Improving Flood and Agricultural Forecasts Act of 2025
Congress directs NOAA to expand local weather sensors to improve flood, drought, and farm forecasts
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- Congress would require the Commerce Department’s weather leadership to keep running the National Mesonet Program, which gathers local weather and soil data.
- The plan pushes NOAA and the National Weather Service to use more high-density data (like local weather stations, soil moisture sensors, and road condition sensors) to improve neighborhood-level forecasts and warnings.
- States, Tribes, private groups, and universities could get grants to build or upgrade local sensor networks, but they must share data, meet quality rules, and help pay to maintain systems for at least 5 years.
- At least 15% of the program’s yearly funding could go toward these grants, with priority for remote places or areas that don’t have enough monitoring stations.
- Congress would get annual briefings through 2035 on progress, gaps in weather observations, and whether more coastal/ocean monitoring is needed.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
How this policy affects specific groups of people
Milestones
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 194.
The bill is now on the schedule for the full chamber to consider. It's in line for debate and a vote.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-83.
The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
News
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Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Improving Flood and Agricultural Forecasts Act of 2025
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(1)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.