Great Lakes and National Weather Service Funding Protection Act
Great Lakes and National Weather Service Funding Protection Act would bar any deferral, transfer, or reprogramming of discretionary funds provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Great Lakes Region unless Congress enacts new statutory authority that explicitly references this Act. In other words, NOAA would not be allowed to withhold or shift these funds unless Congress passes a law specifically permitting it and pointing to this Act. The bill also requires the NOAA Administrator to certify, within 30 days after enactment and annually thereafter, that NOAA is in compliance with the Act and to report this certification to several House and Senate committees. The intent is to protect funding for weather services and Great Lakes programs from unilateral budget changes and to increase congressional oversight over NOAA’s spending decisions.
Key Points
- 1Prohibits impoundment, transfer, or reprogramming of discretionary funds for the National Weather Service and the Great Lakes Region, unless a new statute authorizing such action explicitly references this Act.
- 2Overrides general budget-deferral authorities, including those in the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, by requiring specific legislative authorization to permit any such action.
- 3Requires the NOAA Administrator to certify compliance with the Act: within 30 days of enactment and annually thereafter, to a set of House and Senate committees (Appropriations, Natural Resources, Science/Technology for the House; Appropriations, Commerce/Science/Transportation for the Senate).
- 4Applies to discretionary appropriations, including funds provided by the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (Public Law 119-4).
- 5The bill is introduced in the House by Rep. Kennedy (NY) with a group of co-sponsors and referred to relevant science, natural resources, and appropriations committees.