---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 2904"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "2904"
heading: "National Climate Program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/2904"
units:
  - "Chapter 56 — National Climate Program"
---

# §2904. National Climate Program

- (a) **Establishment—** The President shall establish a National Climate [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) in accordance with the provisions, findings and purposes of this chapter.
- (b) **Duties—** The President shall—
  - (1) promulgate the 5-year plans described in [subsection (d)(9)](#d-9);
  - (2) define the roles in the [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) of Federal officers, departments, and agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy, Interior, [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2), and Transportation; the Environmental Protection Agency; the National Aeronautics and Space [Administration](/usc/15/636e.md?p=1); the Council on Environmental Quality; the National Science Foundation; and the [Office](/usc/15/2903.md?p=2) of Science and Technology Policy; and
  - (3) provide for [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) coordination.
- (c) **National Climate Program Office—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/15/2903.md?p=4) shall establish within the Department of Commerce a National Climate [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) [Office](/usc/15/2903.md?p=2) not later than 30 days after September 17, 1978.
  - (2) The [Office](/usc/15/2903.md?p=2) shall—
    - (A) serve as the lead entity responsible for administering the [program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3);
    - (B) be headed by a Director who shall represent the Climate [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) Policy [Board](/usc/15/2903.md?p=1) and shall be spokesperson for the [program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3);
    - (C) serve as the staff for the [Board](/usc/15/2903.md?p=1) and its supporting committees and working groups;
    - (D) review each agency budget request transmitted under subsection (g)(1) and submit an analysis of the requests to the [Board](/usc/15/2903.md?p=1) for its review;
    - (E) be responsible for coordinating interagency participation in international climate-related activities; and
    - (F) work with the National Academy of Sciences and other private, academic, [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2), and local groups in preparing and implementing the 5-year plan (described in [subsection (d)(9)](#d-9)) and the [program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3).

    The analysis described in [subparagraph (D)](#c-2-D) shall include an analysis of how each agency’s budget request relates to the priorities and goals of the [program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) established pursuant to this chapter.

  - (3) The [Secretary](/usc/15/2903.md?p=4) may provide, through the [Office](/usc/15/2903.md?p=2), financial assistance, in the form of contracts or grants or cooperative [agreements](/usc/15/7a.md?p=2), for climate-related activities which are needed to meet the goals and priorities of the [program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) set forth in the 5-year plan pursuant to [subsection (d)(9)](#d-9), if such goals and priorities are not being adequately addressed by any Federal department, agency, or instrumentality.
  - (4) Each Federal officer, employee, department and agency involved in the [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) shall cooperate with the [Secretary](/usc/15/2903.md?p=4) in carrying out the provisions of this chapter.
- (d) **Program elements—** The [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) shall include, but not be limited to, the following elements:
  - (1) assessments of the effect of climate on the natural environment, agricultural production, energy supply and demand, land and water resources, transportation, human health and national security. Such assessments shall be conducted to the maximum extent possible by those Federal agencies having national [programs](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) in [food](/usc/15/55.md?p=b), fiber, raw materials, energy, transportation, land and water management, and other such responsibilities, in accordance with existing laws and regulations. Where appropriate such assessments may include recommendations for action;
  - (2) basic and applied research to improve the understanding of climate processes, natural and man induced, and the social, economic, and political implications of climate change;
  - (3) methods for improving climate forecasts on a monthly, seasonal, yearly, and longer basis;
  - (4) global data collection, and monitoring and analysis activities to provide reliable, useful and readily available information on a continuing basis;
  - (5) systems for the management and active dissemination of climatological data, information and assessments, including mechanisms for consultation with current and potential users;
  - (6) measures for increasing international cooperation in climate research, monitoring, analysis and data dissemination;
  - (7) mechanisms for intergovernmental climate-related studies and services including participation by universities, the private sector and others concerned with applied research and advisory services. Such mechanisms may provide, among others, for the following [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) and regional services and functions: (A) studies relating to and analyses of climatic effects on agricultural production, water resources, energy needs, and other critical sectors of the economy; (B) atmospheric data collection and monitoring on a statewide and regional basis; (C) advice to regional, [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2), and [local government](/usc/15/34.md?p=1) agencies regarding climate-related issues; (D) information to users within the [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) regarding climate and climatic effects; and (E) information to the [Secretary](/usc/15/2903.md?p=4) regarding the needs of [persons](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) within the [States](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) for climate-related services, information, and data. The [Secretary](/usc/15/2903.md?p=4) may make annual grants to any [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) or group of [States](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2), which grants shall be made available to public or private educational institutions, to [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) agencies, and to other [persons](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) or institutions qualified to conduct climate-related studies or provide climate-related services;
  - (8) experimental climate forecast centers, which shall (A) be responsible for making and routinely updating experimental climate forecasts of a monthly, seasonal, annual, and longer nature, based on a variety of experimental techniques; (B) establish procedures to have forecasts reviewed and their accuracy evaluated; and (C) protect against premature reliance on such experimental forecasts; and
  - (9) a preliminary 5-year plan, to be submitted to the Congress for review and comment, not later than 180 days after September 17, 1978, and a final 5-year plan to be submitted to the Congress not later than 1 year after September 17, 1978, that shall be revised and extended at least once every four years. Each plan shall establish the goals and priorities for the [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3), including the intergovernmental [program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) described in [paragraph (7)](#d-7), over the subsequent 5-year period, and shall contain details regarding (A) the role of Federal agencies in the [programs](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3), (B) Federal funding required to enable the [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) to achieve such goals, and (C) [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) accomplishments that must be achieved to ensure that [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) goals are met within the time frame established by the plan.
- (e) **Climate Program Policy Board—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/15/2903.md?p=4) shall establish and maintain an interagency Climate [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) Policy [Board](/usc/15/2903.md?p=1), consisting of representatives of the Federal agencies specified in [subsection (b)(2)](#b-2) and any other agency which the [Secretary](/usc/15/2903.md?p=4) determines should participate in the [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3).
  - (2) The [Board](/usc/15/2903.md?p=1) shall—
    - (A) be responsible for coordinated planning and progress review for the [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3);
    - (B) review all agency and department budget requests related to climate transmitted under subsection (g)(1) and submit a report to the [Office](/usc/15/2903.md?p=2) of Management and Budget concerning such budget requests;
    - (C) establish and maintain such interagency groups as the [Board](/usc/15/2903.md?p=1) determines to be necessary to carry out its activities; and
    - (D) consult with and seek the advice of users and producers of climate data, information, and services to guide the [Board](/usc/15/2903.md?p=1)’s efforts, keeping the Director and the Congress advised of such contacts.
  - (3) The [Board](/usc/15/2903.md?p=1) biennially shall select a Chair from among its members. A [Board](/usc/15/2903.md?p=1) member who is a representative of an agency may not serve as Chair of the [Board](/usc/15/2903.md?p=1) for a term if an individual who represented that same agency on the [Board](/usc/15/2903.md?p=1) served as the [Board](/usc/15/2903.md?p=1)’s Chair for the previous term.
- (f) **Cooperation—**
  - (1) The [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) shall be conducted so as to encourage cooperation with, and participation in the [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) by, other organizations or agencies involved in related activities. For this purpose the [Secretary](/usc/15/2903.md?p=4) shall cooperate and participate with other Federal agencies, and foreign, international, and domestic organizations and agencies involved in international or domestic climate-related [programs](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3).
  - (2) The [Secretary](/usc/15/2903.md?p=4) and the Secretary of State shall cooperate with the [Office](/usc/15/2903.md?p=2) in (A) providing representation at climate-related international meetings and conferences in which the United States participates, and (B) coordinating the activities of the [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) with the climate [programs](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) of other nations and international agencies and organizations, including the World Meteorological Organization, the International Council of Scientific Unions, the United Nations Environmental [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3), the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, the World Health Organization, and [Food](/usc/15/55.md?p=b) and Agriculture Organization.
- (g) **Budgeting—** Each Federal agency and department participating in the [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3), shall prepare and submit to the [Office](/usc/15/2903.md?p=2) of Management and Budget, on or before the date of submission of departmental requests for appropriations to the [Office](/usc/15/2903.md?p=2) of Management and Budget, an annual request for appropriations for the [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) for the subsequent fiscal year and shall transmit a copy of such request to the National Climate [Program](/usc/15/2903.md?p=3) [Office](/usc/15/2903.md?p=2). The [Office](/usc/15/2903.md?p=2) of Management and Budget shall review the request for appropriations as an integrated, coherent, multiagency request.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 95–367, § 5(a)–(g)(1), Sept. 17, 1978, 92 Stat. 601–603; Pub. L. 99–272, title VI, § 6084(b)–(f), Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 136, 137.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Subsec. (g) of this section in the original was par. (1) of section 5(g) of Pub. L. 95–367 and has been set out without such par. (1) designation for purposes of codification. For classification of par. (2) of section 5(g) to the Code, see Tables.

### Amendments

1986—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–272, § 6084(b), designated first sentence as par. (1), substituted pars. (2) and (3) for second sentence which provided that “The Office shall be the lead entity responsible for administering the Program”, and designated third sentence as par. (4).

Subsec. (d)(7). Pub. L. 99–272, § 6084(c)(1), inserted provision that such mechanisms may provide, among others, for certain enumerated State and regional services and functions.

Subsec. (d)(9). Pub. L. 99–272, § 6084(c)(2), (3), substituted “at least once every four years” for “biennially” and “described in paragraph (7)” for “under section 2905 of this title”.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 99–272, § 6084(d), substituted provisions relating to the establishment and maintenance of the Climate Program Policy Board for provisions relating to the establishment and maintenance of an advisory committee and interagency groups.

Subsec. (f)(2). Pub. L. 99–272, § 6084(e), substituted “shall cooperate with the Office in” for “shall cooperate in”.

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 99–272, § 6084(f), inserted provision requiring each Federal agency and department participating in the Program to transmit a copy of such request to the National Climate Program Office.