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istration Weather Radio All Hazards receivers or 
transmitters or other early warning tools and appli-
cations, saved lives or property, or demonstrated 
public service in support of weather or all hazard 
warnings. 
(3) AWARD CEREMONY.—The Director of the 
National Weather Service shall establish a means of 
making these awards to provide maximum public 
awareness of the importance of National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio, 
and such other warning tools and applications as are 
represented in the awards. 
SEC. 408. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WEATHER FORE-
CASTING ACTIVITIES. 
Not later than 60 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Under Secretary 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 ana-
lyzing the impacts of the proposed Air Force divestiture 
in the United States Weather Research and Forecasting 
Model, including— 
(1) the impact on— 
(A) the United States weather forecasting 
capabilities; 
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(B) the accuracy of civilian regional fore-
casts; 
(C) the civilian readiness for traditional 
weather and extreme weather events in the 
United States; and 
(D) the research necessary to develop the 
United States Weather Research and Fore-
casting Model; and 
(2) such other analysis relating to the divesti-
ture as the Under Secretary considers appropriate. 
SEC. 409. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE; OPERATIONS AND 
WORKFORCE ANALYSIS. 
The Under Secretary shall contract or continue to 
partner with an external organization to conduct a base-
line analysis of National Weather Service operations and 
workforce. 
SEC. 410. REPORT ON CONTRACT POSITIONS AT NATIONAL 
WEATHER SERVICE. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under 
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the use 
of contractors at the National Weather Service for the 
most recently completed fiscal year. 
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(b) CONTENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall include, with respect to the most recently com-
pleted fiscal year, the following: 
(1) The total number of full-time equivalent 
employees 
at 
the 
National 
Weather 
Service, 
disaggregated by each equivalent level of the General 
Schedule. 
(2) The total number of full-time equivalent 
contractors at the National Weather Service, 
disaggregated by each equivalent level of the General 
Schedule that most closely approximates their du-
ties. 
(3) The total number of vacant positions at the 
National Weather Service on the day before the date 
of enactment of this Act, disaggregated by each 
equivalent level of the General Schedule. 
(4) The five most common positions filled by 
full-time equivalent contractors at the National 
Weather Service and the equivalent level of the Gen-
eral Schedule that most closely approximates the du-
ties of such positions. 
(5) Of the positions identified under paragraph 
(4), the percentage of full-time equivalent contrac-
tors in those positions that have held a prior posi-
tion at the National Weather Service or another en-
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tity in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration. 
(6) The average full-time equivalent salary for 
Federal employees at the National Weather Service 
for each equivalent level of the General Schedule. 
(7) The average salary for full-time equivalent 
contractors performing at each equivalent level of 
the General Schedule at the National Weather Serv-
ice. 
(8) A description of any actions taken by the 
Under Secretary to respond to the issues raised by 
the Inspector General of the Department of Com-
merce regarding the hiring of former National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration employees as 
contractors at the National Weather Service such as 
the issues raised in the Investigative Report dated 
June 2, 2015 (OIG–12–0447). 
(c) ANNUAL PUBLICATION.—For each fiscal year 
after the fiscal year covered by the report required by sub-
section (a), the Under Secretary shall, not later than 180 
days after the completion of the fiscal year, publish on 
a publicly accessible Internet website the information de-
scribed in paragraphs (1) through (8) of subsection (b) 
for such fiscal year. 
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SEC. 411. WEATHER IMPACTS TO COMMUNITIES AND IN-
FRASTRUCTURE. 
(a) REVIEW.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National 
Weather Service shall review existing research, prod-
ucts, and services that meet the specific needs of the 
urban environment, given its unique physical charac-
teristics and forecasting challenges. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The review required by para-
graph (1) shall include research, products, and serv-
ices with the potential to improve modeling and fore-
casting capabilities, taking into account factors in-
cluding varying building heights, impermeable sur-
faces, lack of tree canopy, traffic, pollution, and 
inter-building wind effects. 
(b) REPORT AND ASSESSMENT.—Upon completion of 
the review required by subsection (a), the Under Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a report on the research, prod-
ucts, and services of the National Weather Service, includ-
ing an assessment of such research, products, and services 
that is based on the review, public comment, and recent 
publications by the National Academy of Sciences. 
SEC. 412. WEATHER ENTERPRISE OUTREACH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary may estab-
lish mechanisms for outreach to the weather enterprise— 
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(1) to assess the weather forecasts and forecast 
products provided by the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration; and 
(2) to determine the highest priority weather 
forecast needs of the community described in sub-
section (b). 
(b) OUTREACH COMMUNITY.—In conducting out-
reach under subsection (a), the Under Secretary shall con-
tact leading experts and innovators from relevant stake-
holders, including the representatives from the following: 
(1) State or local emergency management agen-
cies. 
(2) State agriculture agencies. 
(3) Indian tribes (as defined in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) and Native Hawaiians (as de-
fined in section 6207 of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7517)). 
(4) The private aerospace industry. 
(5) The private earth observing industry. 
(6) The operational forecasting community. 
(7) The academic community. 
(8) Professional societies that focus on meteor-
ology. 
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