Noaa Weather Radio Modernization Act of 2021

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5324, the NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act, is dedicated to supporting, upgrading, and modernizing one of the best alert systems we have for extreme weather and other dangerous events.

The NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards system, known as NWR, is a highly successful, nationwide network of stations that broadcasts natural, environmental, and safety alerts to the public through radio broadcast frequencies.

Whether it is an earthquake, tornado, chemical release, oil spill, or AMBER Alert, the NWR broadcasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to 95 percent of the U.S. population. It is lifesaving and informative to everyone, no matter their location. Simply put, NWR is the single source for comprehensive weather and emergency information.

Many of my constituents in Oklahoma heard alerts through their National Weather Radio receiver last week when severe weather and tornadoes struck Seminole County in the late evening. Thankfully, there have been no reported casualties, and that is due in large part to citizens heeding the warnings of the NWR.

The NWR is consistent, as it operates even when the power goes out and cell service is down. It is also trusted because of its accuracy and long track record of saving lives. But as with all technology, it needs to be upgraded and modernized to remain just as effective in the future as well as ensure current outages are short and infrequent.

It was almost three decades ago, in the late 1990s, that the NWR network received its last upgrade. Since that time, operations and maintenance costs related to transmitters and antennas have increased. It should be obvious that technology has greatly advanced, as the very first iPhone wasn't available when these upgrades took place.

As the world becomes more digitalized, we must ensure that older systems like this that protect lives and property don't get lost in the shuffle. That is why I introduced this legislation. H.R. 5324 authorizes upgrades to the existing system through timely repairs and ensures that the reliable infrastructure in place is not abandoned. This will help outages become less common.

Mr. Speaker, to give you an idea of this need, right before coming down here, I checked the NWR's website to see that 19 transmitters are currently out of service, and nine are experiencing degraded signal. That means 28 areas and surrounding communities are at risk of severe events with minimal warning.

This legislation also establishes a modernization initiative for broadcasts to transmit to IP-based communications and develop options for backup capabilities and enhanced signal transmission. This paves the way for future development and provides failsafe options, so NWR is never down for an extended period of time.

Last but not least, H.R. 5324 requires NOAA to conduct an assessment of NWR access. This will ensure that the modernization efforts are effective and people across the country have easy, reliable access in a manner that is in line with modern technology.

The benefits of the National Weather Radio right now are numerous. The signal can easily reach and educate vulnerable communities. It can cover both land and marine warnings. And when a disaster is over, NWR can issue an all- clear for a community that might be battered, but whose people are safe. Therefore, we should ensure its continued use by supporting its reliability and efforts to bring the system into the 21st century. I am proud to have introduced this legislation that does exactly that and will protect the lives of Oklahomans, as well as communities across the Nation.

I thank the Environment Subcommittee Chairwoman Sherrill for leading this bill with me and for her efforts to work across the aisle for its passage. I also thank Representatives Kilmer, LaTurner, Bonamici, and Ellzey for cosponsoring it.
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Mrs. BICE of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, the NWR Modernization Act of 2021 will ensure the continued safety of all Americans when experiencing severe weather and other emergency events. We have seen examples as recent as the past month of the NOAA Weather Radio saving lives in Oklahoma, Iowa, and Colorado.

Although the National Weather Radio coverage is currently available to 95 percent of the U.S. population, I see no reason why we shouldn't strive for 100 percent. Every citizen, no matter how remote or isolated their location, deserves equal access to this lifesaving service.

Additionally, because we have seen just how effective NWR is, we need to support its modernization and continued use for decades to come. Many services across different industries have used technology to adapt to a more modern age, and our country's emergency alert system should be no different. This bill allows NOAA to achieve both of those goals.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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