What This Bill Does
This bill directs the Department of Energy and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (a federal weather agency) to work together on research to improve weather and climate predictions. The two agencies will focus on using artificial intelligence and powerful computers to advance their forecasting abilities.
Who It Affects
Federal agencies involved in weather and climate research, the Department of Energy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Laboratories (government research facilities), colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations, and the general public who benefit from improved weather forecasts.
Key Provisions
- The Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration must conduct joint research on artificial intelligence and high performance computing to improve climate models and weather predictions (Sec. 3(a))
- The two agencies must create a written agreement and use a competitive, merit-reviewed selection process that considers applications from federal agencies, national laboratories, universities, nonprofits and other organizations (Sec. 3(b))
- The agencies may conduct research on new modeling methods, machine learning (computer systems that learn from data), data assimilation (combining different information sources), and other advanced techniques (Sec. 3(c))
- The agencies may work together on sharing data and technology between their computer systems while following national security rules (Sec. 3(c)(4))
- The agencies must submit a report to Congress within two years describing their coordination efforts, research achievements, and future opportunities (Sec. 3(e))
- The Administrator must run an initiative to test advanced weather models on high performance computers and compare results with current forecasts (Sec. 4(a))
- This initiative will end five years after the law takes effect (Sec. 4(d))
What Changes
The Department of Energy and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will begin collaborating on weather and climate prediction research using artificial intelligence and advanced computers. They will establish formal agreements to guide this work and will share data and technology between their agencies. They will also run test scenarios comparing new computer-based forecast models with existing forecasts.
Important Definitions
Department: the Department of Energy
National Laboratory: as defined in the Energy Policy Act of 2005
Secretary: the Secretary of Energy
Administrator: the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
IIB
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1715
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MAY 10, 2023
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation
AN ACT
To direct the Department of Energy and the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration to conduct collabo-
rative research in order to advance numerical weather
and climate prediction in the United States, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Advanced Weather
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Model Computing Development Act’’.
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
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In this Act:
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(1) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘‘Department’’
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means the Department of Energy.
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(2) NATIONAL LABORATORY.—The term ‘‘Na-
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tional Laboratory’’ has the meaning given such term
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in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42
10
U.S.C. 15801).
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(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
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the Secretary of Energy.
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(4) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
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trator’’ means the Administrator of the National
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Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND NATIONAL OCEANIC
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AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION RE-
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SEARCH
AND
DEVELOPMENT
COORDINA-
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TION.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary and Administrator
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shall carry out collaborative research and development ac-
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tivities in artificial intelligence and high performance com-
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puting focused on the advancement of climate models and
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operational numerical weather prediction relevant to agen-
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cy missions.
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(b) MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.—The Sec-
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retary and Administrator shall carry out the activities
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under subsection (a) through the establishment of a
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memorandum of understanding, or other appropriate
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interagency agreement. Such memorandum or agreement,
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as the case may be, shall require the use of a competitive,
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merit-reviewed process, which considers applications from
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Federal agencies, National Laboratories, institutions of
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higher education, nonprofit institutions, and other appro-
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priate entities.
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(c) ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out the activities under
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subsection (a), the Secretary and Administrator may—
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(1) conduct collaborative research to develop
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new methods and optimization of modeling and sim-
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ulation, machine learning, data assimilation, large
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scale data analytics, and predictive analysis tech-
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niques;
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(2) explore options for performance portability
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of the optimized weather model codes between the
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operational computing systems of the National Oce-
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anic and Atmospheric Administration and the De-
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partment’s high performance computers;
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(3) develop methods to accommodate large data
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sets of weather and climate information;
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(4) to the maximum extent practicable, and in
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compliance with national security policies, promote
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collaboration, open community-based development,
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and data sharing between Federal agencies, National
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Laboratories, institutions of higher education, non-
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profit institutions, and other appropriate entities by
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providing the necessary access and secure data
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transfer capabilities; and
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(5) support maintenance of and improvements
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to scientific computing infrastructure that the Sec-
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retary and Administrator determine appropriate.
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(d) COORDINATION.—In carrying out the activities
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under subsection (a), the Secretary and Administrator are
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authorized to—
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(1) carry out reimbursable agreements between
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the Department, the National Oceanic and Atmos-
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pheric Administration, and other entities in order to
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maximize the effectiveness of research and develop-
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ment; and
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(2) collaborate with other Federal agencies as
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appropriate.
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(e) REPORT.—Not later than two years after the date
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of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary and Adminis-
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trator shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space,
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and Technology of the House of Representatives, and the
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Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
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and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of
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the Senate, a report detailing the following:
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(1) Interagency coordination between each Fed-
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eral agency involved in the research and development
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activities carried out under this section.
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(2) Potential opportunities to expand the tech-
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nical capabilities of the Department and the Na-
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tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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(3) Collaborative research achievements.
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(4) Areas of future mutually beneficial gains as
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a result of the activities described in subsection (c).
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(5) Continuation of coordination between the
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Department and the National Oceanic and Atmos-
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pheric Administration on activities described in sub-
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section (c).
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SEC. 4. CLIMATE AND WEATHER PREDICTION ON HIGH
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PERFORMANCE COMPUTERS INITIATIVE.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, in collabora-
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tion with the Secretary, shall carry out an initiative, which
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may leverage Department high performance computers or
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expertise, to run advanced models in order to conduct
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proof of concept scenarios in comparison with current
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issued forecasts and models. The Secretary and Adminis-
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trator shall carry out the initiative through a competitive,
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merit-reviewed process, and consider applications from
1
Federal agencies, National Laboratories, institutions of
2
higher education, nonprofit institutions, and other appro-
3
priate entities.
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(b) COMPONENTS.—In carrying out the initiative
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under subsection (a), the Administrator shall prevent du-
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plication and coordinate research efforts in artificial intel-
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ligence, high performance computing, modeling and sim-
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ulation, machine learning, data assimilation, large scale
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data analytics, and predictive analysis across the Depart-
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ment, and may—
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(1) run real-time weather forecast scenarios to
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conduct comparative research between National
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Weather Service issued forecasts to forecasts devel-
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oped through the use of operational models run on
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high performance computers;
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(2) share relevant modeling system and applica-
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tions innovations developed through the initiative,
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including Unified Forecast System-based applica-
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tions, through community-based activities; and
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(3) leverage related weather and climate efforts
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and data from the National Science and Technology
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Council, the Interagency Council for Advancing Me-
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teorological Services, and other relevant interagency
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entities.
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(c) REPORT.—Not later than two years after the date
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of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall sub-
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mit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
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of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
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Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Com-
5
mittee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate
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a report evaluating the following:
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(1) The effectiveness of the initiative under sub-
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section (a), including applied research discoveries,
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and advanced modeling improvements achieved.
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(2) Potential opportunities to expand the high
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performance computing capabilities of the Depart-
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ment and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
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Administration.
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(d) SUNSET.—The authority under this section shall
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terminate five years after the date of the enactment of
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this section.
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SEC. 5. RESEARCH SECURITY.
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The activities authorized under this Act shall be ap-
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plied in a manner consistent with subtitle D of title VI
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of the Research and Development, Competition, and
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Innovation Act (enacted as division B of the CHIPS Act
1
of 2022 (Public Law 117–167; 42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq.)).
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Passed the House of Representatives May 9, 2023.
Attest:
CHERYL L. JOHNSON,
Clerk.
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