NOAA and NIST to align climate data with building codes
In committeeS. 4439Latest action
Sponsor: Tammy Baldwin · Senator · WI
AIDecoded by AI · checked against the recordRead the official text
Official title: A bill to require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to identify a consistent, Federal set of best available forward-looking meteorological information and to require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to convene an effort to make such set available, with advice and technical assistance, to standards-developing organizations, and for other purposes.
119th Congress
Topics: AI & technology
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govIn plain words
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Federal agencies would be required to collect future weather risk data and share it with the groups that write building and safety standards.
45-second read · 4 questions answered below
What does this do?
This bill would require NOAA to gather and keep current a government-wide set of forward-looking weather data covering risks like hurricanes, extreme heat, flooding, wildfires, and rising sea levels. NIST would then be required to make that data available to the public and to share it, along with expert guidance, with the private organizations that write building design and safety rules. A working group of federal agency representatives would also be created to help keep the weather information current and useful.
Who does it affect?
The agencies directly involved are NOAA and NIST. Construction professionals, engineers, and building safety experts would be most immediately affected.
Why does it matter?
Building and safety rules are currently based on past weather conditions. This bill would push those rules to reflect what weather is expected to look like in the future.
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Where does it stand?
- IntroducedApr 29, 2026
- Senate committeeYou are here · Apr 29, 2026
- Senate vote
- House
- The president's desk
Right now: a Senate committee is reviewing it. If the House changes it, it goes back to the Senate before reaching the president.
Latest action: — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.