Providing Research and Estimates of Changes in Precipitation Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. SHERRILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1437, the ``Providing Research and Estimates of Changes in Precipitation,'' or ``PRECIP Act.''

I am the proud author of the PRECIP Act, a bipartisan measure to address flooding--the most common and widely experienced natural hazard both in the nation and in my northern New Jersey district. My commitment to this bill is grounded in the painful experiences of my New Jersey constituents devastated by flooding who, sadly, know the life-and-death impact of lacking precise and accurate forecasts ahead of flooding caused by extreme rainfall. Flooding is pernicious throughout this country, not just in coastal areas, and for that reason, the practical tools enabled by this bill benefit all Americans, and the bill has enjoyed bipartisan support.

Flooding can occur from major multi-state events--like Tropical Storm Ida, which swept away a woman in Woodland Park in my district and took the lives of 27 New Jerseyans--or smaller localized rainfall that causes flash flooding, like five inches of sudden rainfall that swept through Parsippany, New Jersey, in just hours last October.

The PRECIP Act improves local forecasting of these events by requiring NOAA to update outdated rainfall data that has hampered the accuracy of forecasting. It also ensures this data is updated more frequently going forward, accounts for future impacts due to climate change, and requires development of best practices to estimate maximum precipitation amounts.

I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle of the Science Committee, Chairwoman Johnson, and Senators Booker and Wicker for their support of the PRECIP Act. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the passage of this bill.

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