115th Congress
Space Weather Research and Forecasting Act
Purpose
A bill to improve understanding and forecasting of space weather events, and for other purposes.
Summary of Selected Provisions
Selected provisions in the original House and Senate bills
- Delineates the responsibilities for space weather-related research, forecasting, preparedness, and response among the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, NASA, the military services, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Aviation Administration
- Directs NOAA, in coordination with the Defense Department and NASA, to establish requirements for further solar observation instrumentation
- Encourages NASA and NSF to support competitively awarded Heliophysics Science Centers
- Directs the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science and Technology Council to coordinate space weather research and preparedness efforts
Selected provisions in the Senate bill as amended by the House Science Committee
At a July 2018 meeting , the House Science Committee adopted a substitute amendment by Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) that replaced the Senate bill with substantially different text titled the “Space Weather Coordination Act.” The committee also adopted a manager’s amendment before approving the bill on a voice vote. Among its new provisions, the bill:
- Directs the National Space Council to coordinate space weather research and preparedness efforts through a National Committee for Space Weather Observation and Forecasting
- Directs NOAA to create a pilot program for obtaining space weather data from the private sector
Primary Sponsors
Co-sponsors by Party
R
2
D
3
I
0
Actions
-
01/03/2019Advanced by House Armed Services Committee
-
01/03/2019Advanced by House Intelligence (Permanent Select) Committee
-
01/03/2019Advanced by House Foreign Affairs Committee
-
01/03/2019Advanced by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
-
07/24/2018Advanced by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
-
05/02/2017Passed by Senate
-
01/12/2017Introduced in Senate