capabilities for the airspace system;’’. 
(h) AVIATION INFORMATION DISSEMINATION.—The 
Under Secretary shall ensure the Aviation Weather Center 
is able, to the maximum extent possible, to disseminate 
in a timely manner full resolution aviation weather data, 
forecasts, and information to meet the needs of aviation 
users. 
(i) PROVISION OF WEATHER SERVICES TO THE FED-
ERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that the aviation weather services provided 
to the Federal Aviation Administration by the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are 
critical to the functions of the Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration and the safety of the flying public. 
(2) INTERAGENCY
AGREEMENT.—The Under 
Secretary and the Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration shall enter into or otherwise 
participate in an interagency agreement for a period 
of not less than five years under which the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides 
weather services to the Federal Aviation Administra-
tion. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:31 Jul 16, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00092
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3816.IH
H3816
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(3) BRIEFINGS.—Not less frequently than once 
per quarter through 2030, the Under Secretary and 
the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration shall provide a briefing to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Sen-
ate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-
nology of the House of Representatives on the status 
of the provision by the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration of weather services to the 
Federal Aviation Administration and the interagency 
agreement under paragraph (2). 
SEC. 207. NESDIS PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, TRANSITION 
PROGRAM, AND OPERATIONAL PLANNING. 
(a) PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Administrator 
of the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and 
Information Service (in this section referred to as 
the ‘‘Assistant Administrator’’) shall maintain a 
partnership program to enhance engagement with 
the private sector, academia, and other Federal de-
partments and agencies (in this section referred to 
as the ‘‘partnership program’’). 
(2) ADMINISTRATION.—The Assistant Adminis-
trator, in consultation with the Administrator of the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:31 Jul 16, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00093
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3816.IH
H3816
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
shall administer broad agency announcements and 
other transactional authority or contracting mecha-
nisms, on an annual or more frequent basis, to sup-
port the partnership program. 
(b) TRANSITION PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To support the development 
of next-generation technologies, missions, data sys-
tems, spacecraft, and instrument design, the Assist-
ant Administrator, in consultation with the Adminis-
trator of the National Aeronautics and Space Ad-
ministration, shall maintain a program to transition 
selected awards from research and study phases into 
demonstration (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘transition program’’). 
(2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In selecting awardees 
for demonstrations under the transition program, 
the Assistant Administrator shall consider tech-
nologies, missions, data systems, spacecraft, and in-
strument design that accomplish the following: 
(A) Improve upon the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration’s satellite ar-
chitecture. 
(B) Have a direct impact on implementing 
the recommendations of the Administration’s 
2018 Satellite Observing System Architecture 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:31 Jul 16, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00094
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3816.IH
H3816
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
Study entitled, ‘‘Building a Plan for NOAA’s 
21st Century Satellite Observing System’’. 
(C) Meet current or future mission re-
quirements. 
(c) OPERATIONAL PLANNING.—In carrying out the 
transition program, the Assistant Administrator shall 
monitor demonstration phase progress and plan for prom-
ising results that meet mission requirements to be 
transitioned into the operational satellite architecture of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
(d) ANNUAL PLAN.—Not less frequently than annu-
ally until 2030, the Assistant Administrator shall submit 
to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate an an-
nual plan that outlines the progress made in the partner-
ship program under subsection (a), the transition program 
under section (b), and operational planning under sub-
section (c). 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—From 
amounts authorized to be appropriated to the National 
Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, 
there shall be available $20,000,000 for fiscal years 2026 
through 2030 to carry out to this section. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:31 Jul 16, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00095
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3816.IH
H3816
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
SEC. 208. ADVANCED WEATHER INTERACTIVE PROCESSING 
SYSTEM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than September 30, 
2030, the Under Secretary, acting through the Director 
of the National Weather Service, shall develop a strategy 
to transition operations of the Advanced Weather Inter-
active Processing System to an operational cloud-based 
environment in order to enable a more nimble, flexible, 
and mobile workforce. 
(b) SERVICES.—The Under Secretary shall ensure 
that the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System 
in an operational cloud-based environment referred to in 
subsection (a) provides impact-based decision support 
services to emergency managers at the Federal, State, 
local, and Tribal levels, and continues to provide the fol-
lowing services: 
(1) Integrating and displaying forecast data, in-
cluding meteorological, hydrological, climate, ocean, 
satellite, and radar data, for National Weather Serv-
ice field offices and national centers. 
(2) Acquiring and processing observational data 
from sensors and local sources. 
(3) Providing an interactive communications 
system, including any relevant capabilities of the ex-
isting satellite broadcast network, to connect rel-
evant National Weather Service employees and sites. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:31 Jul 16, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00096
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3816.IH
H3816
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS