Lucas, 13 GOP colleagues offer bill making NOAA an independent Executive Branch agency

U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) on June 9 led more than a dozen of his Republican colleagues in introducing legislation that would establish the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as a standalone scientific research and development agency within the Executive Branch.

“After years of complex organizational challenges, it’s time for NOAA to become an independent agency and reach its full potential,” said Rep. Lucas, chairman of the U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.

Currently, the NOAA continues to operate under the U.S. Department of Commerce as it has since being created in 1970 by executive action. Under Rep. Lucas’ newly proposed bill, the NOAA would become an independent agency with formal statutory authority.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Act of 2023, H.R. 3980, has 13 original cosponsors, including U.S. Reps. Stephanie Bice (R-OK) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA), and specifically would give the NOAA an overarching statutory framework that focuses on earth system science, maintaining the administration’s core mission and functions while allowing it to restructure and prioritize under an organic statute, according to the text of the bill.

“The NOAA Organic Act not only gives NOAA formal statutory authority and authorizes its critical mission, but reduces bureaucratic inefficiencies, streamlines oversight efforts, and refocuses core mission areas,” said Rep. Lucas. “This will strengthen NOAA’s important role of protecting people and property through its vital weather forecasts, severe weather monitoring, and communication efforts.”

In addition, H.R. 3980 would promote scientific integrity and critical research within the agency by requiring NOAA’s Science Advisory Board to develop a strategic plan for research and development activities every five years, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Lucas’ staff.

The measure also would preserve the National Weather Service within the independent NOAA agency and consolidate the agency’s mission by removing Space Commerce, which then would be positioned as its own entity within the U.S. Department of Commerce, the summary says.

The bill is under consideration in both the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee and the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee.