Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1437, the PRECIP Act. This legislation, sponsored by the Chairwoman of the Environmental Subcommittee, the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Ms. Sherrill), would amend the Weather Act to enhance precipitation estimates and improve how NOAA works with stakeholder groups to best utilize this data. This precipitation data is crucial to our forecasting abilities. Accurate precipitation estimates not only inform our decisions on agriculture and water resources but also help us better predict and protect ourselves from natural disasters like flooding and landslides. To improve these estimates, this bill directs NOAA to partner with the National Academies to review current practices for estimating precipitation and identifying research needs in order to improve these forecasts. Additionally, the legislation requires NOAA to update its maximum precipitation estimates within 6 years of the National Academies report and every 10 years afterward. Finally, this bill directs NOAA to develop and publish a national guidance document for Federal and State agencies, meteorologists, and other users to follow when performing probable maximum precipitation studies. The commonsense steps in this bill will provide tremendous benefits across the country.…”