Providing Research and Estimates of Changes in Precipitation Act

Floor Speech

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Mrs. BICE of Oklahoma. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1437, the PRECIP Act. This legislation, sponsored by the Chairwoman of the Environmental Subcommittee, the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Ms. Sherrill), would amend the Weather Act to enhance precipitation estimates and improve how NOAA works with stakeholder groups to best utilize this data.

This precipitation data is crucial to our forecasting abilities. Accurate precipitation estimates not only inform our decisions on agriculture and water resources but also help us better predict and protect ourselves from natural disasters like flooding and landslides. To improve these estimates, this bill directs NOAA to partner with the National Academies to review current practices for estimating precipitation and identifying research needs in order to improve these forecasts.

Additionally, the legislation requires NOAA to update its maximum precipitation estimates within 6 years of the National Academies report and every 10 years afterward.

Finally, this bill directs NOAA to develop and publish a national guidance document for Federal and State agencies, meteorologists, and other users to follow when performing probable maximum precipitation studies.

The commonsense steps in this bill will provide tremendous benefits across the country. Communities will benefit from access to better data as they make key decisions about creating and updating infrastructure to address extreme weather events, including flooding.

This will make a real difference across America. My home State of Oklahoma is home to thousands of dams. Many of these structures are in need of repair and modernization, and the communities responsible for these dams rely on accurate data to ensure we are prepared for future rainfall. Too often, we have had to rely on out-of-date data to make these critical decisions, which will not be the case if the PRECIP Act becomes law.

I am proud to be a cosponsor of the legislation, and I will thank Chairwoman Sherrill for her work on this important topic.

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Mrs. BICE of Oklahoma. Madam Speaker, I once again thank Representative Sherrill for sponsoring this important legislation. Better precipitation estimates will improve the way we do business, manage infrastructure, and prevent losses during natural disasters.

This is a smart and practical bill that ensures we have accurate data from NOAA on precipitation. It also ensures NOAA will update its estimates more frequently so communities can use timely data to make crucial decisions.

I appreciate my colleagues' work on this important topic, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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