H. R. 353—18 
(b) PRIMARY ROLE OF WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLO-
GISTS.—The primary role of the warning coordination meteorologist 
shall be to carry out the responsibilities required by this section. 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), consistent with 
the analysis described in section 409, and in order to increase 
impact-based decision support services, each warning coordina-
tion meteorologist designated under subsection (a) shall— 
(A) be responsible for providing service to the 
geographic area of responsibility covered by the weather 
forecast office at which the warning coordination meteorolo-
gist is employed to help ensure that users of products 
of the National Weather Service can respond effectively 
to improve outcomes from weather events; 
(B) liaise with users of products and services of the 
National Weather Service, such as the public, media out-
lets, users in the aviation, marine, and agricultural commu-
nities, and forestry, land, and water management interests, 
to evaluate the adequacy and usefulness of the products 
and services of the National Weather Service; 
(C) collaborate with such weather forecast offices and 
State, local, and tribal government agencies as the Director 
considers appropriate in developing, proposing, and imple-
menting plans to develop, modify, or tailor products and 
services of the National Weather Service to improve the 
usefulness of such products and services; 
(D) ensure the maintenance and accuracy of severe 
weather call lists, appropriate office severe weather policy 
or procedures, and other severe weather or dissemination 
methodologies or strategies; and 
(E) work closely with State, local, and tribal emergency 
management agencies, and other agencies related to dis-
aster management, to ensure a planned, coordinated, and 
effective preparedness and response effort. 
(2) OTHER STAFF.—The Director may assign a responsibility 
set forth in paragraph (1) to such other staff as the Director 
considers appropriate to carry out such responsibility. 
(d) ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), a warning 
coordination meteorologist designated under subsection (a) 
may— 
(A) work with a State agency to develop plans for 
promoting more effective use of products and services of 
the National Weather Service throughout the State; 
(B) identify priority community preparedness objec-
tives; 
(C) develop plans to meet the objectives identified 
under paragraph (2); and 
(D) conduct severe weather event preparedness plan-
ning and citizen education efforts with and through various 
State, local, and tribal government agencies and other dis-
aster management-related organizations. 
(2) OTHER STAFF.—The Director may assign a responsibility 
set forth in paragraph (1) to such other staff as the Director 
considers appropriate to carry out such responsibility. 
(e) PLACEMENT WITH STATE
AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MAN-
AGERS.—
H. R. 353—19 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this section, the Director 
of the National Weather Service may place a warning coordina-
tion meteorologist designated under subsection (a) with a State 
or local emergency manager if the Director considers doing 
so is necessary or convenient to carry out this section. 
(2) TREATMENT.—If the Director determines that the place-
ment of a warning coordination meteorologist placed with a 
State or local emergency manager under paragraph (1) is near 
a weather forecast office of the National Weather Service, such 
placement shall be treated as designation of the warning 
coordination meteorologist at such weather forecast office for 
purposes of subsection (a). 
SEC. 
406. 
IMPROVING 
NATIONAL 
OCEANIC 
AND 
ATMOSPHERIC 
ADMINISTRATION 
COMMUNICATION 
OF 
HAZARDOUS 
WEATHER AND WATER EVENTS. 
(a) PURPOSE
OF SYSTEM.—For purposes of the assessment 
required by subsection (b)(1)(A), the purpose of National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration system for issuing watches and 
warnings regarding hazardous weather and water events shall be 
risk communication to the general public that informs action to 
prevent loss of life and property. 
(b) ASSESSMENT OF SYSTEM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall— 
(A) assess the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration system for issuing watches and warnings 
regarding hazardous weather and water events; and 
(B) submit to Congress a report on the findings of 
the Under Secretary with respect to the assessment con-
ducted under subparagraph (A). 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The assessment required by paragraph 
(1)(A) shall include the following: 
(A) An evaluation of whether the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration system for issuing 
watches and warnings regarding hazardous weather and 
water events meets the purpose described in subsection 
(a). 
(B) Development of recommendations for— 
(i) legislative and administrative action to improve 
the system described in paragraph (1)(A); and 
(ii) such research as the Under Secretary considers 
necessary to address the focus areas described in para-
graph (3). 
(3) FOCUS AREAS.—The assessment required by paragraph 
(1)(A) shall focus on the following: 
(A) Ways to communicate the risks posed by hazardous 
weather or water events to the public that are most likely 
to result in action to mitigate the risk. 
(B) Ways to communicate the risks posed by hazardous 
weather or water events to the public as broadly and rap-
idly as practicable. 
(C) Ways to preserve the benefits of the existing 
watches and warnings system. 
(D) Ways to maintain the utility of the watches and 
warnings system for Government and commercial users 
of the system.
H. R. 353—20 
(4) CONSULTATION.—In conducting the assessment required 
by paragraph (1)(A), the Under Secretary shall— 
(A) consult with such line offices within the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as the Under Sec-
retary considers relevant, including the National Ocean 
Service, the National Weather Service, and the Office of 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research; 
(B) consult with individuals in the academic sector, 
including individuals in the field of social and behavioral 
sciences, and other weather services; 
(C) consult with media outlets that will be distributing 
the watches and warnings; 
(D) consult with non-Federal forecasters that produce 
alternate severe weather risk communication products; 
(E) consult with emergency planners and responders, 
including State and local emergency management agencies, 
and other government users of the watches and warnings 
system, including the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, the Office of Personnel Management, the Coast 
Guard, and such other Federal agencies as the Under Sec-
retary determines rely on watches and warnings for oper-
ational decisions; and 
(F) make use of the services of the National Academy 
of Sciences, as the Under Secretary considers necessary 
and practicable, including contracting with the National 
Research Council to review the scientific and technical 
soundness of the assessment required by paragraph (1)(A), 
including the recommendations developed under paragraph 
(2)(B). 
(5) 
METHODOLOGIES.—In 
conducting 
the 
assessment 
required by paragraph (1)(A), the Under Secretary shall use 
such methodologies as the Under Secretary considers are gen-
erally accepted by the weather enterprise, including social and 
behavioral sciences. 
(c) IMPROVEMENTS TO SYSTEM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary shall, based on the 
assessment required by subsection (b)(1)(A), make such rec-
ommendations to Congress to improve the system as the Under 
Secretary considers necessary— 
(A) to improve the system for issuing watches and 
warnings regarding hazardous weather and water events; 
and 
(B) to support efforts to satisfy research needs to enable 
future improvements to such system. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS REGARDING RECOMMENDATIONS.—In car-
rying out paragraph (1)(A), the Under Secretary shall ensure 
that any recommendation that the Under Secretary considers 
a major change— 
(A) is validated by social and behavioral science using 
a generalizable sample; 
(B) accounts for the needs of various demographics, 
vulnerable populations, and geographic regions; 
(C) accounts for the differences between types of 
weather and water hazards; 
(D) responds to the needs of Federal, State, and local 
government partners and media partners; and
H. R. 353—21 
(E) accounts for necessary changes to Federally oper-
ated watch and warning propagation and dissemination 
infrastructure and protocols. 
(d) WATCHES AND WARNINGS DEFINED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), in 
this section, the terms ‘‘watch’’ and ‘‘warning’’, with respect 
to a hazardous weather and water event, mean products issued 
by the Administration, intended for consumption by the general 
public, to alert the general public to the potential for or presence 
of the event and to inform action to prevent loss of life and 
property. 
(2) EXCEPTION.—ln this section, the terms ‘‘watch’’ and 
‘‘warning’’ do not include technical or specialized meteorological 
and hydrological forecasts, outlooks, or model guidance prod-
ucts. 
SEC. 407. NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION 
WEATHER READY ALL HAZARDS AWARD PROGRAM. 
(a) PROGRAM.—The Director of the National Weather Service 
is authorized to establish the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration Weather Ready All Hazards Award Program. This 
award program shall provide annual awards to honor individuals 
or organizations that use or provide National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio All Hazards receivers 
or transmitters to save lives and protect property. Individuals or 
organizations that utilize other early warning tools or applications 
also qualify for this award. 
(b) GOAL.—This award program draws attention to the life- 
saving work of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion Weather Ready All Hazards Program, as well as emerging 
tools and applications, that provide real-time warning to individuals 
and communities of severe weather or other hazardous conditions. 
(c) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.— 
(1) NOMINATIONS.—Nominations for this award shall be 
made annually by the Weather Field Offices to the Director 
of the National Weather Service. Broadcast meteorologists, 
weather radio manufacturers and weather warning tool and 
application developers, emergency managers, and public safety 
officials may nominate individuals or organizations to their 
local Weather Field Offices, but the final list of award nominees 
must come from the Weather Field Offices. 
(2) SELECTION OF AWARDEES.—Annually, the Director of 
the National Weather Service shall choose winners of this 
award whose timely actions, based on National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio All Hazards 
receivers or transmitters or other early warning tools and 
applications, 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 impor-
tance of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
Weather Radio, and such other warning tools and applications 
as are represented in the awards.