June 28, 2024
Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization
Act of 2023 (H.R. 6093)
Hazardous weather and climate events kill hundreds of
H.R. 6093: Weather Research and Forecasting
people and cause billions of dollars of property damage in
Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2023
the United States each year. In 2023, for instance, the
H.R. 6093 builds upon the Weather Act. Introduced on
United States experienced 28 weather and climate disasters
October 26, 2023, the bill was amended by voice vote and
with billion-dollar or greater costs and an estimated total
unanimously ordered to be reported, as amended, out of the
cost of $92.9 billion. Such costs result from a combination
House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on
of weather and climate-related hazards; the presence of
November 8, 2023. It passed in the House on April 29,
populations, crops, and infrastructure; and their
2024 (with a vote of 394 to 19). As of the publication date
vulnerability and resilience to hazards.
of this product, Members in the Senate had not taken up the
House-passed bill or introduced a companion or competing
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
bill.
(NOAA) is the primary civilian agency with responsibility
for weather forecasting. In the 118th Congress, the House
H.R. 6093 has five titles. It would amend the Weather Act
passed the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation
and authorize or direct NOAA to take on new
Reauthorization Act of 2023 (Weather Act Reauthorization
responsibilities. Some provisions would codify current
Act; H.R. 6093) which aims to improve NOAA’s weather
NOAA activities; others would direct NOAA in new ways.
research, support improvements in weather forecasting and
Some of the provisions in H.R. 6093 are similar or identical
prediction, and expand commercial opportunities for the
to those in legislation also introduced individually in the
provision of weather data. This product describes H.R.
118th Congress. Summaries of each title are below.
6093 and selected related considerations for Congress. (For
more about NOAA, see CRS Report R47636, National
Title I: Reauthorization of the Weather Act would
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):
amend provisions in the Weather Act related to
Overview and Issues for Congress.)
authorization of appropriations, tornado and hurricane
forecasting, observing system and satellite planning and
Congress has long shown interest in improving NOAA’s
testing, computing resources, weather modeling, the
forecasts of weather and climate events. In 2017, Congress
Interagency Council for Advancing Meteorological
passed the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation
Services, and required reports, among other provisions. It
Act (Weather Act; P.L. 115-25). The Weather Act included
also would amend the Tsunami Warning, Education, and
five titles addressing (1) transition of NOAA research and
Research Act of 2017 (part of the Weather Act); the
development (R&D) to operations, (2) improvements to
Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of
sub-seasonal and seasonal forecasts, (3) the future of
2009 (P.L. 111-11); the National Landslide Preparedness
weather satellites and the agency’s use of commercial data,
Act (P.L. 116-323); and the Harmful Algal Bloom and
(4) coordination and communication of weather data and
Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-383).
observations, and (5) tsunami program activities. (For more
information, see CRS Report R44838, The Weather
Title II: Enhancing Federal Weather Forecasting and
Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017:
Innovation would task NOAA with new responsibilities
Congressional Direction to NOAA in P.L. 115-25, and CRS
and authorities regarding weather radars; atmospheric
Report R44834, The U.S. Tsunami Program
rivers, coastal flooding, and storm surge forecast
Reauthorization in P.L. 115-25: Section-by-Section
improvements; aviation-related observations and
Comparison to P.L. 109-479, Title VIII). Congress has
forecasting; the transition of research to demonstration and
amended the Weather Act several times, including via P.L.
operations; the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing
115-423, P.L. 116-259, and P.L. 117-316. Congress also
System (to process, display, and communicate data);
has directed NOAA to support weather forecasting via
reanalysis and reforecasting; and the National Weather
annual and supplemental appropriations, including funding
Service’s (NWS’s) workforce.
for oceanic and atmospheric research and forecasting (e.g.,
P.L. 117-169, §40004).
Title III: Commercial Weather and Environmental
Observations would amend the Weather Act to codify
NOAA’s Commercial Data Program and Commercial Data
Pilot Program and make changes to its activities. (For more
about the program and proposed changes, see CRS In Focus
https://crsreports.congress.gov

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Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2023 (H.R. 6093)
IF12671, NOAA’s Commercial Data Program: Background
In the Weather Act, Congress directed NOAA to release
and Considerations for Congress.)
periodic reports, plans, or resources on certain topics. For
example, Section 105 of the Weather Act (15 U.S.C.
Title IV: Communicating Weather to the Public would
§8515) requires NOAA to annually issue an R&D and
amend the Weather Act regarding hazardous weather or
research-to-operations plan to restore and maintain U.S.
water events (e.g., severe storms, flash floods) risk
leadership in weather prediction and forecasting. (H.R.
communication, hazard communication research, and
6093 would amend the schedule to every two years.) CRS
public engagement. It also would direct NOAA to improve
identified some of these deliverables among NOAA’s
NWS communication services; continue to perform post-
publicly available resources. The agency was unable to
storm surveys and assessments; and collect social,
provide CRS the remaining original or updated reports,
behavioral, and economic data on public response to
plans, or resources (although NOAA may have shared them
hazardous weather or water communications and events.
with congressional offices directly). Lack of access to
The title also would task the Government Accountability
NOAA reports and plans may limit the ability of Congress
Office with examining NWS’s public notification system.
and other stakeholders to understand NOAA’s weather
forecasting research and operations and whether additional
Title V: Improving Weather Information for
direction or authority may be needed. H.R. 6093 would
Agriculture and Water Management would amend
require reports, briefings, plans, and other resources under
several laws including the Food Security Act of 1985 (P.L.
20 of its provisions. Congress could consider engaging in
99-198) to add forecasting pilot projects for water
oversight on the issue or amending the Weather Act or H.R.
management and agriculture; the National Integrated
6093 to further specify reporting requirements, among other
Drought Information System Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-430) to
actions.
adjust the system’s functions, partnerships, and modeling
activities; the Coordinated Ocean Observations and
Since the enactment of the Weather Act in 2017, several
Research Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-271) to make changes to
expert and stakeholder groups have issued reports with
the National Water Center; and the Weather Act to establish
recommendations related to weather forecasting at NOAA
a precipitation forecast improvement program. The title
and other federal agencies. These groups include NOAA’s
would codify both the National Mesonet Program (a central
Science Advisory Board, (SAB, 2021 report on priorities
repository for nonfederal weather data) and the National
for weather research), its Environmental Information
Coordinated Soil Moisture Monitoring Network initiative.
Services Working Group (EISWG, 2022 report on sub-
It would also require a report regarding existing federal
seasonal to seasonal [S2S] forecasting), the American
authorities and policies related to transferring NOAA
Meteorological Society (2022 report on adjustments to the
weather satellites to another federal agency.
Weather Act and other policies from the private sector
perspective), and the President’s Council of Advisors on
Considerations for Congress
Science and Technology (2023 report on extreme weather
In any future deliberations on H.R. 6093, Congress could
risk in a changing climate). Other groups have focused on
consider various issues, including the inclusion of other
activities that could impact weather forecasting, including
weather-related bills, NOAA’s progress in implementing
the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
the existing Weather Act authorities and requirements, and
Medicine (NASEM, 2018 report on earth observations from
recommendations from experts and stakeholders on weather
space), the Government Accountability Office (2023 report
forecasting topics.
on artificial intelligence in natural hazard modeling), and
NOAA’s SAB (2024 report on public-private partnerships).
Other weather-related bills in the 118th Congress propose
Some of these studies were requested by Congress.
provisions not included in H.R. 6093. In the House,
examples include bills related to heat preparedness (H.R.
The EISWG has been tracking NOAA’s implementation of
4953), wildfire forecasting (H.R. 550), rural weather (H.R.
recommendations in the SAB 2021 report and its own
4654), and fire weather forecasting (H.R. 4866). In the
recommendations on various subjects through annual
Senate, bills concentrate on heat preparedness (S. 2645),
reports to Congress. In 2023, EISWG found that the 2021
automated surface observation and weather observing
report recommendations have been “frequently referenced
systems and the cooperative observer program (S. 1939),
by NOAA, the external community, and Congress.” For
advanced weather model computing (S. 3642), and artificial
example, NOAA’s Weather Program Office Strategic Plan
intelligence (S. 3888). One of the above bills (H.R. 4866)
Fiscal Years 2022-2026 addressed 25 of 33
has been passed by a chamber. Congress also has included
recommendations. In 2024, EIWSG noted issues with
direction to NOAA regarding weather forecasting in its
progress on topics such as S2S forecasting and the
explanatory statements accompanying annual
hurricane forecast improvement program. It is unclear if
appropriations laws. For example, in FY2024, Congress
and how NOAA has been implementing recommendations
directed NOAA to use funding to improve fire weather
from other groups and reports and whether the provisions in
modeling, prediction, and detection and to evaluate
H.R. 6093 would address any outstanding
commercial capabilities of hyperspectral microwave
recommendations.
sounder data. Congress could consider amending H.R. 6093
to incorporate directives from these bills and explanatory
Eva Lipiec, Specialist in Natural Resource Policy
statements or otherwise address their issues of focus.
https://crsreports.congress.gov

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Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2023 (H.R. 6093)

IF12698


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12698 · VERSION 1 · NEW

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