I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9723 
To amend the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004 to reau-
thorize the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 20, 2024 
Mr. MILLER of Ohio (for himself and Mr. FOSTER) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-
nology, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act 
of 2004 to reauthorize the National Windstorm Impact 
Reduction Program, 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 ‘‘National Windstorm 
Impact Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2024’’. 
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SEC. 2. NATIONAL WINDSTORM IMPACT REDUCTION PRO-
GRAM. 
The National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 
2004 is amended— 
(1) in section 204 (42 U.S.C. 15703)— 
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘the pur-
pose of which is to achieve’’ through ‘‘cost-ef-
fective mitigation measures to reduce those im-
pacts.’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘the pur-
pose of which is to— 
‘‘(1) achieve major measurable reductions in the 
losses of life and property from windstorms through 
a coordinated Federal effort, in cooperation with 
other levels of government, academia, scientific orga-
nizations, and the private sector, aimed at improving 
the understanding of windstorms and their impacts, 
including wind-driven rain, wind-driven fires, and 
storm surge impacts; and 
‘‘(2) develop and encourage the implementation 
of cost-effective mitigation measures to reduce the 
impacts described in paragraph (1), which can be 
applied to communities with different types of hous-
ing and infrastructure in urban and rural areas 
across the United States.’’; 
(B) in subsection (b)— 
(i) in paragraph (1)— 
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(I) in subparagraph (A)— 
(aa) by striking ‘‘Federal, 
State, and local’’ and inserting 
‘‘Federal, State, local, and Trib-
al’’; and 
(bb) by inserting ‘‘, includ-
ing with respect to existing build-
ings and manufactured housing’’ 
before the semicolon; 
(II) by redesignating subpara-
graphs (B), (C), (D), and (E) as sub-
paragraphs (C), (F), (G), and (H), re-
spectively; 
(III) by inserting after subpara-
graph (A) the following new subpara-
graph: 
‘‘(B) ensure the Program supports inter-
disciplinary research, including collaborations 
that include social scientists and emergency 
managers, and collaborations between atmos-
pheric scientists and engineers, that seek to in-
crease the relevance of atmospheric measure-
ments and models for buildings engineering ap-
plications;’’; and 
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(IV) by inserting after subpara-
graph (C), as so redesignated, the fol-
lowing new subparagraphs: 
‘‘(D) support integration of emerging tools 
and technologies in research and engineering 
activities carried out by the Program, including 
relating to artificial intelligence, machine learn-
ing, advanced manufacturing technologies, and 
new materials; 
‘‘(E) support property owner utilization of 
products and construction methods which 
strengthen residential and commercial prop-
erties from the impact of windstorms, wind- 
driven rain, wind-driven fires, and storm surge 
impacts, including building methodologies and 
certification standards;’’; 
(ii) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘to 
increase resilience to windstorms and re-
sulting wind-driven rain and storm surge 
impacts’’ before the period; 
(iii) in paragraph (3)— 
(I) in the matter preceding sub-
paragraph (A), by striking ‘‘support 
research in’’; 
(II) in subparagraph (A)— 
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(aa) by inserting ‘‘support 
research in’’ before ‘‘engineering 
and the atmospheric sciences’’; 
and 
(bb) by striking ‘‘and’’ after 
the semicolon; 
(III) by amending subparagraph 
(B) to read as follows: 
‘‘(B) support research in economic, behav-
ioral, and social factors influencing develop-
ment, implementation, and adoption of wind-
storm and resulting wind-driven rain, wind-driv-
en fires, and storm surge impacts risk assess-
ment, risk communication, and risk reduction 
measures by individuals, property owners, com-
munities, and policymakers; and’’; and 
(IV) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) support an analysis of the scientific 
need, opportunity, and challenges to supporting 
the design, development, and construction of a 
tornado research facility for the study of tor-
nado impacts on buildings at scale.;’’; 
(iv) in paragraph (4)— 
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(I) by striking ‘‘The National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion’’ and all that follows through the 
period and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration shall support 
atmospheric sciences research to improve the 
understanding of the behavior of windstorms, 
and resulting wind-driven rain, wind-driven 
fires, and storm surge, and their impacts on 
buildings, structures, and lifelines.’’; and 
(II) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subparagraph: 
‘‘(B) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 
‘‘(i) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Adminis-
trator of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration shall establish a Sci-
entific Windstorm Studies Advisory Com-
mittee (in this subparagraph referred to as 
the ‘Advisory Committee’). 
‘‘(ii) ORGANIZATION.—The Adminis-
trator of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration— 
‘‘(I) shall establish procedures for 
selection to the Advisory Committee of 
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individuals not employed by the Fed-
eral Government who are qualified in 
the atmospheric and oceanic sciences 
and other appropriate fields; and 
‘‘(II) may, pursuant to such pro-
cedures, select up to ten individuals, 
one of whom shall be designated Chair 
of the Advisory Committee. 
‘‘(iii) SELECTION.—Selection of indi-
viduals to the Advisory Committee shall be 
based solely on established records of dis-
tinguished service, and the Administrator 
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration shall ensure a reasonable 
cross-section of views and expertise is rep-
resented. In selecting individuals to serve 
on the Advisory Committee, the Adminis-
trator shall seek and give due consider-
ation to recommendations from the Na-
tional Academy of Sciences, professional 
societies, and other appropriate organiza-
tions. 
‘‘(iv) MEETINGS.—The Advisory Com-
mittee shall meet at such times and places 
as may be designated by the Chair, in con-
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sultation with the Administrator of the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration. 
‘‘(v) DUTIES.—The Advisory Com-
mittee shall advise the Administrator of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration on matters relating to the Ad-
ministration’s participation in the Pro-
gram, including the Administration’s roles, 
goals, and objectives within the Program, 
its capabilities and research needs, guid-
ance on achieving major objectives, and es-
tablishing and measuring performance 
goals. 
‘‘(vi) REPORT.—The Advisory Com-
mittee shall submit to the Administrator of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration a biennial report for submis-
sion to Congress. Each such biennial re-
port shall describe the Advisory Commit-
tee’s activities and address policy issues or 
matters that affect the Administration’s 
participation in the Program. 
‘‘(vii) TERMINATION.—The Advisory 
Committee shall terminate four years after 
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the date of the enactment of this subpara-
graph.’’; and 
(v) in paragraph (5)— 
(I) in subparagraph (A)— 
(aa) in clause (i), by insert-
ing ‘‘, maintenance, and updat-
ing’’ after ‘‘development’’; and 
(bb) in clause (ii), inserting 
‘‘, including making such data 
available and interoperable to the 
extent practicable’’ before the 
semicolon; and 
(II) in subparagraph (B), by in-
serting ‘‘and scientific organizations’’ 
after ‘‘National Institutes of Stand-
ards and Technology’’; 
(C) in subsection (c)— 
(i) in paragraph (2)— 
(ii) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘to 
improve knowledge of and data collection 
on the impact of severe wind on buildings, 
structures, and infrastructure.’’ and insert-
ing the following: ‘‘to— 
‘‘(A) improve knowledge of and data collec-
tion on the impact of severe wind on buildings, 
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structures, infrastructure, and community re-
sponse; and 
‘‘(B) understand the impacts of climate 
variability and climate change on the behavior 
of windstorms and the changing nature of wind-
storm risks, including future projections of 
storm frequency, intensity, and other factors.’’; 
(iii) in paragraph (3)— 
(I) in subparagraph (A), by in-
serting 
‘‘and 
technologies’’ 
after 
‘‘mechanisms’’; 
(II) in subparagraph (B), by 
striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon; 
(III) in subparagraph (C)— 
(aa) by inserting ‘‘near-sur-
face winds and’’ after ‘‘modeling 
of’’; and 
(bb) by striking the period 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(IV) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subparagraph: 
‘‘(D) research and development to enhance 
understanding of factors that influence public 
responses to windstorm risks.’’; and 
(iv) in paragraph (4)— 
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(I) in subparagraph (A), by strik-
ing ‘‘and local officials’’ and inserting 
‘‘local, and Tribal officials’’; and 
(II) in subparagraph (C)— 
(aa) by striking ‘‘and local 
officials’’ and inserting ‘‘local, 
and Tribal officials’’; and 
(bb) by inserting ‘‘academia, 
scientific 
organizations,’’ 
after 
‘‘construction industry,’’; and 
(D) in subsection (e)— 
(i) in paragraph (2)(A)— 
(I) in clause (iv), by striking 
‘‘and’’ after the semicolon; and 
(II) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new clause: 
‘‘(vi) the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development; and’’; 
(ii) in paragraph (5)— 
(I) in the matter preceding sub-
paragraph (A), by striking ‘‘not later 
than 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of the National Windstorm Im-
pact Reduction Act Reauthorization of 
2015’’ and inserting ‘‘not later than 
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