H.R. 3771

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3771 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3771

To increase observations, understanding, and forecasting of coastal 
flooding and storm surge events, to address weather observation gaps in 
highly vulnerable areas, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 5, 2025

Mr. Kean introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To increase observations, understanding, and forecasting of coastal 
flooding and storm surge events, to address weather observation gaps in 
highly vulnerable areas, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Coasts and Cities from 
Severe Weather Act''.

SEC. 2. COASTAL FLOODING AND STORM SURGE FORECAST IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
Atmosphere (in this Act referred to as the ``Under Secretary''), in 
collaboration with the United States weather industry (as such term is 
defined in section 2 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation 
Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8501)) and academic partners, shall establish a 
coastal flooding and storm surge forecast improvement program (in this 
section refer to as the ``program'').
(b) Goal.--The goal of the program shall be to reduce the loss of 
life or property from coastal flooding, including high tide flooding, 
and storm surge events through the development and extension of 
accurate, effective, actionable, and probable forecasts and warnings.
(c) Priority.--In implementing the program, the Under Secretary 
shall prioritize activities that carry out the following:
(1) Improve understanding and capacity for real-time 
operational prediction of the ocean's role in coastal flooding, 
including high tide flooding, and storm surge events.
(2) Improve the capacity to mitigate, adapt to, or prevent 
the impacts of coastal flooding, including high tide flooding, 
and storm surge events, including by improving the 
understanding and capacity of coastal communities to perceive, 
comprehend, and respond to forecast information.
(3) Incorporating data from in situ distributed sensors 
into predictive models and re-analyses.
(4) Developing probabilistic coastal flooding, including 
high tide flooding, and storm surge estimates to complement 
worst-case scenario estimates, including for use in long-term 
planning and risk management by States, Tribal governments, 
localities, and emergency managers in coordination with the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency, as appropriate.
(5) Establishing skill metrics for coastal inundation 
forecasting that quantify the benefits of dynamical modeling, 
data assimilation, and machine learning improvements in the 
probabilistic forecast of coastal flooding, including high tide 
flooding, and storm surge risk and impacts.
(6) Improving operational regional storm surge models and, 
in collaboration with the United States Geological Survey, wave 
prediction models to enhance probabilistic guidance and 
messaging.
(d) Innovative Observations and Modeling.--The Under Secretary 
shall ensure the program periodically examines, tests, and evaluates 
the value of incorporating enhanced model physics, hybrid dynamical or 
machine learning based prediction systems, and innovative observations, 
such as novel sensor technologies, observation networks, crewed or 
uncrewed systems, and hosted instruments on commercial aircrafts, 
vessels, and satellites, with respect to the improvement of coastal 
flooding, including high tide flooding, and storm surge forecasts, 
predictions, and warnings.
(e) Program Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall develop a plan that 
details the specific research, development, data acquisition, and 
technology transfer activities, as well as corresponding resources and 
timelines, necessary to achieve the goal of the program under 
subsection (b).
(f) Annual Budget for Plan Submission.--After the development of 
the plan pursuant to subsection (e), the Under Secretary shall, not 
less frequently than annually, submit to Congress a proposed budget 
corresponding with the activities identified in such plan.

SEC. 3. DATA VOIDS IN HIGHLY VULNERABLE AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES.

(a) In General.--The Under Secretary, in coordination with the 
Director of the National Weather Service and the Administrator of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency, in consultation with the United 
States weather industry, academic partners, and in accordance with 
activities implemented through existing regional atmospheric, coastal, 
ocean, and Great Lakes observing systems, shall carry out activities to 
ensure equitable and comprehensive weather observation coverage, 
impact-based decision support services, and emergency information 
sharing in the United States, including the following:
(1) Identifying regions in the United States and the 
territories of the United States that are under-observed or 
highly vulnerable to weather impacts that threaten human life, 
health, and the economy.
(2) Identifying any challenges that contribute to the lack 
of operations under paragraph (1).
(3) Increasing weather observations and developing new 
weather observational capabilities, such as urban heat island 
mapping campaigns, with respect to the regions identified under 
paragraph (1).
(4) Establishing or supporting testbeds and deployments of 
decision-support services to Federal, State, and local 
emergency operations centers to develop and integrate new 
weather, water, and climate observation or emergency 
information sharing tools, with respect to the regions 
identified under paragraph (1).
(5) To the maximum extent practicable, advancing weather 
and water forecasting and climate modeling capabilities for the 
regions identified under paragraph (1).
(6) Undertaking workforce development efforts for emergency 
management officials and meteorologists in the regions 
identified under paragraph (1).
(7) Using data-void-filling observations to better resolve 
extreme rainfall in complex topography.
(8) Contributing to a national integrated heat health 
information system.
(b) Interagency Partnership To Support Pilot Projects.--In carrying 
out this section, the Under Secretary, acting through the Director of 
the National Weather Service and the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, shall establish an interagency partnership 
to support pilot projects that accelerate coordination and use of 
localized weather data in infrastructure and emergency management 
decisions by Federal, State, and local officials.
(c) Priority.--At least one pilot project under subsection (b) 
shall address key science challenges to using mesonet data in local 
decision making and development of new tools and training for owners 
and operators of critical infrastructure (as such term is defined in 
section 1016(e) of Public Law 107-56 (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e))), such as 
dams, energy generation and distribution facilities, nuclear power 
plants, and transportation networks.
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