Rep Wasserman Schultz supports South Floridian's access to NOAA data
Rep Wasserman Schultz supports South Floridian's access to NOAA data
With the hurricane season commencing with a category four hurricane in July, Rep. Wasserman Schultz urged South Floridians to keep up to date with the latest advisories on the hurricane and reiterated her support for public access to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather information.
"Floridians should have access to the very latest hurricane information available," said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. "Unfortunately, there are some in Congress who want to prohibit access to information directly from federal sources, such as the National Hurricane Center."
"I will continue to fight efforts that seek to deny access to the life-saving, up to the minute weather information that the National Weather Service provides both via NOAA Weather radio and the NOAA.gov Web site," said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. "Legislation to limit public access to weather information ignores the fact that American taxpayers have already paid for the satellites, airplanes, weather stations and the salaries of scientists that track, predict, and warn us of potentially hazardous weather."
The National Weather Service Duties Act of 2005 (S. 786) was introduced by Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA). The legislation would prohibit the National Weather Service from providing weather products and services that are or could be provided by the private sector, with the exception of "The preparation and issuance of severe weather forecasts and warnings designed for the protection of life and property of the general public." Thus, if this legislation were to pass, citizens would only be able to retrieve data directly from the National Weather Service if severe weather were actually forecast, but wouldn't be able to track the progress of storms that might become severe or change course. Likewise, citizens would be forced to obtain their forecasts and other weather information only through private companies that would either charge for this taxpayer funded information, or would obtain some other form of revenue, such as advertising.
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/fl20_schultz/NOAAHurricaneInfo.html