Tornado Preparedness Act
Sponsored By: Representative Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]
Introduced
Summary
Upgrade how the U.S. detects and warns about tornadoes to close gaps in forecasting and make local alerts and shelters more reliable. The bill pairs new NOAA-FEMA technical work with grants to strengthen community readiness, with special focus on high-risk and underserved areas.
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- Families and households: Funding can help build or retrofit community storm shelters in schools and mobile home parks and support local public education so people get timely, actionable warnings.
- Local emergency managers and first responders: Requires better integration of Federal forecasts into State and local systems and investments in next-generation radar, satellites, sensors, and advanced forecasting models including artificial intelligence to improve situational awareness.
- High-risk and underserved communities: Creates a FEMA Community Tornado Resilience Grant Program with priority for areas with elevated tornado risk, low-income communities, and places that lack shelters or modern warning systems.
*Authorizes coordinated NOAA and FEMA action and a grant program but does not specify funding levels in the text.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Community tornado resilience grants
This bill would require FEMA to create a Community Tornado Resilience Grant Program. FEMA would award grants to State and local emergency management agencies serving areas identified as high tornado risk by FEMA and NOAA. Grants would pay to build or retrofit community storm shelters, including shelters in schools and mobile home communities. Grants would also pay to install or modernize warning systems, add backup power for warnings, and fund local emergency plans and public education. FEMA would prioritize high-risk, underserved, low-income, and places with limited shelter or warning access.
Upgrade tornado detection and warnings
This bill would require NOAA, with FEMA, to create a National Tornado Detection and Warning Improvement Plan. The plan would fund next‑generation radar, satellite, and sensor technologies and develop advanced forecasting models, including artificial intelligence and machine learning. It would expand localized, impact‑based warning systems and improve integration of Federal forecasting into State and local emergency systems. NOAA and FEMA would coordinate with State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments on data sharing, joint planning, and public education.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]
MO • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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