H.R. 353 — what changed
Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017
From Introduced in House to Engrossed in House. 4 sections amended between Introduced in House and Engrossed in House.
Sec. 103 Tornado warning improvement and extension program
In general— The Under Secretary, in collaboration with the United States weather industry and academic partners, shall establish a tornado warning improvement and extension program.
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Goal— The goal of such program shall be to reduce the loss of life and economic losses from tornadoes through the development and extension of accurate, effective, and timely tornado forecasts, predictions, and warnings, including the prediction of tornadoes beyond one 1 hour in advance.
Program plan— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, in coordination with the Director of the National Weather Service, shall develop a program plan that details the specific research, development, and technology transfer activities, as well as corresponding resources and timelines, necessary to achieve the program goal.
Annual budget for plan submittal— Following completion of the plan, the Under Secretary, acting through the Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and in coordination with the Director of the National Weather Service, shall, not less frequently than once each year, submit to Congress a proposed budget corresponding with the activities identified in the plan.
Sec. 109 United States Weather Research program
Section 108 of the Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1992 (Public Law 102–567; 15 U.S.C. 313 note) is amended—
in subsection (a)—
in paragraph (3), by striking “; and” and inserting a semicolon;
in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
“(5) 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, not less frequently than once each year, a report, including—
“(A) a list of ongoing research projects;
“(B) project goals and a point of contact for each project;
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“(C) the 5 five projects related to weather observations, short-term weather, or subseasonal forecasts within Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research that are closest to operationalization;
“(D) for each project referred to in subparagraph (C)—
“(i) the potential benefit;
“(ii) any barrier to operationalization; and
“(iii) the plan for operationalization, including which line office will financially support the project and how much the line office intends to spend;
“(6) establish teams with staff from the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and the National Weather Service to oversee the operationalization of research products developed by the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research;
“(7) develop mechanisms for research priorities of the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research to be informed by the relevant line offices within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the relevant user community, and the weather enterprise;
“(8) develop an internal mechanism to track the progress of each research project within the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and mechanisms to terminate a project that is not adequately progressing;
“(9) develop and implement a system to track whether extramural research grant goals were accomplished;
“(10) provide facilities for products developed by the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research to be tested in operational simulations, such as test beds; and
“(11) encourage academic collaboration with the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and the National Weather Service by facilitating visiting scholars.”
in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the” and inserting “The”; and
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(c) Subseasonal defined—In this section, the term subseasonal means the time range between 2 weeks and 3 months.”
Sec. 405 Warning coordination meteorologists at weather forecast offices of National Weather Service
Designation of warning coordination meteorologists—
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In general— The Director of the National Weather Service shall designate at least 1 one warning coordination meteorologist at each weather forecast office of the National Weather Service.
No additional employees authorized— Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize or require a change in the authorized number of full time equivalent employees in the National Weather Service or otherwise result in the employment of any additional employees.
Performance by other employees— Performance of the responsibilities outlined in this section is not limited to the warning coordination meteorologist position.
Primary role of warning coordination meteorologists— The primary role of the warning coordination meteorologist shall be to carry out the responsibilities required by this section.
Responsibilities—
In general— Subject to paragraph (2), consistent with the analysis described in section 409, and in order to increase impact-based decision support services, each warning coordination meteorologist designated under subsection (a) shall—
be responsible for providing service to the geographic area of responsibility covered by the weather forecast office at which the warning coordination meteorologist is employed to help ensure that users of products of the National Weather Service can respond effectively to improve outcomes from weather events;
liaise with users of products and services of the National Weather Service, such as the public, media outlets, users in the aviation, marine, and agricultural communities, and forestry, land, and water management interests, to evaluate the adequacy and usefulness of the products and services of the National Weather Service;
collaborate with such weather forecast offices and State, local, and tribal government agencies as the Director considers appropriate in developing, proposing, and implementing plans to develop, modify, or tailor products and services of the National Weather Service to improve the usefulness of such products and services;
ensure the maintenance and accuracy of severe weather call lists, appropriate office severe weather policy or procedures, and other severe weather or dissemination methodologies or strategies; and
work closely with State, local, and tribal emergency management agencies, and other agencies related to disaster management, to ensure a planned, coordinated, and effective preparedness and response effort.
Other staff— The Director may assign a responsibility set forth in paragraph (1) to such other staff as the Director considers appropriate to carry out such responsibility.
Additional responsibilities—
In general— Subject to paragraph (2), a warning coordination meteorologist designated under subsection (a) may—
work with a State agency to develop plans for promoting more effective use of products and services of the National Weather Service throughout the State;
identify priority community preparedness objectives;
develop plans to meet the objectives identified under paragraph (2); and
conduct severe weather event preparedness planning and citizen education efforts with and through various State, local, and tribal government agencies and other disaster management-related organizations.
Other staff— The Director may assign a responsibility set forth in paragraph (1) to such other staff as the Director considers appropriate to carry out such responsibility.
Placement with State and local emergency managers—
In general— In carrying out this section, the Director of the National Weather Service may place a warning coordination meteorologist designated under subsection (a) with a State or local emergency manager if the Director considers doing so is necessary or convenient to carry out this section.
Treatment— If the Director determines that the placement of a warning coordination meteorologist placed with a State or local emergency manager under paragraph (1) is near a weather forecast office of the National Weather Service, such placement shall be treated as designation of the warning coordination meteorologist at such weather forecast office for purposes of subsection (a).
Sec. 410 Report on contract positions at National Weather Service
Report required— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the use of contractors at the National Weather Service for the most recently completed fiscal year.
Contents— The report required by subsection (a) shall include, with respect to the most recently completed fiscal year, the following:
The total number of full-time equivalent employees at the National Weather Service, disaggregated by each equivalent level of the General Schedule.
The total number of full-time equivalent contractors at the National Weather Service, disaggregated by each equivalent level of the General Schedule that most closely approximates their duties.
The total number of vacant positions at the National Weather Service on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, disaggregated by each equivalent level of the General Schedule.
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The 5 five most common positions filled by full-time equivalent contractors at the National Weather Service and the equivalent level of the General Schedule that most closely approximates the duties of such positions.
Of the positions identified under paragraph (4), the percentage of full-time equivalent contractors in those positions that have held a prior position at the National Weather Service or another entity in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The average full-time equivalent salary for Federal employees at the National Weather Service for each equivalent level of the General Schedule.
The average salary for full-time equivalent contractors performing at each equivalent level of the General Schedule at the National Weather Service.
A description of any actions taken by the Under Secretary to respond to the issues raised by the Inspector General of the Department of Commerce regarding the hiring of former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees as contractors at the National Weather Service such as the issues raised in the Investigative Report dated June 2, 2015 (OIG–12–0447).
Annual publication— For each fiscal year after the fiscal year covered by the report required by subsection (a), the Under Secretary shall, not later than 180 days after the completion of the fiscal year, publish on a publicly accessible Internet website the information described in paragraphs (1) through (8) of subsection (b) for such fiscal year.