119-s2583

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2583 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 2583

To require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to 
 expand and modernize the weather radio system of the National Oceanic 
 and Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 July 31, 2025

 Mr. Cruz (for himself, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Schatz, Mr. 
 Moran, and Mr. Peters) introduced the following bill; which was read 
 twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
 Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to 
 expand and modernize the weather radio system of the National Oceanic 
 and Atmospheric Administration, 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 ``NOAA Weather Radio Modernization 
Act''.

SEC. 2. NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

    (a) In General.--The Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation 
Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8501 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following:

 ``TITLE VII--NOAA WEATHER RADIO

``

SEC. 701. NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

 ``

    (a) In General.--The Under Secretary shall establish or maintain 
a nationwide weather radio network, to be known as `NOAA Weather 
Radio', that--
 ``

    (1) broadcasts weather information, including emergency 
 weather watches, warnings, and other hazard information;
 ``

    (2) operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; and
 ``

    (3) is resilient to emergency hazards, such as loss of 
 power and cellular service.
 ``

    (b) Coverage and Reliability.--The Under Secretary shall ensure 
the reliability of NOAA Weather Radio by--
 ``

    (1) maintaining support for existing systems, especially 
 those serving areas not covered by or having poor quality 
 cellular service; and
 ``

    (2) ensuring consistent maintenance and operations 
 monitoring, with timely repairs to broadcast transmitter site 
 equipment and antennas.
 ``
            (c) Modernization Initiative.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--To the maximum extent practicable, the 
 Under Secretary shall expand the coverage of and modernize NOAA 
 Weather Radio to ensure it remains valuable to the public, 
 including by--
 ``
        (A) improving those methods of communicating the 
 risks posed by hazardous weather events to the public 
 that are most likely to result in informed 
 decisionmaking regarding the mitigation of such risks;
 ``
        (B) improving communication of hazardous weather 
 warnings and the urgency of such warnings to areas that 
 experience a high frequency of such warnings;
 ``
            (C) enhancing the ability to amplify non-weather 
 emergency messages through NOAA Weather Radio as 
 necessary;
 ``
            (D) acquiring additional transmitters as required 
 to expand coverage to--
 ``
            (i) areas at high risk for rapid onset 
 weather disasters that require short-fuse 
 warnings;
 ``
            (ii) communities without--
 ``
            (I) mobile broadband internet 
 access service (as defined in 

section 8.1

    (b) of title 47, Code of Federal 
 Regulations (or a successor 
 regulation)) and as depicted by a map 
 created under 

section 802
            (c) (1)
            (C) of 
 the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
 U.S.C. 642
            (c) (1)
            (C) );
 ``
            (II) State or local emergency 
 warning systems; or
 ``
            (III) satellite coverage; and
 ``
            (iii) Federal lands, such as land in the 
 National Park System or the National Forest 
 System and National Recreation Areas;
 ``
        (E) adding the capability to disseminate NOAA 
 Weather Radio alerts by satellite or through the cloud; 
 and
 ``
        (F) modernizing the messaging system to enable 
 more geographically specific warnings.
 ``

    (2) Elements.--In carrying out paragraph

    (1) , the Under 
 Secretary shall--
 ``
        (A) upgrade telecommunications infrastructure of 
 NOAA Weather Radio to accelerate the transition of 
 broadcasts to internet protocol-based communications 
 over non-copper media;
 ``
        (B) accelerate software upgrades to the Advanced 
 Weather Interactive Processing System, or any relevant 
 system successors, in order to implement partial county 
 notifications and alerts;
 ``
            (C) enhance accessibility and usability of data 
 and feeds of NOAA Weather Radio with feedback from 
 relevant stakeholders, including the private sector;
 ``
            (D) develop options, including satellite backup 
 capability and commercial provider partnerships, for 
 continuity of service of NOAA Weather Radio in the 
 event of an outage at a weather forecast office;
 ``
        (E) research and develop alternative options to 
 transmit NOAA Weather Radio signals to transmitters 
 that are remote or do not have internet protocol 
 capability;
 ``
        (F) transition critical applications to the 
 Integrated Dissemination Program, or any relevant 
 program successors; and
 ``
        (G) work with the General Services 
 Administration, and other relevant agencies, to develop 
 new, alternative, or updated expedited mechanisms to 
 secure priority space capacity, such as leased land and 
 tower space, for NOAA Weather Radio transmitters and 
 antennas that are best suited for the national security 
 and public safety missions of NOAA Weather Radio.
 ``

    (3) Priority.--In carrying out paragraph

    (1) , the Under 
 Secretary shall prioritize practices, capabilities, and 
 technologies recommended in accordance with the assessment 
 under subsection
            (d) to maximize the accessibility of NOAA 
 Weather Radio, particularly in areas of the United States 
 described in paragraph

    (1)
            (D) 
            (i) .
 ``
            (d) Assessment for Management and Distribution.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date 
 of the enactment of this section, the Under Secretary shall 
 complete an assessment of access to NOAA Weather Radio.
 ``

    (2) Elements.--In conducting the assessment required 
 under paragraph

    (1) , the Under Secretary shall take into 
 consideration and provide recommendations regarding the 
 following:
 ``
        (A) The need for continuous, adequate, and 
 operational real-time broadcasts of NOAA Weather Radio.
 ``
        (B) Input from relevant stakeholders that provide 
 access to NOAA Weather Radio, including third-party 
 platforms that provide online services, such as 
 websites and mobile device applications.
 ``
            (C) The manner by which existing or new 
 management systems may promote consistent, efficient, 
 and compatible access to NOAA Weather Radio.
 ``
            (D) The ability of the National Oceanic and 
 Atmospheric Administration to aggregate real-time 
 broadcast feeds at one or more central locations, as a 
 redundancy to the broadcast feed from the nearest 
 weather forecast office.
 ``
        (E) Effective coordination between agencies with 
 responsibilities relating to emergencies and natural 
 disasters.
 ``
        (F) The potential effects of an electromagnetic 
 pulse or geomagnetic disturbance on NOAA Weather Radio.
 ``

    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Under Secretary--
 ``

    (1) for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031, 
 $25,000,000 to operate NOAA Weather Radio under subsections

    (a) and

    (b) ; and
 ``

    (2) for fiscal year 2026, $100,000,000, which shall 
 remain available until expended, to carry out subsections
            (c) and
            (d) .''.

    (b) Weather Ready All Hazards Award Program.--

Section 407 of the 
Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 
8546) is--

    (1) transferred to title VII of that Act, as added by 
 subsection

    (a) ;

    (2) inserted after 

section 701 of that Act, as added by 
 subsection

    (a) ; and

    (3) redesignated as 

section 702.
            (c) Clerical Amendments.--The table of contents for the Weather 
Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 is amended--

    (1) by striking the item relating to 

section 407; and

    (2) by adding at the end the following:

 ``TITLE VII--NOAA WEATHER RADIO

``

Sec. 701. NOAA Weather Radio.
``

Sec. 702. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather 
 Ready All Hazards Award Program.''.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR WEATHER WARNING SYSTEMS IN FLASH FLOOD 
 ZONES.

    (a) In General.--The Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and 
Technology, in consultation with the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
Oceans and Atmosphere, shall develop standards for flash flood 
emergency alert systems within the 100-year floodplain (as defined in 

section 100202

    (a) of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 
2012 (42 U.S.C. 4004

    (a) )).

    (b) Requirements.--The Director shall ensure that standards 
developed under subsection

    (a) --

    (1) meet the needs of communities without--
        (A) mobile broadband internet access service (as 
 defined in 

section 8.1

    (b) of title 47, Code of Federal 
 Regulations (or a successor regulation)) and as 
 depicted by a map created under 

section 802
            (c) (1)
            (C) of 
 the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 
 642
            (c) (1)
            (C) );
        (B) State or local emergency warning systems; or
            (C) satellite coverage; and

    (2) will result in reliable systems, especially during 
 hazardous events.
            (c) Report Required.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards 
and Technology 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 includes a 
summary of the standards developed under subsection

    (a) .

SEC. 4. CLASSIFICATION OF AND STAFFING PLAN FOR EMPLOYEES AND 
 PROTECTION FROM HIRING FREEZES.

    (a) In General.--Title IV of the Weather Research and Forecasting 
Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8541 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

``

SEC. 415. CLASSIFICATION OF AND STAFFING PLAN FOR EMPLOYEES AND 
 PROTECTION FROM HIRING FREEZES.

 ``

    (a) Classification of Certain Employees.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
 the enactment of this section, the Director of the Office of 
 Management and Budget shall categorize each position in the 
 National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration specified 
 in paragraph

    (2) as a protective service occupation under the 
 Standard Occupational Classification System.
 ``

    (2) Positions specified.--The positions specified in this 
 paragraph are the following positions in the National Oceanic 
 and Atmospheric Administration, as defined by the Director of 
 the Office of Personnel Management:
 ``
        (A) Meteorology Series

    (1340) .
 ``
        (B) Hydrology Series

    (1315) .
 ``
            (C) General Physical Science Series

    (1301) .
 ``
            (D) Oceanographer Series

    (1360) .
 ``
        (E) Electronics Technical Series

    (0856) .
 ``
        (F) Information Technology Management Series (GS-
 2210).
 ``
        (G) Professional Mariners (as defined in 

section 269B of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
 Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2002 
 (33 U.S.C. 3079b)) who are involved in the collection 
 of data to support forecasts and warnings to protect 
 human life and property (including Series 0865, 9901, 
 9916, 9920, 9923-24, 9927-28, 9931-34, 9944, 9954, 
 9960, 9965, 9968, 9971, 9973, and 9984).
 ``

    (b) 10-Year Staffing Plan for the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this section, the Under Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a 10-year staffing plan for--
 ``

    (1) the National Weather Service; and
 ``

    (2) any positions within the National Oceanic and 
 Atmospheric Administration that support forecasts and warnings 
 to protect human life and property, including positions that 
 involve--
 ``
        (A) collection of data for incorporation into 
 watches and warnings;
 ``
        (B) operation and maintenance of equipment for 
 collection of data described in subparagraph
        (A) ;
 ``
            (C) maintenance of information technology 
 systems;
 ``
            (D) modeling for forecasts and warnings; and
 ``
        (E) research to improve forecasts, warnings, and 
 communication of those warnings to better protect human 
 life and property.''.

    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents for the Weather 
Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to 

section 414 the following:

``

Sec. 415. Classification of and staffing plan for employees and 
 protection from hiring freezes.''.
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