IB 
Union Calendar No. 422 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 1674 
[Report No. 109–698] 
To authorize and strengthen the tsunami detection, forecast, warning, and 
mitigation program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion, to be carried out by the National Weather Service, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 18, 2005 
Mr. BOEHLERT (for himself, Mr. INSLEE, Mr. EHLERS, and Mr. WU) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science 
SEPTEMBER 28, 2006 
Additional sponsors: Mr. GILCHREST, Mr. BAIRD, Mr. CASE, Ms. BORDALLO, 
Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. SAXTON, Mr. PALLONE, Ms. 
JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. COSTA, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. MILLER of 
North Carolina, Mr. GORDON, Ms. HOOLEY, Mr. MEEKS of New York, 
Mr. HONDA, Mr. FITZPATRICK of Pennsylvania, Mr. BONNER, Mr. 
SCHWARZ of Michigan, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. REICHERT, and Mr. FARR 
SEPTEMBER 28, 2006 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 18, 2005] 
A BILL 
To authorize and strengthen the tsunami detection, forecast, 
warning, and mitigation program of the National Oceanic 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:36 Sep 28, 2006
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H1674.RH
H1674
hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMBILLS
and Atmospheric Administration, to be carried out by 
the National Weather Service, 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 ‘‘United States Tsunami 
Warning and Education Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this Act are— 
(1) to improve tsunami detection, forecasting, 
warnings, notification, preparedness, and mitigation 
to protect life and property both in the United States; 
(2) to enhance and modernize the existing Pa-
cific Tsunami Warning System to increase coverage, 
reduce false alarms and increase the accuracy of fore-
casts and warnings, and to expand detection and 
warning systems to include other vulnerable States 
and United States territories, including the Atlantic 
Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico areas; 
(3) to improve mapping, modeling, research, and 
assessment efforts to improve tsunami forecasting, 
preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery; 
(4) to improve and increase education and out-
reach activities and ensure that those receiving tsu-
nami warnings and the at-risk public know what to 
do when a tsunami is approaching; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:36 Sep 28, 2006
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1674.RH
H1674
hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMBILLS
(5) to provide technical and other assistance to 
speed international efforts to establish regional tsu-
nami warning systems in vulnerable areas worldwide, 
including the Indian Ocean; and 
(6) to improve Federal, State, and international 
coordination for tsunami and other coastal hazard 
warnings and preparedness. 
SEC. 3. TSUNAMI FORECASTING AND WARNING PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, through the Na-
tional Weather Service, shall operate a program to provide 
tsunami forecasting and warnings for the Pacific Ocean re-
gion and for the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf 
of Mexico region. 
(b) COMPONENTS.—The program under this section 
shall— 
(1) include the tsunami warning centers estab-
lished under subsection (d); 
(2) provide tsunami forecasting capability based 
on models and measurements, including tsunami in-
undation models and maps for use in increasing the 
preparedness of communities, including through the 
TsunamiReady program; 
(3) include a cooperative effort among the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:36 Sep 28, 2006
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1674.RH
H1674
hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMBILLS
United States Geological Survey, and the National 
Science Foundation under which the Geological Sur-
vey and the National Science Foundation shall pro-
vide rapid and reliable seismic information to the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
from international and domestic seismic networks; 
(4) provide a capability for the dissemination of 
warnings to at-risk States and tsunami communities 
through rapid and reliable notification to government 
officials and the public through such means as the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
weather radio and the All Hazard Alert Broadcasting 
Radio; and 
(5) include any technology the Administrator 
considers appropriate to fulfill the objectives of the 
program under this section. 
(c) SYSTEM AREAS.—The program under this section 
shall operate— 
(1) a Pacific tsunami warning system capable of 
forecasting tsunamis anywhere in the Pacific Ocean 
region and providing adequate warnings; and 
(2) an Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf 
of Mexico tsunami warning system capable of fore-
casting tsunamis and providing adequate warnings 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:36 Sep 28, 2006
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1674.RH
H1674
hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMBILLS
in areas of the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and 
Gulf of Mexico that are determined— 
(A) to be geologically active, or to have sig-
nificant potential for geological activity; and 
(B) to pose significant risks of tsunamis for 
States along the coastal areas of the Atlantic 
Ocean, Caribbean Sea, or Gulf of Mexico. 
(d) TSUNAMI WARNING CENTERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, through 
the National Weather Service, shall maintain or es-
tablish— 
(A) a Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in 
Hawaii; 
(B) a West Coast and Alaska Tsunami 
Warning Center in Alaska; and 
(C) any additional forecast and warning 
centers determined by the National Weather 
Service to be necessary. 
(2) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The responsibilities of 
each tsunami warning center shall include— 
(A) continuously monitoring data from seis-
mological, deep ocean, and tidal monitoring sta-
tions; 
(B) evaluating earthquakes that have the 
potential to generate tsunamis; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:36 Sep 28, 2006
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1674.RH
H1674
hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMBILLS