# 119-s-3912: NIDIS Reauthorization Act of 2026

119-s-3912, NIDIS Reauthorization Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT] (R-MT); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-09-10).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3912
- As of: 2026-09-10
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-3912
- Congress: 119
- Title: NIDIS Reauthorization Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-02-25
- Sponsor: Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT] (R-MT)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-10

## Summary

**Modernizes the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)** to strengthen drought forecasting, broaden data partnerships, and deploy next‑generation technologies for faster, more useful drought information. It focuses on better forecasts, expanded observations, and multiyear funding. - Farmers, water managers, and emergency planners get improved decision support and new tools for rapid events like flash droughts through enhanced forecasts and refined drought indicators across multiple scales. - Scientists and tech teams get authority and direction to advance next‑generation drought tech including artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud systems, and a required Modeling Update to integrate NOAA drought products into probabilistic forecasts within one year. - States, regional hydrological projects, and data providers gain stronger coordination duties and new partnership authorities, including memoranda with the National Mesonet Program and requirements to fill gaps in snowpack, soil moisture, and groundwater data. *Authorizes about $80 million total for NIDIS across FY2026–FY2030, increasing federal spending for the program over that period.*

## Provisions PRIA read

- Improved drought forecasts and tools: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would broaden NIDIS duties to expand drought research, monitoring, and decision-support products. It would add flash drought research and push deployment of next-generation technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud tools. It would require use of obs…
- Annual funding for drought information: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would authorize annual appropriations for the National Integrated Drought Information System. It would authorize $15,000,000 for FY2026; $15,500,000 for FY2027; $16,000,000 for FY2028; $16,500,000 for FY2029; and $17,000,000 for FY2030. Congress would still have to approve the…
- Change to how NIDIS coordinates: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would remove statutory language that tied NIDIS explicitly to the National Weather Service and some NOAA weather and climate programs. This would give NIDIS more statutory flexibility to coordinate with other federal and non-federal partners. It would also risk complicating coo…

## Related bills

- 119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-s-3923: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026
- 119-s-1462: Fix Our Forests Act
- 119-s-3597: National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2026
- 119-s-2142: GOLDEN DOME Act of 2025
- 119-s-306: Fire Ready Nation Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-s-3912 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3912)

## Related
- [119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4744)
- [119-s-3923: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3923)
- [119-s-1462: Fix Our Forests Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1462)
- [119-s-3597: National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3597)
- [119-s-2142: GOLDEN DOME Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2142)
- [119-s-306: Fire Ready Nation Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-306)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3912 (as of 2026-09-10).