Flood Level Observation, Operations, and Decision Support 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, too, rise in support of the Flood Level Observation, Operations, and Decision Support, or FLOODS Act, that we are considering here today.

This legislation establishes and authorizes a number of activities that will improve the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's forecasting and communication of flood, tornado, and hurricane events.

These extreme weather events occur across the country and impact millions of Americans each year. According to the National Weather Service, a typical year in the U.S. sees 26,000 thunderstorms, 5,000 floods, 1,300 tornadoes, and 6 Atlantic Basin hurricanes.

My home State of Oklahoma is right in the middle of Tornado Alley. We are home to 86,000 farms that feed and clothe our State, Nation, and world. Entire families' livelihoods depend on weather patterns, so it is especially important that severe weather and excessive flooding is accurately predicted and quickly communicated.

One of the most important factors in any farmer's operation is precipitation. It is common sense that too little rain results in a drought. But people often overlook that too much rain also presents problems for crop production.

Precisely predicting extreme precipitation that can cause flooding-- whether it is over the course of an entire season or from a single extreme weather event--helps farmers determine what crops to plant, where they are planted, and when to harvest.

But Oklahoma isn't the only State subject to the dangers of flooding. Coastal States face different challenges and have different factors that can drive their precipitation.

The variability in weather across our country means there are no one- size-fits-all solutions. A mix of Federal and local services is ideal.

That leads to many bodies seeking different data. S. 558 establishes a National Integrated Flood Information System--purposely modeled after the National Integrated Drought Information System--to coordinate and integrate flood research at NOAA.

It also establishes partnerships with institutions of higher education and Federal agencies to improve total water predictions and establishes an interagency committee to ensure coordination of Federal departments with joint or overlapping responsibilities in water management.

In one of the first Science, Space, and Technology Committee hearings this Congress, we discussed this bill along with the idea of a Federal climate service.

I am pleased to see that in the bill before us today, my colleagues heeded my caution against increasing Federal bureaucracy by establishing new services. Instead, this legislation focuses on what we know works: enabling our established agencies to collect and acquire the data they need to be successful.

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Mrs. BICE of Oklahoma. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, the FLOOD Act will be another arrow in the quiver when it comes to increasing knowledge that will help us adapt to changes in the environment.

The National Integrated Flood Information System and an interagency committee created by this legislation are critical to that effort. But that is just the beginning. The legislation also sets the stage for weather prediction innovation through things like the National Weather Service hydraulic research fellowship program, and a directive to make flood-related data available to the public.

My colleagues and I on the Science Committee had hoped this legislation would also be accompanied by a House-produced bill called the PRECIP Act that focuses more directly on precipitation data improvements. But under good-faith negotiations, we will pass the FLOODS Act today and see the PRECIP Act moved through another vehicle by the end of this Congress.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues in this Chamber and across the Capitol to continue to work with us to see this plan through, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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