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S. 613 119th Congress Senate

Improving Flood and Agricultural Forecasts Act of 2025

Official title: A bill to require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to maintain the National Mesonet Program, and for other purposes.

Introduced: February 18, 2025 Introduced by: Brian Schatz Democratic · Hawaii See on congress.gov
Science, Technology, Communications Agricultural practices and innovationsAgricultural researchAtmospheric science and weatherEmergency communications systems
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Environmental assessment, monitoring, researchFiresFloods and storm protectionGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsHigher educationNatural disastersState and local finance
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 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 21, 2025
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 194.
Oct 21, 2025
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-83.
Mar 12, 2025
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Feb 18, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Feb 18, 2025
Introduced in Senate
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What's happening now October 21, 2025

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 194.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Improving Flood and Agricultural Forecasts Act of 2025

This bill provides statutory authority for the National Mesonet Program (NMP) maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (Mesonets are networks of automated weather and soil observation stations that collect data used in measuring, tracking, and forecasting weather and its effects. The NMP is a national network of local mesonets that collects and disseminates non-federal atmospheric weather observations in the United States.)

The bill sets forth certain requirements for the NMP, including that the program must obtain weather observations in order to improve understanding and forecasting of atmospheric, drought, fire, and water events, and establish means to integrate increased numbers and types of environmental observations into the program annually. However, NOAA may obtain data under the program only when it is demonstrably cost effective and meets or exceeds certain data quality standards. 

Of funds appropriated to the program annually, NOAA must award at least 15% to state, tribal, private, and academic entities seeking to build, expand, or upgrade mesonet system equipment and capacity. Entities receiving funds must agree to provide data to the NMP. In allocating funding, NOAA must prioritize providing funds to entities in remote areas and areas that lack environmental monitoring stations. 

NOAA must also ensure the NMP has an active advisory committee, comprised of subject matter experts, to make recommendations on data needs and procurement, among other topics. 

 Hearings & markups 1
 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 590 Identical bill Improving Flood and Agricultural Forecasts Act of 2025
 Bill text 2 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Lobbying activity 36

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

Bodies those filers lobbied

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 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1
R
Marshall, Roger
Kansas · Feb 18, 2025
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 613: Improving Flood and Agricultural Forecasts Act of 2025. 119th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-613/
MLA
"S. 613: Improving Flood and Agricultural Forecasts Act of 2025." 119th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-613/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 613, 119th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-613/.
Markdown link
[S. 613: Improving Flood and Agricultural Forecasts Act of 2025](https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-613/)
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