IB 
Union Calendar No. 91 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1561 
[Report No. 114–126] 
To improve the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s weather 
research through a focused program of investment on affordable and 
attainable advances in observational, computing, and modeling capabili-
ties to support substantial improvement in weather forecasting and pre-
diction of high impact weather events, to expand commercial opportuni-
ties for the provision of weather data, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 24, 2015 
Mr. LUCAS (for himself, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. BRIDENSTINE, Mr. SMITH of 
Texas, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. STEWART, and Mr. 
ROHRABACHER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
MAY 19, 2015 
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 March 24, 2015] 
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A BILL 
To improve the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration’s weather research through a focused program 
of investment on affordable and attainable advances in 
observational, computing, and modeling capabilities to 
support substantial improvement in weather forecasting 
and prediction of high impact weather events, to expand 
commercial opportunities for the provision of weather 
data, and for other purposes. 
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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 ‘‘Weather Research and 
Forecasting Innovation Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITY. 
In accordance with NOAA’s critical mission to provide 
science, service, and stewardship, the Under Secretary shall 
prioritize weather research, across all weather programs, to 
improve weather data, forecasts, and warnings for the pro-
tection of life and property and the enhancement of the na-
tional economy. 
SEC. 3. WEATHER RESEARCH AND FORECASTING INNOVA-
TION. 
(a) PROGRAM.—The Assistant Administrator for OAR 
shall conduct a program to develop improved understanding 
of and forecast capabilities for atmospheric events and their 
impacts, placing priority on developing more accurate, 
timely, and effective warnings and fore-casts of high impact 
weather events that endanger life and property. 
(b) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.—The program described in 
subsection (a) shall focus on the following activities: 
(1) Improving the fundamental understanding of 
weather consistent with section 2, including the 
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boundary layer and other atmospheric processes af-
fecting high impact weather events. 
(2) Improving the understanding of how the pub-
lic receives, interprets, and responds to warnings and 
forecasts of high impact weather events that endanger 
life and property. 
(3) Research and development, and transfer of 
knowledge, technologies, and applications to the NWS 
and other appropriate agencies and entities, includ-
ing the American weather industry and academic 
partners, related to— 
(A) advanced radar, radar networking tech-
nologies, and other ground-based technologies, in-
cluding those emphasizing rapid, fine-scale sens-
ing of the boundary layer and lower troposphere, 
and the use of innovative, dual-polarization, 
phased array technologies; 
(B) aerial weather observing systems; 
(C) high performance computing and infor-
mation technology and wireless communication 
networks; 
(D) advanced numerical weather prediction 
systems and forecasting tools and techniques that 
improve the forecasting of timing, track, inten-
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sity, and severity of high impact weather, in-
cluding through— 
(i) the development of more effective 
mesoscale models; 
(ii) more effective use of existing, and 
the development of new, regional and na-
tional cloud-resolving models; 
(iii) enhanced global weather models; 
and 
(iv) integrated assessment models; 
(E) quantitative assessment tools for meas-
uring the impact and value of data and observ-
ing systems, including OSSEs (as described in 
section 8), OSEs, and AOAs; 
(F) atmospheric chemistry and interactions 
essential to accurately characterizing atmos-
pheric composition and predicting meteorological 
processes, including cloud microphysical, pre-
cipitation, and atmospheric electrification proc-
esses, to more effectively understand their role in 
severe weather; and 
(G) additional sources of weather data and 
information, including commercial observing 
systems. 
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(4) A technology transfer initiative, carried out 
jointly and in coordination with the Assistant Ad-
ministrator for NWS, and in cooperation with the 
American weather industry and academic partners, 
to ensure continuous development and transition of 
the latest scientific and technological advances into 
NWS operations and to establish a process to sunset 
outdated and expensive operational methods and tools 
to enable cost-effective transfer of new methods and 
tools into operations. 
(c) EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the program 
under this section, the Assistant Administrator for 
OAR shall collaborate with and support the non-Fed-
eral weather research community, which includes in-
stitutions of higher education, private entities, and 
nongovernmental organizations, by making funds 
available through competitive grants, contracts, and 
cooperative agreements. 
(2) SENSE
OF
CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that not less than 30 percent of the funds for 
weather research and development at OAR should be 
made available for the purpose described in para-
graph (1). 
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