HR 5309 · 113th Congress 2013–2015, ended

Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act of 2014

Fact sheet

Latest action · Sep 9, 2014 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedJul 31, 2014
  2. Passed HouseSep 8, 2014
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act of 2014 - (Sec. 4) Amends the Tsunami Warning and Education Act to expand the tsunami forecasting and warning program operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through the National Weather Service (NWS).

Consolidates separate tsunami warning systems into a single warning system capable of: (1) forecasting tsunami anywhere in the Pacific and Arctic Ocean regions and providing adequate warnings; and (2) forecasting and providing adequate warnings in areas of the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. Requires the system to support international tsunami forecasting and warning efforts.

Requires: (1) NOAA to support or maintain tsunami warning centers as part of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction and develop uniform operational procedures for the centers, (2) warning centers to maintain a fail-safe warning capability and an ability to perform back-up duties for each other, and (3) the NWS to coordinate with the centers.

(Sec. 5) Modifies the tsunami hazard mitigation program to provide for: (1) technical and financial assistance; (2) the integration of tsunami preparedness and mitigation programs into ongoing state-based hazard warning, resilience planning, and risk management activities; (3) activities to support the development of regional risk assessments; and (4) dissemination of guidelines and standards for community planning, education, and training products, programs, and tools.

(Sec. 6) Expands the tsunami research program, including by adding a standards development component, requiring development of the technical basis for validation of tsunami maps and models, and authorizing NOAA to develop a pilot project for near-field tsunami forecast development for the west coast's Cascadia region.

(Sec. 7) Revises requirements for support of the International Tsunami Warning System and operation of the International Tsunami Information Center.

(Sec. 8) Directs NOAA to designate its Ocean Exploration Advisory Working Group to serve as the Tsunami Science and Technology Advisory Panel to provide advice on matters regarding tsunami science, technology, and regional preparedness.

(Sec. 9) Requires a report to Congress on implementation of the Act, including concerning the standardization of warnings for other coastal flooding events.

(Sec. 10) Reauthorizes the Act through FY2017.

(Sec. 11) Directs NOAA to develop formal outreach activities to improve tsunami education and awareness and foster resilient communities and convene a coordinating committee to assist in the national tsunami hazard mitigation program.

Cosponsors 5

Members who signed on, in the order they did. All signed on Jul 31, 2014.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
R-CADana RohrabacherOriginalJul 31, 2014
D-TXEddie Bernice JohnsonOriginalJul 31, 2014
D-ORKurt SchraderOriginalJul 31, 2014
R-TXLamar SmithOriginalJul 31, 2014
D-ORPeter A. DeFazioOriginalJul 31, 2014

Actions 9

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Sep 9, 2014Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  2. Sep 8, 2014Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7263-7267)
  3. Sep 8, 2014DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5309.
  4. Sep 8, 2014Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Sep 8, 2014Mr. Smith (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

Related bills 1

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

BillTitleRelationshipLatest action
S 2181Tsunami Warning and Education Reauthorization Act of 2014Related billMar 27, 2014

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications.

Text 3

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Sep 9, 2014Referred in Senate
  2. Sep 8, 2014Engrossed in House
  3. Jul 31, 2014Introduced in House

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.