GeoLawWatch Open Legislation 11
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USBillSB3923Introduced

Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026

  1. Introduced
  2. Passed one chamber
  3. Passed both chambers
  4. Passed

The Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026 modernises NOAA's meteorological research, severe storm forecasting, AI weather modelling, and commercial satellite data integration. It focuses strictly on observational technology and public warning systems and includes no provisions for atmospheric intervention or weather modification.

Our summary

Title I: Reauthorization of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 Reauthorises NOAA's core research and forecasting infrastructure, prioritising public safety, weather research laboratories, tornado forecast guidance under VORTEX–USA, hurricane intensity prediction, tsunami warning systems, and the Earth Prediction Innovation Centre.

Title II: Enhancing Federal Weather Forecasting and Innovation Establishes new initiatives including the Radar Next Program to replace NEXRAD, targeted atmospheric river and coastal surge modelling, aviation turbulence forecasting, the Aerial Snow Survey, and expanded deployment of artificial intelligence across numerical weather prediction models.

Title III: Commercial Weather and Environmental Observations Formalises NOAA's Commercial Data Program and Pilot Program to contract private-sector satellite and atmospheric observations, establishing open data standards, Ombudsman support, and university research consortiums for data assimilation.

Title IV: Communicating Weather to the Public Focuses on modernising public risk communication, upgrading NOAA Weather Radio infrastructure to IP- and cloud-based delivery, standardising flash flood warning systems, conducting post-storm social science assessments, and protecting online alert feeds via digital watermarking.

Title V: Improving Weather Information for Agriculture and Water Management Enhances subseasonal-to-seasonal temperature and precipitation forecasting for agriculture and water storage, funding the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), the National Mesonet Program, soil moisture networks, and the National Water Centre.

Title VI: Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Reauthorises interagency programs between NOAA and the EPA to monitor, forecast, and mitigate harmful algal blooms and hypoxia events across coastal, marine, and freshwater ecosystems, while establishing a national technology incubator program.

Title VII: Fire Ready Nation Establishes a coordinated Fire Weather Services Program, a dedicated Fire Weather Testbed, and an expanded Incident Meteorologist Service within the National Weather Service, while modernising high-performance computing for wildfire smoke and ignition modelling.

Title VIII: Precipitation Estimates and Landslide Preparedness Reauthorises the National Landslide Preparedness Act, incorporates extreme precipitation and atmospheric river events into national precipitation frequency estimates, and establishes the USGS Next Generation Water Observing System.

Title IX: Importation of Red Snapper Directs NOAA, NIST, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Coast Guard to jointly develop standardised chemical methodologies to verify the country of origin of imported red snapper and tuna, and to provide technical assistance for illegal fishing enforcement.

Title X: Improving Cybersecurity and Telecommunications for Oceanic Research Directs the National Science Foundation to create a comprehensive strategic plan to upgrade cybersecurity, telecommunications, and satellite connectivity across vessels in the U.S. Academic Research Fleet.

Title XI: Other Authorities Addresses administrative and operational authorities, including NOAA workforce relocation allowances, annual unfunded priorities reporting to Congress, multi-year capital investment planning, and international weather service co-development partnerships.

Title XII: Integrated Ocean Observation System Reauthorization Act of 2026 Reauthorises the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observing System (IOOS) through fiscal year 2030, formalising regional association data sharing, cyber infrastructure upgrades, and dedicated funding allocations for regional coastal observing networks.

Official description

A bill to improve the weather research of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, support improvements in weather forecasting and prediction, and expand commercial opportunities for the provision of weather data.

Legislative history

  1. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 685.
  2. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with amendments. With written report No. 119-154.
  3. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
  4. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Additional documents

Bill text (Index only)

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

FEBRUARY 25, 2026

Mr. CRUZ (for himself, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. SULLIVAN, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Mr. MORAN, Mr. SCHATZ, Mr. SHEEHY, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. BUDD,

Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. CURTIS, and Mr. HICKENLOOPER) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

SEPTEMBER 28, 2026

Reported by Mr. CRUZ, with amendments

A BILL

To improve the weather research of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, support improvements in weather forecasting and prediction, and expand commercial opportunities for the provision of weather data.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 1

(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026’’

General Provisions

  • Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents
  • Sec. 2. Definitions

TITLE I — Reauthorization of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017

  • Sec. 101. Public safety priority
  • Sec. 102. United States weather research and forecasting
  • Sec. 103. Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment–United States of America (VORTEX–USA)
  • Sec. 104. Hurricane forecast improvement program
  • Sec. 105. Tsunami Warning and Education Act reauthorization
  • Sec. 106. Observing system planning
  • Sec. 107. Observing system simulation experiments
  • Sec. 108. Computing resources prioritization
  • Sec. 109. Earth Prediction Innovation Center
  • Sec. 110. Satellite architecture planning
  • Sec. 111. Improving uncrewed activities
  • Sec. 112. Interagency Council for Advancing Meteorological Services
  • Sec. 113. Ocean observations
  • Sec. 114. Consolidation of reports
  • Sec. 115. Precipitation forecast improvement program

TITLE II — Enhancing Federal Weather Forecasting and Innovation

  • Sec. 201. Next-generation numerical weather prediction initiative
  • Sec. 202. Radar Next Program
  • Sec. 203. Data voids in under observed areas of the United States
  • Sec. 204. Atmospheric rivers forecast improvement program
  • Sec. 205. Coastal flooding and storm surge forecast improvement program
  • Sec. 206. National Integrated Heat Health Information System
  • Sec. 207. Aviation weather and data innovation
  • Sec. 208. Aerial snow survey program
  • Sec. 209. National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service partnership program, transition program, and operational planning
  • Sec. 210. Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System
  • Sec. 211. Reanalysis and reforecasting
  • Sec. 212. National Weather Service workforce
  • Sec. 213. Artificial intelligence for weather forecasting
  • Sec. 214. Composition of the atmosphere and atmospheric observations
  • Sec. 215. Project to improve forecasts of coastal marine fog

TITLE III — Commercial Weather and Environmental Observations

  • Sec. 301. Commercial Data Program
  • Sec. 302. Commercial Data Pilot Program
  • Sec. 303. Contracting authority and avoidance of duplication
  • Sec. 304. Data assimilation, management, and sharing practices
  • Sec. 305. Clerical amendment

TITLE IV — Communicating Weather to the Public

  • Sec. 401. Definitions
  • Sec. 402. Hazardous weather or water event risk communication
  • Sec. 403. Hazard communication research and engagement
  • Sec. 404. NOAA Weather Radio
  • Sec. 405. National standards for weather warning systems in flash flood zones
  • Sec. 406. Post-storm surveys and assessments
  • Sec. 407. Government Accountability Office report on alert dissemination for hazardous weather or water events
  • Sec. 408. Data collection, management, and protection

TITLE V — Improving Weather Information for Agriculture and Water Management

  • Sec. 501. Weather information for agriculture and water management
  • Sec. 502. National Integrated Drought Information System
  • Sec. 503. National Mesonet Program
  • Sec. 504. National Coordinated Soil Moisture Monitoring Network
  • Sec. 505. National Water Center
  • Sec. 506. Satellite transfers briefing

TITLE VI — Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control

  • Sec. 601. Amendments to the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998
  • Sec. 602. Other harmful algal bloom and hypoxia matters

TITLE VII — Fire Ready Nation

  • Sec. 701. Definitions
  • Sec. 702. Establishment of fire weather services program
  • Sec. 703. Fire weather testbed
  • Sec. 704. Data management and technology modernization
  • Sec. 705. Surveys and assessments
  • Sec. 706. Incident Meteorologist Service
  • Sec. 707. Emergency response activities
  • Sec. 708. Submissions to Congress regarding the Fire Weather Services Program, incident meteorologist workforce needs, and National Weather Service workforce support
  • Sec. 709. Fire Science and Technology Working Group; strategic plan
  • Sec. 710. Fire weather rating system
  • Sec. 711. Government Accountability Office reports
  • Sec. 712. Cooperation and coordination
  • Sec. 713. General provisions
  • Sec. 714. Authorization of appropriations

TITLE VIII — Precipitation Estimates and Landslide Preparedness

  • Sec. 801. Inclusion of atmospheric rivers and extreme precipitation events in estimates of precipitation frequency
  • Sec. 802. Reauthorization of National Landslide Preparedness Act
  • Sec. 803. Next Generation Water Observing System
  • Sec. 804. Water data enhancement and national groundwater resources monitoring by United States Geological Survey

TITLE IX — Importation of Red Snapper

  • Sec. 901. Methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood
  • Sec. 902. Technical assistance for illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing enforcement

TITLE X — Improving Cybersecurity and Telecommunications for Oceanic Research

  • Sec. 1001. Definitions
  • Sec. 1002. Plan to improve cybersecurity and telecommunications of U.S. Academic Research Fleet

TITLE XI — Other Authorities

  • Sec. 1101. NOAA workforce relocation allowances / Multiyear future-years capital investment plans
  • Sec. 1102. Unfunded priorities list
  • Sec. 1103. Miscellaneous authorities

TITLE XII — Integrated Ocean Observation System Reauthorization Act of 2026

  • Sec. 1201. Short title
  • Sec. 1202. Purposes
  • Sec. 1203. Definitions
  • Sec. 1204. Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observing System
  • Sec. 1205. Report to Congress
  • Sec. 1206. Authorization of appropriations
  • Sec. 1207. Conforming amendments