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2017 is amended by amending the item relating to section 
406 to read as follows: 
‘‘Sec. 406. Hazardous Weather or Water Event Risk Communication.’’. 
SEC. 403. HAZARD COMMUNICATION RESEARCH AND EN-
GAGEMENT. 
Section 406 of the Weather Research and Fore-
casting Innovation Act of 2017 (Public Law 115–25; 131 
Stat. 109), as amended by section 402 of this Act, is fur-
ther amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
sections: 
‘‘(d) HAZARD COMMUNICATION RESEARCH AND EN-
GAGEMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary shall 
maintain, as appropriate, a program to— 
‘‘(A) modernize the development and com-
munication of risk-based, statistically reliable, 
probabilistic hazard information, with the goal 
of informing appropriate responses to haz-
ardous weather or water events; and 
‘‘(B) improve the fundamental social, be-
havioral, economic, risk, and communication 
science relating to communications, including 
by means of collecting voluntary data, regarding 
hazardous weather or water events. 
‘‘(2) COORDINATION.—In carrying out the pro-
gram under paragraph (1), the Under Secretary 
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shall coordinate and communicate with States, Trib-
al governments, localities, and emergency managers 
regarding research priorities and results. 
‘‘(3) PILOT PROGRAM FOR TORNADO HAZARD 
COMMUNICATION
REQUIRED.—To further research 
into communications regarding hazardous weather 
or water events, the Under Secretary, in coordina-
tion with the VORTEX program under section 103 
and in collaboration with one or more eligible insti-
tutions (or a consortia thereof), shall establish a 
pilot program for tornado hazard communication to 
test the effectiveness of implementing research into 
operations with respect to tornadoes. 
‘‘(4) PILOT
STUDY
FOR
HURRICANE
HAZARD 
COMMUNICATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—To further research 
into 
communications 
regarding 
hazardous 
weather or water events, the Under Secretary, 
in coordination with the hurricane forecast im-
provement program under section 104, shall 
seek to enter into an agreement with an appro-
priate entity, as determined by the Under Sec-
retary, to conduct a pilot study using a mixed 
methods approach, such as surveys, focus 
groups, and interviews, to gather information 
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from hurricane prone population areas regard-
ing the levels of preparedness of such areas for 
hurricanes or in response to the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration’s early 
forecasts and warnings. Such study shall evalu-
ate the following: 
‘‘(i) Possession of disaster supplies. 
‘‘(ii) Evacuation decisions. 
‘‘(iii) Levels of trust of tropical cy-
clone information and hurricane path pre-
diction from various sources. 
‘‘(iv) Access to tropical cyclone and 
hurricane warnings in such study partici-
pant’s first language. 
‘‘(v) Determination regarding such 
study participant’s reasoning that may 
hinder the ability of such a participant to 
evacuate or willingness to evacuate. 
‘‘(B) ADDITIONAL
CRITERIA.—The pilot 
study described in subparagraph (A) shall de-
fine its methodology and be made publicly avail-
able on a website of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration. 
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‘‘(5) ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION DEFINED.—In this 
subsection, the term ‘eligible institution’ means any 
of the following: 
‘‘(A) An institution of higher education, 
nonprofit organization, or other institution lo-
cated in a jurisdiction eligible to participate in 
the program under section 113 of the National 
Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1988 
(42 U.S.C. 1862g). 
‘‘(B) An institution of higher education, 
nonprofit organization, or other institution lo-
cated in proximity to a Weather Forecast Office 
of the National Weather Service. 
‘‘(e) HURRICANE SOCIAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND ECO-
NOMIC SCIENCES.—As part of the program carried out 
under subsection (d), the Under Secretary shall carry out 
research and development activities to improve how the 
public receives, interprets, responds to, and values hurri-
cane forecasts and warnings. In conducting such activities, 
the Under Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) conduct a comprehensive review of what is 
known about how the public receives, interprets, re-
sponds to, and makes decisions regarding hurricane 
forecasts and warnings, including— 
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‘‘(A) how the connections between weather 
observations, downstream models, and processes 
affect the decision tools or products derived 
from such hurricane forecasts and warnings; 
‘‘(B) how such hurricane forecasts and 
warnings generated by decision tools and prod-
ucts are used by emergency managers, govern-
ments, and other users to benefit the public and 
stakeholder groups; 
‘‘(C) how past experiences with hurricanes 
impacts decision making; 
‘‘(D) how the source of such hurricane 
forecasts and warnings affects interpretation; 
‘‘(E) how tropical cyclone warnings and 
watches are received and interpreted; 
‘‘(F) how understanding of and response 
to such hurricane forecasts and warnings vary 
across demographic groups, including the elder-
ly, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable 
populations; 
‘‘(G) language barriers; and 
‘‘(H) how understanding and response to 
such hurricane forecasts and warnings varies 
across geographic areas, including rural, urban, 
and suburban areas; 
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‘‘(2) identify communication data gaps based on 
the review conducted pursuant to paragraph (1); 
‘‘(3) carry out research, including data collec-
tion and baseline assessments, in coordination with 
the hurricane forecast improvement program under 
section 104 to evaluate and quantify the economic 
value of extending lead times of tropical cyclone and 
hurricane warnings and watches, including identi-
fying the most effected or vulnerable populations 
and potential impacts to those populations; 
‘‘(4) as part of post-storm surveys and assess-
ments conducted under section 406 of the Weather 
Act Reauthorization Act of 2023, conduct retrospec-
tive or ex ante assessments of previous hurricane 
forecasts and warnings with improvements to better 
understand the key components, including expected 
actions or behavior changes, of the value of the fore-
casts and warnings provided; 
‘‘(5) conduct cost benefit analysis of forecasts 
and warnings improvement alternatives developed 
through the hurricane forecast improvement pro-
gram under section 104; and 
‘‘(6) conduct risk assessments for pre-, during, 
and post-storm periods in regions and communities 
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with significant elderly populations, including retire-
ment communities.’’. 
SEC. 404. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COMMUNICATIONS 
IMPROVEMENT. 
(a) IMPROVEMENT OF NWS INSTANT MESSAGING 
SERVICE.—The Director of the National Weather Service 
shall improve the instant messaging service used by per-
sonnel of the National Weather Service by implementing, 
not later than October 1, 2027, a commercial off-the-shelf 
communications solution that replaces the instant mes-
saging service commonly referred to as ‘‘NWSChat’’. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The communications solution 
implemented under this section shall— 
(1) be hosted on the public cloud; and 
(2) satisfy requirements set forth by the Direc-
tor to ensure such solution— 
(A) best accommodates future growth; 
(B) performs successfully with increased 
numbers of users; 
(C) is easy to use for the majority of users; 
and 
(D) is similar to systems already in com-
mercial use. 
(c) FUNDING.—From amounts made available for 
Operations, Research, and Facilities, the Director of the 
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National Weather Service shall allocate up to $3,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2027 to carry out 
this section. 
SEC. 405. NOAA WEATHER RADIO MODERNIZATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary shall, to the 
maximum extent practicable, expand coverage of the 
NOAA Weather Radio and ensure its reliability. In car-
rying out this subsection, the Under Secretary 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; 
(3) enhance the ability to amplify Non-Weather 
Emergency Messages via NOAA Weather Radio as 
necessary; and 
(4) acquire additional transmitters as required 
to expand coverage to rural and underserved com-
munities, units of the National Park System, and 
National Recreation Areas. 
(b) MODERNIZATION INITIATIVE.—To the maximum 
extent practicable, the Under Secretary shall enhance 
NOAA Weather Radio to ensure its capabilities and cov-
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erage remain valuable to the public. In carrying out this 
section, the Under Secretary shall— 
(1) upgrade telecommunications infrastructure 
of NOAA Weather Radio to accelerate the transition 
of broadcasts to internet protocol-based communica-
tions over non-copper media; 
(2) accelerate software upgrades to the Ad-
vanced Weather Interactive Processing System, or 
the relevant system successors, to implement 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 satellite backup 
capability and commercial provider partnerships, for 
NOAA Weather Radio continuity in the event of 
Weather Forecast Office outages; 
(5) research and develop alternative options, in-
cluding microwave capabilities, to transmit NOAA 
Weather Radio signals to transmitters that are re-
mote or do not have internet protocol capability; and 
(6) transition critical applications to the Inte-
grated Dissemination Program, or the relevant pro-
gram successors. 
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(c) PRIORITY.—In carrying out subsection (b), the 
Under Secretary shall prioritize practices, capabilities, and 
technologies recommended in accordance with the assess-
ment under subsection (d) to maximize accessibility, par-
ticularly in remote and underserved areas of the United 
States. 
(d) ASSESSMENT FOR MANAGEMENT AND DISTRIBU-
TION.—Not later than one year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall complete an 
assessment of access to NOAA Weather Radio. In con-
ducting such assessment, the Under Secretary shall take 
into consideration and provide recommendations regarding 
the following: 
(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 that 
promote consistent, efficient, and compatible access 
to NOAA Weather Radio. 
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(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. 
(7) Any other function the Under Secretary de-
termines necessary. 
SEC. 406. POST-STORM SURVEYS AND ASSESSMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary shall con-
tinue to perform one or more post-storm surveys and as-
sessments following every hazardous weather or water 
event determined by the Under Secretary to be of suffi-
cient societal importance to warrant a post-event survey 
and assessment. 
(b) COORDINATION.—The Under Secretary shall co-
ordinate with Federal, State, local and Tribal govern-
ments, private entities, and relevant institutions of higher 
education (or a consortia thereof) when conducting post- 
storm surveys and assessments under this section to opti-
mize data collection, sharing, integration, archiving, and 
access, as appropriate for research needs. 
(c) DATA AVAILABILITY.—The Under Secretary shall 
make the appropriate data obtained from each post-storm 
survey and assessment conducted under this section avail-
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able to the public as soon as practicable after conducting 
each such survey and assessment. 
(d) IMPROVEMENT.—In carrying out this section, the 
Under Secretary shall— 
(1) examine the role of uncrewed aerial and ma-
rine systems in data collection during post-storm 
surveys and assessments conducted under this sec-
tion; 
(2) identify gaps in and update tactics and pro-
cedures to enhance the efficiency and reliability of 
data obtained from post-storm surveys and assess-
ments; 
(3) to the maximum extent practicable, increase 
the number of post-storm community impact studies, 
particularly among under-observed, underserved, or 
highly vulnerable populations, including— 
(A) surveying-individual responses; 
(B) conducting review of the accuracy of 
prior risk evaluations; 
(C) evaluating the efficacy of prior mitiga-
tion activity; and 
(D) gathering survivability statistics; and 
(4) as appropriate, integrate community-based, 
social, behavioral, risk, communication, and eco-
nomic sciences elements into existing post-storm sur-
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veys and assessments, including relating to efficacy 
of forecast and warning information, barriers to ac-
tion, and messaging challenges. 
(e) SUPPORT
FOR EMPLOYEES.—The Under Sec-
retary shall provide training, resources, and access to pro-
fessional counseling to support the emotional and mental 
health and well-being of employees conducting post-storm 
surveys and assessments under this section. 
(f) EXEMPTION.—Subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 
44, United States Code, shall not apply to the collection 
of information during the conduct of a survey or assess-
ment authorized under subsection (a). 
SEC. 407. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE REPORT 
ON ALERT DISSEMINATION FOR HAZARDOUS 
WEATHER OR WATER EVENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 540 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall submit to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and 
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
House of Representatives a report that examines the infor-
mation technology infrastructure of the National Weather 
Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration, specifically regarding the system for timely public 
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notification via alerts and updates regarding hazardous 
weather or water events. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall include the following: 
(1) An analysis of the information technology 
infrastructure of the National Weather Service, in-
cluding software and hardware capabilities and limi-
tations, including an examination of server and data 
storage methods, broadband, data management, and 
data sharing. 
(2) An identification of secondary and tertiary 
fail-safes for the timely distribution to the public of 
notifications via alerts and updates regarding haz-
ardous weather or water events. 
(3) A process analysis to determine the source 
and extent to which public notifications via alerts 
and updates regarding hazardous weather or water 
events have been delayed and an identification of 
possible improvements or corrective measures to ad-
dress latency in the notification process. 
(4) An assessment of whether collaboration with 
other Federal offices, States, or private entities 
could reduce delays in notifications to the public. 
(5) A description of actions being undertaken to 
better identify critical steps in public notification via 
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alerts and updates for hazardous weather or water 
events that may be vulnerable to disruption or fail-
ure in the event of communication, technologic, or 
computational failure. 
(6) The geographical differences in availability 
and effectiveness of rural systems, including an esti-
mated number of rural areas affected by unreliable 
or unavailable accurate systems and barriers to ob-
tain or upgrade such systems. 
SEC. 408. DATA COLLECTION MANAGEMENT AND PROTEC-
TION. 
(a) DATA COLLECTION.—The Under Secretary may 
collect social, behavioral, and economic data, including 
Federal communication and related public response to 
hazardous weather or water events. Where appropriate, 
the Under Secretary shall encourage use of secondary 
data, purchase data, or partner with the private sector. 
(b) DATA MANAGEMENT.—The Under Secretary 
shall establish a central repository system for the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for social, be-
havioral, and economic data related to the communication 
of and related public response to hazardous weather or 
water events, including data developed or received pursu-
ant to this title. 
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(c) PROTECTION OF DATA.—The Under Secretary 
shall ensure that all data collected and managed by the 
Administration is done within with all legal, regulatory, 
and contractual obligations and in accordance with chap-
ter 31 of title 44, United States Code, and the Federal 
Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Public Law 
115–435). 
(d) DIGITAL WATERMARKING.—The Under Secretary 
shall develop methods to reduce the likelihood of unauthor-
ized tampering with online public notifications of haz-
ardous weather or water events, such as developing digital 
watermarks. 
(e) POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.—The Under Sec-
retary shall establish policies and procedures for the collec-
tion, archiving, and stewardship of data on community re-
sponse, including the response of effected or vulnerable 
populations, to hazardous weather or water events. 
TITLE V—IMPROVING WEATHER 
INFORMATION 
FOR 
AGRI-
CULTURE AND WATER MAN-
AGEMENT 
SEC. 501. WEATHER AND CLIMATE INFORMATION IN AGRI-
CULTURE AND WATER MANAGEMENT. 
Section 1762 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (15 
U.S.C. 8521) is amended— 
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(1) by amending subsection (h) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(h) SUBSEASONAL
TO SEASONAL FORECASTING 
PILOT PROJECTS.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Under Secretary 
shall establish not fewer than two pilot projects, in 
accordance with paragraph (2), within the U.S. 
Weather Research Program of the Oceanic and At-
mospheric Research office of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration to support im-
proved subseasonal to seasonal precipitation fore-
casts for the following: 
‘‘(A) Water management in the western 
United States. 
‘‘(B) Agriculture in the central United 
States. 
‘‘(2) OBJECTIVES.—In carrying out this sub-
section, the Under Secretary shall ensure the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) A pilot project under subparagraph 
(A) of paragraph (1) addresses key science 
challenges to improving forecasts and devel-
oping related products for water management 
in the western United States, including the fol-
lowing: 
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‘‘(i) Improving operational model reso-
lution, both horizontal and vertical, to re-
solve issues associated with mountainous 
terrain, such as intensity of precipitation 
and relative fraction of rain versus snow 
precipitation. 
‘‘(ii) Improving fidelity in the oper-
ational modeling of the atmospheric bound-
ary layer in mountainous regions. 
‘‘(iii) Resolving challenges in pre-
dicting winter atmospheric circulation and 
storm tracks, including periods of blocked 
versus unblocked flow over the eastern 
North Pacific Ocean and western United 
States. 
‘‘(iv) Utilizing outcomes from the At-
mospheric Rivers Forecast Improvement 
Program as authorized in section 204 of 
the Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 
2023 to produce operational tools and 
services. 
‘‘(v) Improving the quality and tem-
poral and spatial resolution of observations 
and accurate operational modeling of air- 
sea interactions, and the influence of 
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oceans on subseasonal and seasonal fore-
casting. 
‘‘(B) A pilot project under subparagraph 
(B) of paragraph (1) addresses key science 
challenges to improving forecasts and devel-
oping related products for agriculture in the 
central United States, including the following: 
‘‘(i) Improving the quality and tem-
poral and spatial resolution of observations 
and accurate operational modeling of the 
land surface and hydrologic cycle, includ-
ing soil moisture and flash drought proc-
esses. 
‘‘(ii) Improving fidelity in the oper-
ational modeling of warm season precipita-
tion processes. 
‘‘(iii) Understanding and predicting 
large-scale 
upper-level 
dynamical 
flow 
anomalies that occur in spring and sum-
mer. 
‘‘(3) ACTIVITIES.—A pilot project under this 
subsection shall include activities that carry out the 
following: 
‘‘(A) Best implement recommendations of 
the National Weather Service’s 2020 Report, 
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entitled ‘Subseasonal and Seasonal Forecasting 
Innovation: Plans for the Twenty-First Cen-
tury’. 
‘‘(B) Achieve measurable objectives for 
operational forecast improvement. 
‘‘(C) Engage with, and leverage the re-
sources of, institutions of higher education (as 
such term is defined in section 101 of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), or 
a consortia thereof, and entities within the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
in existence as of the date of the enactment of 
this subsection, including Regional Climate 
Centers and the National Centers for Environ-
mental Information. 
‘‘(D) Are carried out in coordination with 
the Assistant Administrator for the Office of 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and the Di-
rector of the National Weather Service. 
‘‘(4) SUNSET.—The authority under this sub-
section shall terminate on the date that is five years 
after the date of the enactment of this subsection.’’; 
and 
(2) by amending subsection (j) to read as fol-
lows: 
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‘‘(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated $45,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to carry out the activi-
ties under this section.’’. 
SEC. 502. NATIONAL INTEGRATED DROUGHT INFORMATION 
SYSTEM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3 of the National Inte-
grated Drought Information System Act of 2006 (15 
U.S.C. 313d) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘and’’ after the semicolon; 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
‘‘and’’ after the semicolon; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) incorporates flash drought research 
and tools to enhance timely response;’’; 
(B) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘and’’ 
after the semicolon; 
(C) in paragraph (6)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘(including ecological 
drought)’’ after ‘‘drought’’ each place it 
appears; and 
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(ii) by striking the period and insert-
ing a semicolon; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs: 
‘‘(7) advance and deploy next generation tech-
nologies related to drought and related publicly 
available data, such as monitoring, preparedness, 
and forecasting capabilities utilizing artificial intel-
ligence, machine learning, and cloud technologies; 
and 
‘‘(8) utilize observational networks, including 
the National Weather Service cooperative observer 
program and State or regional hydrological moni-
toring projects, and refine drought indicators across 
a variety of spatial and temporal scales for decision- 
support products by optimizing data and resources 
from across the Federal Government, including 
snowpack, soil moisture, groundwater, and rapid in-
tensification data.’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘and’’ 
after the semicolon; 
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking the pe-
riod and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
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(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) in partnership with the National Mesonet 
Program, establish memoranda of understanding to 
provide 
coordinated, 
high-quality, 
nationwide 
drought information for the public good, including 
integrated soil moisture information in accordance 
with the 2021 report, ‘A Strategy for the National 
Coordinated Soil Moisture Monitoring Network’.’’; 
and 
(3) by amending subsection (f) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(f) MODELING UPDATE.—The Under Secretary, in 
partnership with National Integrated Drought Informa-
tion System and the Climate Prediction Center of the Na-
tional Weather Service, shall undertake an effort to transi-
tion existing drought products to probabilistic forecasts 
and incorporate new and improved dynamical and statis-
tical forecast modeling tools.’’. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
4 of the National Integrated Drought Information System 
Act of 2006 (15 U.S.C. 313d note) is amended to read 
as follows: 
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‘‘SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘From amounts made available to Operations, Re-
search, and Facilities of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration, there are authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this section the following: 
‘‘(1) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2024. 
‘‘(2) $15,500,000 for fiscal year 2025. 
‘‘(3) $16,000,000 for fiscal year 2026. 
‘‘(4) $16,500,000 for fiscal year 2027. 
‘‘(5) $17,000,000 for fiscal year 2028.’’. 
SEC. 503. NATIONAL MESONET PROGRAM. 
(a) PROGRAM.—The Under Secretary shall maintain 
the National Mesonet Program (in this section referred 
to as the ‘‘Program’’). The Program shall— 
(1) obtain observations in all geographic envi-
ronments to improve understanding of and forecast 
capabilities for atmospheric and water events, with 
a prioritization on leveraging available commercial, 
academic, and other non-Federal environmental data 
to enhance coordination across the private, public, 
and academic sectors of the United States weather 
enterprise; and 
(2) establish memoranda of understanding with 
networks outside of the scope of the Program. 
(b) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.—The Program shall carry 
out the following activities: 
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(1) Improve environmental observations used by 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion and the National Weather Service to support 
baseline forecasts, including nowcasts, and warnings 
that protect the Nation’s citizens, businesses, mili-
tary, and government agencies, and enable such in-
dividuals and entities to operate in safe, efficient, 
and orderly manners. 
(2) When demonstrably cost effective and meet-
ing or exceeding agency data quality standards, le-
verage existing networks of environmental moni-
toring stations, including supplemental radar sys-
tems, to increase the quantity and density of envi-
ronmental observations and data available to the Ad-
ministration. 
(3) Establish means to integrate greater density 
and type of environmental observations into the Pro-
gram on an annual basis, including by encouraging 
local and regional networks of environmental moni-
toring stations, in situ sensor networks and satellite 
constellations to participate in the Program. 
(4) Yield increased quantities of boundary-layer 
data to improve numerical weather prediction per-
formance, including regarding subseasonal to sea-
sonal timescales. 
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(5) Provide the critical technical and adminis-
trative infrastructure needed to facilitate rapid inte-
gration and sustained use of new and emerging net-
works of environmental monitoring stations antici-
pated in coming years from non-Federal sources. 
(6) Expand and enhance environmental obser-
vational networks in the roadway environment to 
provide real-time road weather and surface condi-
tions for surface transportation and related eco-
nomic sectors. 
(7) Identify available terrestrial or marine envi-
ronmental data, or quantifiable gaps in such data, to 
improve the understanding of air-sea interactions. 
(8) Support the National Weather Service in 
reaching its target of a 30-minute warning time for 
severe weather through better predictive model algo-
rithms driven by increasingly effective observations. 
(9) Coordinate with existing Administration 
data used for forecasts, including data from the Na-
tional Environmental Satellite, Data, and Informa-
tion Service, the Integrated Ocean Observing Sys-
tem, the Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing 
Program, the National Data Buoy Center, and the 
National Ocean Service. 
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(10) Identify and communicate to the Office of 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and other part-
ners priorities of research and development needed 
to advance observations in the Program. 
(11) Support the National Coordinated Soil 
Moisture Monitoring Network in acquiring soil mois-
ture and related data to support the development of 
decision-support products and other information 
services. 
(c) FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In furtherance of the Pro-
gram, the Under Secretary may, to the extent 
amounts are made available, award up to 15 percent 
of the Program’s annual appropriations for financial 
assistance to State, Tribal, private, and academic 
entities seeking to build, expand, or upgrade equip-
ment and capacity of mesonet systems. Financial as-
sistance under this subsection may be made in co-
ordination with and in addition to awards from 
other Federal agencies. 
(2) AGREEMENTS.—Before receiving financial 
assistance under paragraph (1), the State, Tribal, 
private, or academic entity seeking financial assist-
ance under this subsection shall enter into an agree-
ment with the Under Secretary to provide data to 
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Federal financial support and full maintenance to 
maintain the quality of the mesonet system and as-
sociated data standards required by the Program for 
a period of not less than five years. 
(6) PRIORITY.—The Under Secretary shall 
prioritize providing assistance under paragraph (1) 
to at least one entity in an underrepresented or re-
mote area. 
(d) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary shall 
ensure the Program has an active advisory com-
mittee of subject matter experts to make rec-
ommendations to the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration on the identification, imple-
mentation, procurement, and tracking of data need-
ed to supplement the Program, and recommend im-
provements, expansions, and acquisitions of available 
data. The Under Secretary may designate an exist-
ing Federal advisory committee, subcommittee, or 
working group, including, if appropriate, the Science 
Advisory Board of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration, to carry out this subsection. 
(2) ACADEMIC EXPERTISE.—The advisory com-
mittee under paragraph (1), in consultation with the 
Program, shall include expertise from one or more 
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institutions of higher education (as such term is de-
fined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) to assist the advisory com-
mittee to identify, evaluate, and recommend poten-
tial partnerships, regional or subregional consortia, 
and collaborative methods that would expand the 
number of participants and volume of data in the 
Program. 
(e) REGULAR REPORTING.—The Under Secretary 
shall provide regular briefings, not less than twice annu-
ally, to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on 
all Program activities. Such briefings shall include infor-
mation relating to the following: 
(1) Efforts to implement the activities described 
in subsection (b). 
(2) Any financial or technical assistance pro-
vided pursuant to subsection (c). 
(3) Efforts to address recommendations re-
ceived from the advisory committee under subsection 
(d). 
(4) The potential need and associated benefits 
of a coastal and ocean mesonet, or other emerging 
areas of weather data needs. 
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(5) Progress toward eliminating gaps in weath-
er observation data by States and regions of the 
United States. 
(6) Any other topic the Under Secretary deter-
mines relevant. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—From 
amounts made available to the National Weather Service, 
the Under Secretary, to carry out this section, shall allo-
cate up to the following amounts for each specified fiscal 
year: 
(1) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2024. 
(2) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2025. 
(3) $61,000,000 for fiscal year 2026. 
(4) $68,000,000 for fiscal year 2027. 
(5) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2028. 
SEC. 504. NATIONAL COORDINATED SOIL MOISTURE MONI-
TORING NETWORK. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary, in collabo-
ration with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Director of 
the United States Geological Survey, the Administrator of 
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and 
the heads of other relevant Federal agencies and depart-
ments, shall support the development, deployment, and 
maintenance of soil moisture monitoring networks by man-
aging the National Coordinated Soil Moisture Monitoring 
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Network (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Network’’) 
within the National Integrated Drought Information Sys-
tem. 
(b) ACTIVITIES.—The Under Secretary shall ensure 
the Network includes activities that carry out the fol-
lowing: 
(1) Establishing a visible, user-friendly website. 
(2) Developing a set of criteria for high-quality 
data sources. 
(3) Supporting research necessary to develop or 
improve soil moisture monitoring products at a na-
tional scale. 
(4) Increasing the number of long-term, high- 
quality, in situ and remote sensing soil moisture 
monitoring stations across the United States. 
(5) Sharing methodologies and validation proto-
cols with the private sector. 
(6) Engaging with the citizen science commu-
nity. 
(7) Developing, releasing, and promoting new, 
nationwide point-based and gridded soil moisture 
data products that meet the needs of diverse end- 
user groups. 
(8) Supporting community building and out-
reach to the network of individuals engaged with soil 
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moisture information delivery, from data provision to 
end-user decision making. 
SEC. 505. NATIONAL WATER CENTER. 
Section 301 of the Coordinated Ocean Observations 
and Research Act of 2020 (42 U.S.C. 10371) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)(A)— 
(i) in the matter preceding clause (i), 
by inserting ‘‘as a component of the Na-
tional Centers for Environmental Pre-
diction’’ after ‘‘center’’; 
(ii) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘and’’ 
after the semicolon; 
(iii) in clause (ii), by striking the pe-
riod and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(iv) by adding at the end the following 
new clause: 
‘‘(iii) to provide service backup capa-
bilities and additional mission support 
services for River Forecast Centers.’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by adding at the end 
the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(F) Serving as the primary Center for 
collaboration and coordination of the National 
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