Us Congress 2025-2026 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB115 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	I
2	2	119THCONGRESS
3	3	1
4	4	STSESSION H. R. 1115
5	5	To develop the next generation of weather radar, authorize supplemental
6	6	gap radar coverage, and for other purposes.
7	7	IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
8	8	FEBRUARY7, 2025
9	9	Mr. C
10	10	RAWFORD(for himself and Mr. MORAN) introduced the following bill;
11	11	which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
12	12	A BILL
13	13	To develop the next generation of weather radar, authorize
14	14	supplemental gap radar coverage, and for other purposes.
15	15	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
16	16	tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
17	17	SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
18	18	This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Weather Radar Cov-4
19	19	erage Improvement Act’’ 5
20	20	SEC. 2. NEXT GENERATION PHASED ARRAY RADAR. 6
21	21	(a) I
22	22	NGENERAL.—The Under Secretary, in consulta-7
23	23	tion with the Director of the National Weather Service, 8
24	24	shall develop a plan to replace the Next Generation 9
25	25	Weather Radar of the National Weather Service 10
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28	28	•HR 1115 IH
29	29	(‘‘NEXRAD’’) system in existence as of the date of the 1
30	30	enactment of this section. 2
31	31	(b) P
32	32	ROCUREMENT DEADLINE.—The Under Sec-3
33	33	retary shall take such actions as may be necessary to en-4
34	34	sure the replacement described in subsection (a) is com-5
35	35	pleted by not later than September 30, 2040. 6
36	36	(c) E
37	37	LEMENTS.—The plan developed pursuant to 7
38	38	subsection (a) shall include the following: 8
39	39	(1) Estimates of quantifiable improvements in 9
40	40	coverage and accuracy to be made from replacement 10
41	41	of the NEXRAD system referred to in such sub-11
42	42	section. 12
43	43	(2) Development of a prototype digital phased 13
44	44	array radar to test and determine the specifications 14
45	45	and requirements for such replacement. 15
46	46	(3) Establishment of a weather surveillance 16
47	47	phased array radar testbed for the following: 17
48	48	(A) Evaluation of commercial radars with 18
49	49	the potential to replace or supplement the 19
50	50	NEXRAD system. 20
51	51	(B) Providing technical assistance for the 21
52	52	use of small, gap filling radars in regions where 22
53	53	geographical topography prevents full utilization 23
54	54	of larger systems. 24
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57	57	•HR 1115 IH
58	58	(4) Consultation and input solicited from mete-1
59	59	orologists, emergency managers, and public safety 2
60	60	officials regarding the specifications and require-3
61	61	ments for replacement of the NEXRAD system re-4
62	62	ferred in such subsection. 5
63	63	(d) R
64	64	ADAR-AS-A-SERVICE.— 6
65	65	(1) I
66	66	N GENERAL.—In order to supplement gaps 7
67	67	in radar coverage in existence as of the date of the 8
68	68	enactment of this section and ensure the continued 9
69	69	performance of weather radar capabilities, the Direc-10
70	70	tor of the National Weather Service may utilize and 11
71	71	contract with third party entities to fill such radar 12
72	72	gaps using diverse weather radars and data assimila-13
73	73	tion technologies to better detect significant precipi-14
74	74	tation and severe weather over a greater area across 15
75	75	the population. 16
76	76	(2) P
77	77	RIORITY.—In carrying out the activities 17
78	78	under paragraph (1), the Director of the National 18
79	79	Weather Service shall prioritize utilizing and con-19
80	80	tracting with third party entities that have partici-20
81	81	pated in the testbed established in accordance with 21
82	82	subsection (c)(3). 22
83	83	(3) W
84	84	EATHER CAMERA SYSTEMS .—In carrying 23
85	85	out the activities under paragraph (1), the Director 24
86	86	of the National Weather Service may consider 25
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89	89	•HR 1115 IH
90	90	weather camera systems and services as viable tech-1
91	91	nologies to supplement gaps in radar coverage. 2
92	92	(e) U
93	93	PDATES TOCONGRESS.—The Under Secretary 3
94	94	shall provide to the Committee on Science, Space, and 4
95	95	Technology of the House of Representatives and the Com-5
96	96	mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 6
97	97	Senate periodic updates on the implementation of this sec-7
98	98	tion. 8
99	99	(f) D
100	100	EFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘Under 9
101	101	Secretary’’ has the meaning given such term in section 10
102	102	2 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation 11
103	103	Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8501). 12
104	104	Æ
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