Tsunami Warning and Education Act

Bill: 109-hr-1674
Sponsor: Rep. Boehlert, Sherwood [R-NY-24]
Introduced: 2005-04-18 in the House
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Alaska
Atlantic Coast (U.S.)
Atlantic Ocean
Caribbean area
Coastal zone
Congress
Congressional oversight
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost accounting
Data banks
Department of Commerce
Earthquakes
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency communication systems
Executive reorganization
Federal advisory bodies
Federal-Indian relations
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government publicity
Gulf of Mexico
Hawaii
Housing and Community Development
Information technology
International Affairs
International agencies
International cooperation
Latin America
Maps
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Minorities
Native Americans
Ocean currents
Oceanographic research
Pacific Ocean
Pacific area
Radio broadcasting
Real estate development
Remote sensing
Risk
Science, Technology, Communications
Seismology
Technical assistance
Technological innovations
Technology assessment
Technology transfer
Tsunamis
Weather forecasting

Summary:
action_date: 2005-04-18
text: 
United States Tsunami Warning and Education Act - Directs the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), through the National Weather Service, to operate a tsunami forecasting and warning program for the Pacific Ocean region and for the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico region. Directs the Administrator to establish tsunami warning centers to, among other things, disseminate forecasts and tsunami warning bulletins to government officials and the public.
 
Directs the Administrator to establish: (1) a tsunami hazard mitigation program to improve tsunami preparedness of at-risk areas in the United States and its territories; and (2) a research program to develop detection, forecast, communication, and mitigation science and technology for tracking and numerical forecast modeling.
 
Directs the Administrator, in coordination with other members of the U.S. Interagency Committee of the National Tsunami Mitigation Program, to provide technical assistance and training to specified international entities to develop a fully functional global tsunami forecast and warning system comprising regional warning networks.
 
Directs the Administrator to operate an International Tsunami Information Center to improve preparedness for all Pacific Ocean nations participating in the International Tsunami Warning System of the Pacific.

action_date: 2006-12-20
text: 
Tsunami Warning and Education Act - (Sec. 4) Directs the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), through the National Weather Service (NWS) and in consultation with other NOAA offices, to operate a tsunami detection, forecasting, and warning program for the Pacific and Arctic Ocean regions and for the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico region.
 
Requires the program to operate a Pacific tsunami warning system and an Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico system to forecast and provide adequate warnings.
 
Directs the Administrator to maintain or establish a Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii, a West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska, and additional centers determined to be necessary by NWS. Includes among the centers' responsibilities data monitoring, earthquake evaluation, and data dissemination to researchers.
 
Directs NWS to develop forecasting equipment requirements and a plan to transfer technology developed from research under this Act.
 
Requires reports to Congress on: (1) integration of the tsunami forecast system with other observation systems; (2) equipment certifications and system failures; and (3) evaluation of tsunami detection systems. Directs the Administrator to enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences to assess modernization and coverage needs and operational reliability issues.
 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Administrator to establish: (1) a tsunami hazard mitigation program to improve tsunami preparedness of at-risk areas in the United States and its territories; and (2) a research program to develop detection, forecast, communication, and mitigation science and technology for tracking and numerical forecast modeling.
 
(Sec. 7) Directs the Administrator, in coordination with other members of the U.S. Interagency Committee of the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program, to provide technical assistance and training to specified international entities to develop a fully functional global tsunami forecast and warning system comprising regional warning networks.
 
Directs the Administrator, in cooperation with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, to operate an International Tsunami Information Center to improve preparedness for all Pacific Ocean nations participating in the International Tsunami Warning System of the Pacific, as well as provide assistance to other nations participating in a global warning system established through the Commission.
 
(Sec. 8) Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2012.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-12-20
text: Became Public Law No: 109-424.
action_date: 2006-12-20
text: Became Public Law No: 109-424.
action_date: 2006-12-20
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2006-12-20
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2006-12-11
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2006-12-11
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2006-12-08
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2006-12-08
text: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S11552)
action_date: 2006-12-08
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S11552)
action_date: 2006-12-06
text: Received in the Senate, read twice.
action_date: 2006-12-06
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2006-12-06
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR 12/7/2006 H8788-8790)
action_date: 2006-12-06
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR 12/7/2006 H8788-8790)
action_date: 2006-12-06
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1674.
action_date: 2006-12-06
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR 12/7/2006 H8788-8793)
action_date: 2006-12-06
text: Mr. Ehlers moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2006-09-28
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 422.
action_date: 2006-09-28
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science. H. Rept. 109-698.
action_date: 2006-09-28
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science. H. Rept. 109-698.
action_date: 2005-05-04
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2005-05-04
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2005-04-20
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2005-04-20
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2005-04-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards.
action_date: 2005-04-18
text: Referred to the House Committee on Science.
action_date: 2005-04-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E675)
action_date: 2005-04-18
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2005-04-18
text: Introduced in House

Enacted as: number: 109-424