Notes on 15 U.S.C. § 313 : US Code - Notes

Search Notes on 15 U.S.C. § 313 : US Code - Notes

(Oct. 1, 1890, ch. 1266, Sec. 3, 26 Stat. 653; May 20, 1926, ch.
344, Sec. 5 (e), 44 Stat. 571; June 23, 1938, ch. 601, title XI,
Sec. 1107(k), 52 Stat. 1029; 1940 Reorg. Plan No. IV, Sec. 8, eff.
June 30, 1940, 5 F.R. 2421, 54 Stat. 1236; 1965 Reorg. Plan No. 2,
Secs. 1, 2, eff. July 13, 1965, 30 F.R. 8819, 79 Stat. 1318.)
AMENDMENTS
1938 - Act June 23, 1938, repealed second paragraph relating to
duties as to air navigation.
1926 - Act May 20, 1926, inserted second paragraph relating to
duties as to air navigation.
REPEALS
Pub. L. 85-726, title XIV, Sec. 1401(b), Aug. 23, 1958, 72 Stat.
806, repealed act June 23, 1938, ch. 601, title XI, Sec. 1107(k),
52 Stat. 1029, cited to the credit of this section.
TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS
Office of Chief of Weather Bureau abolished and functions
transferred to Secretary of Commerce by Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1965,
eff. July 13, 1965, 30 F.R. 8819, 79 Stat. 1318. Reorg. Plan No. IV
of 1940 transferred Weather Bureau from Department of Agriculture
to Department of Commerce. For further details, see notes set out
under section 311 of this title.
USE OF FUNDS FOR HURRICANE RECONNAISSANCE PROGRAM
Pub. L. 108-199, div. B, title II, Sec. 203, Jan. 23, 2004, 118
Stat. 72, provided in part that: "Hereafter, none of the funds made
available by this or any other Act for the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration may be used to support the hurricane
reconnaissance aircraft and activities that are under the control
of the United States Air Force or the United States Air Force
Reserve."
Similar provisions were contained in the following prior
appropriation acts:
Pub. L. 108-7, div. B, title II, Sec. 203, Feb. 20, 2003, 117
Stat. 77.
Pub. L. 107-77, title II, Sec. 203, Nov. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 778.
Pub. L. 106-553, Sec. 1(a)(2) [title II, Sec. 203], Dec. 21,
2000, 114 Stat. 2762, 2762A-78.
Pub. L. 106-113, div. B, Sec. 1000(a)(1) [title II, Sec. 203],
Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535, 1501A-31.
Pub. L. 105-277, div. A, Sec. 101(b) [title II, Sec. 203], Oct.
21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681-50, 2681-86.
Pub. L. 105-119, title II, Sec. 203, Nov. 26, 1997, 111 Stat.
2479.
Pub. L. 104-208, div. A, title I, Sec. 101(a) [title II, Sec.
203], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009, 3009-39.
Pub. L. 104-134, title I, Sec. 101[(a)] [title II, Sec. 203],
Apr. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 1321, 1321-30; renumbered title I, Pub. L.
104-140, Sec. 1(a), May 2, 1996, 110 Stat. 1327.
Pub. L. 103-317, title II, Sec. 203, Aug. 26, 1994, 108 Stat.
1749.
Pub. L. 103-121, title II, Sec. 203, Oct. 27, 1993, 107 Stat.
1176.
Pub. L. 102-395, title II, Sec. 203, Oct. 6, 1992, 106 Stat.
1855.
Pub. L. 102-140, title II, Sec. 203, Oct. 28, 1991, 105 Stat.
806.
Pub. L. 101-515, title I, Sec. 103, Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 2107.
HURRICANE RECONNAISSANCE PROGRAM
Pub. L. 102-567, title I, Sec. 107, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat.
4275, provided that:
"(a) Establishment of Program. - (1) The Secretary of Defense and
the Secretary of Commerce shall establish a 5-year joint program
for collecting operational and reconnaissance data, conducting
research, and analyzing data on tropical cyclones to assist the
forecast and warning program and increase the understanding of the
causes and behavior of tropical cyclones.
"(2) The Secretary of Commerce shall establish the Tropical
Cyclone Research Advisory Committee, an advisory committee of
tropical cyclone research scientists, to make recommendations for
tropical cyclone research activities and reconnaissance procedures.
"(b) Responsibilities. - (1) The Secretary of Defense shall have
the responsibility for maintaining, flying, and funding tropical
cyclone reconnaissance aircraft to accomplish the program
established under this section and to transfer the data to the
Secretary of Commerce. Program responsibility may not be
transferred to any other Federal department or agency, including
the Coast Guard, without the agreement and approval of the
Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Commerce, and the head of
any other Federal agency or department to which the responsibility
is transferred.
"(2) The Secretary of Commerce shall have the responsibility to
provide funding for data gathering and research by remote sensing,
ground sensing, research aircraft, and other technologies necessary
to accomplish the program established under this section.
"(c) Management Plans. - (1) The Secretary of Defense and the
Secretary of Commerce shall jointly develop and, within 120 days
after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 29, 1992], submit to
the Congress a management plan for the program established under
this section, which shall include organizational structure, goals,
major tasks, and funding profiles for the 5-year duration of the
program.
"(2) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Commerce, in
consultation with the Tropical Cyclone Research Advisory Committee
established by section 107(a)(2), shall jointly develop and, within
4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, submit to the
Congress a management plan providing for continued tropical cyclone
surveillance and reconnaissance which will adequately protect the
citizens of the coastal areas of the United States.
"(3) The management plans and programs required by this section
shall in every sense provide for at least the same degree and
quality of protection (such as early warning capability and
accuracy of fixing a storm's location) as currently exists with a
combination of satellite technology and manned reconnaissance
flights. Additionally, such plans and programs shall in no way
allow any reduction in the level, quality, timeliness,
sustainability, or area served (including the State of Hawaii) of
both the existing principal and back-up tropical cyclone
reconnaissance and tracking systems."
UNITED STATES WEATHER RESEARCH PROGRAM
Pub. L. 102-567, title I, Sec. 108, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat.
4276, provided that:
"(a) Establishment. - The Secretary of Commerce, in cooperation
with the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and
Technology through the Committee on Earth and Environmental
Sciences, shall establish a United States Weather Research Program
to -
"(1) increase benefits to the Nation from the substantial
investment in modernizing the public weather warning and forecast
system in the United States;
"(2) improve local and regional weather forecasts and warnings;
"(3) address critical weather-related scientific issues; and
"(4) coordinate governmental, university, and private-sector
efforts.
"(b) Implementation Plan. - Not later than 90 days after the date
of enactment of this Act [Oct. 29, 1992], the Secretary of
Commerce, in cooperation with the Committee on Earth and
Environmental Sciences, shall prepare and submit to the Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives a plan for implementation of the United States
Weather Research Program which shall -
"(1) establish, for the 10-year period beginning in the year
the plan is submitted, the goals and priorities for Federal
weather research which most effectively advance the scientific
understanding of weather processes and provide information to
improve weather warning and forecast systems in the United
States;
"(2) describe specific activities, including research
activities, data collection and data analysis requirements,
predictive modeling, participation in international research
efforts, demonstration of potential operational forecast
applications, and education and training required to achieve such
goals and priorities; and
"(3) set forth the role of each Federal agency and department
to be involved in the United States Weather Research Program,
identifying and addressing, as appropriate, relevant programs and
activities of the Federal agencies and departments that would
contribute to such Program."
WEATHER SERVICE MODERNIZATION
Pub. L. 102-567, title VII, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4303,
provided that:
"SEC. 701. SHORT TITLE.
"This title may be cited as the 'Weather Service Modernization
Act'.
"SEC. 702. DEFINITIONS.
"For the purposes of this title, the term -
"(1) 'automate' means to replace employees with automated
weather service equipment;
"(2) 'change operations at a field office' means transfer
service responsibility, commission weather observation systems,
decommission a National Weather Service radar, change staffing
levels significantly, or move a field office to a new location
inside the local commuting and service area;
"(3) 'Committee' means the Modernization Transition Committee
established by section 707;
"(4) 'degradation of service' means any decrease in or failure
to maintain the quality and type of weather services provided by
the National Weather Service to the public in a service area,
including but not limited to a reduction in existing weather
radar coverage at an elevation of 10,000 feet;
"(5) 'field office' means any National Weather Service Office
or National Weather Service Forecast Office;
"(6) 'Plan' means the National Implementation Plan required
under section 703;
"(7) 'relocate' means to transfer from one location to another
location that is outside the local commuting or service area;
"(8) 'Secretary' means the Secretary of Commerce;
"(9) 'service area' means the geographical area for which a
field office provides services or conducts observations,
including but not limited to local forecasts, severe weather
warnings, aviation support, radar coverage, and ground weather
observations; and
"(10) 'Strategic Plan' means the 10-year strategic plan for the
comprehensive modernization of the National Weather Service,
required under section 407 of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1989 (15 U.S.C. 313
note).
"SEC. 703. NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
"(a) National Implementation Plan. - As part of the budget
justification documents submitted to Congress in support of the
annual budget request for the Department of Commerce, the Secretary
shall include a National Implementation Plan for modernization of
the National Weather Service for each fiscal year following fiscal
year 1993 until such modernization is complete. The Plan shall set
forth the actions, during the 2-year period beginning with the
fiscal year for which the budget request is made, that will be
necessary to accomplish the objectives described in the Strategic
Plan, and shall include -
"(1) detailed requirements for new technologies, facilities,
staffing levels and positions, and funding, in accordance with
the overall schedule for modernization;
"(2) notification of any proposed action to change operations
at a field office and the intended date of such operational
change;
"(3) identification of any field office that the Secretary
intends to certify under section 706, including the intended date
of such certification;
"(4) special measures to test, evaluate, and demonstrate key
elements of the modernized National Weather Service operations
prior to national implementation, including a multistation
operational demonstration which tests the performance of the
modernization in an integrated manner for a sustained period;
"(5) detailed plans and funding requirements for meteorological
research to be accomplishment [sic] under this title to assure
that new techniques in forecasting will be developed to utilize
the new technologies being implemented in the modernization; and
"(6) training and education programs to ensure that employees
gain the necessary expertise to utilize the new technologies and
to minimize employee displacement as a consequence of
modernization.
"(b) Transmittal to Committee. - The Secretary shall transmit a
copy of each annual Plan to the Committee.
"(c) Consultation. - In developing the Plan, the Secretary shall
consult, as appropriate, with the Committee and public entities
responsible for providing or utilizing weather services.
"SEC. 704. MODERNIZATION CRITERIA.
"(a) National Research Council Review. - The Secretary shall
contract with the National Research Council for a review of the
scientific and technical modernization criteria by which the
Secretary proposes to certify action to close, consolidate,
automate, or relocate a field office under section 706. In
conducting such review, the National Research Council shall prepare
and submit to the Secretary, no later than 9 months after the date
of enactment of this Act [Oct. 29, 1992], a report which -
"(1) assesses requirements and procedures for commissioning new
weather observation systems, decommissioning an outdated National
Weather Service radar, and evaluating staffing needs for field
offices in an affected service area;
"(2) assesses the statistical and analytical measures that
should be made for a service area to form an adequate basis for
determining that there will be no degradation of service; and
"(3) includes such other recommendations as the National
Research Council determines are appropriate to ensure public
safety.
"(b) Criteria. - No later than 12 months after the date of
enactment of this Act [Oct. 29, 1992], the Secretary, in
consultation with the National Research Council and the Committee
and after notice and opportunity for public comment, shall publish
in the Federal Register modernization criteria (including all
requirements and procedures), based on the report required under
this section, for -
"(1) commissioning new weather observation systems,
decommissioning an outdated National Weather Service radar, and
evaluating staffing needs for field offices in an affected
service area; and
"(2) certifying action to close, consolidate, automate, or
relocate a field office under section 706.
"SEC. 705. CHANGES IN FIELD OFFICE OPERATIONS.
"(a) Notification. - The Secretary shall not change operations at
a field office pursuant to implementation of the Strategic Plan
unless the Secretary has provided the notification required by
section 703.
"(b) Weather Radar Decommissioning. - The Secretary shall not
remove or permanently decommission any National Weather Service
radar until the Secretary has prepared radar commissioning and
decommissioning reports documenting that such action would be
consistent with the modernization criteria established under
section 704(b)(1). The commissioning report shall document that the
radar system performs reliably, satisfactory maintenance support is
in place, sufficient staff with adequate training are present to
operate the system, technical coordination with weather service
users has been completed, and the radar being commissioned
satisfactorily supports field office operations. The
decommissioning report shall document that the replacement radar
has been commissioned, technical coordination with service users
has been completed, and the radar being decommissioned is no longer
needed to support field office operations.
"(c) Surface Observing System Commissioning. - The Secretary may
not commission an automated surface observing system located at an
airport unless it is determined, in consultation with the Secretary
of Transportation, that the weather services provided after
commissioning will continue to be in full compliance with
applicable flight aviation rules promulgated by the Federal
Aviation Administration.
"SEC. 706. RESTRUCTURING FIELD OFFICES.
"Sec. 706. (a) Prohibition. - The Secretary shall not close,
before January 1, 1996, any field office pursuant to implementation
of the Strategic Plan.
"(b) Certification. - The Secretary shall not close, consolidate,
automate, or relocate any field office, unless the Secretary has
certified that such action will not result in any degradation of
service. Such certification shall include -
"(1) a description of local weather characteristics and weather-
related concerns which affect the weather services provided
within the service area;
"(2) a detailed comparison of the services provided within the
service area and the services to be provided after such action;
"(3) a description of any recent or expected modernization of
National Weather Service operations which will enhance services
in the service area;
"(4) an identification of any area within any State which would
not receive coverage (at an elevation of 10,000 feet) by the next
generation weather radar network;
"(5) evidence, based upon operational demonstration of
modernized National Weather Service operations, which was
considered in reaching the conclusion that no degradation in
service will result from such action; and
"(6) any report of the Committee submitted under section 707(c)
that evaluates the proposed certification.
"(c) Public Review. - Each certification decision shall be
preceded by -
"(1) publication in the Federal Register of a proposed
certification; and
"(2) a 60-day period after such publication during which the
public may provide comments to the Secretary on the proposed
certification.
"(d) Final Decision. - If after consideration of the public
comment received under subsection (c) the Secretary, in
consultation with the Committee, decides to close, consolidate,
automate, or relocate any such field office, the Secretary shall
publish a final certification in the Federal Register and submit
the certification to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology of the House of Representatives.
"(e) Special Circumstances. - The Secretary may not close or
relocate any field office -
"(1) which is located at an airport, unless the Secretary, in
consultation with the Secretary of Transportation and the
Committee, first conducts an air safety appraisal, determines
that such action will not result in degradation of service that
affects aircraft safety, and includes such determination in the
certification required under subsection (b); or
"(2) which is the only office in a State, unless the Secretary
first evaluates the effect on weather services provided to in-
State users, such as State agencies, civil defense officials,
and local public safety offices, and includes in the
certification required under subsection (b) the Secretary's
determination that a comparable level of weather services
provided to such in-State users will remain.
"(f) Liaison Officer. - The Secretary may not close, consolidate,
automate, or relocate a field office until arrangements have been
made to maintain for a period of at least 2 years at least one
person in the service area to act as a liaison officer who -
"(1) provides timely information regarding the activities of
the National Weather Service which may affect service to the
community, including modernization and restructuring; and
"(2) works with area weather service users, including persons
associated with general aviation, civil defense, emergency
preparedness, and the news media, with respect to the provision
of timely weather warnings and forecasts.
"SEC. 707. MODERNIZATION TRANSITION COMMITTEE.
"(a) Establishment. - There is established a committee of 12
members to be known as the Modernization Transition Committee.
"(b) Membership and Terms. - (1) The Committee shall consist of -

"(A) five members representing agencies and departments of the
United States which are responsible for providing or using
weather services, including but not limited to the National
Weather Service, the Department of Defense, the Federal Aviation
Administration, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and
"(B) seven members to be appointed by the Secretary from civil
defense and public safety organizations, news media, any labor
organization certified by the Federal Labor Relations Authority
as an exclusive representative of weather service employees,
meteorological experts, and private sector users of weather
information such as pilots and farmers.
"(2) The terms of office of a member of the Committee shall be 3
years; except that, of the original membership, four shall serve a
5-year term, four shall serve a 4-year term, and four shall serve a
3-year term. No individual may serve for more than one additional 3-
year term.
"(3) The Secretary shall designate a chairman of the Committee
from among its members.
"(c) Duties. - (1) The Committee may review any proposed
certification under section 706 for which the Secretary has
provided a notice of intent to certify in the Plan, and should
review such a proposed certification if there is a significant
possibility of degradation of service within the affected service
area. Upon the request of the Committee, the Secretary shall make
available to the Committee the supporting documents developed by
the Secretary in connection with the proposed certification. The
Committee may prepare and submit to the Secretary, prior to
publication of the proposed certification, a report which evaluates
the proposed certification on the basis of the modernization
criteria and with respect to the requirement that there be no
degradation of service.
"(2) The Committee shall advise the Congress and the Secretary on
-
"(A) the implementation of the Strategic Plan, annual
development of the Plan, and establishment and implementation of
modernization criteria; and
"(B) matters of public safety and the provision of weather
services which relate to the comprehensive modernization of the
National Weather Service.
"(d) Pay and Travel Expenses. - Members of the Committee who are
not employees of the United States shall each be paid at a rate
equal to the daily equivalent of the rate for GS-18 of the General
Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code, for
each day (including travel time) during which the member is engaged
in the actual performance of duties vested in the Committee.
Members shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu
of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United
States Code.
"(e) Staff. - The Secretary shall make available to the Committee
such staff, information, and assistance as it may reasonably
require to carry out its activities.
"(f) Termination. - The Committee shall terminate on December 31,
1999.
"SEC. 708. WEATHER SERVICE REPORT.
"(a) Report. - The Secretary shall prepare a report on the
proposed modernization of the National Weather Service and transmit
the report, not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of
this Act [Oct. 29, 1992], to the Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives.
"(b) Contents. - (1) The report required by subsection (a) shall
identify the size of the geographic area of responsibility of each
proposed Weather Forecast Office and shall include an explanation
of the number and type of personnel required at each Weather
Forecast Office. For each proposed Weather Forecast Office covering
a geographic area greater than two times the average geographic
area of responsibility of Weather Forecast Offices nationwide, the
report shall detail the reasons for assigning those Weather
Forecast Offices a geographic area which differs significantly from
the national average.
"(2) The report shall list the number of next generation weather
radars that will be associated with each Weather Forecast Office
nationwide under the proposed modernization plan. If some Weather
Forecast Offices will be associated with more than one such radar,
the report shall explain the deviation from the National Weather
Service's stated policy of associating one such radar with one
Weather Forecast Office, and shall analyze and compare any
differences in the expected efficiency of those Weather Forecast
Offices with Weather Forecast Offices that will be associated with
only one such radar.
"(c) Consultation. - In preparing portions of the report that
address Weather Forecast Offices located in areas of the Nation
that are uniquely dependent on general aviation as a means of
transportation, the Secretary shall consult with local aviation
groups. In the case of Alaska, such local groups shall include the
Alaska Aviation Safety Foundation, the Alaska Airmen's Association,
and the regional representatives of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association.
"SEC. 709. REPEALS.
"[Amended section 407 of Pub. L. 100-685, set out below, and
repealed section 408 of Pub. L. 100-685, formerly set out below.]"
[References in laws to the rates of pay for GS-16, 17, or 18, or
to maximum rates of pay under the General Schedule, to be
considered references to rates payable under specified sections of
Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, see section 529
[title I, Sec. 101(c)(1)] of Pub. L. 101-509, set out in a note
under section 5376 of Title 5.]
PURCHASE OF ATMOSPHERIC WIND DATA
Pub. L. 101-595, title III, Sec. 320, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat.
2989, provided that: "The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration is authorized to enter into a contract for the
future purchase of atmospheric wind data. Any and all obligations
of the Government under such contract shall be contingent upon the
following terms:
"(1) the data to be purchased must meet technical criteria
specified in the contract and must be satisfactory to the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and
"(2) the availability of appropriated funds."
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE 10-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN
Pub. L. 100-685, title IV, Sec. 407, Nov. 17, 1988, 102 Stat.
4098, as amended by Pub. L. 102-567, title VII, Sec. 709(1), Oct.
29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4309, directed Secretary of Commerce to prepare
and submit to Congress, not later than 90 days after Nov. 17, 1988,
a 10-year strategic plan for comprehensive modernization of
National Weather Service, setting forth basic service improvement
objectives of modernization as well as critical new technological
components and associated operational changes necessary to fulfill
objectives of weather and flood warning service improvements.
DEGRADATION-OF-WEATHER-SERVICES STANDARD FOR PROVIDING SERVICES
Pub. L. 100-685, title IV, Sec. 408, Nov. 17, 1988, 102 Stat.
4099, prohibited Secretary of Commerce from closing, consolidating,
automating, or relocating, any Weather Service Office or Weather
Service Forecast Office pursuant to the implementation of the
strategic plan required by section 407 of Pub. L. 100-685 [formerly
set out above] unless the Secretary certified to Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and Committee
on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives
that such action would not result in any degradation of weather
services provided to the affected area, prior to repeal by Pub. L.
102-567, title VII, Sec. 709(2), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4309.
WEATHER AND CLIMATE INFORMATION IN AGRICULTURE
Pub. L. 99-198, title XVII, Sec. 1762, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat.
1651, provided that:
"(a) Congress finds that -
"(1) agricultural and silvicultural operations are vulnerable
to damage from atmospheric conditions that accurate and timely
reporting of weather information can help prevent;
"(2) the maintenance of current weather and climate analysis
and information dissemination systems, and Federal, State, and
private efforts to improve these systems, is essential if
agriculture and silviculture are to mitigate damage from
atmospheric conditions;
"(3) agricultural and silvicultural weather services at the
Federal level should be maintained with joint planning between
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the
Department of Agriculture; and
"(4) efforts should be made, involving user groups, weather and
climate information providers, and Federal and State governments,
to expand the use of weather and climate information in
agriculture and silviculture.
"(b) It, therefore, is declared to be the policy of Congress that
it is in the public interest to maintain an active Federal
involvement in providing agricultural and silvicultural weather and
climate information and that efforts should be made, among users of
this information and among private providers of this information,
to improve use of this information."
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE; CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL REQUISITE TO SALE,
LEASE, TRANSFER, OR DISMANTLING OF AGENCY
Pub. L. 98-8, title I, Sec. 104, Mar. 24, 1983, 97 Stat. 34,
provided that:
"Since the Administration has proposed to sell the weather
(METSAT) and land (LANDSAT) satellite systems;
"Since there are concerns about possible commercialization of the
National Weather Service;
"Since our country should provide weather service information for
the protection of life and property;
"Since our Nation's economy - its agriculture, aviation, ocean
shipping and construction - is heavily affected by weather and our
ability to forecast and disseminate vital information about its
behavior: Now, therefore,
"It is the sense of the Congress that a reliable and
comprehensive national weather information system responsive to the
needs of national security; agriculture, transportation and other
affected sectors; and individual citizens must be maintained
through a strong central National Weather Service that can work
closely with the private sector, other Federal and State government
agencies, and the weather services of other nations.
"Further, the Nation's civil operational remote sensing
satellites (METSAT and LANDSAT) shall remain under the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. No effort shall be made to
dismantle, transfer, lease or sell any portion of these systems
without prior congressional approval."
STUDY OF THUNDERSTORMS AND ATMOSPHERIC DISTURBANCES; REPORTS;
EXPENDITURES; COOPERATION OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS
Act June 16, 1948, ch. 483, 62 Stat. 470, as amended Oct. 19,
1980, Pub. L. 96-470, title I, Sec. 103(b), 94 Stat. 2237,
provided: "That the Chief of the Weather Bureau is authorized and
directed to study fully and thoroughly the internal structure of
thunderstorms, hurricanes, cyclones, and other severe atmospheric
disturbances, particularly the degree of turbulence within such
storms and the development, maintenance, and magnitude of updrafts
and downdrafts with a view to establishing methods by which the
characteristics of particular thunderstorms may be forecast and
methods by which the characteristics of such storms may be
determined on visual observation from outside of the immediate
thunderstorm area. Such study shall be concluded at the earliest
practicable date and a final report submitted to Congress.
"Sec. 2. The Chief of the Weather Bureau is empowered to make
such expenditures at the seat of government and elsewhere as may be
necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act and as from time to
time may be appropriated for by Congress, including expenditures
for the development and purchase of special meteorological
instruments and other equipment (including motor vehicles and
aircraft), without regard to the provisions of section 3709 of the
Revised Statutes [section 5 of Title 41, Public Contracts]. There
is hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary
for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act.
"Sec. 3. Any executive department or independent establishment is
hereby authorized to cooperate with the Chief of the Weather Bureau
in carrying out the purposes of this Act, and for such purposes may
lend or transfer to the Chief of the Weather Bureau any officer or
employee of such department or establishment and any property,
equipment, lands, or buildings under its control."