H. R. 1674
One Hundred Ninth Congress
of the
United States of America 
AT THE SECOND SESSION 
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday, 
the third day of January, two thousand and six 
An Act 
To authorize and strengthen the tsunami detection, forecast, warning, and mitigation 
program of the National Oceanic 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 Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Tsunami Warning and Education 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘Administration’’ means the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration. 
(2) The term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Administrator of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
SEC. 3. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this Act are—
(1) to improve tsunami detection, forecasting, warnings, 
notification, outreach, and mitigation to protect life and prop-
erty in the United States; 
(2) to enhance and modernize the existing Pacific Tsunami 
Warning System to increase coverage, reduce false alarms, 
and increase the accuracy of forecasts and warnings, and to 
expand detection and warning systems to include other vulner-
able States and United States territories, including the Atlantic 
Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico areas; 
(3) to improve mapping, modeling, research, and assess-
ment efforts to improve tsunami detection, forecasting, 
warnings, notification, outreach, mitigation, response, and 
recovery; 
(4) to improve and increase education and outreach activi-
ties and ensure that those receiving tsunami warnings and 
the at-risk public know what to do when a tsunami is 
approaching; 
(5) to provide technical and other assistance to speed inter-
national efforts to establish regional tsunami warning systems 
in vulnerable areas worldwide, including the Indian Ocean; 
and 
(6) to improve Federal, State, and international coordina-
tion for detection, warnings, and outreach for tsunami and 
other coastal impacts.
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SEC. 4. TSUNAMI FORECASTING AND WARNING PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, through the National 
Weather Service and in consultation with other relevant Adminis-
tration offices, shall operate a program to provide tsunami detection, 
forecasting, and warnings for the Pacific and Arctic Ocean regions 
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 established under 
subsection (d); 
(2) utilize and maintain an array of robust tsunami detec-
tion technologies; 
(3) maintain detection equipment in operational condition 
to fulfill the detection, forecasting, and warning requirements 
of this Act; 
(4) provide tsunami forecasting capability based on models 
and measurements, including tsunami inundation models and 
maps for use in increasing the preparedness of communities, 
including through the TsunamiReady program; 
(5) maintain data quality and management systems to 
support the requirements of the program; 
(6) include a cooperative effort among the Administration, 
the United States Geological Survey, and the National Science 
Foundation under which the Geological Survey and the 
National Science Foundation shall provide rapid and reliable 
seismic information to the Administration from international 
and domestic seismic networks; 
(7) 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, 
including utilization of and coordination with existing Federal 
warning 
systems, 
including 
the 
National 
Oceanic 
and 
Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio All Hazards Pro-
gram; 
(8) allow, as practicable, for integration of tsunami detec-
tion technologies with other environmental observing tech-
nologies; and 
(9) 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 
tsunami anywhere in the Pacific and Arctic Ocean regions 
and providing adequate warnings; and 
(2) an Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico 
tsunami warning system capable of forecasting tsunami and 
providing adequate warnings in areas of the Atlantic Ocean, 
Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico that are determined—
(A) to be geologically active, or to have significant 
potential for geological activity; and 
(B) to pose significant risks of tsunami 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 establish—
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(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 deter-
mined by the National Weather Service to be necessary. 
(2) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The responsibilities of each tsunami 
warning center shall include—
(A) continuously monitoring data from seismological, 
deep ocean, and tidal monitoring stations; 
(B) evaluating earthquakes that have the potential 
to generate tsunami; 
(C) evaluating deep ocean buoy data and tidal moni-
toring stations for indications of tsunami resulting from 
earthquakes and other sources; 
(D) disseminating forecasts and tsunami warning bul-
letins to Federal, State, and local government officials and 
the public; 
(E) coordinating with the tsunami hazard mitigation 
program described in section 5 to ensure ongoing sharing 
of information between forecasters and emergency manage-
ment officials; and 
(F) making data gathered under this Act and post-
warning analyses conducted by the National Weather 
Service or other relevant Administration offices available 
to researchers. 
(e) TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY; MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this section, the National 
Weather Service, in consultation with other relevant Adminis-
tration offices, shall—
(A) develop requirements for the equipment used to 
forecast tsunami, which shall include provisions for multi-
purpose detection platforms, reliability and performance 
metrics, and to the maximum extent practicable how the 
equipment will be integrated with other United States 
and global ocean and coastal observation systems, the 
global earth observing system of systems, global seismic 
networks, and the Advanced National Seismic System; 
(B) develop and execute a plan for the transfer of 
technology from ongoing research described in section 6 
into the program under this section; and 
(C) ensure that maintaining operational tsunami detec-
tion equipment is the highest priority within the program 
carried out under this Act. 
(2) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—
(A) Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the National Weather Service, in consultation 
with other relevant Administration offices, shall transmit 
to Congress a report on how the tsunami forecast system 
under this section will be integrated with other United 
States and global ocean and coastal observation systems, 
the global earth observing system of systems, global seismic 
networks, and the Advanced National Seismic System. 
(B) Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the National Weather Service, in consultation 
with other relevant Administration offices, shall transmit 
a report to Congress on how technology developed under
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section 6 is being transferred into the program under this 
section. 
(f) FEDERAL COOPERATION.—When deploying and maintaining 
tsunami detection technologies, the Administrator shall seek the 
assistance and assets of other appropriate Federal agencies. 
(g) ANNUAL EQUIPMENT CERTIFICATION.—At the same time Con-
gress receives the budget justification documents in support of 
the President’s annual budget request for each fiscal year, the 
Administrator shall transmit to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
Science of the House of Representatives a certification that—
(1) identifies the tsunami detection equipment deployed 
pursuant to this Act, as of December 31 of the preceding cal-
endar year; 
(2) certifies which equipment is operational as of December 
31 of the preceding calendar year; 
(3) in the case of any piece of such equipment that is 
not operational as of such date, identifies that equipment and 
describes the mitigation strategy that is in place—
(A) to repair or replace that piece of equipment within 
a reasonable period of time; or 
(B) to otherwise ensure adequate tsunami detection 
coverage; 
(4) identifies any equipment that is being developed or 
constructed to carry out this Act but which has not yet been 
deployed, if the Administration has entered into a contract 
for that equipment prior to December 31 of the preceding 
calendar year, and provides a schedule for the deployment 
of that equipment; and 
(5) certifies that the Administrator expects the equipment 
described in paragraph (4) to meet the requirements, cost, 
and schedule provided in that contract. 
(h) CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATIONS.—The Administrator shall 
notify the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
of the Senate and the Committee on Science of the House of Rep-
resentatives within 30 days of—
(1) impaired regional forecasting capabilities due to equip-
ment or system failures; and 
(2) significant contractor failures or delays in completing 
work associated with the tsunami forecasting and warning 
system. 
(i) REPORT.—Not later than January 31, 2010, the Comptroller 
General of the United States shall transmit a report to the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
and the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives 
that—
(1) evaluates the current status of the tsunami detection, 
forecasting, and warning system and the tsunami hazard miti-
gation program established under this Act, including progress 
toward tsunami inundation mapping of all coastal areas vulner-
able to tsunami and whether there has been any degradation 
of services as a result of the expansion of the program; 
(2) evaluates the National Weather Service’s ability to 
achieve continued improvements in the delivery of tsunami 
detection, forecasting, and warning services by assessing poli-
cies and plans for the evolution of modernization systems,
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models, and computational abilities (including the adoption of 
new technologies); and 
(3) lists the contributions of funding or other resources 
to the program by other Federal agencies, particularly agencies 
participating in the program. 
(j) EXTERNAL REVIEW.—The Administrator shall enter into an 
arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences to review 
the tsunami detection, forecast, and warning program established 
under this Act to assess further modernization and coverage needs, 
as well as long-term operational reliability issues, taking into 
account measures implemented under this Act. The review shall 
also include an assessment of how well the forecast equipment 
has been integrated into other United States and global ocean 
and coastal observation systems and the global earth observing 
system of systems. Not later than 2 years after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit a report con-
taining the National Academy of Sciences’ recommendations, the 
Administrator’s responses to the recommendations, including those 
where the Administrator disagrees with the Academy, a timetable 
to implement the accepted recommendations, and the cost of imple-
menting all the Academy’s recommendations, to the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
Committee on Science of the House of Representatives. 
(k) REPORT.—Not later than 3 months after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Administrator shall establish a process for 
monitoring and certifying contractor performance in carrying out 
the requirements of any contract to construct or deploy tsunami 
detection equipment, including procedures and penalties to be 
imposed in cases of significant contractor failure or negligence. 
SEC. 5. NATIONAL TSUNAMI HAZARD MITIGATION PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, through the National 
Weather Service and in consultation with other relevant Adminis-
tration offices, shall conduct a community-based tsunami hazard 
mitigation program to improve tsunami preparedness of at-risk 
areas in the United States and its territories. 
(b) COORDINATING COMMITTEE.—In conducting the program 
under this section, the Administrator shall establish a coordinating 
committee comprising representatives of Federal, State, local, and 
tribal government officials. The Administrator may establish sub-
committees to address region-specific issues. The committee shall—
(1) recommend how funds appropriated for carrying out 
the program under this section will be allocated; 
(2) ensure that areas described in section 4(c) in the United 
States and its territories can have the opportunity to participate 
in the program; 
(3) provide recommendations to the National Weather 
Service on how to improve the TsunamiReady program, particu-
larly on ways to make communities more tsunami resilient 
through the use of inundation maps and other mitigation prac-
tices; and 
(4) ensure that all components of the program are 
integrated with ongoing hazard warning and risk management 
activities, emergency response plans, and mitigation programs 
in affected areas, including integrating information to assist 
in tsunami evacuation route planning.
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(c) PROGRAM COMPONENTS.—The program under this section 
shall—
(1) use inundation models that meet a standard of accuracy 
defined by the Administration to improve the quality and extent 
of inundation mapping, including assessment of vulnerable 
inner coastal and nearshore areas, in a coordinated and 
standardized fashion to maximize resources and the utility 
of data collected; 
(2) promote and improve community outreach and edu-
cation networks and programs to ensure community readiness, 
including the development of comprehensive coastal risk and 
vulnerability assessment training and decision support tools, 
implementation of technical training and public education pro-
grams, and providing for certification of prepared communities; 
(3) integrate tsunami preparedness and mitigation pro-
grams into ongoing hazard warning and risk management 
activities, emergency response plans, and mitigation programs 
in affected areas, including integrating information to assist 
in tsunami evacuation route planning; 
(4) promote the adoption of tsunami warning and mitiga-
tion measures by Federal, State, tribal, and local governments 
and nongovernmental entities, including educational programs 
to discourage development in high-risk areas; and 
(5) provide for periodic external review of the program. 
(d) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section shall be construed 
to require a change in the chair of any existing tsunami hazard 
mitigation program subcommittee. 
SEC. 6. TSUNAMI RESEARCH PROGRAM. 
The Administrator shall, in consultation with other agencies 
and academic institutions, and with the coordinating committee 
established under section 5(b), establish or maintain a tsunami 
research program to develop detection, forecast, communication, 
and mitigation science and technology, including advanced sensing 
techniques, information and communication technology, data collec-
tion, analysis, and assessment for tsunami tracking and numerical 
forecast modeling. Such research program shall—
(1) consider other appropriate research to mitigate the 
impact of tsunami; 
(2) coordinate with the National Weather Service on tech-
nology to be transferred to operations; 
(3) include social science research to develop and assess 
community warning, education, and evacuation materials; and 
(4) ensure that research and findings are available to the 
scientific community. 
SEC. 7. GLOBAL TSUNAMI WARNING AND MITIGATION NETWORK. 
(a) INTERNATIONAL TSUNAMI WARNING SYSTEM.—The Adminis-
trator, through the National Weather Service and in consultation 
with other relevant Administration offices, in coordination with 
other members of the United States Interagency Committee of 
the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program, shall provide 
technical assistance and training to the Intergovernmental Oceano-
graphic Commission, the World Meteorological Organization, and 
other international entities, as part of international efforts to 
develop a fully functional global tsunami forecast and warning 
system comprising regional tsunami warning networks, modeled 
on the International Tsunami Warning System of the Pacific.
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(b) INTERNATIONAL
TSUNAMI
INFORMATION
CENTER.—The 
Administrator, through the National Weather Service and in con-
sultation with other relevant Administration offices, in cooperation 
with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, shall 
operate an International Tsunami Information Center to improve 
tsunami preparedness for all Pacific Ocean nations participating 
in the International Tsunami Warning System of the Pacific, and 
may also provide such assistance to other nations participating 
in a global tsunami warning system established through the Inter-
governmental Oceanographic Commission. As part of its responsibil-
ities around the world, the Center shall—
(1) monitor international tsunami warning activities 
around the world; 
(2) assist member states in establishing national warning 
systems, and make information available on current tech-
nologies for tsunami warning systems; 
(3) maintain a library of materials to promulgate knowledge 
about tsunami in general and for use by the scientific commu-
nity; and 
(4) disseminate information, including educational mate-
rials and research reports. 
(c) DETECTION EQUIPMENT; TECHNICAL ADVICE AND TRAINING.—
In carrying out this section, the National Weather Service—
(1) shall give priority to assisting nations in identifying 
vulnerable coastal areas, creating inundation maps, obtaining 
or designing real-time detection and reporting equipment, and 
establishing communication and warning networks and contact 
points in each vulnerable nation; 
(2) may establish a process for transfer of detection and 
communication technology to affected nations for the purposes 
of establishing the international tsunami warning system; and 
(3) shall provide technical and other assistance to support 
international tsunami programs. 
(d) DATA-SHARING
REQUIREMENT.—The National Weather 
Service, when deciding to provide assistance under this section, 
may take into consideration the data sharing policies and practices 
of nations proposed to receive such assistance, with a goal to encour-
age all nations to support full and open exchange of data. 
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator 
to carry out this Act—
(1) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, of which—
(A) not less than 27 percent of the amount appropriated 
shall be for the tsunami hazard mitigation program under 
section 5; and 
(B) not less than 8 percent of the amount appropriated 
shall be for the tsunami research program under section 
6; 
(2) $26,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, of which—
(A) not less than 27 percent of the amount appropriated 
shall be for the tsunami hazard mitigation program under 
section 5; and 
(B) not less than 8 percent of the amount appropriated 
shall be for the tsunami research program under section 
6; 
(3) $27,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, of which—
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(A) not less than 27 percent of the amount appropriated 
shall be for the tsunami hazard mitigation program under 
section 5; and 
(B) not less than 8 percent of the amount appropriated 
shall be for the tsunami research program under section 
6; 
(4) $28,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, of which—
(A) not less than 27 percent of the amount appropriated 
shall be for the tsunami hazard mitigation program under 
section 5; and 
(B) not less than 8 percent of the amount appropriated 
shall be for the tsunami research program under section 
6; and 
(5) $29,000,000 for fiscal year 2012, of which—
(A) not less than 27 percent of the amount appropriated 
shall be for the tsunami hazard mitigation program under 
section 5; and 
(B) not less than 8 percent of the amount appropriated 
shall be for the tsunami research program under section 
6.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.