Legis Daily

TORNADO Act

USA117th CongressS-3817| Senate 
| Updated: 12/12/2022
Roger F. Wicker

Roger F. Wicker

Republican Senator

Mississippi

Cosponsors (7)
Joni Ernst (Republican)Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican)John Thune (Republican)Ted Cruz (Republican)Chuck Grassley (Republican)Gary C. Peters (Democratic)

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Tornado Observations Research and Notification Assessment for Development of Operations Act or the TORNADO Act This bill establishes programs and activities to improve the forecasting of hazardous weather and water events, including tornadoes. The bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to maintain and improve the system by which the risks of hazardous weather and water events are communicated to the general public, with the goal of informing action and encouraging response to prevent loss of life and property. NOAA shall also maintain a hazard risk communication office; establish or maintain a research program to modernize the creation and communication of risk-based, statistically reliable, probabilistic hazard information to inform effective responses to hazardous weather and water events; establish a pilot program for tornado hazard communication to test the effectiveness of the implementation of the research conducted pursuant to this bill; submit to Congress a strategic plan for developing and prioritizing the implementation of high-resolution probabilistic forecast guidance for hazardous weather and water events using a next-generation weather forecast and warning framework; perform one or more post-storm surveys and assessments following each hazardous weather or water event that is of sufficient societal importance; update, if necessary, the system for rating tornado severity; and maintain the Vortex USA tornado research program. The Government Accountability Office shall submit a report that examines the information technology infrastructure of the National Weather Service.

Bill Text Versions

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2 versions available

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Timeline
Mar 10, 2022
Introduced in Senate
Mar 10, 2022
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Mar 22, 2022
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Dec 12, 2022
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Dec 12, 2022
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 629.
  • March 10, 2022
    Introduced in Senate


  • March 10, 2022
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.


  • March 22, 2022
    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.


  • December 12, 2022
    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.


  • December 12, 2022
    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 629.

Science, Technology, Communications

Atmospheric science and weatherCongressional oversightEarth sciencesEmergency communications systemsEmergency planning and evacuationFloods and storm protectionGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsNatural disastersPerformance measurementResearch and development

TORNADO Act

USA117th CongressS-3817| Senate 
| Updated: 12/12/2022
Tornado Observations Research and Notification Assessment for Development of Operations Act or the TORNADO Act This bill establishes programs and activities to improve the forecasting of hazardous weather and water events, including tornadoes. The bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to maintain and improve the system by which the risks of hazardous weather and water events are communicated to the general public, with the goal of informing action and encouraging response to prevent loss of life and property. NOAA shall also maintain a hazard risk communication office; establish or maintain a research program to modernize the creation and communication of risk-based, statistically reliable, probabilistic hazard information to inform effective responses to hazardous weather and water events; establish a pilot program for tornado hazard communication to test the effectiveness of the implementation of the research conducted pursuant to this bill; submit to Congress a strategic plan for developing and prioritizing the implementation of high-resolution probabilistic forecast guidance for hazardous weather and water events using a next-generation weather forecast and warning framework; perform one or more post-storm surveys and assessments following each hazardous weather or water event that is of sufficient societal importance; update, if necessary, the system for rating tornado severity; and maintain the Vortex USA tornado research program. The Government Accountability Office shall submit a report that examines the information technology infrastructure of the National Weather Service.

Bill Text Versions

View Text
2 versions available

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Mar 10, 2022
Introduced in Senate
Mar 10, 2022
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Mar 22, 2022
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Dec 12, 2022
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Dec 12, 2022
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 629.
  • March 10, 2022
    Introduced in Senate


  • March 10, 2022
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.


  • March 22, 2022
    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.


  • December 12, 2022
    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.


  • December 12, 2022
    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 629.
Roger F. Wicker

Roger F. Wicker

Republican Senator

Mississippi

Cosponsors (7)
Joni Ernst (Republican)Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican)John Thune (Republican)Ted Cruz (Republican)Chuck Grassley (Republican)Gary C. Peters (Democratic)

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

Science, Technology, Communications

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Atmospheric science and weatherCongressional oversightEarth sciencesEmergency communications systemsEmergency planning and evacuationFloods and storm protectionGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsNatural disastersPerformance measurementResearch and development