Overview
Title
To amend the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004 to reauthorize the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
The bill wants to make a plan better at understanding and stopping the damage from strong winds like storms. It will use new technology and work with schools and businesses to help, and it also decides how much money to spend each year on these efforts.
Summary AI
The bill, H. R. 9723, seeks to update the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004 by renewing the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program. It aims to improve understanding and mitigation of the damage caused by windstorms including wind-driven rain, fires, and storm surges. The bill proposes incorporating advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning into the program and emphasizes collaborations with various stakeholders like universities and the private sector. It also introduces funding provisions for each fiscal year from 2025 to 2029 to support the program's initiatives.
Published
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Bill Statistics
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AnalysisAI
The proposed legislation, introduced as H. R. 9723, aims to amend the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004. The bill reauthorizes the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program with several updates to enhance its effectiveness in mitigating the impacts of windstorms across the United States. The amendments include an expansion of research initiatives, increased funding, and the formation of a new advisory committee to guide the program's efforts through coordination with various governmental and private entities.
General Summary
The bill's primary objectives are to improve understanding of windstorms and to develop cost-effective mitigation measures. Innovations in the bill include the involvement of diverse communities like tribal groups, advancements in technology such as artificial intelligence, and a focus on the interdisciplinary nature of research. A significant aspect of the bill is establishing a scientific advisory committee tasked with steering the program's direction and aiding in setting research priorities.
Summary of Significant Issues
The bill encompasses several broad and somewhat ambiguous provisions that raise potential issues. The language around "interdisciplinary research" might lead to funding overlaps without well-defined boundaries. Provisions supporting "property owner utilization of products" might disproportionately benefit certain industries if not regulated transparently. Additionally, the creation of the "Scientific Windstorm Studies Advisory Committee" risks becoming an unnecessary bureaucratic layer without producing clear benefits or deliverables. Lastly, the spending authorization mentioned in the bill lacks detailed allocations, which might pose a challenge for maintaining financial transparency.
Impact on the Public
By striving for better understanding and management of windstorm impacts, the bill stands to positively affect the general public, primarily through enhanced safety measures and protective infrastructure against natural disasters. If successfully implemented, the legislation could reduce loss of life and property damages across urban and rural communities alike. However, without precise definitions and clear gu****idelines, there is a risk that the research and implementations pursued under this legislation may not adequately address the diverse needs of different regions or groups.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
For research institutions and the scientific community, the bill represents an opportunity for increased participation in vital interdisciplinary work aimed at understanding and mitigating the effects of windstorms. Organizations involved in construction and manufacturing might benefit from new methodologies and standardized certifications supported by government programs; however, this could also lead to an uneven playing field if some industries or companies are favored over others.
Governmental bodies at various levels could face new challenges in coordinating efforts and resources unless roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and communicated. The bill places emphasis on collaboration, and success depends on effective partnership among federal, state, local, and tribal governments, as well as private sectors and academia.
In conclusion, while H. R. 9723 brings promising updates to an essential program, careful attention to clarity, accountability, and equitable implementation will be crucial to ensure it meets its intended goals effectively and fairly.
Financial Assessment
The bill H. R. 9723 aims to amend the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004, focusing on reauthorizing the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program with several financial allocations. The proposed spending is specified for each fiscal year from 2025 to 2029, with distinct amounts designated for various parts of the program.
Financial Summary
- Authorized Funding Amounts:
- The bill outlines the allocation of funds over five fiscal years. In Section 207, the financial provisions for each subsection (a through d) are:
- Subsection (a): $5,332,000 annually from 2025 to 2029.
- Subsection (b): $9,682,000 annually from 2025 to 2029.
- Subsection (c): $5,564,000 annually from 2025 to 2029.
- Subsection (d): $17,219,000 annually from 2025 to 2029.
These allocations are significant as they aim to support the program’s initiatives in understanding and mitigating windstorm impacts, including advancements in technology and collaborative research.
Relation to Identified Issues
Lack of Specific Allocations: The bill's financial sections, particularly the spending authorizations in Section 207, lack detailed allocation breakdowns. This gap in specifics could lead to issues in tracking how funds are effectively used. When financial allocations are broad, it could create challenges in accountability and transparency, as noted in the issue regarding financial transparency.
Potential Overlap in Funding: The emphasis on supporting interdisciplinary research without clear boundaries, as highlighted in the issues, might lead to funding overlaps. The financial allocations support broad initiatives like interdisciplinary research, which could result in inefficient use of these funds if clear guidelines aren't established.
Favoritism and Unequal Benefits: In Section 2, subsection 204(b)(1)(E), there is concern that financial resources for supporting "property owner utilization of products" could be biased towards certain industries if guidelines are not clarified. This potential favoritism could impact fair distribution of financial benefits, affecting the program's integrity.
Bureaucratic Costs: The creation of the Scientific Windstorm Studies Advisory Committee will entail administrative costs. Although these costs are not explicitly detailed in the bill, they are a factor in considering the financial efficiency of the proposed budget. The necessity and expected deliverables of the committee could influence the perceived value of this financial allocation.
Vague Objectives: Financial allocations intending to enhance understanding of public responses to windstorm risks need more clearly defined objectives. Without clarity on where funds are targeted, as indicated in the issues, there is a risk of resource misallocation, reducing the effectiveness of spending.
In conclusion, while the bill lays out specific amounts for windstorm impact initiatives, the lack of detailed allocations and clear guidelines could pose challenges related to accountability, transparency, and effective use of funds. Addressing these concerns may necessitate more precise language within the bill to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and equitably for all stakeholders involved.
Issues
The term 'interdisciplinary research' in Section 2, subsection 204(b)(1)(B), is broad and could lead to funding overlaps without clear boundaries. This could result in inefficient use of funds and a lack of accountability in research efforts.
The provisions for supporting 'property owner utilization of products' in Section 2, subsection 204(b)(1)(E), could potentially favor specific industries involved in building methodologies and certification standards without clear guidelines, leading to unequal benefits for certain sectors.
The establishment and duties of the 'Scientific Windstorm Studies Advisory Committee' in Section 2, subsection 204(b)(4)(B), present a potential for increased bureaucracy and administrative costs without clear deliverables or benefits, questioning the efficiency and necessity of such a committee.
Repeated emphasis on cooperation with 'other levels of government, academia, scientific organizations, and the private sector' throughout Section 2 could lead to confusion and redundancy unless roles are clearly defined, potentially resulting in inefficiencies and miscommunication.
Spending authorization for the fiscal years 2025 to 2029 in Section 207 lacks detail on specific allocations, which could lead to challenges in accountability and tracking of funds, ultimately affecting financial transparency.
The section regarding 'research and development to enhance understanding of factors that influence public responses to windstorm risks' in Section 2, subsection 204(c)(3)(D), is vague without defining which specific factors or outcomes are being targeted, leading to unclear objectives and potential misallocation of resources.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section introduces the official name of the legislative document, which is the “National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2024”.
2. National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004 is being updated to improve understanding and lessen the damage caused by windstorms. These updates include involving more diverse groups like tribal communities and supporting research with new technologies like artificial intelligence. Additionally, there will be a new advisory committee to guide the program, and the financial budget for various projects through 2029 is outlined.
Money References
- (iii) in paragraph (3)— (I) in subparagraph (A), by inserting “and technologies” after “mechanisms”; (II) in subparagraph (B), by striking “and” after the semicolon; (III) in subparagraph (C)— (aa) by inserting “near-surface winds and” after “modeling of”; and (bb) by striking the period and inserting “; and”; and (IV) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: “(D) research and development to enhance understanding of factors that influence public responses to windstorm risks.”; and (iv) in paragraph (4)— (I) in subparagraph (A), by striking “and local officials” and inserting “local, and Tribal officials”; and (II) in subparagraph (C)— (aa) by striking “and local officials” and inserting “local, and Tribal officials”; and (bb) by inserting “academia, scientific organizations,” after “construction industry,”; and (D) in subsection (e)— (i) in paragraph (2)(A)— (I) in clause (iv), by striking “and” after the semicolon; and (II) by adding at the end the following new clause: “(vi) the Department of Housing and Urban Development; and”; (ii) in paragraph (5)— (I) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act Reauthorization of 2015” and inserting “not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2024”; (II) in subparagraph (A), by inserting “and resulting wind-driven rain, wind-driven fires, and storm surge impacts” before the semicolon; (III) in subparagraph (C), by inserting “, including efforts to cooperate with other levels of government, academia, scientific organizations, and the private sector” before the semicolon; (IV) in subparagraph (D), by striking “and” after the semicolon; (V) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (F); and (VI) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new subparagraph: “(E) an analysis of future research infrastructure needs, including facilities and deployable equipment in support of the Program, and a plan for meeting such needs; and”; and (iii) in paragraph (6)— (I) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act Reauthorization of 2015” and inserting “Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2024”; (II) in subparagraph (B), by inserting “and” after the semicolon; (III) in subparagraph (C), by striking “; and” and inserting a period; and (IV) by striking subparagraph (D); and (2) in section 207 (42 U.S.C. 15706)— (A) in subsection (a), by striking paragraphs (1) through (3) and inserting the following new paragraphs: “(1) $5,332,000 for fiscal year 2025. “(2) $5,332,000 for fiscal year 2026. “(3) $5,332,000 for fiscal year 2027. “(4) $5,332,000 for fiscal year 2028. “(5) $5,332,000 for fiscal year 2029.”; (B) in subsection (b), by striking paragraphs (1) through (3) and inserting the following new paragraphs: “(1) $9,682,000 for fiscal year 2025. “(2) $9,682,000 for fiscal year 2026. “(3) $9,682,000 for fiscal year 2027. “(4) $9,682,000 for fiscal year 2028. “(5) $9,682,000 for fiscal year 2029.”; (C) in subsection (c), by striking paragraphs (1) through (3) and inserting the following new paragraphs: “(1) $5,564,000 for fiscal year 2025. “(2) $5,564,000 for fiscal year 2026. “(3) $5,564,000 for fiscal year 2027. “(4) $5,564,000 for fiscal year 2028. “(5) $5,564,000 for fiscal year 2029.”; and (D) in subsection (d), by striking paragraphs (1) through (3) and inserting the following new paragraphs: “(1) $17,219,000 for fiscal year 2025. “(2) $17,219,000 for fiscal year 2026. “(3) $17,219,000 for fiscal year 2027. “(4) $17,219,000 for fiscal year 2028. “(5) $17,219,000 for fiscal year 2029.”. ---