,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #adhd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #aj1 #bjbe,mr4 ,markey 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,wicker1 ,mr4 ,padilla1 and ,ms4 ,rosen7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to improve weather research and forecasting by the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,forecasting ,optimization for ,robust ,earth ,climate ,analysis and ,s#b,s ,tracking ,act of #bjbe or the ,,forecast ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,improvements to weather research and forecasting 7a7 ,improvements to subseasonal-to-,seasonal forecasting ,section #agfb of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #heba7 is amended-- 7#a7 by amending subsection 7c7 to read as follows3 7c7 ,functions 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,under ,secretary and the heads of such other programs of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration as the ,under ,secretary considers appropriate1 shall-- 7,a7 conduct and support fundamental research to improve understanding of the sources and limitations of season-to-season predictability for temperature1 precipitation1 and other ,earth system variables and applications2 7,b7 collect and utilize observational data across the ,earth system and other information in order to make usable1 reliable1 and timely foundational forecasts of subseasonal-to-seasonal temperature and precipitation2 7,c7 prioritize the advancement of multi-model ensemble forecast systems and forecast verification and evaluation capacity1 including-- 7i7 the development of advanced coupled data assimilation methods using robust ,earth system observational data2 7ii7 the development of improved coupled subseasonal-to-seasonal ensemble prediction systems2 7iii7 the improvement of exchanges and interactions between datasets across different models and ,earth system observations to better understand local relationships between and drivers of ocean1 land1 snow1 and ice observations2 7iv7 the provision of additional resources for the research and development of multi-model ensemble forecasts for purposes of advanced forecast modeling2 and 7v7 the development of data management strategies to support operations and research activities2 7,d7 leverage existing research and models from the weather and ,earth system enterprises to improve the forecasts under subparagraph 7,b72 7,e7 accelerate the operationalization of emerging modeling technologies developed within the research community1 including pursuant to collaborations with other agencies and entities1 as determined appropriate through increased funding for activities under section #ajb7;b77#e7 of the ,weather ,research and ,forecasting ,innovation ,act of #bjag 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #heab7;b77#e771 to support and assist the cross development of fully coupled subseasonal-to-seasonal forecast systems2 7,f7 determine and provide information on how the subseasonal-to-seasonal temperature and precipitation1 as forecasted under subparagraph 7,b7 may relate to-- 7i7 the number and severity of tornadoes1 droughts1 hurricanes1 fires1 floods1 heat waves1 marine heat waves1 coastal inundation1 winter storms1 high-impact weather1 or other relevant natural disasters2 7ii7 snowpack2 7iii7 sea ice conditions2 and 7iv7 permafrost thaw and increased microbial decomposition2 7,g7 develop an ,internet clearinghouse to provide the forecasts under subparagraph 7,b7 and the information under subparagraphs 7,b7 and 7,f7 on both national and regional levels2 and 7,h7 leverage emerging technologies1 such as artificial intelligence1 machine learning1 and use of unmanned systems4 7#b7 ,alignment with report ,the ,under ,secretary and the heads of such other programs of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration as the ,under ,secretary considers appropriate shall carry out the requirements under paragraph 7#a7 in alignment with the findings of the report submitted to ,congress by the ,under ,secretary pursuant to subsection 7h7 on ,july #ab1 #bjah1 entitled1 ,subseasonal and ,seasonal ,forecasting ,innovation3 ,plans for the ,twenty-,first ,century4 7#c7 ,earth system defined ,in this subsection1 the term ,earth system includes atmosphere1 ocean1 terrestrial1 ice1 and related processes1 and data that influence or drive subseasonal-to-seasonal weather and climate4 2 and 7#b7 by amending subsection 7j7 to read as follows3 7j7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,under ,secretary1 for each of fiscal years #bjbf and #bjbg-- 7,a7 #bh1ejj1jjj to carry out this section2 and 7,b7 for activities under section #ajb7;b77#e7 of the ,weather ,research and ,forecasting ,innovation ,act of #bjag 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #heab7;b77#e77 pursuant to subsection 7c77#a77;,e71 such sums as may be necessary to carry out such subsection4 7#b7 ,use of funds ,amounts appropriated pursuant to an authorization under paragraph 7#a77;,b7 shall be used for the designated responsibilities of the modeling team of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration within the ,earth ,prediction ,innovation ,center or an institution of higher education 7as defined in section #aja7;a7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja7;a7771 including activities that fall under the following focus areas3 7,a7 ,high-performance computing4 7,b7 ,scientific innovation4 7,c7 ,management and planning4 7,d7 ,external engagement and community4 4 7b7 ,weather and ,earth ,system ,modeling ,and ,data ,assimilation ,workforce ,innovation ,program 7#a7 ,in general ,title ,,iv of the ,weather ,research and ,forecasting ,innovation ,act of #bjag 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #heda et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #dae4 ,weather and ,earth ,system ,modeling and ,data ,assimilation ,workforce ,innovation ,program 7a7 ,in general ,the ,under ,secretary shall establish a program1 to be known as the ,weather and ,earth ,system ,modeling and ,data ,assimilation ,workforce ,innovation ,program 7in this section referred to as the program74 7b7 ,education and recruitment ,in carrying out the program1 the ,under ,secretary shall support the education and recruitment of personnel and establish a set of new workforce development programs to develop pathways for next-generation researchers1 engineers1 and practitioners who are skilled in and can operate or develop weather and ,earth system technologies that exploit and advance emerging computing architectures1 artificial intelligence and machine learning1 unmanned systems1 and next-generation data assimilation and observing systems1 including through financial assistance for scholarships1 fellowships1 and research at institutions of higher education in areas relevant to improvement of data assimilation systems and weather and ,earth system data modeling capabilities4 7c7 ,human capital planning 7#a7 ,in general ,in carrying out the program1 the ,under ,secretary shall develop and1 on an annual basis1 revise a data assimilation and weather and ,earth system modeling workforce human capital plan that identifies workforce needs to facilitate innovation in emerging weather technologies and data assimilation systems1 including by identifying gaps in funding and expertise1 hiring challenges1 and policies to mitigate turnover that will help avoid mid-project staffing changes4 7#b7 ,submission of plan ,the ,under ,secretary shall submit the data assimilation and weather and ,earth system modeling workforce human capital plan required under paragraph 7#a71 and any revision to that plan1 to the ,secretary of ,commerce and the ,director of the ,office of ,management and ,budget4 7#c7 ,use of plans 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,under ,secretary shall use the data assimilation and weather and ,earth system modeling workforce human capital plans required under paragraph 7#a7 to carry out the education and recruitment required under subsection 7b74 7,b7 ,pathways to hiring ,in carrying out the data assimilation and weather and ,earth system modeling workforce human capital plan required under paragraph 7#a71 the ,under ,secretary may use the pathways programs established under part #cfb of title #e1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7or a successor program71 to facilitate the recruitment and hiring of personnel for data assimilation and weather and ,earth system modeling activities4 7#d7 ,authority to provide funds ,if the ,under ,secretary1 in preparing the data assimilation and weather and ,earth system modeling workforce human capital plan pursuant to paragraph 7#a71 identifies workforce gaps for the data assimilation and weather and ,earth system modeling processes of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration1 the ,under ,secretary may-- 7,a7 use funds made available to the ,administration to carry out such plan2 and 7,b7 establish agreements and awards with institutions of higher education or nonprofit entities to facilitate the integration of innovative data assimilation and weather and ,earth system modeling technologies and systems into the larger weather enterprise4 7d7 ,updates to direct hiring authority ,the ,under ,secretary1 acting through the ,director of the ,office of ,human ,capital ,services1 shall make necessary updates to the eligibility requirements for the direct hiring authority program of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration to include the program1 the ,weather ,program ,office ,innovation for ,next ,generation ,scientists ,dissertation ,fellowship1 the ,consortium for ,advanced ,data ,assimilation ,research and ,education1 and any other fellowship or internship programs determined by the ,under ,secretary to be relevant to the weather enterprise4 7e7 ,report ,not later than #b years after the initial date on which the ,under ,secretary provides funds under subsection 7c77#d7 to an institution of higher education or a nonprofit entity1 the ,under ,secretary shall1 using information about the program collected from any such institution or entity in receipt of those funds1 submit to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,science1 ,space1 and ,technology of the ,house of ,representatives a report on the effectiveness and impact of those funds in improving the quality and preparedness of the weather and ,earth system modeling and data assimilation workforce4 7f7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,earth system ,the term ,earth system includes atmosphere1 ocean1 terrestrial1 ice1 and related processes1 and data that influence or drive subseasonal-to-seasonal weather and climate4 7#b7 ,institution of higher education ,the term institution of higher education has the meaning given that term in section #aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja74 7#c7 ,nonprofit entity ,the term nonprofit entity has the meaning given that term in section #iija of the ,william ,m4 7,mac7 ,thornberry ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjba 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #dfea74 7g7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,under ,secretary such sums as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the program1 as determined by the ,under ,secretary4 4 7#b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents in section #a7;b7 of the ,weather ,research and ,forecasting ,innovation ,act of #bjag 7,public ,law #aae-be2 #aca ,stat4 #ia7 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #dad the following3 ,sec4 #dae4 ,weather and ,earth ,system ,modeling and ,data ,assimilation ,workforce ,innovation ,program4 4