House Science Committee Advances Weather Research Bill

A bipartisan bill for weather research advanced out of the House Science Committee on Wednesday by unanimous vote. The Weather Act Reauthorization reaffirms and updates NOAA research, forecasting, and emergency preparedness programs authorized in the 2017 Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act.

The bill recommends between $160 million and $170 million each year through 2030 for NOAA’s research office to carry out specified weather research programs, roughly steady with the program amounts for fiscal year 2024.

“I’ve seen firsthand that accurate and reliable weather forecasting is crucial for the day-to-day lives of Americans nationwide,” bill co-sponsor and former Committee Chair Frank Lucas (R-OK) said in a press release. “Protecting American citizens and industries stands at the heart of President Trump’s America First agenda, so I look forward to seeing this bill reach his desk to be signed into law,” he added.

The House passed similar reauthorization legislation in April 2024, but the bill did not receive a committee vote in the Senate.

“By taking up this proven framework, we are establishing a clear and united House position heading into potential negotiations with the United States Senate,” Committee Chair Brian Babin (R-TX) said in his opening statement, adding that he looks forward to working with Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-TX) on severe weather preparedness.

The implementation of the 2017 Weather Act has advanced hurricane tracking predictions by over 10% and improved tornado warning lead times by more than 10 minutes, Babin said. In July, the National Weather Service’s warnings of flash floods in Texas had a 201-minute lead time, he added.

“Yet, despite that warning, many precious lives were tragically lost,” Babin said. “This heartbreaking event underscores the urgent need to strengthen the connection between forecasts and the timely flow of information to the public.”

Babin also highlighted that the reauthorization bill directs NOAA to create a pilot program to enter into contracts with private companies providing observation services and data. If the program meets NOAA’s standards, the bill directs the agency to use private observation services and data “when cost-effective and feasible,” including during acquisition of any future satellite systems. The bill recommends $100 million each year through 2030 for the commercial data program.

Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) said the bill will advance data assimilation, which she called “our most significant limitation in forecasting accuracy today.” Data assimilation is a weather forecasting technique that combines real-world observations with a predictive model. The bill would create a program to test data assimilation methods, including using machine learning, as well as a university consortium to support research and draw students to the field.

The bill also includes a provision to expedite hiring and onboarding of National Weather Service employees. Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC), speaking in favor of the bill, criticized the administration’s workforce cuts to NOAA earlier this year. “This bill makes clear that no matter our political differences, we all agree that safeguarding lives through accurate forecasting, sustained weather research funding, and timely alerts must remain a national priority,” she said. “Unfortunately, the recent DOGE cuts threatened the very foundation of our weather infrastructure.”

Other Democrats also spoke in support of the bill, noting that it incorporates several smaller bills co-sponsored with Republican colleagues. These include bills that aim to boost weather and climate prediction using advanced computing, and to improve precipitation forecasts by replacing aging Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) infrastructure and supporting NOAA Earth system models.

Committee members did not mention the administration’s proposal to eliminate NOAA’s research office. President Donald Trump’s budget request for fiscal year 2026 preserves about a quarter of the office’s funding, including for the weather programs prioritized in the reauthorization bill, by moving it to other NOAA offices. The Senate and House appropriations committees have both put forth proposals preserving the research office, but neither chamber has passed its bill.

The committee unanimously adopted many of the offered amendments from both Republicans and Democrats, while Republicans passed amendments along party lines to block NOAA from purchasing drones from Chinese-owned companies and to strike a mention of “communities of color, low-income communities, Indian Tribes or Indigenous communities, and rural communities.” Democrats withdrew amendments to continue leveraging NASA’s expertise in acquiring environmental satellites and to authorize the National Integrated Heat Health Information System, saying they would continue to work across the aisle on those topics.