Title: TORNADO Act
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Tornado Observations Research and Notification Assessment for Development of Operations Act or the TORNADO Act
This bill establishes programs and activities to improve the forecasting of hazardous weather and water events, including tornadoes.
The bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to maintain and improve the system by which the risks of hazardous weather and water events are communicated to the general public, with the goal of informing action and encouraging response to prevent loss of life and property.
NOAA shall also
The Government Accountability Office shall submit a report that examines the information technology infrastructure of the National Weather Service.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3817 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3817

  To improve the forecasting and understanding of tornadoes and other 
               hazardous weather, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

               March 10 (legislative day, March 7), 2022

Mr. Wicker (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Thune, and 
  Ms. Ernst) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To improve the forecasting and understanding of tornadoes and other 
               hazardous weather, 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 ``Tornado Observations Research and 
Notification Assessment for Development of Operations Act'' or the 
``TORNADO Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Historically black college or university.--The term 
        ``historically Black college or university'' has the meaning 
        given the term ``part B institution'' in section 322 of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
            (2) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (3) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means 
        the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.

SEC. 3. HAZARDOUS WEATHER AND WATER EVENT RISK COMMUNICATION.

    (a) In General.--The Under Secretary shall maintain and improve the 
system of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration by which 
the risks of hazardous weather and water events are communicated to the 
general public, with the goal of informing action and encouraging 
response to prevent loss of life and property.
    (b) Hazard Risk Communication Improvement and Simplification.--
            (1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall establish, or 
        designate an existing office to serve as, a hazard risk 
        communication office (in this subsection referred to as the 
        ``Office''), for the purposes of simplifying and improving the 
        communication of hazardous weather and water event risks.
            (2) Terminology.--The Office shall identify, eliminate, or 
        modify unnecessary, redundant, or confusing terms for hazardous 
        weather and water event communications and add new terminology, 
        as appropriate.
            (3) Communications improvement.--The Office shall improve 
        the form, content, and methods of hazardous weather and water 
        event communications to more clearly inform action and increase 
        the likelihood that the public takes such action to prevent the 
        loss of life or property.
            (4) Evaluations.--The Office shall, in coordination with 
        the performance branch of the National Weather Service, develop 
        metrics for that branch to track and evaluate the degree to 
        which hazardous weather and water event communications result 
        in action and response.
            (5) Support plan.--The Office shall develop a plan for the 
        purpose of supporting the activities described in paragraph 
        (3). The plan shall be periodically updated and informed by 
        internal and extramural research and the results of the 
        evaluation of hazardous weather and water event communications 
        conducted under paragraph (4).
            (6) Methods.--In carrying out this subsection, the Office 
        shall develop and implement recommendations that--
                    (A) are based on the best and most recent 
                understanding from authoritative social, behavioral, 
                risk, and communication science research;
                    (B) are validated by social, behavioral, risk, and 
                communication science sound survey designs, taking into 
                account the importance of reproducibility and 
                replicability of results, using rigorous statistical 
                analyses;
                    (C) account for the needs of various demographics, 
                vulnerable populations, and geographic regions;
                    (D) account for the differences between various 
                types of weather and water hazards;
                    (E) respond to the needs of Federal, State, and 
                local government partners and media partners; and
                    (F) account for necessary changes in the 
                infrastructure, technology, and protocols for creating 
                and disseminating federally operated watches and 
                warnings.
            (7) Coordination.--The Office shall periodically provide 
        updates on best practices for communicating hazardous weather 
        and water events to Federal, State, and local government 
        partners, institutions of higher education, private entities, 
        and media partners.
            (8) Timeliness and consistency.--The Office shall develop 
        best practices and guidance for ensuring timely and consistent 
        communication across public facing platforms that disseminate 
        hazardous weather and water event information.
    (c) Hazard Communication Research and Engagement.--
            (1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall establish or 
        maintain a research program--
                    (A) to modernize the creation and communication of 
                risk-based, statistically reliable, probabilistic 
                hazard information to inform effective responses to 
                hazardous weather and water events; and
                    (B) to improve the fundamental social, behavioral, 
                risk, and communication science regarding hazardous 
                weather and water event communication.
            (2) Coordination.--In carrying out the research program 
        required by paragraph (1), the Under Secretary shall coordinate 
        and communicate with States, Tribes, localities, and emergency 
        managers on research priorities and results.
            (3) Pilot program required.--
                    (A) In general.--To further research into hazard 
                communication, the Under Secretary, in collaboration 
                with one or more eligible institutions, shall establish 
                a pilot program to test the effectiveness of 
                implementing the research conducted under this 
                subsection.
                    (B) Eligible institution defined.--In this 
                paragraph, the term ``eligible institution'' means any 
                of the following:
                            (i) A historically Black college or 
                        university located in an area of persistent 
                        poverty that is subjected to frequent severe 
                        weather, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and 
                        floods.
                            (ii) An institution of higher education in 
                        close proximity to a National Weather Service 
                        Weather Forecast Office of the National Weather 
                        Service.
    (d) Data Management.--The Under Secretary shall establish, 
maintain, and improve a central repository system for the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for social, behavioral, risk, 
and economic data related to the communication of hazardous weather and 
water events, including data developed or received pursuant to 
paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) of subsection (b).
    (e) Digital Watermarking.--The Under Secretary shall develop 
methods to reduce the likelihood of unauthorized tampering with online 
hazardous weather and water event risk communication, such as 
developing digital watermarks.

SEC. 4. WARN-ON-FORECAST STRATEGIC PLAN.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall prepare and submit to 
Congress a strategic plan for developing and prioritizing the 
implementation of high-resolution probabilistic forecast guidance for 
tornadic conditions using a next-generation weather forecast and 
warning framework.
    (b) Plan Elements.--The strategic plan required by subsection (a) 
shall include the following:
            (1) A discussion of--
                    (A) the priorities and needs of vulnerable 
                populations and National Weather Service partners; and
                    (B) high-performance computing, visualization, and 
                dissemination needs.
            (2) A timeline and guidance for implementation of--
                    (A) high-resolution numerical weather prediction 
                models;
                    (B) methods for meeting the high-performance 
                computing, visualization, and dissemination needs 
                discussed under paragraph (1)(B);
                    (C) real-time high-resolution probabilistic 
                forecasts;
                    (D) improved observations, including through 
                radars, satellites, and uncrewed aerial systems;
                    (E) a flexible framework to communicate clear and 
                simple hazardous weather and water event information to 
                the public; and
                    (F) social, behavioral, risk, and communication 
                research to improve the forecaster operational 
                environment and societal information reception and 
                response.

SEC. 5. TORNADO RATING SYSTEM.

    (a) In General.--The Under Secretary shall, in collaboration with 
such stakeholders as the Under Secretary considers appropriate--
            (1) evaluate the system used as of the date of the 
        enactment of this Act to rate the severity of tornadoes; and
            (2) determine whether updates to that system are required 
        to ensure that the ratings accurately reflect the severity of 
        tornadoes.
    (b) Update Required.--If the Under Secretary determines under 
subsection (a) that updates to the tornado rating system are necessary, 
the Under Secretary shall update the system.

SEC. 6. POST-STORM SURVEYS AND ASSESSMENTS.

    (a) In General.--The Under Secretary shall perform one or more 
post-storm surveys and assessments following each hazardous weather or 
water event determined by the Under Secretary to be of sufficient 
societal importance to warrant a post-event survey and assessment.
    (b) Coordination.--The Under Secretary shall coordinate with 
Federal, State, and local governments, private entities, and relevant 
institutions of higher education when conducting post-storm surveys and 
assessments under subsection (a) in order to optimize data collection, 
sharing, and integration.
    (c) Data Availability.--The Under Secretary shall make the data 
obtained from each post-storm survey and assessment conducted under 
subsection (a) available to the public as soon as practicable after 
conducting the survey and assessment.
    (d) Improvement.--The Under Secretary shall--
            (1) investigate the role of uncrewed aerial systems in data 
        collection during post-storm surveys and assessments conducted 
        under subsection (a);
            (2) update tactics and procedures to enhance the efficiency 
        and reliability of data obtained from post-storm surveys and 
        assessments; and
            (3) increase the number of post-storm community impact 
        studies, including surveying individual responses and gathering 
        survivability statistics.
    (e) Support for Employees.--The Under Secretary shall provide 
training, resources, and access to professional counseling to support 
the emotional and mental health and well-being of employees conducting 
post-storm surveys and assessments under subsection (a).

SEC. 7. VORTEX-USA PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 103 of the Weather Research and 
Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8513) is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``tornado warning 
        improvement and extension'' and inserting ``vortex-usa'';
            (2) in subsection (a), by striking ``establish a tornado 
        warning improvement and extension program'' and inserting 
        ``maintain a program for rapidly improving tornado forecast and 
        warnings'';
            (3) by striking subsections (c) and (d); and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Innovative Observations.--The Under Secretary shall ensure 
that the program required by subsection (a) periodically examines the 
value of incorporating innovative observations with respect to the 
improvement of tornado forecasts, predictions, and warnings, such as 
acoustic or infrasonic measurements, observations from phased array 
radars, and observations from mesonets.
    ``(d) Warnings.--The program required by subsection (a) shall--
            ``(1) continue the research necessary to develop and deploy 
        probabilistic weather forecast guidance technology for 
        tornados; and
            ``(2) incorporate, as appropriate, hazard communication 
        research.
    ``(e) Research.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall, through the 
        program required by subsection (a), award grants for research 
        that focuses on improving--
                    ``(A) the social, behavioral, risk, communication, 
                and economic sciences related to vulnerabilities, risk 
                communication, and delivery of information critical for 
                saving lives and property related to tornadoes; and
                    ``(B) the physical sciences, engineering, and 
                technology related to tornado formation, the 
                interactions of tornadoes with the built and natural 
                environment, and the interaction of tornadoes and 
                hurricanes.
            ``(2) Priority institutions.--In awarding grants under 
        paragraph (1), the Under Secretary shall prioritize awarding 
        grants to historically Black colleges and universities.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Under Secretary to carry out this section 
$7,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2030, of which not 
less than $2,000,000 each fiscal year shall be used for grants awarded 
under subsection (e).''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of 
the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (Public Law 
115-25; 131 Stat. 91) is amended by striking the item relating to 
section 103 and inserting the following:

``Sec. 103. VORTEX-USA program.''.

SEC. 8. REPORTS.

    (a) Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017.--
            (1) In general.--Section 403 of the Weather Research and 
        Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8543) is amended 
        by striking subsection (d).
            (2) Technical amendment.--Section 403(a) of such Act (15 
        U.S.C. 8543(a)) is amended by inserting ``the'' after 
        ``Director of''.
    (b) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization 
Act of 1992.--Section 106 of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration Authorization Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-567; 106 Stat. 
4274) is amended by striking subsection (c) (15 U.S.C. 1537).

SEC. 9. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE REPORT ON HAZARDOUS WEATHER 
              AND WATER ALERT DISSEMINATION.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 540 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of 
the House of Representatives a report that examines the information 
technology infrastructure of the National Weather Service of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, specifically regarding 
the system for timely public notification of hazardous weather and 
water alerts and updates.
    (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall include 
the following:
            (1) An analysis of the information technology 
        infrastructure of the National Weather Service, including 
        software and hardware capabilities and limitations, including 
        an examination of server and data storage methods, broadband, 
        data management, and data sharing.
            (2) An identification of secondary and tertiary fail-safes 
        for the timely distribution of hazardous weather event alerts 
        to the public.
            (3) A determination of the extent to which public 
        notifications are delayed and an identification of corrective 
        measures that do not add additional notification time.
            (4) An assessment of whether collaboration with other 
        Federal offices, States, or private entities could reduce 
        delays in notifications to the public.
            (5) A description of actions being undertaken to better 
        identify critical steps in the hazards notification process 
        that may be vulnerable to disruption or failure in the event of 
        communication, technologic, or computational failure.
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