I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5002 
To reinstate all employees and programs at the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration that help communities prepare for and mitigate 
damage from extreme weather events. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 19, 2025 
Mr. NEGUSE (for himself, Mr. CASAR, Mr. STANTON, Mr. AMO, Ms. HOYLE 
of Oregon, and Mr. MOSKOWITZ) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To reinstate all employees and programs at the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that help com-
munities prepare for and mitigate damage from extreme 
weather events. 
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 ‘‘Protect Americans 
from Climate Disasters Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Fifth United States National Climate 
Assessment reported that human-caused climate var-
iability such as extended droughts, longer wildfire 
seasons, heavy rainfall, and sea level rise affects the 
frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. 
(2) According to the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration (NOAA), the number and 
cost of extreme weather and climate disasters have 
increased over time and will continue to increase in 
the United States due to climate change, increased 
urbanization, and development in weather prone 
areas. 
(3) According to the National Centers for Envi-
ronmental Information, from 2020 to 2024 alone, 
weather and climate disasters cost the United States 
over $746,700,000,000 and led to 2,520 deaths. 
(4) Americans rely on weather information pro-
vided by NOAA every day for emergency disaster 
alerts, forecasting, data collection, and more. 
(5) Staffing reductions at the National Weather 
Service and NOAA have resulted in decreased capac-
ity to forecast extreme weather events, the elimi-
nation of some products and services, and the dete-
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rioration of environmental scientific research, which 
poses a threat to public safety. 
(6) The 5 former living National Weather Serv-
ice leaders wrote an open letter expressing their deep 
concern that the staff and program cuts at NOAA 
may result in the loss of life. 
(7) NOAA’s Billion-Dollar Weather and Cli-
mate Disasters product has been eliminated, reduc-
ing publicly available data that tracked the economic 
impact of United States weather and climate trends 
since 1980. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITION. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘NOAA’’ means the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
SEC. 4. NOAA STAFFING AND PERSONNEL. 
Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, using funds previously appropriated for such 
purposes, the Secretary of Commerce shall— 
(1) take such actions as are necessary to ensure 
that NOAA, including the National Weather Service, 
is fully staffed to ensure timely and accurate data, 
forecasts, weather alerts, and resiliency resources 
are available to prepare for extreme weather events; 
and 
(2) reinstate any individuals who— 
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(A) were involuntarily removed or other-
wise terminated from employment with NOAA 
during the period beginning on January 20, 
2025, and ending on the date of the enactment 
of this Act; and 
(B) elect to be reinstated. 
SEC. 5. CONTINUATION OF AUTHORIZED NOAA PROGRAMS. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary of Commerce— 
(1) shall continue to carry out any programs 
for which funds have been appropriated that support 
State and local efforts to prepare for and respond to 
extreme weather events; and 
(2) may not make any changes to existing con-
gressionally mandated programs that will reduce ac-
cess to extreme weather resources. 
(b) ACTIONS REQUIRED.—In carrying out subsection 
(a)— 
(1) the Secretary of Commerce shall imme-
diately reinstate the Billion-Dollar Weather and Cli-
mate Disasters product and carry out any project 
for which funds have been made available under 
such program; 
(2) the Secretary of Commerce shall imme-
diately reinstate the NOAA Marine Environmental 
Buoy Database and carry out any project for which 
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funds have been made available under such program; 
and 
(3) the Secretary of Commerce shall imme-
diately reinstate the NOAA Global Ocean Currents 
Database and carry out any project for which funds 
have been made available under such program. 
SEC. 6. NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINIS-
TRATION FUNDING. 
There is appropriated to the Department of Com-
merce, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise 
appropriated, for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 
2026, $6,756,300,000 for the necessary expenses of Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
Æ 
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