Bills sponsored and supported by U.S. Reps. Frank Lucas and Stephanie Bice, both members of the House Science and Technology Committee were approved Wednesday in the House of Representatives.
Five bills that came out of the committee, covering a range of environmental and technological issues were approved.
“The bills passed today do important work to protect Americans – whether from identify theft, severe weather, environmental hazards, or deadly fires,” Lucas said.
He pointed to the PRECIP Act which he said would help communities make better decisions about infrastructure needs by giving them access to improved precipitation forecasts.
“I was proud to cosponsor this bill. I’d also like to thank Rep. Stephanie Bice, the Ranking Member of our Environment Subcommittee, for introducing the NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) Modernization Act. By upgrading and modernizing NWR technology, we can be sure that these lifesaving alerts are always available to the families that rely on them. I look forward to getting all of these bills signed into law.”
The NOAA bill, sponsored by Rep. Bice is H.R. 5324, the NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act. It updates and improves the technology behind the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards system, which broadcasts emergency weather alerts across the country.
“The NOAA weather radio system is essential in keeping Oklahomans, and Americans across the country, safe from severe weather threats,” Rep. Bice said. “As the world becomes more digitalized, we must ensure that older systems which safeguard life and property don’t get left behind. I am grateful that the House passed this critical legislation, which seeks to provide every citizen with reliable and effective access to this lifesaving service. I hope my colleagues in the Senate will swiftly adopt this measure.”
H.R. 847, the Promoting Digital Privacy Technologies Act, supports R&D on privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) which protect personal data online while ensuring large data sets are still usable.
H.R. 1437, the PRECIP Act, amends the Weather Act to enhance precipitation estimates so communities can better prepare to address extreme weather events.
S. 66, the South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act, is a companion to H.R. 565. The legislation will help reduce Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and hypoxia that are damaging communities and businesses in Florida.
H.R. 7077, the Empowering the U.S. Fire Administration Act, will help us better investigate and prevent deadly fires by giving the U.S. Fire Administration the authority to collaborate with local fire departments.
Source: press release
