I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5260 
To improve understanding and forecasting of space weather, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 22, 2019 
Mr. PERLMUTTER (for himself, Mr. BROOKS of Alabama, and Ms. JOHNSON 
of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Com-
mittees on Armed Services, and Natural Resources, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee con-
cerned 
A BILL 
To improve understanding and forecasting of space weather, 
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 ‘‘Promoting Research 
and Observations of Space Weather to Improve the Fore-
casting of Tomorrow Act’’ or the ‘‘PROSWIFT Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. SPACE WEATHER. 
(a) POLICY.—It shall be the policy of the United 
States to prepare and protect against the social and eco-
nomic impacts of space weather phenomena by supporting 
actions to improve space weather forecasts and predictions 
including: sustaining and enhancing critical observations, 
identifying research needs and promoting opportunities for 
research to operations and operations to research collabo-
rations both within and outside of the Federal Govern-
ment, advancing space weather models, engaging with all 
sectors of the space weather community including aca-
demia and the commercial sector, and understanding the 
needs of space weather end users. 
(b) AMENDMENT
TO TITLE 51, UNITED STATES 
CODE.—Subtitle VI of title 51, United States Code, is 
amended by adding after chapter 605 the following: 
‘‘CHAPTER 606—SPACE WEATHER 
‘‘60601. Space weather. 
‘‘60602. Integrated strategy. 
‘‘60603. Sustaining and advancing critical space weather observations. 
‘‘60604. Research activities. 
‘‘60605. Space weather data. 
‘‘60606. Space weather knowledge transfer and information exchange. 
‘‘60607. Space weather benchmarks. 
‘‘§ 60601. Space weather 
‘‘(a) FINDINGS.— 
‘‘(1) SPACE
WEATHER.—Congress makes the 
following findings with respect to space weather: 
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‘‘(A) Space weather phenomena pose a sig-
nificant threat to ground-based and space-based 
critical infrastructure, modern technological 
systems, and humans working in space. 
‘‘(B) The effects of severe space weather 
on the electric power grid, satellites and sat-
ellite communications and information, aviation 
operations, astronauts living and working in 
space, and space-based position, navigation, and 
timing systems could have significant societal, 
economic, national security, and health impacts. 
‘‘(C) Space-based and ground-based obser-
vations provide crucial data necessary to under-
stand, forecast, and prepare for space weather 
events. 
‘‘(D) Clear roles and accountability of Fed-
eral departments and agencies are critical for 
efficient and effective response to threats posed 
by space weather. 
‘‘(E) Space weather observation and fore-
casting are essential for the success of human 
and robotic space exploration. 
‘‘(F) In October 2015, the National 
Science and Technology Council published a 
National Space Weather Strategy and a Na-
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tional Space Weather Action Plan seeking to in-
tegrate national space weather efforts and add 
new capabilities to meet increasing demand for 
space weather information. 
‘‘(G) In March 2019, the National Science 
and Technology Council published an updated 
National Space Weather Strategy and Action 
Plan to enhance the preparedness and resilience 
of the United States to space weather. 
‘‘(2) ROLE OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Congress 
makes the following findings with respect to the role 
of Federal agencies on space weather: 
‘‘(A) The National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric 
Administration 
provides 
operational 
space weather monitoring and forecasting for 
civil applications, maintains ground-based and 
space-based assets to provide observations need-
ed for space weather forecasting, prediction, 
and warnings, provides research to support 
operational responsibilities, and develops re-
quirements for space weather forecasting tech-
nologies and science. 
‘‘(B) The Department of Defense provides 
operational space weather research, monitoring, 
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and forecasting for the department’s unique 
missions and applications. 
‘‘(C) The National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration 
provides 
increased 
under-
standing of the fundamental physics of the 
Sun-Earth system through basic research, 
space-based observations and modeling, devel-
oping new space-based technologies and mis-
sions, and monitoring of space weather for the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administra-
tion’s space missions. 
‘‘(D) The National Science Foundation 
provides increased understanding of the Sun- 
Earth system through ground-based measure-
ments, technologies, and modeling. 
‘‘(E) The Department of the Interior col-
lects, distributes, and archives operational 
ground-based magnetometer data in the United 
States and its territories, works with the inter-
national community to improve global geo-
physical monitoring, and develops crustal con-
ductivity models to assess and mitigate risks 
from space weather induced electric ground cur-
rents. 
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‘‘(F) The Federal Aviation Administration 
provides operational requirements for space 
weather services in support of aviation and for 
coordination of these requirements with the 
International Civil Aviation Organization, and 
integrates space weather data and products into 
the Next Generation Air Transportation Sys-
tem. 
‘‘(b) SPACE WEATHER DISTURBANCE DEFINED.—In 
this chapter, the term ‘space weather disturbance’ includes 
geo-electric fields, ionizing radiation, ionospheric disturb-
ances, solar radio bursts, and upper atmosphere expan-
sion. 
‘‘(c) COORDINATION BY OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND 
TECHNOLOGY POLICY.—The Director of the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy shall— 
‘‘(1) coordinate the development and implemen-
tation of Federal Government activities conducted 
with respect to space weather to improve the ability 
of the United States to prepare for, avoid, mitigate, 
respond to, and recover from potentially devastating 
impacts of space weather; and 
‘‘(2) coordinate the activities of the interagency 
working group on space weather established under 
subsection (d). 
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‘‘(d) SPACE
WEATHER
INTERAGENCY
WORKING 
GROUP.—The National Science and Technology Council 
shall establish an interagency working group on space 
weather (referred to in this section as the ‘interagency 
working group’) to lead executive branch actions that im-
prove the understanding of and preparation for space 
weather phenomena, and coordination of Federal space 
weather activities. 
‘‘(1) MEMBERSHIP.—The following entities 
shall be members of the interagency working group: 
‘‘(A) The National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration. 
‘‘(B) The National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration. 
‘‘(C) The National Science Foundation. 
‘‘(D) The Department of Defense. 
‘‘(E) The Department of the Interior. 
‘‘(F) Such other Federal Agencies as the 
Director of the Office of Science and Tech-
nology Policy deems appropriate. 
‘‘(2) INTERAGENCY AGREEMENTS.—The mem-
bers of the interagency working group may enter 
into one or more interagency agreements providing 
for cooperation and collaboration in the development 
of space weather spacecraft, instruments, tech-
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nologies, and research to operations and operations 
to research in accordance with this chapter. 
‘‘(3) INTERNATIONAL, ACADEMIC COMMUNITY, 
AND COMMERCIAL SECTOR COLLABORATION.—Each 
Federal agency participating in the space weather 
interagency working group established under this 
subsection shall, to the extent practicable, increase 
engagement and cooperation with the international 
community, academic community, and commercial 
space weather sector on the observational infrastruc-
ture, data, and scientific research necessary to ad-
vance the monitoring, forecasting and prediction of 
and preparation and protection from space weather 
phenomena. 
‘‘(e) SPACE WEATHER ADVISORY GROUP.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 6 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator of the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration, in consultation with other 
relevant Federal agencies, shall establish a space 
weather advisory group (in this chapter referred to 
as the ‘advisory group’) for the purposes of receiving 
advice from the academic community, the commer-
cial space weather sector, and space weather end 
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users that informs the interests and work of the 
interagency working group. 
‘‘(A) COMPOSITION.—The advisory group 
shall be composed of not more than 15 mem-
bers appointed by the interagency working 
group, of whom— 
‘‘(i) 5 members shall be representa-
tives of the academic community; 
‘‘(ii) 5 members shall be representa-
tives of the commercial space weather sec-
tor; and 
‘‘(iii) 5 members shall be nongovern-
mental representatives of the space weath-
er end user community. 
‘‘(B) CHAIR.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date on which the last member of the advi-
sory group is appointed under paragraph (2), 
the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration shall appoint 1 
member as the Chair of the advisory group. 
‘‘(C) TERMS.—The length of the term of 
each member of the advisory group shall be 3 
years beginning on the date on which the mem-
ber is appointed. 
‘‘(D) TERM LIMITS.— 
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‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—A member of the 
advisory group may not serve on the advi-
sory group for more than 2 consecutive 
terms. 
‘‘(ii) CHAIR.—A member of the advi-
sory group may not serve as the Chair of 
the advisory group for more than 2 terms, 
regardless of whether the terms are con-
secutive. 
‘‘(2) DUTIES.—The advisory group shall advise 
the interagency working group on the following: 
‘‘(A) Facilitating advances in the space 
weather enterprise of the United States. 
‘‘(B) Improving the ability of the United 
States to prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and 
recover from space weather events. 
‘‘(C) Enabling the coordination and facili-
tation of research-to-operations and operations- 
to-research, as described in section 60604(d). 
‘‘(D) Developing and implementing the in-
tegrated strategy under section 60602 including 
subsequent updates and reevaluations. 
‘‘(3) USER SURVEY.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 6 
months after the establishment of the advisory 
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group, the advisory group shall conduct a com-
prehensive survey of the needs of users of space 
weather products to identify the space weather 
research, observations, forecasting, prediction, 
and modeling advances required to improve 
space weather products. 
‘‘(B) SURVEY CONSIDERATIONS.—The sur-
vey conducted under subparagraph (A) shall— 
‘‘(i) assess the adequacy of current 
Federal Government goals for lead time, 
accuracy, coverage, timeliness, data rate, 
and data quality for space weather obser-
vations and forecasting; 
‘‘(ii) identify options and methods to, 
in consultation with the academic commu-
nity and the commercial space weather sec-
tor, improve upon the advancement of the 
goals described in clause (i); 
‘‘(iii) identify opportunities for collec-
tion of new data to address the needs of 
the space weather user community; 
‘‘(iv) identify methods to increase co-
ordination of space weather research-to-op-
erations and operations-to-research; 
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‘‘(v) identify opportunities for new 
technologies, research, and instrumentation 
to aid in research, understanding, moni-
toring, modeling, prediction, forecasting, 
and warning of space weather; and 
‘‘(vi) identify methods and tech-
nologies to improve preparedness for po-
tential space weather phenomena. 
‘‘(C) COORDINATION WITH AGENCIES.—In 
carrying out the requirements of this sub-
section, the advisory group shall communicate 
and coordinate with the interagency working 
group to ensure the needs of the governmental 
space weather user community are adequately 
and appropriately identified by the survey under 
subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(D) BRIEFING TO CONGRESS.—Not later 
than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the advisory group shall provide to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate a briefing on the survey re-
sults. 
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‘‘(E) PUBLICATION.—Within 30 days of 
the briefing to Congress, the advisory group 
shall make the results of the comprehensive 
survey conducted under subparagraph (A) pub-
licly available. 
‘‘(F) REEVALUATION.—The advisory group 
shall review and assess the comprehensive sur-
vey not less than every 3 years and update, re-
submit, and republish the survey in accordance 
with the requirements of subparagraph (D) and 
(E). 
‘‘(4) FEDERAL
ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
ACT.— 
Section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the advisory 
group. 
‘‘§ 60602. Integrated strategy 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy, in collaboration with the 
interagency working group and upon the advice of the ad-
visory group, shall develop a strategy for coordinated ob-
servation of space weather among members of the inter-
agency working group (in this chapter, referred to as the 
‘integrated strategy’). The integrated strategy shall iden-
tify— 
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‘‘(1) observations and measurements that must 
be sustained beyond the lifetime of current ground- 
based and space-based assets, as described in section 
60603 of this Act that are essential for space weath-
er research, models, forecasting, and prediction; 
‘‘(2) new observations and measurements that 
may significantly improve space weather forecasting 
and prediction; and 
‘‘(3) plans for follow-on space-based observa-
tions under section 60603(g). 
‘‘(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—In developing the integrated 
strategy in subsection (a), the Director of the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy shall consider, as appro-
priate the following: 
‘‘(1) Potential contributions of commercial solu-
tions, prize authority, academic and international 
partnerships, microsatellites, small satellite options, 
ground-based instruments, and hosted payloads for 
observations identified in section 60602(a)(2). 
‘‘(2) Work conducted before the date of the en-
actment of this Act by the National Science and 
Technology Council with respect to space weather. 
‘‘(3) The user survey from section 60601(e). 
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‘‘(4) Any relevant recommendations from the 
most recent National Research Council’s Decadal 
Strategy for Solar and Space Physics (Heliophysics). 
‘‘(c) REVIEW OF INTEGRATED STRATEGY.— 
‘‘(1) REVIEW.—The Administrator of the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration and 
the Administrator of the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration, in consultation with Fed-
eral agencies participating in the interagency work-
ing group, shall enter into an agreement with the 
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and 
Medicine to review the integrated strategy developed 
in this section. 
‘‘(2) CONSIDERATIONS.—The review from para-
graph (1) shall also consider the current state, capa-
bility, and feasibility of the commercial space weath-
er sector to provide new and supplemental observa-
tions and measurements that may significantly im-
prove space weather forecasting and prediction. 
‘‘(3) TRANSMITTAL.—The Director of the Of-
fice of Science and Technology Policy and the Ad-
ministrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration and the Administrator of the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall 
transmit the Integrated Strategy and the results of 
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the review required under paragraph (1) to the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology in the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Sen-
ate not later than 18 months from the enactment of 
this Act. The Integrated Strategy and its review 
shall be made publicly available within 30 days of 
submittal to Congress. 
‘‘(d) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.—Not later than 6 
months after delivery of the review of the Integrated 
Strategy in subsection (c), the interagency working group 
shall develop a plan to implement the Integrated Strategy, 
including an estimate of the cost and schedule required 
for implementation. 
‘‘(e) REEVALUATION.—The Director, in collaboration 
with the interagency working group, shall update the inte-
grated strategy not later than six months after the re-
evaluation of the user survey from section 60601(e)(2)(E) 
in accordance with the requirements of subsections (a) 
through (d). 
‘‘§ 60603. Sustaining and advancing critical space 
weather observations 
‘‘(a) POLICY.—It is the policy of the United States 
to— 
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‘‘(1) establish and sustain a baseline capability 
for space weather observations and to make such ob-
servations and data publicly available; and 
‘‘(2) obtain enhanced space weather observa-
tions, as practicable, to advance forecasting and pre-
diction capability, as informed by the Integrated 
Strategy in section 60602. 
‘‘(b) SUSTAINING BASELINE SPACE-BASED OBSER-
VATIONAL CAPABILITIES.— 
‘‘(1) The Administrator of the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration shall, in coopera-
tion with the European Space Agency and other 
international and interagency partners, maintain op-
erations of the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/ 
Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (re-
ferred to in this section as ‘SOHO/LASCO’) for as 
long as the satellite continues to deliver quality ob-
servations. 
‘‘(2) The Administrator of the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration shall prioritize the 
reception of SOHO/LASCO data. 
‘‘(3) The Administrator of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration shall maintain cur-
rent space-based observational assets including but 
not limited to the Geostationary Operational Envi-
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