[MIham] Fw: [KC-Arpsc] National Weather Service Duties Act of 2005 (Introduced in Senate)

Wed Apr 27 14:44:36 EDT 2005

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeffrey Nawrot" <jeffnawrot at kcraces.org>
To: "Jeffrey Nawrot" <jeffnawrot at kcraces.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2005 12:12 PM
Subject: [KC-Arpsc] National Weather Service Duties Act of 2005 (Introduced
in Senate)


> Everyone, I am sorry for the mass email on this but I feel this is very
> important to everyone.   On April 14th a bill was introduced in the senate
> to make certain things from the NWS not available directly to the public
> with out purchasing it from a private company. This is not acceptable, as
> Storm Spotters, Emergency Service personnel or just Joe blow on the street
> this information is vital to our daily lives.   I have put two very
> important things in this email  #1) a copy of the bill and #2) a link to
the
> listing of the US senators.   Please contact yours today and make it very
> clear to them about your feelings on this.
>
> Thank You for your time
>
>
>
>
>
> Here is a copy of the bill:
>
> National Weather Service Duties Act of 2005 (Introduced in Senate)
>
> S 786 IS
>
>
> 109th CONGRESS
>
> 1st Session
>
> S. 786
> To clarify the duties and responsibilities of the National Weather
> Service , and for other purposes.
>
>
> IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
>
> April 14, 2005
> Mr. SANTORUM introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
> referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> -----------
>
>
> A BILL
> To clarify the duties and responsibilities of the National Weather
> Service , and for other purposes.
>
>
> Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
> United States of America in Congress assembled,
>
> SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
>
> This Act may be cited as the `National Weather Service Duties Act of
> 2005'.
>
> SEC. 2. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE .
>
> (a) IN GENERAL- (1) To protect life and property, the Secretary of
> Commerce shall, through the National Weather Service , be
> responsible for the following:
>
> (A) The preparation and issuance of severe weather warnings and
> forecasts designed for the protection of life and property of the
> general public.
>
> (B) The preparation and issuance of hydrometeorological guidance and
> core forecast information.
>
> (C) The collection and exchange of meteorological, hydrological,
> climatic, and oceanographic data and information.
>
> (D) The provision of reports, forecasts, warnings, and other advice
> to the Secretary of Transportation and other persons pursuant to
> section 44720 of title 49, United States Code.
>
> (E) Such other duties and responsibilities as the Secretary shall
> specify.
>
> (2) The National Weather Service shall serve as the sole official
> source of flood warnings and severe weather warnings.
>
> (b) COMPETITION WITH PRIVATE SECTOR- The National Weather Service
> shall not provide, or assist other entities in providing, a service
> or product (other than a service or product described in subsection
> (a)(1)(A)) that is or could be provided by the private sector
> unless--
>
> (1) the Secretary determines that the private sector is unwilling or
> unable to provide such service or product; or
>
> (2) the United States Government is obligated to provide such service
> or product under international aviation agreements to provide
> meteorological services and exchange meteorological information.
>
> (c) ISSUANCE OF DATA, FORECASTS, AND WARNINGS- All data, information,
> guidance, forecasts, and warnings received, collected, created, or
> prepared by the National Weather Service shall, to the maximum
> extent practicable, be issued in real time, and without delay, in a
> manner that ensures that all members of the public have the
> opportunity for simultaneous and equal access to such data,
> information, guidance, forecasts, and warnings.
>
> (d) PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN DISCLOSURES- An officer, employee, or
> agent of the National Weather Service , or of any other department
> or agency of the United States, who comes by reason of that status
> into possession of any weather data, information, guidance,
> forecast, or warning that might influence or affect the market value
> of any product, service , commodity, tradable, or business may not--
>
> (1) willfully impart, whether directly or indirectly, such weather
> data, information, guidance, forecast, or warning, or any part
> thereof, before the issuance of such weather data, information,
> guidance, forecast, or warning to the public under subsection (c);
> or
>
> (2) after the issuance of such weather data, information, guidance,
> forecast, or warning to the public under subsection (c), willfully
> impart comments or qualifications on such weather data, information,
> guidance, forecast, or warning, or any part thereof, to the public,
> except pursuant to an issuance that complies with that subsection.
>
> (e) REGULATIONS- Not later than 90 days after the date of the
> enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe regulations to
> implement the provisions of this section.
>
> (f) EFFECTIVE DATE- The provisions of this section (other than
> subsection (e)) shall take effect 90 days after the date of the
> enactment of this Act.
>
> (g) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS- The Act of October 1, 1890 (26 Stat. 653)
> is amended as follows:
>
> (1) Section 3 (15 U.S.C. 313) is repealed.
>
> (2) Section 9 (15 U.S.C. 317) is amended by striking `, and it shall
> be' and all that follows and inserting a period.
>
> SEC. 3. REPORT ON MODIFICATION OF NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
> ACTIVITIES.
>
> (a) REPORT REQUIRED- Not later than 90 days after the date of the
> enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall submit to the
> appropriate committees of Congress a report that sets forth--
>
> (1) a detailed statement of the activities of the National Weather
> Service that are inconsistent with the provisions of section 2;
>
> (2) a schedule for the modification of the activities referred to in
> paragraph (1) in order to conform such activities to the provisions
> of section 2; and
>
> (3) the regulations prescribed under section 2(e).
>
> (b) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DEFINED- In this section, the
> term `appropriate committees of Congress' means--
>
> (1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
> Senate; and
>
> (2) the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives.
>
>
>
> I
> have
> enclosed a link so that you can email the two senators in your state.
>
> http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
>
> This will take you to all of the US Senators. Please email them
> with your concerns about this issue.
>
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
> This message has been prepared on resources owned by Kent County Radio
> Amateur Civil Emergency Service. It is subject to the Acceptable Use
Policy
> and Procedures of KCRACES.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
>
> EC/RO Jeff Nawrot N8JSN
> Kent County RACES/ARPSC | office 616-632-6263 | www.kcraces.org
> Nextel: 616-291-1869 | Direct Connect: 130*46*15771 |
> Pager: 616-564-1441 | Skype user name: n8jsnlaptop |
>
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> confidential ---------------------
>
>
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