Bill Summary
The "Advanced Weather Model Computing Development Act" is legislation aimed at enhancing weather prediction capabilities in the United States through collaborative research and development (R&D). The Act mandates the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to work together in using advanced computing techniques—such as artificial intelligence and high-performance computing—to improve weather models.
Key components of the Act include:
1. **Collaboration and Coordination**: The Act establishes a framework for interagency cooperation, requiring the Secretary and the Administrator to create a memorandum of understanding to guide their collaborative efforts. It encourages the involvement of various entities, including federal agencies, national laboratories, and academic institutions.
2. **Research and Development Initiatives**: The legislation calls for a specific initiative to develop and deploy advanced weather models, allowing for proof-of-concept comparisons with existing models. It emphasizes the importance of leveraging existing data and improving predictive capabilities.
3. **Centers of Excellence**: The Act authorizes the establishment of up to three centers of excellence at national laboratories focused on advanced weather models, which will enhance workforce development and foster public-private partnerships.
4. **Reporting Requirements**: The Secretary and the Administrator must provide progress reports to Congress within two years of enactment, detailing interagency coordination, research achievements, and future opportunities.
5. **Research Security**: All activities must comply with existing research security guidelines to ensure the integrity and safety of the research conducted.
Overall, the Act aims to bolster the scientific and technological framework for weather forecasting through advanced computing, ultimately improving the accuracy and effectiveness of weather predictions in the U.S.
Possible Impacts
The "Advanced Weather Model Computing Development Act" can have various effects on people. Here are three examples:
1. **Improved Weather Forecasting**: The legislation aims to enhance advanced weather models through collaborative research and advanced computing techniques. As a result, individuals and communities could benefit from more accurate and timely weather forecasts. This improvement could help people prepare for severe weather events, such as hurricanes or floods, potentially saving lives and reducing property damage.
2. **Job Creation and Workforce Development**: The establishment of centers of excellence and the support for training and recruitment initiatives as outlined in the act could lead to job creation in the fields of meteorology, data science, and advanced computing. This would provide new job opportunities for recent graduates and professionals in related fields, contributing to local economies and fostering a skilled workforce in science and technology.
3. **Enhanced Climate Research and Policy Development**: By advancing weather models and improving the understanding of climate processes, the legislation could provide policymakers with better data for developing climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. This could lead to more effective policies aimed at addressing climate change, ultimately benefiting society by promoting environmental sustainability and resilience against climate-related challenges.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3854 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3854
To direct the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to conduct collaborative
research to advance weather models in the United States, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 12, 2026
Mr. Lujan (for himself and Mrs. Blackburn) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to conduct collaborative
research to advance weather models in the United States, 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 ``Advanced Weather Model Computing
Development Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
(2) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
(3) Advanced computing techniques.--The term ``advanced
computing techniques'' includes the hardware, software, and
computational methods necessary to develop and deploy advanced
weather models, such as artificial intelligence, high-
performance computing, cloud computing, numerical methods,
machine learning, data assimilation, large scale data
analytics, predictive analysis techniques, and quantum
computing.
(4) Advanced weather model.--The term ``advanced weather
model'' means a model or suite of models used for the
prediction of physical, biological, or chemical Earth system
processes spanning weather, seasonal to subseasonal, or climate
time scales.
(5) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
of the House of Representatives.
(6) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the
Department of Energy.
(7) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given that
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
(8) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory''
has the meaning given that term in section 2 of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
(9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
SEC. 3. COORDINATION OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES RELATING TO
IMPROVEMENT OF ADVANCED WEATHER MODELS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary and the Administrator shall carry
out collaborative research and development activities using advanced
computing techniques that are focused on the improvement of advanced
weather models relevant to the missions of the Department and the
Administration.
(b) Memorandum of Understanding.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary and the Administrator shall
carry out the activities under subsection (a) through the
establishment of a memorandum of understanding or other
appropriate interagency agreement.
(2) Use of process.--The memorandum or agreement, as the
case may be, required under paragraph (1) shall require the use
of a competitive, merit-reviewed process that considers
applications from Federal agencies, National Laboratories,
institutions of higher education, nonprofit institutions, and
other appropriate entities (or a consortia thereof).
(c) Activities.--In carrying out the activities under subsection
(a), the Secretary and the Administrator may--
(1) conduct collaborative research to develop new methods
and optimization of advanced computing techniques;
(2) explore options for performance portability of
optimized advanced weather model codes between the operational
computing systems of the Administration and the high-
performance computers of the Department;
(3) advance methods to accommodate, analyze, and extract
information from large data sets of weather and climate
information;
(4) to the maximum extent practicable, and in compliance
with national security policies, promote collaboration, open
community-based software development, and data sharing between
Federal agencies, National Laboratories, institutions of higher
education, nonprofit institutions, and other appropriate
entities by providing necessary access and secure data transfer
capabilities; and
(5) support maintenance of and improvements to scientific
computing infrastructure that the Secretary and the
Administrator determine appropriate.
(d) Coordination.--In carrying out the activities under subsection
(a), the Secretary and the Administrator may--
(1) carry out reimbursable agreements between the
Department, the Administration, and other entities to maximize
the effectiveness of research and development; and
(2) collaborate with other Federal agencies as appropriate.
(e) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary and the Administrator shall submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress a report detailing the following:
(1) Interagency coordination between each Federal agency
involved in the activities carried out under this section,
including activities described in subsection (c).
(2) Potential opportunities to expand the technical
capabilities of the Department and the Administration with
respect to those activities.
(3) Collaborative research achievements with respect to
those activities.
(4) Areas of future mutually beneficial gains as a result
of those activities.
(5) Continuation of coordination between the Department and
the Administration on those activities.
SEC. 4. INITIATIVE ON DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED WEATHER MODELS USING
ADVANCED COMPUTING TECHNIQUES.
(a) Computing Research Initiative.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator, in collaboration with
the Secretary, shall carry out an initiative that may leverage
advanced computing techniques and the expertise of the
Department to develop and deploy advanced weather models to
conduct proof of concept scenarios in comparison with current
issued models (in this section referred to as the
``Initiative'').
(2) Process.--The Administrator, in collaboration with the
Secretary, shall carry out the Initiative through a
competitive, merit-reviewed process and consider applications
from Federal agencies, National Laboratories, institutions of
higher education, nonprofit institutions, and other appropriate
entities (or a consortia thereof).
(3) Components.--In carrying out the Initiative, the
Administrator, in collaboration with the Secretary, shall
prevent duplication and coordinate research efforts in advanced
computing techniques across the Administration, and may--
(A) leverage related efforts and data from the
National Science and Technology Council, the
Interagency Council for Advancing Meteorological
Services, and other relevant interagency entities;
(B) provide sufficient capacity for long-term
archive of and access to model output to support
research and long-term study;
(C) determine computing decisions based on an agile
requirements framework;
(D) support the training, recruitment, and
retention of the next generation weather, water, and
climate computing workforce through incentives and
pathways for career development and employment
opportunities;
(E) support maintenance of and improvements to
scientific computing infrastructure that the
Administrator and the Secretary determine appropriate;
(F) conduct comparative research between forecasts
issued by the National Weather Service and operational
models of the National Weather Service as compared to
predictions and models developed to run using advanced
computing techniques; and
(G) share relevant modeling system and application
innovations developed through the Initiative, including
applications based on the Unified Forecast System,
through community-based activities.
(b) Centers of Excellence.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in collaboration with the
Administrator, may establish at National Laboratories not more
than 3 centers of excellence to support advanced weather models
by researching, developing, and deploying advanced computing
techniques in collaboration with research laboratories of the
Administration and other relevant entities.
(2) Activities.--Each center established under paragraph
(1) may carry out activities that include the following:
(A) Leveraging robust public-private partnership
models to provide access to training, experience, and
long-term development of workforce and infrastructure.
(B) Developing and optimizing tools, libraries,
algorithms, data structures, and other supporting
software necessary for specific applications on high-
performance computing systems.
(C) Applying advanced computing techniques to
improve the accuracy and resolution of advanced weather
model predictions and to address current and future
mission challenges.
(c) Priority.--In selecting National Laboratories at which to
establish a center of excellence under subsection (b), the Secretary,
in collaboration with the Administrator, shall give priority to
Laboratories that--
(1) have existing partnerships or relationships with the
Administration;
(2) host significant artificial intelligence enabled high-
performance computing systems;
(3) have a workforce with experience in advanced computing
techniques;
(4) are geographically proximate to one of the research
laboratories of the Administration; and
(5) have a workforce with experience in weather and climate
modeling or computation.
(d) Multi-Year Contracts.--The Administrator and the Secretary may
enter into multi-year contracts in accordance with section 3903 of
title 41, United States Code, and shall ensure compliance with all
provisions of that section, to support operational research and
development related to advanced computing techniques.
(e) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees
of Congress a report evaluating the following:
(1) The effectiveness of the Initiative, including applied
research discoveries and advanced modeling improvements
achieved through the Initiative.
(2) Potential opportunities to expand capabilities of the
Department and the Administration with respect to advanced
computing techniques.
(3) The need for collaboration on advanced computing
techniques between the Department and the Administration.
(f) Sunset.--The authority under this section shall terminate on
the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 5. RESEARCH SECURITY.
The activities authorized or required to be conducted under this
Act shall be carried out in a manner consistent with subtitle D of
title VI of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation
Act (42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq.).
<all>