# 119-hr-5089: Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 119-hr-5089, Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Lucas, Frank D. [R-OK-3] (R-OK); status in_committee; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-03). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5089 - As of: 2026-10-03 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: 119-hr-5089 - Congress: 119 - Title: Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 - Status: in_committee - Introduced: 2025-09-02 - Sponsor: Rep. Lucas, Frank D. [R-OK-3] (R-OK) - Cosponsors: 26 - Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications - Touches household money: yes - Last recorded action: 2026-10-03 ## Summary **This bill would reauthorize and modernize NOAA weather research to strengthen forecasting, observations, and hazard communication across storms, tsunamis, floods, harmful algal blooms, and aviation.** It focuses on more data, open community models, social and behavioral science, and new computing and satellite planning to speed research into operations and improve public warnings. - Families and coastal communities: Would fund better forecasts and clearer risk messages for hurricanes, tornadoes, atmospheric rivers, coastal flooding, tsunamis, and harmful algal blooms. It includes dedicated authorizations like $30 million per year for tsunami programs and $27.5 million per year for HAB activities to support detection, mapping, and outreach. - Emergency managers and users: Would modernize warning tools and delivery systems. Provisions require an AWIPS cloud plan, replacement of NWSChat, NOAA Weather Radio upgrades, and aviation data buys including up to $10 million per year for aircraft observations and turbulence improvements. - Scientists, compute centers, and industry: Would create an Earth Prediction Innovation Center and a NOAA Data Lake, expand a DOE-linked computing research initiative, and fund demonstration/transition programs including $50.3 million per year for subseasonal pilots and $20 million per year for NESDIS transition efforts. ## Cosponsors (26) - Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18] (D-CA), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Babin, Brian [R-TX-36] (R-TX), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1] (D-OR), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14] (R-TX), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11] (D-MI), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Fleischmann, Charles J. "Chuck" [R-TN-3] (R-TN), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2] (D-NC), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Franklin, Scott [R-FL-18] (R-FL), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4] (D-NC), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Haridopolos, Mike [R-FL-8] (R-FL), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Whitesides, George [D-CA-27] (D-CA), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Miller, Max L. [R-OH-7] (R-OH), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Amo, Gabe [D-RI-1] (D-RI), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7] (R-NC), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large] (D-DE), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24] (R-NY), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10] (D-FL), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6] (D-MD), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Friedman, Laura [D-CA-30] (D-CA), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. McCormick, Richard [R-GA-7] (R-GA), 2025-09-03T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Moore, Tim [R-NC-14] (R-NC), 2025-09-08T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Gillen, Laura [D-NY-4] (D-NY), 2025-09-10T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Bost, Mike [R-IL-12] (R-IL), 2025-09-19T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4] (R-IN), 2025-10-03T00:00:00.000Z - Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2025-10-03T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7] (D-VA), 2025-10-03T00:00:00.000Z ## Provisions PRIA read - Expand harmful algal bloom response: benefit, high. If enacted, NOAA would run a national HAB observing and forecasting network, a data center, and a tech incubator with universities. Congress is authorized to provide $27.5 million each year (FY2026–FY2030), and up to $2 million would be available until spent for big event assessments. The HAB Task… - Five‑year funding for NOAA research: benefit, high. If enacted, NOAA’s research office would receive fixed funding from $163,794,000 in FY2026 to $170,444,000 in FY2030, with amounts set for key subprograms. The bill states no additional funds are authorized beyond these amounts. - Funding for local weather sensor networks: benefit, high. If enacted, NOAA would fund the National Mesonet Program at $50 million (FY2026), $55 million (FY2027), $61 million (FY2028), $68 million (FY2029), and $70 million (FY2030). Up to 15% each year could be grants to state, Tribal, private, and university partners that share data and keep systems runni… - Modernize NOAA computing and models: benefit, high. If enacted, NOAA would move its forecast workstation system (AWIPS) to the cloud by September 30, 2030 and replace NWSChat with a public‑cloud tool by October 1, 2027 (up to $3 million per year, FY2026–FY2030). It would build public research models and a NOAA Data Lake to speed testing and open acc… - More weather data from private partners: benefit, high. If enacted, NOAA would create a $100 million‑per‑year Commercial Data Program to buy weather data, set open standards within 180 days, and fund pilots with at least 15% of the money. It would also buy aircraft weather data (up to $10 million per year) and run ship data pilots, with a report due in… - Plan to replace U.S. weather radars: benefit, high. If enacted, NOAA would plan to replace the NEXRAD radar system and finish by September 30, 2040. It could use Radar‑as‑a‑Service to fill coverage gaps and test commercial options, in consultation with the FAA. A new R&D program would find and test fixes for radar interference, report within two yea… - Stronger flood and water forecasts: benefit, high. If enacted, the National Water Center would be strengthened and funded at $46 million per year (FY2026–FY2030). NOAA would launch programs to improve atmospheric river, precipitation, and coastal flood and storm‑surge forecasts and deliver probabilistic guides for planners and emergency managers. I… - Stronger weather alerts and messaging: benefit, high. If enacted, NOAA would keep public safety first and improve how it shares warnings and decision support. It would run a program to cut confusing terms and test better messages, and it would do post‑storm surveys, share the data quickly, and skip some paperwork rules during surveys. It would pilot n… - Clearer flood and landslide definitions: benefit, medium. If enacted, the flood support law would clearly cover hurricanes, atmospheric rivers, and extreme precipitation events. The landslide law would add new partners and require the next national strategy to assess flood‑related landslide risks. The landslide database would add hydrology changes, atmosp… - Better tornado and hurricane forecasts: benefit, medium. If enacted, NOAA would fund tornado research with partners to improve lead time, use probabilistic guidance, train forecasters, and study rating updates. It would also keep the Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program to improve rapid‑intensity and track prediction, hazard maps, and inland flood and… - Better tsunami maps and outreach: benefit, medium. If enacted, NOAA would expand tsunami inundation mapping, build coastal elevation models, and study sediment and debris impacts on ports and lifelines. The program would add GNSS sensors, stress timeliness and accuracy, and improve data management and archiving. Local forecast offices would do more… - NWS hiring and health reviews: benefit, low. If enacted, the NWS Director would send a yearly hiring and onboarding assessment to NOAA and Congress. An outside study would review health effects from rotating shift work. The Director could name a service hydrologist at each office without adding new full‑time positions and must support trainin… - Stronger federal weather coordination: benefit, low. If enacted, an interagency meteorology council would be renamed and co‑chaired by OSTP and NOAA. It would keep a data inventory, ask private firms for updates each year for five years, and share that data with member agencies. A new coordination office would support the council, and agencies could… ## Related bills - 119-hr-909: Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025 - 119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act - 119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act - 119-hr-2102: Major Richard Star Act - 119-hr-3514: Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 - 119-hr-979: AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 ## Sources - [119-hr-5089 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5089) ## Related - [119-hr-909: Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-909) - [119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1262) - [119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage A…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-842) - [119-hr-2102: Major Richard Star Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2102) - [119-hr-3514: Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3514) - [119-hr-979: AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-979) - [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5089 (as of 2026-10-03).