Stop NOAA Closures Act

This bill blocks NOAA from closing, shrinking, or limiting access to any of its buildings and offices, including stopping construction or ending leases. Temporary closures are still allowed if there’s an emergency that puts workers in immediate danger. The pause stays in place until 180 days after NOAA and other agencies send Congress a detailed plan explaining how they would choose any site to close or consolidate; that plan cannot be submitted before January 21, 2029 . After the pause ends, any future closure or limit on access must be explained to Congress at least 30 days in advance, with details on the criteria, expected savings, costs to replace services, and the impact on NOAA’s work.

Key points

• Who is affected: NOAA facilities, their workers, and communities that rely on NOAA services like weather, oceans, and fisheries.
• What changes: No closing, consolidating, stopping construction, ending leases, or new limits on access, except for short-term emergency safety reasons; later actions require an advance report with clear justifications and cost/impact details .
• When: The pause lasts until 180 days after the required report is submitted, and that report cannot be filed before January 21, 2029.