Bill · S. 1523· Senate(119-S-1523)
Water Research Optimization Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 4/30/2025
- Last activity
- 10/21/2025 — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 196.
- Sponsored by
- Katie Britt
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 1
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
The Water Research Optimization Act of 2025 changes how the National Water Center operates within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It places the center within the Office of Water Prediction of the National Weather Service. The bill expands the center's role to lead the transition of federal water research into operations and to coordinate with other federal agencies. It also requires the use of supercomputing systems to improve water resources modeling. Additionally, the bill organizes the oversight of River Forecast Centers and the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology.
Yes· 3 of 10
Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster?+7
Coordinates the National Water Center with FEMA to improve water-related disaster forecasting and response.
Would farmers be better off under this?+6
Advanced hydrological modeling and consistent forecasting directly benefit agricultural water planning.
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?+5
Enhanced water resource modeling is critical for rural infrastructure and water management.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Improved Coordination: The bill establishes the National Water Center as the primary hub for collaboration between the Administration and other federal groups, such as FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers (Section 2(1)(B)). This could lead to better coordinated water research and forecast activities.
-
Consistent Forecasting: The bill aims to integrate and promote consistency across national and regional hydrological forecast operations and service delivery (Section 2(1)(B)).
-
Advanced Modeling: By requiring the use of the Weather and Climate Operational Supercomputing System, the bill supports the development of advanced water resources modeling within a unified forecast system (Section 2(1)(C)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts for individuals or groups are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Farmers+6Good For Rural Residents+5Good For Low Income Households+2Good For Urban Residents+2
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Disaster Relief And F E M A+7Improves Environmental Protections+3Improves Public Land Management+2Improves Rural Development+2
- Education And Technology
- Increases Scientific Research Funding+5
- Governance And Ideology
- Increases Federal Power+2
- 10/21/2025
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 119-85.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 196.
- 5/21/2025
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- 4/30/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont