Sponsors (2)
The bill strengthens U.S. extreme-precipitation forecasting, data access, and scientific capacity—boosting community resilience and innovation—while adding modest federal costs, administrative requirements, and potential equity challenges for less-resourced partners.
State and local governments, rural communities, and emergency managers will get more accurate forecasts of extreme precipitation (e.g., atmospheric rivers, tropical cyclones), improving preparedness and reducing damage and recovery costs.
NOAA, scientists, and universities receive sustained funding (~$15M+ per year FY2026–2030) for R&D and operations, supporting jobs, scientific capacity, and long-term improvements in forecasting.
Researchers, businesses, policymakers, and the public will have better public access to FAIR-managed data, enabling more effective research, private-sector innovation, and evidence-based decision-making.
Taxpayers and the federal budget face an added cost of roughly $75 million over five years, which may increase budgetary pressure or require offsets elsewhere.
Smaller or less-resourced state and local partners, including tribal communities, may be disadvantaged because emphasis on advanced computing and ML/AI tends to favor well-resourced institutions.
NOAA and partner agencies will face added administrative work from mandated coordination and biennial reporting, which could divert staff time from core forecasting and operations.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Establishes a NOAA program to improve precipitation prediction via coupled Earth System Models, observations, data curation, and operational transition, with biennial goal updates.
Official title: To establish in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration a program to improve precipitation forecasts, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 15, 2025 by Deborah K. Ross · Last progress July 15, 2025
Creates a NOAA program to improve precipitation prediction by funding research, model development, observations, computing, data curation, and operational deployment of fully coupled Earth System Models from weather to decadal timescales. It requires coordination across NOAA offices and with external partners, regular updates to goals, FAIR data stewardship, and authorizes modest annual funding for FY2026–FY2030.