TORNADO Act
Last action on Jun 2, 2025
Summary
The TORNADO Act would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a Risk Communication Office tasked with evaluating and improving how the agency communicates about hazardous weather events like tornadoes, hurricanes, and winter storms. The office would work to make weather information simpler and clearer for the public to understand.
The bill would also require NOAA to create a research program to modernize its communication systems and launch a pilot program specifically focused on improving tornado warnings. Additionally, NOAA would need to develop a strategic plan for the Warn-on-Forecast System, which aims to provide more advanced warning times for thunderstorm-related events. The bill would support the VORTEX-USA research project, which studies tornado conditions and effective communication methods, and would require the Government Accountability Office to review the National Weather Service's communication technology.
This bill has been approved by its Senate committee and is eligible for a floor vote. If enacted, these changes could help citizens receive clearer, more timely warnings about dangerous weather events, potentially improving public safety during severe storms and tornadoes.
AI-generated summary
Lifecycle of the Bill
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
Feb 5, 2025
HearingSenateMeeting
Feb 5, 2025 · 15:00
Business meeting to consider S.93, to amend the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 to address harmful algal blooms, S.98, to require the Federal Communications Commission to establish a vetting process for prospective applicants for high-cost universal service program funding, S.99, to require the Secretary of Commerce to produce a report that provides recommendations to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of Department of Commerce programs related to supply chain resilience and manufacturing and industrial innovation, S.161, to require the Secretary of Transportation to issue rules relating to the testing procedures used under the New Car Assessment Program of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, S.195, to amend the Visit America Act to promote music tourism, S.216, to amend the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act to improve the administration of the Marine Debris Foundation, to amend the Marine Debris Act to improve the administration of the Marine Debris Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, S.245, to require the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to establish a working group on cyber insurance, to require dissemination of informative resources for issuers and customers of cyber insurance, S.246, to protect the right of law-abiding citizens to transport knives interstate, notwithstanding a patchwork of local and State prohibitions, S.257, to improve the resilience of critical supply chains, S.258, to improve forecasting and understanding of tornadoes and other hazardous weather, S.260, to amend the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Act to require hygienic handling of breast milk and baby formula by security screening personnel of the Transportation Security Administration and personnel of private security companies providing security screening, S.278, to prohibit users who are under age 13 from accessing social media platforms, to prohibit the use of personalized recommendation systems on individuals under age 17, and limit the use of social media in schools, S.281, to require sellers of event tickets to disclose comprehensive information to consumers about ticket prices and related fees, to prohibit speculative ticketing, S.283, to require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, S.306, to establish and maintain a coordinated program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that improves wildfire, fire weather, fire risk, and wildfire smoke related forecasting, detection, modeling, observations, and service delivery, S.314, to prohibit unfair and deceptive advertising of prices for hotel rooms and other places of short-term lodging, S.315, to require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring access to AM broadcast stations in passenger motor vehicles, and the nomination of Howard Lutnick, of New York, to be Secretary of Commerce.
Summary
On February 5, 2025, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a business meeting to consider a broad agenda of 16 bills spanning multiple policy areas under the committee's jurisdiction. The bills addressed diverse topics including environmental protection through harmful algal bloom research and wildfire forecasting improvements, consumer protection through hotel fee transparency and ticket pricing disclosure requirements, infrastructure and supply chain resilience, broadband access and cyber insurance initiatives, transportation safety and vehicle technology standards, and social media regulations for minors. The committee also considered the nomination of Howard Lutnick to serve as Secretary of Commerce. The meeting focused on bills related to marine debris administration, music tourism promotion, knife transport rights, seafood origin identification standards, and AM radio access in vehicles, among others. No witnesses were listed as testifying at this business meeting, which was a procedural session for the committee to consider advancing these measures. A business meeting of this nature typically involves committee members discussing and voting on whether to advance bills to the full Senate floor, though holding a hearing does not guarantee passage of any legislation.
Video
Watch videoCommittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with amendments. With written report No. 119-26.
Jun 2, 2025
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with amendments. With written report No. 119-26.
Jun 2, 2025
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
Feb 5, 2025
HearingSenateMeeting
Feb 5, 2025 · 15:00
Business meeting to consider S.93, to amend the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 to address harmful algal blooms, S.98, to require the Federal Communications Commission to establish a vetting process for prospective applicants for high-cost universal service program funding, S.99, to require the Secretary of Commerce to produce a report that provides recommendations to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of Department of Commerce programs related to supply chain resilience and manufacturing and industrial innovation, S.161, to require the Secretary of Transportation to issue rules relating to the testing procedures used under the New Car Assessment Program of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, S.195, to amend the Visit America Act to promote music tourism, S.216, to amend the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act to improve the administration of the Marine Debris Foundation, to amend the Marine Debris Act to improve the administration of the Marine Debris Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, S.245, to require the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to establish a working group on cyber insurance, to require dissemination of informative resources for issuers and customers of cyber insurance, S.246, to protect the right of law-abiding citizens to transport knives interstate, notwithstanding a patchwork of local and State prohibitions, S.257, to improve the resilience of critical supply chains, S.258, to improve forecasting and understanding of tornadoes and other hazardous weather, S.260, to amend the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Act to require hygienic handling of breast milk and baby formula by security screening personnel of the Transportation Security Administration and personnel of private security companies providing security screening, S.278, to prohibit users who are under age 13 from accessing social media platforms, to prohibit the use of personalized recommendation systems on individuals under age 17, and limit the use of social media in schools, S.281, to require sellers of event tickets to disclose comprehensive information to consumers about ticket prices and related fees, to prohibit speculative ticketing, S.283, to require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, S.306, to establish and maintain a coordinated program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that improves wildfire, fire weather, fire risk, and wildfire smoke related forecasting, detection, modeling, observations, and service delivery, S.314, to prohibit unfair and deceptive advertising of prices for hotel rooms and other places of short-term lodging, S.315, to require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring access to AM broadcast stations in passenger motor vehicles, and the nomination of Howard Lutnick, of New York, to be Secretary of Commerce.
Summary
On February 5, 2025, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a business meeting to consider a broad agenda of 16 bills spanning multiple policy areas under the committee's jurisdiction. The bills addressed diverse topics including environmental protection through harmful algal bloom research and wildfire forecasting improvements, consumer protection through hotel fee transparency and ticket pricing disclosure requirements, infrastructure and supply chain resilience, broadband access and cyber insurance initiatives, transportation safety and vehicle technology standards, and social media regulations for minors. The committee also considered the nomination of Howard Lutnick to serve as Secretary of Commerce. The meeting focused on bills related to marine debris administration, music tourism promotion, knife transport rights, seafood origin identification standards, and AM radio access in vehicles, among others. No witnesses were listed as testifying at this business meeting, which was a procedural session for the committee to consider advancing these measures. A business meeting of this nature typically involves committee members discussing and voting on whether to advance bills to the full Senate floor, though holding a hearing does not guarantee passage of any legislation.
Video
Watch videoCommittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with amendments. With written report No. 119-26.
Jun 2, 2025
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with amendments. With written report No. 119-26.
Jun 2, 2025
Congress
119th Congress
Introduced
Jan 27, 2025
