H. R. 353—14 
(i) how standards will be set to ensure that data 
is reliable and effective; 
(ii) how data may be acquired through commercial 
experimental or innovative techniques and then evalu-
ated for integration into operational use; 
(iii) how to guarantee public access to all forecast- 
critical data to ensure that the United States weather 
industry and the public continue to have access to 
information critical to their work; and 
(iv) in accordance with section 50503 of title 51, 
United States Code, methods to address potential 
termination liability or cancellation costs associated 
with weather data or service contracts; and 
(C) an identification of any changes needed in the 
requirements development and approval processes of the 
Department of Commerce to facilitate effective and efficient 
implementation of such strategy. 
(3) AUTHORITY FOR AGREEMENTS.—The Assistant Adminis-
trator for National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Informa-
tion Service may enter into multiyear agreements necessary 
to carry out the strategy developed under this subsection. 
(c) PILOT PROGRAM.— 
(1) CRITERIA.—Not later than 30 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall publish 
data and metadata standards and specifications for space-based 
commercial weather data, including radio occultation data, and, 
as soon as possible, geostationary hyperspectral sounder data. 
(2) PILOT CONTRACTS.— 
(A) CONTRACTS.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall, through 
an open competition, enter into at least one pilot contract 
with one or more private sector entities capable of providing 
data that meet the standards and specifications set by 
the Under Secretary for providing commercial weather data 
in a manner that allows the Under Secretary to calibrate 
and evaluate the data for its use in National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration meteorological models. 
(B) ASSESSMENT OF DATA VIABILITY.—Not later than 
the date that is 3 years after the date on which the Under 
Secretary enters into a contract under subparagraph (A), 
the Under Secretary shall assess and submit to the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-
nology of the House of Representatives the results of a 
determination of the extent to which data provided under 
the contract entered into under subparagraph (A) meet 
the criteria published under paragraph (1) and the extent 
to which the pilot program has demonstrated— 
(i) the viability of assimilating the commercially 
provided data into National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration meteorological models; 
(ii) whether, and by how much, the data add value 
to weather forecasts; and 
(iii) the accuracy, quality, timeliness, validity, reli-
ability, usability, information technology security, and 
cost-effectiveness of obtaining commercial weather data 
from private sector providers.
H. R. 353—15 
(3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For each of fiscal 
years 2017 through 2020, there are authorized to be appro-
priated for procurement, acquisition, and construction at 
National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information 
Service, $6,000,000 to carry out this subsection. 
(d) OBTAINING FUTURE DATA.—If an assessment under sub-
section (c)(2)(B) demonstrates the ability of commercial weather 
data to meet data and metadata standards and specifications pub-
lished under subsection (c)(1), the Under Secretary shall— 
(1) where appropriate, cost-effective, and feasible, obtain 
commercial weather data from private sector providers; 
(2) as early as possible in the acquisition process for any 
future National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration mete-
orological space system, consider whether there is a suitable, 
cost-effective, commercial capability available or that will be 
available to meet any or all of the observational requirements 
by the planned operational date of the system; 
(3) if a suitable, cost-effective, commercial capability is 
or will be available as described in paragraph (2), determine 
whether it is in the national interest to develop a governmental 
meteorological space system; and 
(4) 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 
detailing any determination made under paragraphs (2) and 
(3). 
(e) DATA SHARING PRACTICES.—The Under Secretary shall con-
tinue to meet the international meteorological agreements into 
which the Under Secretary has entered, including practices set 
forth through World Meteorological Organization Resolution 40. 
SEC. 303. UNNECESSARY DUPLICATION. 
In meeting the requirements under this title, the Under Sec-
retary shall avoid unnecessary duplication between public and pri-
vate sources of data and the corresponding expenditure of funds 
and employment of personnel. 
TITLE IV—FEDERAL WEATHER 
COORDINATION 
SEC. 
401. 
ENVIRONMENTAL 
INFORMATION 
SERVICES 
WORKING 
GROUP. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration Science Advisory Board shall continue to maintain 
a standing working group named the Environmental Information 
Services Working Group (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Working 
Group’’)— 
(1) to provide advice for prioritizing weather research initia-
tives at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
to produce real improvement in weather forecasting; 
(2) to provide advice on existing or emerging technologies 
or techniques that can be found in private industry or the 
research community that could be incorporated into forecasting 
at the National Weather Service to improve forecasting skill; 
(3) to identify opportunities to improve—
H. R. 353—16 
(A) communications between weather forecasters, Fed-
eral, State, local, tribal, and other emergency management 
personnel, and the public; and 
(B) communications and partnerships among the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the 
private and academic sectors; and 
(4) to address such other matters as the Science Advisory 
Board requests of the Working Group. 
(b) COMPOSITION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Working Group shall be composed 
of leading experts and innovators from all relevant fields of 
science and engineering including atmospheric chemistry, 
atmospheric physics, meteorology, hydrology, social science, risk 
communications, electrical engineering, and computer sciences. 
In carrying out this section, the Working Group may organize 
into subpanels. 
(2) NUMBER.—The Working Group shall be composed of 
no fewer than 15 members. Nominees for the Working Group 
may be forwarded by the Working Group for approval by the 
Science Advisory Board. Members of the Working Group may 
choose a chair (or co-chairs) from among their number with 
approval by the Science Advisory Board. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not less frequently than once each year, 
the Working Group shall transmit to the Science Advisory Board 
for submission to the Under Secretary a report on progress made 
by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in adopting 
the Working Group’s recommendations. The Science Advisory Board 
shall transmit this report to the Under Secretary. Within 30 days 
of receipt of such report, 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 copy of such report. 
SEC. 
402. 
INTERAGENCY 
WEATHER 
RESEARCH 
AND 
FORECAST 
INNOVATION COORDINATION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy shall establish an Interagency Committee for 
Advancing Weather Services to improve coordination of relevant 
weather research and forecast innovation activities across the Fed-
eral Government. The Interagency Committee shall— 
(1) include participation by the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its con-
stituent elements, the National Science Foundation, and such 
other agencies involved in weather forecasting research as the 
President determines are appropriate; 
(2) identify and prioritize top forecast needs and coordinate 
those needs against budget requests and program initiatives 
across participating offices and agencies; and 
(3) share information regarding operational needs and fore-
casting improvements across relevant agencies. 
(b) CO-CHAIR.—The Federal Coordinator for Meteorology shall 
serve as a co-chair of this panel. 
(c) FURTHER COORDINATION.—The Director of the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy shall take such other steps as are 
necessary to coordinate the activities of the Federal Government
H. R. 353—17 
with those of the United States weather industry, State govern-
ments, emergency managers, and academic researchers. 
SEC. 403. OFFICE OF OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH AND 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EXCHANGE PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Research and the Director of National Weather Service 
may establish a program to detail Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Research personnel to the National Weather Service and National 
Weather Service personnel to the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Research. 
(b) GOAL.—The goal of this program is to enhance forecasting 
innovation through regular, direct interaction between the Office 
of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research’s world-class scientists and 
the National Weather Service’s operational staff. 
(c) ELEMENTS.—The program shall allow up to 10 Office of 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research staff and National Weather 
Service staff to spend up to 1 year on detail. Candidates shall 
be jointly selected by the Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Research and the Director of the National Weather 
Service. 
(d) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not less frequently than once each year, 
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 on participation in such program and shall highlight any 
innovations that come from this interaction. 
SEC. 404. VISITING FELLOWS AT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National Weather Service 
may establish a program to host postdoctoral fellows and academic 
researchers at any of the National Centers for Environmental Pre-
diction. 
(b) GOAL.—This program shall be designed to provide direct 
interaction between forecasters and talented academic and private 
sector researchers in an effort to bring innovation to forecasting 
tools and techniques to the National Weather Service. 
(c) SELECTION
AND
APPOINTMENT.—Such fellows shall be 
competitively selected and appointed for a term not to exceed 1 
year. 
SEC. 405. WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGISTS AT WEATHER 
FORECAST OFFICES OF NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. 
(a) DESIGNATION
OF
WARNING
COORDINATION
METEOROLO-
GISTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National Weather 
Service shall designate at least one warning coordination mete-
orologist at each weather forecast office of the National Weather 
Service. 
(2) NO ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES AUTHORIZED.—Nothing in 
this section shall be construed to authorize or require a change 
in the authorized number of full time equivalent employees 
in the National Weather Service or otherwise result in the 
employment of any additional employees. 
(3) PERFORMANCE BY OTHER EMPLOYEES.—Performance of 
the responsibilities outlined in this section is not limited to 
the warning coordination meteorologist position.