S. 4802

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4802 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4802

To provide for the acquisition by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration of aircraft for air, atmosphere, and weather 
reconnaissance and research missions, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 17, 2026

Ms. Cantwell (for herself, Mr. Cruz, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr. Wicker, 
Mr. Padilla, and Mr. Budd) introduced the following bill; which was 
read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To provide for the acquisition by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration of aircraft for air, atmosphere, and weather 
reconnaissance and research missions, 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 ``Hurricane Hunter Aircraft 
Recapitalization Act''.

SEC. 2. ACQUISITION OF AIRCRAFT FOR AIR, ATMOSPHERE, AND WEATHER 
RECONNAISSANCE AND RESEARCH MISSIONS.

(a) In General.--Section 11708 of the Don Young Coast Guard 
Authorization Act of 2022 (division K of Public Law 117-263; 136 Stat. 
4158; 33 U.S.C. note prec. 851) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by striking ``Increased'' and all that follows 
through ``The Under'' and inserting ``Hurricane Hunter 
Mission.--The Under'';
(B) by striking ``shall acquire'' and inserting the 
following: ``shall--
``(1) acquire and maintain'';
(C) by striking ``requirements'' and all that 
follows through ``air reconnaissance and'' and 
inserting ``requirements to meet the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration air reconnaissance 
and''; and
(D) by striking ``(B) to ensure'' and all that 
follows through ``or nongovernmental entities.'' in 
paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
``(2) carry out airborne reconnaissance and research 
missions using such aircraft platforms under paragraph (1).'';
(2) by redesignating subsections (b), (c), and (d) as 
subsections (d), (e), and (h), respectively;
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
``(b) Mission Requirements.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Under Secretary shall--
``(1) collect real-time meteorological, oceanographic, and 
atmospheric observations and ensure such data is made available 
in near real-time for research and operational purposes, 
including forecasting, warning, and reconnaissance missions;
``(2) maintain the capability to safely conduct direct 
airborne penetration of hurricanes and tropical cyclones; and
``(3) ensure continuity of airborne hurricane 
reconnaissance capability during any aircraft recapitalization 
or transition period, including through the acquisition and 
maintenance of backup capabilities sufficient to prevent a 
single point of failure.
``(c) Airborne Observing Technologies.--In carrying out subsection 
(a), the Under Secretary shall maintain and replace airborne radar and 
remote sensing capabilities, including Tail Doppler Radar capabilities 
or successor technologies, necessary to support operational hurricane 
reconnaissance and forecasting missions.'';
(4) in subsection (d) (as so redesignated)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
striking ``up to 6'' and inserting ``not fewer than 6, 
but not more than 9, manned''; and
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``subparagraph 
(A)'' and inserting ``paragraph (1)'';
(5) in subsection (e) (as so redesignated), by striking 
``agency air reconnaissance and research mission requirements'' 
and inserting ``the mission requirements described in 
subsection (b)'';
(6) by inserting after subsection (e), as so redesignated, 
the following:
``(f) Multiyear Contracts.--
``(1) In general.--The Under Secretary may enter into 
multiyear contracts in accordance with section 3903 of title 
41, United States Code, for purposes of carrying out this 
section and shall ensure compliance with all contract clauses 
provided in such section of title 41, United States Code.
``(2) Exception for contract duration limitation.--The 
limitation on the duration of such contracts provided under 
subsection (a) of such section of title 41, United States Code, 
shall not apply to contracts for the acquisition of aircraft in 
accordance with this section or the maintenance of such 
aircraft, including any associated services or support, 
provided that such contracts comply with applicable law and 
include appropriate safeguards for any unfunded contingent 
liability in the event of cancellation.
``(g) NOAA Corps Aviation Capability.--The Under Secretary shall 
maintain qualified National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
Commissioned Officer Corps aviators to conduct the airborne 
reconnaissance and research missions authorized under subsection 
(a)(2).''; and
(7) in subsection (h), as so redesignated--
(A) by striking ``For'' and inserting the 
following:
``(1) Acquisition of aircraft.--For'';
(B) by striking ``year 2023'' and inserting ``years 
2027 through 2031'';
(C) by striking ``$800,000,000'' and inserting 
``$2,500,000,000''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) OMAO aviation operations and aircraft services.--For 
each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031, there is authorized to 
be appropriated to the Under Secretary $45,000,000 for aviation 
operations and aircraft services by the Office of Marine and 
Aviation Operations.''.
(b) Transfer.--
(1) Weather research and forecasting innovation act of 
2017.--The Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 
2017 is amended by repealing section 413 (15 U.S.C. 8549).
(2) Don young coast guard authorization act of 2022.--The 
Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022 is further 
amended by transferring section 11708 of such Act, as amended 
by subsection (a), to the Weather Research and Forecasting 
Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8501 et seq.) to appear as 
section 413 of such Act and redesignating such section, as so 
transferred, as section 413.
(c) Clerical Amendments.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of 
the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 is amended 
by striking the item related to section 413 and inserting the 
following:

``Sec. 413. Acquisition of aircraft for air, atmosphere, and weather 
reconnaissance and research missions.''.
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